Host Argentina and United States to play in Women’s Pan American Cup final

Argentina and United States will play in the final of the 2013 Women’s Pan American Cup; while Canada and Chile will battle for bronze. And a thrilling shoot out means that Mexico will play Uruguay for 5^th/6^th place.

Argentina advances to final against USA; and Chile will play for bronze against Canada.

In a full and loud stadium, the second semifinal match was between Argentina and Chile. In the first two minutes of the match, Chile earned two penalty corners. Chile just missed from scoring and Argentina’s defense recovered the ball. A few minutes later Argentina received their first penalty corner of the match. Silvina D’Elia blasted the ball high in the net to give Argentina a 1-0 lead in the 8^th minute. Argentina continued to pressure on attack, but Chile played strong defense and Argentina was unable to take many shots on goal. Chile’s keeper Claudia Schuler made three big saves in a row to keep Argentina from scoring another goal. Each time Argentina looked to score there were multiple Chile players surrounding the player.  Chile had another penalty corner in the 29^th minute, but the shot was saved by Argentina’s keeper Belen Succi. Argentina immediately earned a couple penalty corners, but again Chile defended their area well. As time expired, Argentina was awarded a penalty corner. Chile’s defenders blocked the shots and the score at halftime remained Argentina 1, Chile 0.

The second half started with both teams fighting hard for possession. And most of the play was in the midfield. Schuler made another big save to prevent Argentina from scoring another goal. In the 45^th minute Argentina was awarded a penalty corner and the shot hit the goal post. Argentina then got another penalty corner and Daniela Sruoga deflected the ball hard near the goal post to make the score Argentina 2, 0 Chile. Around the 51^st minute Argentina was awarded a few more penalty corners. Shots again were saved both by Schuler and the goal post to keep the score Argentina 2, 0 Chile. Halfway through the second half, Chile had the ball in their attacking end. Argentina quickly regained possession and went on attack. Schuler saved one shot, and then Agustina Albertarrio made it Argentina 3, Chile 0 when she shot the ball on a near open net. Captain Luciana Aymar increased Argentina’s lead to four goals in the 64^th minute. Two minutes later Albertarrio scored again to make Argentina 5, Chile 0. And the match ended as such. Therefore, Argentina and USA will play in the 2013 Women’s Pan American Cup final. And Chile and Canada will play for third place. The finals and the last day of the tournament will be on Saturday September 28^th.

The first semi-final of the 2013 Women’s Pan American Cup was between USA and Canada. The United States quickly went on attack and earned the first penalty corner of the match in the first minute. Kaitlyn Williams, Canada’s keeper, block the shot, but the United States regained possession.  The United States continued to control possession, but Canada’s defense prevented the United States from having many good scoring opportunities. In the 19^th minute, Williams saved a United States shot to keep the match scoreless. Throughout the rest of the first half, the United States continued to dominate possession, Canada continued to play very strong defense keeping the United States from entering their attacking circle. Canada’s best chance game in the 30^th minute when a shot was blasted and went just wide of the goal cage. With both teams playing tough defensively, the match remained USA 0-0 CAN at halftime.

The second half of the match started like the first half, with the United States earning a penalty corner in the first minute of the match. Canada’s defense blocked up the play, and soon after, the United States earned another penalty corner. Williams blocked the shot, but Canada had trouble keeping possession of the ball. In the 42^nd minute, the United States earned another penalty corner and Katie Reinprecht’s goal gave the United States the 1-0 lead over Canada. The United States kept up their attacking pressure and Kathleen Sharkey’s penalty corner goal gave her team a two goal lead in the 49^th minute. The second half continued to be like the first with the United States dominating possession, and Canada preventing them from having many scoring opportunities. The United States capitalized off a yellow card to Canada’s Sara McManus when Shannon Taylor beat a lot of defense for the score to make it United States 3, 0 Canada. With few minutes remaining in the match, the United States was awarded a penalty corner and Rachel Dawson’s shot went in right past a jumping Williams. With Canada unable to capitalize off possession in the final minute, the United States beat Canada in the semifinal 4, 0; and will advance to the final.

In the first match to decide who will play in the matches to decide 5^th-8^th place respectively of the 2013 Women’s Pan American Cup, Uruguay and Guyana played. Uruguay immediately started the match on attack. Guyana’s keeper Alysa Xavier made a big save, but Lucia Lamberti collected the ball and scored to put Uruguay ahead 1-0 in the 2^nd minute. Guyana’s defense then blocked a couple penalty shots by Uruguay. Uruguay continued to dominate possession, but Guyana continued to keep Uruguay from having many scoring opportunities. In the 23^rd minute, Soledad Villar scored off a penalty corner to make the score Uruguay 2, Guyana 0. Uruguay’s Kaisuami Dall Orso gave her team a three goal lead when the ball deflected off the goal post and she then put the ball in net.

In the second half, play started in Uruguay’s attacking end. However, Guyana’s defense worked hard to gain possession. Guyana had more possession in their attacking area than the first half, but could not manage many shots. The crowded cheered each time Guyana went down into their attacking end. Uruguay scored their first goal of the second half when Mercedes Coates pushed the ball through a diving Xavier. Guyana kept possession on the restart and again tried to pressure on attack. Midway through the second half, Uruguay changed keepers and Lucia Gioscia entered the match for starter Rosanna Paselle Decia. In the 55^th minute, Uruguay was awarded a penalty corner that was initially blocked by Xavier. Matilde Kliche collected the rebound and fired a shot to give Uruguay a five goal lead. Six minutes later Lamberti scored her second goal of the match, this time off a penalty corner, to make the score Uruguay 6, Guyana 0. With either team unable to score in the final minutes of the match, the final score remained Uruguay 6, Guyana 0. Thus, Uruguay will play for 5^th/6^th place and Guyana will play for 7^th/8^th place.

In match to decide who would play against Uruguay for 5^th/6^th place and Guyana for 7^th/8^th place, respectively, was a Trinidad & Tobago versus Mexico match. At the beginning of the match, play was mostly in Mexico’s attacking half. Trinidad & Tobago entered their attacking circle a few times, but Mexico’s defense kept them from scoring. Trinidad & Tobago was awarded the first penalty corner of the match in the 10 minute. Mexico’s keeper Selma Flores Ladron de Guevara blocked the shot. Trinidad & Tobago was awarded a penalty stroke, but again Flores Ladron de Guevara came up with a big save to keep the match scoreless.  Coincidentally, Mexico was then awarded a penalty stroke following a break away on offense. Mexico’s Michel Navarro Hernandez pushed the stroke to the left side for the goal in the 17^th minute. Navarro Hernandez’s goal gave Mexico the lead and it was Mexico’s first goal of the tournament. Five minutes later, Trinidad & Tobago was awarded a penalty corner. After two hard shots were blocked by Flores Ladron de Guevara, Trinidad & Tobago’s Kristin Thompson’s shot tied the match 1-1. Both teams kept trying to keep possession in their attacking end. With six minutes remaining in the first half, Mexico was awarded a couple penalty corners. Trinidad & Tobago’s keeper Anastasia Netto saved the shot to keep the match tied. Soon after, Trinidad & Tobago was awarded a penalty corner. Trinidad & Tobago’s Blair Wynne collected the rebound off Flores Ladron de Guevara and lifted it into goal to give her team a 2-1 lead over Mexico. With one minute remaining in the first half, Mexico was awarded a penalty corner. Similarly, the first shot was saved by Netto and then Maria Correa Conejo got the ball and hit a hard shot into goal. Thus, the match was tied 2-2 at halftime.

The second half also started with a penalty corner, but Mexico could not convert. Mexico’s Jazel Salazar Miranda gave her team the lead in the 40^th minute off a field goal. Mexico was then awarded a couple penalty corners, but could not score off them. Mexico continued to pressure on attack. Trinidad & Tobago scored off a breakaway when Zene Henry worked around Flores Ladron de Guevara in front of the goal to tie the match 3-3. Throughout much of the second half, both teams fought hard for possession and attacking opportunities. In the 65^th minute, Araceli Rivera Portillo scored to give Mexico the lead. Trinida & Tobago was awarded a penalty corner with about one minute left in the half. Trinidad & Tobago was awarded a penalty stroke and Blair Wynne put in the stroke to tie the match. With the match tied at the end of 70 minutes, there was a penalty shoot out. Mexico won the shoot out 3-2 off scores from Correa Conejo, Fernanda Oviedo Guadarrama, and Navarro Hernandez; as well as saves by Flores Ladron de Guevara.

Thus, Mexico will play Uruguay for 5^th/6^th place. And Trinidad & Tobago will play Guyana for 7^th/8^th place.

The Women’s Pan American Cup will continue on Saturday September 28^th; the final day of the tournament. Please stay tuned to www.panamhockey.org for live updates, videos, photos, and more.