In the battle between the two Pan American nations of Uruguay and the Dominican Republic, Uruguay pressured early on attack and took the lead in the 6th minute off a penalty stroke by Sofia Mora. Two minutes later, Anastasia Olave put Uruguay ahead by two goals. Credit is due to the Dominican Republic who played incredibly strong team defense to prevent Uruguay from converting a number of penalty corners in the first period. At the end of the first period, the score remained Uruguay 2, Dominican Republic 0.
Uruguay kept up their attacking pressure in the second period. Captain of the match Patricia Campos and Mercedes Coates kept looking for opportunities up front, but Benifer Moronta played incredible defense for the Dominican Republic. Florenica Norbis and Manuela Vilar Del Valle also tried to find attacking opportunities for Uruguay. Led by keeper Cindy De La Rosa, the Dominican Republic held off more penalty corners in the second period. Yet, in the final minute before the half break, Norbis was able to convert a penalty corner to put Uruguay ahead by three goals over the Dominican Republic at the end of the second period.
Lucia Laborde re-started the scoring for Uruguay off another penalty corner early in the third period. Laborde’s goal made the score Uruguay 4, Dominican Republic nill in the 33rd minute. Uruguay kept the attacking possession and pressure in the third period, but lucky for the Dominican Republic that a few shots went wide of the goal. Magalys Ortega Mateo, celebrating her 22nd Birthday, tried to generate attack for the Dominican Republic; and the Dominican Republic earned a penalty corner late in the third period. Dominican Republic’s Moronta deflected a hard shot into goal. With Lucia Navamuel out on a yellow card, the Dominican Republic got on the scoreboard in the 42nd minute.
The fourth period started with Uruguay being awarded a number of penalty corners, but the Dominican Republic continued to play strong defense. The Dominican Republic also earned another penalty corner, but could not convert. Midway through the fourth period, Uruguay’s Agustina Taborda finally converted one of her team’s many penalty corner opportunities to make the score Uruguay 5, Dominican Republic 1 that remained the final score.
In a day of Pool A matches at the FIH Hockey World League Round 2-Womens in Montevideo, Uruguay the first match was between Mexico and Italy. The beginning of the match had Italy pressuring on attack and Dafne Carmona and Marlet Correa working hard on defense for Mexico. Italy earned a penalty corner and while the initial shot was blocked by Mexico’s keeper Jesus Castillo, Valentina Braconi was waiting on the post for the deflection to put Italy ahead in the 7th minute. Castillo soon blocked another penalty corner, but Italy kept up its attacking pressure and this time Giuliana Ruggieri was waiting near the right goal post for the shot in the 10th minute to give her team a two goal lead. Marta de Guio and Captain Chiara Tiddi continued to anchor Italy’s backfield and keep Mexico from entering their attacking half. With no time remaining in the first period, Italy was awarded two penalty corners. Tiddi was unable to convert the first, but her teammate Maria Garraffo was ready for the second corner to put Italy up 3-0 over Mexico at the end of the first period.
In front of de Guio’s defense, Macarena Ronsisvalli and Garraffo worked a lot of possession down Italy’s right side of the pitch in the second period. Braconi looked to score again off a breakaway, but Carmona was there for the save. Italy’s attacking pressure resulted in another penalty corner, but hard work by Mexico prevented another score. A few times Fernanda Oviedo looked to attack for Mexico, but Italy was always on her with more than one defender. In the 25th minute, Ruggieri scored her second goal of the match to put Italy ahead by four. With a big save from Castillo, Mexico’s defense held off a couple more Italy penalty corners to keep Italy from increasing their lead at half time.
Italy continued their attacking pressure in the third and Ruggieri scored her third goal of the match off a penalty stroke in the 37th minute. Mexico did not let up and immediately earned their first penalty corner of the match, but the shot went wide. Castillo blocked a penalty stroke by Dalila Mirabella late in the third period. Mexico’s defense continued to play collectively as a team to prevent Italy from taking advantage of a number of penalty corner opportunities in the third period; and the score remained Mexico 0, Italy 5.
Possession remained in Italy’s attacking end throughout the fourth period, but Mexico’s defense stayed strong. Italy could not take advantage of a green card. And Italy’s attack was unable to break through the Mexico defense in the fourth period. With Mexico also unable to capitalize off its attacking opportunities, the final score remained Mexico 0, Italy 5.
