Against Kenya, Uruguay came out to a roaring start as Florencia Norbis scored in the first minute of the match. Uruguay then immediately earned a couple of penalty corners and Norbis converted one in the fifth minute to give Uruguay an early two goal lead. Cynthia Onyango, Kenya’s keeper, came up with some big saves to keep Uruguay from quickly increasing their lead even further. Midway through the first period Jacqueline Jow had some touches near Kenya’s attacking goal. Yvonne Karanja and Beatrice Mbugua hassled the Uruguayan defense, particularly Federika Kempner. Uruguay regained possession, but Kenya came back strong on defense to hold off a few more Uruguayan penalty corners. Kenya earned a penalty corner, but the shot went high. The first period ended Uruguay two, Kenya nill.
With Captain Betsy Ommala’s leadership, Kenya opened the second period with smarter defense keeping play more in the midfield. Ommala and defender Teresa Nekesa Juma repeatedly stifled runs by Sofia Mora and Mercedes Coates. Mbugua again had some touches on offense, but had trouble getting into Kenya’s attacking circle. While Uruguay continued to dominate possession, Kenya continued to play good defense to keep play in the midfield. Another Uruguay penalty corner shot was blocked by Onyango.
Late in the second period, Kenya had another quick run on attack, but it was Anastasia Olave who had a one-on-one run with keeper Onyango. The play resulted in a penalty corner for Uruguay, but Kenya quickly came up with the ball and nearly scored, but a Uruguayan player made a big defensive save. In the final minutes of the second period, Uruguay perfectly executed a penalty corner as Matilde Kliche sent a ball high into net. Uruguay just barely scored another penalty corner goal in the final minute of the second period. Thus, the score at halftime was Uruguay three, Kenya nill.
Given the attacking intensity of Uruguay in the first half, the third period started surprisingly quiet. While Uruguay continued to dominate possession Kenya played more disciplined defense to prevent further Uruguay quick breaks. Caroline Guchu was given a green card in the 41st minute; and then Norbis received a yellow card in the 43rd minute. With neither team unable to capitalize off the card situations or generate powerful attack, the score remained Uruguay three, Kenya nill at the end of the third period.
Similar to the third period, Uruguay was quiet to start the fourth period. It was hard to tell if it was patient passing on the part of Uruguay or better Kenyan defense or a combination of the two. Tracy Karanja received a yellow card in the 50th minute. Yet, Uruguay could not capitalize off the yellow card. In the final minutes, the crowd got really loud, but Kenya’s defense held strong. In the final minutes, Kenya’s hard work on defense paid off and Kenya earned a few penalty corners. The Uruguay defense prevented Kenya from scoring and the final score remained Uruguay 3, Kenya nill.
Italy played Trinidad and Tobago. Italy asserted their attacking pressure early and had an early two goal lead off back-to-back goals by Macarena Ronsisvalli and Martina Lecchini, respectively. Patricia Wright-Alexis and Krizia Layne worked hard in the defensive midfield to keep Italy from scoring further in the first period. The score at the end of the first period was Italy 2, Trinidad and Tobago nill.
The second period was similar to the first with midfielders Wright-Alexis, Blair Wynne and Kayla Brathwaite having to play a lot of defense in the midfield to prevent Italy from having constant shot opportunities. Italy’s Agata Wybieralska blasted a penalty corner shot that Ronsisvalli deflected off the post for her second goal of the match in the 20th minute. Amie Olton spent a lot of time in Trinidad and Tobago’s backfield trying to hold off Lecchini and Valentina Braconi. Trinidad and Tobago caught a lucky break when Italy failed to execute a penalty corner play late in the second period. Petal Derry, Trinidad and Tobago’s keeper made solid saves in the second period, including two spectacular penalty corner saves, to keep Italy from increasing their lead. Again, Trinidad and Tobago got lucky when Italy could not execute a penalty corner play and the score at halftime remained Italy three, Trinidad and Tobago nill.
Captain Alanna Lewis continued to provide strong leadership in the Trinidad and Tobago backfield to keep Italy from having many shot opportunities throughout the third period. Olton and Layne and teammates worked even harder to keep a perstistant Italian team from getting much inside their attacking circle. Thus, while Italy again dominated the possession in their attacking half in the third period, Trinidad and Tobago kept Italy without a penalty corner and the score remained Italy three, Trinidad and Tobago nill at the end of the third period.
Early in the fourth period, Brittney Hingh had a rare chance for Trinidad and Tobago on attack, but Italy soon came up with the ball and play was back in their attacking half. Derry and defense blocked a couple of penalty corner shots, but Italy quickly regained possession. Derry came up with another big penalty corner save to keep Italy from scoring another in the final minutes of the match. The final score remained Italy three, Trinidad and Tobago nill.
In the France and Mexico match, Mexico earned a penalty corner in the opening minutes, but France’s keeper Anne-Sophie Daire was there for the save. Led by Captain Michel Navarro, Mexico continued to pressure on attack. Jessica Sanchez and Dafne Carmona worked hard on defense for Mexico to keep France from having many attacking opportunities in the first period. In the final minute of the first period, France’s Alix Perrocheau capitalized to give her team the one goal lead going into the second period.
Mexico continued their offensive pressure in the second period. Marlet Correa and Navarro kept trying to generate offensive plays; and their hard work earned Mexico a penalty corner partway through the second period. France’s Daire came up with the save and Mexico went back on attack. Marlet Correa’s hard work paid off and she sent a hard shot into goal to tie the match in the 24th minute. In the final minute of the second period, France again earned a penalty corner. This time Mexico’s keeper Jesus Castillo came up with the save to prevent France from re-taking the lead and the match remained tied at half time.
As expected, the third period started as a fierce battle for possession between the two teams. As a result, play largely remained in the midfield and neither team had many scoring opportunities. This time it was Mexico who had penalty corners in the final minute of the period. France played strong team defense to keep the match tied at the end of the third period. Emotions and the intensity of the match was high in the fourth period. In the 50th minute, Captain Appoline Rogeau received a green card; and one minute later Ines Lardeur received a ten minute yellow card (following a green card in the 47th). Alicia Minet then received a yellow card. With two players out with yellow cards, Mexico looked to capitalize. However, in the 55th minute, Mexico’s Cindy Correa and Eliana Cota and France’s Margaux De Galzain were also sent out with yellow cards.
Perrocheau had a shot in the final minute, but it went wide. With the match still tied one-one at the end of the fourth period, the match went into a penalty shoot out. Navarro’s shot and Carmona’s shots were blocked by Daire. De Galzain’s shot went wide; and Philippine Berly’s shot was blocked by Castillo. Marlet Correa dodged Daire for the score. Castillo forced Morgane Huevelle’s shot to go wide. Fernanda Oviedo did a great dodge around Daire for the score. As a result, Mexico won the shoot out 2-nill over France to advance to the semi-final.
Azerbaijan and the Dominican Republic met. In the first period, Azerbaijan largely controlled possession. Anastasiya Tsyganska and Lyubov Druzhinina kept fighting for attacking opportunities around the Dominican Republic defense anchored by Captain Soledad Del Pino. Yet, the Dominican Republic earned the first penalty corner of the match, but too much passing led to quick regain of possession by Azerbaijan. Albania Marte came up with a big defensive save to prevent a goal by Azerbaijan’s Mahira Amhadova. With the Dominican Republic defense continuing to give the Azerbaijan offense trouble, the first period ended scoreless.
The second period started with Azerbaijan earning a couple of penalty corners, but Cindy De La Rosa, Dominican Republic’s keeper, made a big save to keep Azerbaijan off the scoreboard. Midway through the second period, Druzhinina was able to get the ball past De La Rosa to give her team the one-goal lead. Soon after, off a penalty corner, a beautiful lifted goal by Captain Khatira Aliyeva made it Azerbaijan two, Dominican Republic nill. De La Rosa made a great high stick save to prevet Aliyeva from quickly scoring another lifted penalty corner goal. Amhadova again had a near goal blocked, this time by the goal post, to keep the score Azerbaijan two, Dominican Republic nill. De La Rosa made more big saves, but Aliyeva converted a penalty stroke to put her team ahead by three at the halftime break.
The third period again found the Dominican Republic having to work hard on defense. Del Pino, Marte and Manuela Sanchez Guarin led the defensive efforts. In the 38th minute, Druzhinina scored again to give Azerbaijan a four goal lead over the Dominican Republic. Attacker Cecelia Oflaherti worked extremely hard on defense with Del Pino to give Aliyeva fits and prevent her many hard balls down the pitch from finding Azerbaijan attackers in good position. Thus, the score at the end of the third period remained Azerbaijan 4, Dominican Republic, nill.
Again, Azerbaijan dominated on attack and the Dominican Republic worked hard on defense in the fourth period. After Azerbaijan had a number of penalty corners denied, Farida Mammadova found the back of the net in the 51st minute to give her team a five goal lead. The Dominican Republic was awarded for their hard defensive work with an offensive penalty corner late in the match, but Azerbaijan’s keeper was there for the save. The Dominican Republic had a couple more chances near their attacking circle, but could not convert. With more big saves by De La Rosa, the final score was Azerbaijan five, Dominican Republic nill.
