PAHF rivals Argentina and United States met in the quarter-final round of the Women’s Hockey Junior World Cup currently underway in Santiago, Chile. Argentina dominated possession throughout the match. Behind keeper Kelsey Bing the United States tough defense held Argentina to one goal per half for the two-nill win to advance to the semi-final round. Argentina will play Australia in a semi-final today Friday 2nd December at 17:45. The United States will play against Belgium to classify for the 5th-8th place at 13:15 today.
Argentina 2-0 United States
In a quarter final match of the Women’s Hockey Junior World Cup, PAHF rivals Argentina and USA met. Under the hot sun of Santiago, Chile, the stands were full of fans from both Argentina and United States, respectively. Throughout the first ten minutes of the match both teams battled for possession. Argentina was first to get into their attacking circle in the 10th minute, but United States Captain Julia Young and the rest of the USA defense broke up the play before Argentina could get a shot off. Argentina kept up their attacking pressure and earned the first penalty corner of the match in the 13th minute. United States’ keeper Kelsey Bing just barely cleared the Argentina shot with her leg. Two minutes later, Argentina earned another penalty corner, but the United States defense broke up the play. Twenty minutes into the match, Argentina had one of their best shots on goal, a low backhand shot from the left side of the circle go just wide past the right side of the goal to keep the match scoreless. Argentina kept dominating possession near their attacking circle. In the 29th minute, Argentina earned another penalty corner, but United States’ Laura Hurff rushed and broke up the play. Two minutes later, Argentina’s Bianca Donati was able to convert a penalty corner to give her team the one goal lead in the 32nd minute. Thus, the halftime score remained Argentina 1, United States 0.
Argentina continued to control possession to start the second half. Bing stopped a shot by Argentina’s Maria Paula Ortiz. And then, five minutes into the second half, Nicole Woods had the first shot of the second half for the United States, but the shot was blocked by Argentina’s keeper María Rossetti. A few minutes later, Bing made another big save to stop a blast by Argentina’s Priscila Jardel and keep Argentina from increasing their lead. In the 44th minute, Argentina earned the first penalty corner of the second half. Hurff again rushed out and broke up the Argentina penalty corner play. Argentina kept play near their attacking circle and earned another penalty corner in the 47th minute. The United States broke up the play and looked to run into their attacking half, but Argentina quickly regained possession. And Lucina von der Heyde hit a hard shot from the very top right of the circle into the opposite corner of the goal to make the score Argentina 2, USA 0 in the 49th minute. In the 53rd minute, Bing made three more saves to keep Argentina from quickly increasing their lead. Argentina kept dominating possession. In the 57th minute, the United States earned their first penalty corners of the match, but both shots went wide. The United States had an opportunity to pressure more on attack with a green card to Argentina’s Barbara Dichiara Gentili in the 60th minute. Argentina, however, was able to force play into their attacking half. In the 65th minute, Bing made another big save to keep the score Argentina 2, United States 0. The United States did not give up and earned another penalty corner in the 67th minute, but the shot went just wide. Argentina held onto the ball for the rest of the match to come away with the win over United States and advance to the semi-final round of the Women’s Hockey Junior World Cup.
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