CHILE SCORE MANY, CLOSE TO SEMIFINALS

Chile overwhelmed Puerto Rico 23-0, in the second match of the fifth day of the 8th Men's Pan-American Championship to move one step more forwards the semifinals on Sunday at the Antonio Maceo Stadium in Santiago de Las Vegas, 25 kilometres south of La Havana.

This tournament will qualify the top three for the World Championship to take place, from June 29 to July 10, in Rotterdam, Holland.

Chilean striker Alfredo Thiermann netted six goals - in the fourth, 45, 46, 48, 49 and 51 minutes, while Alexis Berczely scored four, in the fifth, ninth, 15th and 17th.

The rest of the goals were scored by Sebastián Kapsch (11th, 18th and 19th minutes); Thomas Tegtmeier (in the 47th and 57th); Fernando Fernández (in the 34th and 66th minutes); Jaime Zarhi (in the 32nd and 35th); Thomas Kannegiesser, in the 37th; Diego Villaseca (in the 55th minute); Camilo Almarza (54th) and Cristián Zarhi (43rd minute).

On Sunday, Chile demolished Puerto Rico throughout the field, keeping the pace to win the match easily.

The Caribbean squad produced only one advance - nine minutes before the final - to got two penalty corners, but without consequences.

Chile will play a key match, against Canada, on Tuesday at 9am local time. Puerto Rico will clash against Mexico on Monday at 2pm.

Chile: Hanríquez; Labra, Almarza, Valenzuela, Yuraszeck; Villaseca, Kannegiesser, J. Zarhi; Thiermann, Berczely and Kapsch. Also played: González, Tegtmeier, Garcés, Fernández and C. Zarhi. Coach: Diego Amoroso.

Puerto Rico: González; Figueras, Rivera, Basora, C. Feliciano, Colón, O. Feliciano, León, Rodríguez; Cruz and Márquez. Also played: Fernández, Concepción, Ortiz and F. Maldonado. Coach: Carlos Ríos.

Umpires: Armando Bajares (Venezuela) and Roger Broomes (Barbados).

Booking - Green card: 24m, Márquez (PR).

MEXICO ALSO SCORE MANY

With eight goals by Jorge Gómez (in the fifth, 11th, 22nd, 31st, 35th, 54th, 57th and 58th minutes); five from Edgar García (in the 18th, 22nd, 51st, 55th and 58th minutes); three through Rubén Martínez (in the 66th, 68th and 69th), and the rest netted by César García, two minutes from the start; Reyson Aguayo (in the 23rd); Roberto García (in the 41st minute) and Oscar Galván, in the 70th, Mexico demolished the inexperienced Venezuelan team 20-0 in the first match of the fifth round of the 8th Men's Pan-American Championship.

Argentina's coach Lucas Piccioli started to train Venezuela, the youngest team of the tournament, four months ago and will continue four more years with them.

The Venezuelan team has an average of 16 years old as his youngest player is 14-year-old Rafael Kaiser.

Mexico will play again on Monday, at 11am local time, facing Puerto Rico, while Venezuela will meet Trinidad & Tobago at 2pm.

Venezuela: Rico; Galavis, Lizardi, Gutiérrez, Jones; S. Kaiser, Gamboa, Serrano; Tovar, Guilarte and Alvizu. Also played: Tuset, Rodríguez and R. Kaiser. Coach: Lucas Piccioli.

Mexico: Vargas; Galván, Zuleta, Barrera, Reyes; Martínez, R. García, Ríos Benítez; Gómez, E. García and C. García. Also played: Gallegos, Chavira and Borquez Coach: Jaime Chávez.

Umpires: Sukh Bajwa (Canada) and Daniel Gonzáles (Peru).

CANADA STRUGGLE TO DEFEAT TRINIDAD & TOBAGO

Canada had to struggle to defeat Trinidad & Tobago by 2-0 in the last match of the day.

With these results, Chile lead Group B with nine points after three matches, while Canada are second with six points, along with México, but best goal difference.

The first half was even, with a slight dominance by Canada against a precise and organized Trinidad & Tobago, who always tried to advance playing good hockey.

Nevertheless, the Canadians reached their rivals' circle more than the Caribbeans did, to take the lead - in the seventh minute - through Philip Wright.

Though Canada tried to increase the gap, Trinidad & Tobago controlled them well in defence, reaching also Canada's circle with danger, but sporadically.

The North Americans increased pressure, in the second half, pushing T&T throughout the field towards their back line. The scheme paid dividends as the winners increased the advantage through Mark Pearson, who deflected a penalty corner shot for the 2-0 advantage, in the 47th minute.

In spite of Trinidad & Tobago did their best to score, they did not show clear ideas in front of the Canadian goal, and though they produced some penalty corners failed to take advantage of them as they did on Friday against Puerto Rico.

Then, Canada obtained a deserved victory.

The North Americans will play on Tuesday against Chile, at 9am, while T&T will meet Venezuela on Monday at 4pm local time.

Canada: Mackey; Joseph, Hobkirk, Roberts, A. Wright; Hildredth, Tupper, Gonzálves; P. Wright, Jameson and Pearson. Also played: Hancock, Ford, D'Almeida and J. Virdi. Coach: Giles Wheathley.

Trinidad & Tobago: McKellar; Cupid, Hume, Graham, Rambaran; Henderson, Legerton, Cowie, Luces; Murray and Bodkin. Also played: Craig and Pierre. Coach: Richard Quan Chan.

Umpires: Javier Palomo (Mexico) and Michiel Bruning (Holland).

Booking - Green card: 38m, Graham (T&T).