The Argentine women’s field hockey team beat Canada 7-1 this Thursday in the Catalan city of Terrassa and qualified for the quarterfinals of the 2022 Spain-Netherlands World Cup. With this result, Las Leonas got into the the best eight of the tournament by winning group C undefeated, since in the first two dates they had beaten South Korea (4-0) and Spain (4-1).
The Canadians opened the scoring 6 minutes into the game with a goal from Grace Demotte, but the Argentines equalized four minutes later and dominated the rest of the match, which was played at the Estadi Olimpic in Terrassa, a city located 30 kilometers from Barcelona.
The goals of the team led by Fernando Ferrara were converted by Julieta Jankunas (at 10 minutes), Victoria Granatto (16′), Majo Granatto (21′), Agustina Albertario (32′), María Emilia Forcherio (40′) and Agustina Gorzelany (at 48′ and 51′).
The national team, silver medalist at the last Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and who this year won the FIH Pro League without defeat, will play again on Wednesday the 13th for the quarterfinals, with a rival to be confirmed according to the crosses between those who finish second and third in their zones.
The team that Argentina will have to face in Terrassa -it will host the World Cup until the final on Sunday 17- will come from a playoff between the 2nd group B and the 3rd group C, which could be New Zealand, England, India, Spain or South Korea.
In today’s match, the Canadians -they arrived with losses against the Spanish 4-1 and the Koreans 3-2- surprised by taking the lead 6 minutes into the first quarter, with a goal by Delmotte, after an Argentine defensive neglect.
With a great finish at the near post, Jankunas equalized a few minutes later and made it 1-1. The Lionesses let loose after the draw and soon began to make a difference in the game and on the scoreboard.
A great combination on the right ended in the definition of Vicky Granatto in front of the goal for 2-1. Her sister Majo Granatto, deflecting a penalty corner, made it 3-1 in favor of Las Leonas to end the first half with that lead.
At the beginning of the third quarter, a great action by Albertario increased the advantage: after stealing the ball in attack, the number 7 finished off a cross and scored 4-1. María Emilia Forcherio, one of the new faces of Las Leonas in this World Cup, scored the fifth Argentine goal and her first in her personal account after a great penalty corner drag.
The specialist in shorts and scorer of the Argentine national team, Agustina Gorzelany, converted in the 48th and 51st minutes to continue her average of two goals per game.
In total, Las Leonas had 14 penalty corners against Canada, of which only three were goals.
“We trust in what we know and we were able to turn it around. It was shown that we were superior. Although I am a striker and I want to score goals, I play in favor of the team; I was able to score the first goal but we were all able to convert. It is essential to put what that we trained and we showed it today on the court. There is good energy in the group and each one that enters is doing well, that’s nice,” Jankunas told ESPN.
Las Leonas are looking for their third world title, after having been champions in Perth 2002 and Rosario 2010. After winning the Pan American Cup and the FIH Pro League undefeated (with 13 wins and only three draws), Las Leonas continue with the streak positive in 2022, to which we must now add three goals in the group stage of the World Cup. However, the Netherlands is the current two-time world and Olympic champion, and is the top favourite.
“From Rio 2016 until now, the Netherlands won everything except this year’s Pro League, which we won. We’re both favorites but it’s key to keep thinking game by game. We know the potential we have and that the days we get the things well we can beat many teams and aim for the best. But now we have to think about the quarterfinals and prepare for that match with several days ahead without playing”, said Ferrara, the coach who succeeded Carlos Retegui after the medal silver at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics (in 2021).
