With a golden goal, World ranked 6th , Australia, beat the Argentine World Champions in the first of two international tournaments, all the more remarkable with a squad with seven players making their international debut.
In truly dramatic circumstances, the win came after the Australians leveled the score in the last minute of normal time and then with a shock golden goal within a minute of the first period of extra time. The Australians had , the previous day, enjoyed a confidence boosting hard fought, pacey contest against the World Champions which ended in a one a piece draw.
This somewhat surprising defeat for Las Leonas marks the end of a run of some 20 months without losing in a final and followed a remarkable season where they seemed unbeatable. They last fell to Australia back in June 2009, which was their first final under the stewardship of Carlos Retegui as the national coach. He took them to the Champions Trophy 2009 in Sydney, Nottingham 2010 and of course the World Cup victory in Rosario. This Australian success was the first podium for their newly appointed coach Adam Commens and his rebuilt national squad.
The final pushed back following what was a tightly contested frantic draw the previous day and pretty much continued where it left of at the same incredible pace but with both teams appearing more relaxed and more able to find and work the ball in space. Within a few minutes of the start of play, Ashleigh Nelson fired a warning shot blocked by Belen Succi. Just seven minutes later Nelson was in the circle and hit a cross from the right past the normally rock solid Belen Succi to take the lead.
Possession was fairly evenly matched throughout the half with Argentina slightly edging it and both teams launching attack and counter attacks and both defenses standing firm. Noel Barrionuevo gratefully took two shorts, and to the crowds obvious disappointment , both were dealt successfully by a very much in form Rachel Lynch.
After the start of the second half , twelve minutes in , Delfina Merino shot past Lynch from the second injection of a short corner from Silvina D’Elia. All seemed finally to be going to script , on what was , Argentine’s seventh short corner and relief from what had been an uncharactertic low conversion rate.
Carla Rebecchi (above)found a way past Lynch on 57 minutes. As the clock ticked away , you’d guess the Australians had missed the chance and that the World Champions would play the clock down. But in an amazing turnabout in the dying seconds Australia were awarded a penalty corner and newcomer Jodie Schulz put it past Succi to force extra time and the need to run gauntlet of the golden goal. A penalty shoot out seemed a most likely outcome , but was not to be . Out of the blue , within a minute of the first half of extra time, the fanatical home crowd were stunned when Jodie Schultz put home a penalty corner to give the Australians the win.
After a day of rest the teams now move south to Rosario for the second series. The Australian coach, although delighted with his blossoming team’s success has concerns through injuries to Anna Flanagan who suffering a broken finger, Georgia Nanscawen with a small tear in the her quadriceps and Ashleigh Nelson with a thigh muscle pull.
Argentina: Belen Succi, Giselle Kanevsky, Silvina D'Elia, Noel Barrionuevo, Daniela Sruoga, Mariela Scarone, Macarena Rodríguez, Josefina Sruoga, Carla Rebecchi, Delphine Merino, Rosario Luchetti.
Subs used : Jimena Cedrés, Carla Dupuy, Rocío Sánchez Moccia, Victoria Zuloaga, Marcela Casale.
Coach: Carlos Retegui.
( Argentine player profiles :- LAS LEONAS
Australia: Rachael Lynch, Jodie Schulz, Kobie McGurk, Jayde Taylor, Casey Eastham, Madonna Blyth ©, Bianca Greenshields, Fiona Boyce, Marnie Hudson, Ashleigh Nelson, Kandice Olivieri.
Subs used : Anna Flanagan, Haether Langham, Jade Warrender, Kellie White, Jade Close.
Coach: Adam Commens.
Green Cards : 62 'Jade Close (AUS), 64' Macarena Rodríguez (ARG)
Umpires: Amy Hassick (USA), Gaby Schmitz (GER)
Australian player Profiles :- HOCKEYROOS
Stats: ARG AUS 2-3:
0-1 8 'Ashleigh Nelson
1-1 45 'Delfina Merino
2-1 57 'Carla Rebecchi
2-2 70 'Jodie Schulz
2-3 72 'Jodie Schulz
In the third and fourth place play off , USA beat world ranked third Germany 3-2. The Germans got ahead with an Eva Frank goal , but quickly matched by USA’s Paige Selenski.. Germany took back the lead from Eileen Hoffman but Torrie Albini tied the game,and it went to extra time. And it fell to the Americans to get the golden goal.
Final Postions :-
Winner: Australia
Second, Argentina
Third, United States
Fourth: Germany
Best player: Carla Rebecchi (ARG)
Top Scorer: Noel Barrionuevo (ARG)
Best goalkeeper: Yvonne Frank (GER)
View Mateus Noe Correa Arce’s photos from the 4 Nations Tournament
Confederacion Argentina de Hockey (CAH)
More Argentine player images here :- LAS LEONAS
