Womens Champions Trophy ENG v CHN

SAMSUNG CHAMPIONS TROPHY, WOMEN, SYDNEY

Saturday 18 July 2009

CHINA 4 (1)

Ma Yibo 23 (PC)

Fu Baorong 40 (F)

Song Qingling 52 (PC)

Zhao Yudiao 56 (PC)

ENGLAND 1 (0)

Rebecca Herbert 44 (PC)

WORLD RANKING POSITIONS: China 4, England 8

England completed the pool phase of the 2009 Samsung Women’s Champions Trophy with a defeat against fellow strugglers China. Channel Islander Rebecca Herbert pulled England back into the game after Ma Yibo and Fu Baorong had twice scored for China, but Song Qingling and Zhao Yudio took the game away from the English with further goals to leave England in sixth spot at the end of the pool phase. The two sides will go head to head again tomorrow morning (01:05 BST) in the 5v6 play-off.

England and China came into this game equal on points having both drawn one and lost three. China’s only point of the tournament prior to this match came against Australia when they held the hosts to 2-2 on Tuesday.

The only goal of the first half came in the 23^rd minute when China netted from their third penalty corner of the match, captain Ma Yibo the scorer. In total contrast to England who have the lowest conversion rate of penalty corners in the tournament (a 9% success rate with 1 out of 11 prior to this match), China is the second most successful team from this set piece routine with a 28% success rate netting 1 out of their 7 so far going into this tie. Only table toppers Argentina (35%) are more successful.

Prior to the goal, in the wars captain Kate Walsh got hit on the hand to add to Thursday’s injury which gave her a black eye and three stitches.

China doubled their lead in the second half on the 40^th minute when Fu Baorong scored from the top of the circle after goalkeeper Becky Duggan came off her line to allow the Chinese player to ‘pass’ into the goal with what was a very slow ball.

However, Beckie Herbert got England back into the game four minutes later when she deflected a Walsh shot from their second penalty corner of the match into the back of the net.

China continued to press forward and were rewarded with their third goal in the 52^nd minute when Song Qingling won the ball from Chloe Rogers in the circle to score with a backhand shot. The goal was called into question after the match when the umpires used the video technology to check the validity of the goal, but it was awarded.

Within four minutes, China made it four when Zhao Yudiao put in the rebound from another penalty corner.

England pushed hard for a way back into the game and won a succession of penalty corners (five in total during the match compared to China’s four), but they couldn’t find the goalscoring touch they needed and were unable to take advantage of the fact that Xing Qian received a yellow card in the 65^th minute which saw China down to 10 players for the final five minutes of the match.

Head Coach Danny Kerry said “I was disappointed with the first half today; I thought our performance was unacceptable. However, tomorrow’s game will be very interesting and we will be looking to see who the warriors are as it is those fighters who we will take forward to London [in 2012]”.

Captain Kate Walsh said “I agree with Danny about our first half performance but it was better in the second half. We need to pick ourselves up and go into tomorrow’s game with more confidence.”

England’s final match of the Women’s Champions Trophy comes tomorrow at 01:05 BST when they take on China again in the 5^th v 6^th play-off.

Later today in Australia, the hosts have victory over The Netherlands as their only option if they are to overtake the Dutch and make tomorrow’s final against Argentina whilst reigning European Champions Germany can only make the final two if they beat their Argentinean counterparts and The Netherlands draw with Australia.

Regardless of England’s final placing in this tournament, participation in the 2010 tournament is guaranteed. As the host nation of next year’s Women’s Champions Trophy, from 10-18 July 2010, England qualifies automatically for the tournament at Highfields Sports Club in Nottingham.

England’s final match of the Women’s Champions Trophy comes tomorrow at 01:05 BST when they take on China again in the 5^th v 6^th play-off.

CURRENT TABLE

Argentina, Pl 4, Pts 10

Netherlands, Pl 4, Pts 8

Australia, Pl 5, Pts 7

Germany, Pl 4, Pts 6

China, Pl 5, Pts 4

England, Pl 5, Pts 1

ENGLAND TEAM (full caps on attached list)

Becky Duggan (Trojans) [Goalkeeper]

Natalie Seymour (Canterbury) [Defender]

Chloe Strong (Pinoke) [Defender]