Las Leonas crushed Canada and progressed to the quarter-finals of the World Cup in Spain and the Netherlands

Lionesses wreak havoc, they no longer just roar. The Argentine women’s field hockey team beat Canada 7-1 on Thursday in the Catalan city of Tarrasa and qualified for the quarter-finals of the World Cup of Spain-Netherlands 2022.

In this way, the direct from Fernando Ferrara entered the top 8 of the tournament by winning unbeaten form group C, after the defeats against South Korea (4-0), Spain (4-1) and Canada (7-1).

Although the Canadians opened the scoring 6 minutes into the match with a goal of Grace Delmottethe Argentines draw four minutes later and leave no room for doubt following the Estadi Olimpic de Tarrasa, 30 kilometers from Barcelona.

They dominated the rest of the game and the goals Juliet Jankunas (10 minutes), Vittoria Garnet (16 ‘), May Garnet (twentyone’), Agustina Albertario (32 ‘), Maria Emilia Forcherio (40 ‘) and Agostino Gorzelany (at 48 ‘and 51’) allowed him to close this unbeaten streak in the first phase.

The national team, silver medalist at the last Tokyo 2020 Olympics and who this year won the FIH Pro League without defeat, he will play again on Wednesday 13 for the quarter-finalswith an opponent to be confirmed according to the intersections between those who arrive second and third in their area.

The team that Argentina will face in Tarrasa – which will host the World Cup until the final on Sunday 17 – will come from a play-off between the 2nd group B and the 3rd group C, which could be New Zealand, England, India, Spain o South Korea.

In Thursday’s match the Canadians – who arrived with a 4-1 defeat against the Spaniards and the Koreans 3-2 – surprised by taking the lead in the 6 ‘of the first quarter, with a goal from Delmotte, after a Argentine defensive negligence.

With a grand finale at the near post, Jankunas equalized minutes later and scored 1-1. The Lionesses went wild after the draw and soon started making a difference in the game and on the scoreboard. A great combination on the right that ended up in the definition of Vicky Granatto in front of the goal for the 2-1. Her sister Majo, deflecting a corner kick, scored 3-1 in favor of Las Leonas, ending the first half with the lead.

At the beginning of the third quarter, a great action by Albertario increases the advantage: after stealing the ball in attack, the number 7 ends up on a cross and scores 4-1.

María Emilia Forcherio, one of the new faces of Las Leonas in this World Cup, has scored the fifth Argentine goal and the first in her personal account after a great drag from the corner of the penalty. While Argentina’s shorts specialist and goal scorer Agustina Gorzelany turned at 48 and 51 minutes to continue with her average of two goals per game.

In total, Las Leonas scored 14 corners against Canada, although they weren’t as effective as there were only three goals.

“We trust what we know and we were able to turn the situation around. It proved that we were superior. Although I am a striker and want to score, I play for the team, I managed to score the first goal but we all managed to convert . It is essential to put what we have coached on the pitch and we have shown it today. There is good energy in the group and everyone who comes in is doing well, it’s good, “said Jankunas ESPN.

Las Leonas is looking for her third world title, having been champion in Perth 2002 and Rosario 2010. After winning the Pan-American Cup and the unbeaten FIH Pro League (with 13 wins and only three draws), Las Leonas continues with the record positive in 2022, to which now must be added three goals in the group stage of the World Cup. However, Holland is the current two-time world champion and Olympic champion, is a local in this World Cup with two locations and is the top favorite.

“From Rio 2016 to today, the Netherlands have won everything except this year’s Pro League, which we won. We are both favorites, but it is essential to keep thinking match after match. We know the potential we have and that the days where we get things right we can beat many teams and aim for the best, but now we have to think about the quarter-finals and prepare for that game several days early without playing, “said Ferrara, the coach who succeeded Carlos Retegui after the medal. silver medal in 2020. Tokyo Olympics (in 2021).

Source: Telam