Nine Rio Olympic gold medallists took to the pitch as England began its home World Cup campaign against a skilful Argentinean side in London today. Playing for the first time at the Home of Hockey since beating the Netherlands in the final of the 2015 Unibet EuroHockey Championships, England lost by 5 goals to 1 to the ruthless Las Leonas.
Children enjoy a chance to play on the pitch (Photo: England Hockey)
Hannah Martin got her first international goal, and Maddie Hinch played her first international since Rio, while six players made a first England appearance on home soil. It was a good learning exercise for Danny Kerry’s side, and they will look to make further progress in Sunday’s sold-out game with the Netherlands at Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre.
After the match, hundreds of children were invited to play on the pitch in a move designed to inspire future generations of hockey fans and players.
Danny Kerry reaction: It was a very valuable lesson, lessons learned at this point in a cycle are even more valuable and the harder they are, the more they resonate. It’s one thing to say to the players ‘this is what we need to do,’ now they understand the signifance of it.
Match report
England had the first clear chance after 4 minutes as Toman deflected wide from the game’s first penalty corner, but it was the Argentinians who got the better of the first quarter with Cavallero and Grannato going close. A good double save from Hinch from Barrionuevo meant the teams went into the first quarter break without a goal on the board.
This soon changed two minutes into the second quarter as Agustina Harif broke the deadlock, deflecting a penalty corner passed the helpless Amy Tennant who had replaced Hinch at the break. England reacted well with Owsley’s reverse stick shot narrowly going wide of the far post, before Surbiton’s Hannah Martin converted a well-worked penalty corner to score her first international goal in her 5th game. 1-1 after 22 minutes. The score stayed that way as the teams went into half time, as world ranked number 2 England began to exert a little more pressure.
Hinch, back between the sticks for the third quarter, was called upon a couple of times to keep the score level most notably from a fiercely struck Argentinian corner after 43 minutes. But, she could do nothing about another corner a minute later, as Cavallero clinically deflected the initial strike into the top right hand corner of goal. The challenge for England got even harder as Fernandez extended the lead after 48 minutes from another penalty corner.
Merino added to the home team’s woes as the Argentinian number 12 dispatched a powerful reverse stick shot past Tennent to make it 4 and Agustina Habif completed the scoring England as she slid in back post to complete a good move seconds before the final whistle.
The new look England side will hope for a more positive scorline today as world number ones and World Cup Champions the Netherlands are the opponents. The game is live on BT Sport from 1.30pm.
Players used:
Hinch (GK), Tennant (GK), Shipperley, Unsworth, Haycroft, Toman, Martin, Townsend, Gilbery, Danson (c), Defroand, Bray, Webb, McCallin, Owsley, Hunter, White, Balsdon
Goalscorers:
England: Hannah Martin 22 (PC)
Argentina: Agustina Habif 17 (PC), Martina Cavallero 44 (PC), Magdalena Fernandez 48 (PC), Delfina Merino 56 (FG), Eugenia Trinchinetti 60 (FG)
Report courtesy of England Hockey
