Great Britain 1 (1)
French (20’, PC)
Netherlands 3 (2)
de Waard (1’, FG); Fokke (30’, PC; 46’, FG)
Another hot day in Paris with pitch-side temperatures well above thirty degrees, was what met Great Britain and the Netherlands in the third women’s quarter final. The Dutch caught GB asleep in the first minute to take the lead from de Waard, before GB found an equaliser from Hannah French on her 150th cap. Crucially just before half-time Fokke regained the lead for the Netherlands and then added a second in the fourth quarter to seal the 3-1 win.
With the Dutch side very much the form team of the tournament to this stage, it looked slightly ominous when they scored on just 46 seconds. A diagonal aerial into circle on right hand post, found the Dutch captain Xan de Waard in space, she brought it down and with the GB defence standing off her smashed the ball past Miriam Pritchard in goal. 1-0 to the Netherlands.
GB responded well and enjoyed quite a bit of possession and forcing some entries into the Dutch 23’ and circle. At the other end the Dutch remained a threat with further chances for Veen and then a penalty corner late in the quarter which was blocked by Fiona Crackles. The final minute saw another chance for Great Britain after Izzy Petter’s cross from the right was picked up by Hannah French who turned the defender and put the ball on her foot to earn a penalty corner. Ansley slipped the ball at the top of the circle to Toman who drove to the right past the Dutch runners and shot but too high for a first strike, which is saved by the Dutch keeper on her glove side.
The Netherlands seemed to up their intensity even more in the second quarter and spent long periods in the GB half looking for their second. However, It was GB who were next to score with an attack down the right which saw a nice exchange of passes between Jones and Watson and then back to Jones in the circle who put the ball on a defender’s foot for a penalty corner. Costello’s low drag flick was half blocked by a Dutch defender but rolled into the path of French in front of goal. She cooly lifted the ball up past Veenendaal in goal to get the equaliser.
Just when GB thought they would go in at half-time with the scores level, the Netherlands forced a penalty corner following another aerial ball into the GB circle. Jansen’s drag flick was saved by Pritchard’s pads, but the rebound went back to the penalty spot and after a scramble ran to Luna Fokke who hit on the reverse just past Pritchard, to make it 2-1 to the Dutch.
It was a half where the possession stats were pretty even, but the Netherlands had generated 19 circle entries to GB’s 5.
By way of contrast the third quarter remained goalless, despite considerable pressure from the Dutch. Some further fine saves from Pritchard and resolute defending kept the scoreline as it was.
Going into the final fifteen minutes, GB knew they would have to gamble to try and find a way back into the game. That door was effectively shut on forty six minutes after a great solo run from Verschoor into the circle, her flick on goal was saved by Pritchard, but rebounded to Fokke to the right of goal. She slotted the ball into the open goal evading the challenge from Toman, to make it 3-1.
With the final few minutes left, GB withdrew their keeper and did generate some pressure and then chances on the Dutch goal. Tess Howard turned and shot in the reverse forcing a save from Veenendaal and then had another half chance close in. It remained 3-1 to the Netherlands and they advance into the semi-finals.
If you would like to get involved and pick up a stick this summer, there is plenty on offer for you.
