USA 4 defeated Azerbaijan 2
Goals: USA - April Fronzoni FG 12m, Tiffany Snow FG 13m, Dina Rizzo FG 34m, Robyn Kenney FG 66m; AZE - Zeynab Nuriyeva FG 57m, Liana Nuriyeva FG 59m
USA have moved to the brink of qualification for the World Cup with a patchy 4-2 win over Azerbaijan in the opening match on day seven.
After holding a commanding 3-0 lead at the break, defensive frailties from USA allowed Azerbaijan back into match after a pair of goals midway through the second half reduced the margin to one and created a tense finish to what should have been a comfortable victory.
USA took control early in the match with goals to April Fronzoni and Tiffany Snow in the 12th and 13th minutes ensuring the scoreboard reflected the pattern of general play.
Dina Rizzo's well-taken shot a minute before half time gave USA a three-goal lead before a lack of composure at the back from USA gave Azerbaijan hope of achieving an unlikely comeback.
The victory means that if Korea wins or draws against New Zealand in the final match of the day, USA will automatically qualify for the Samsung Hockey World Cup, an impressive performance from a team that has more highly-ranked opponents in their pool.
Ireland 2 defeated Italy 1
ITA: Francesca Faustini FG 48m; IRL: Eimaer Cregan FG 58m; Catriona Carey FG 70m
Catriona Carey scored a goal with :12 remaining to lift Ireland to a dramatic 2-1 victory over Italy.
Ireland appeared to be headed for its fourth straight draw of the tournament when Carey gathered a long corner pass hit into the circle and pushed the ball past Italian goalkeeper Roberta Lilliu for the game-winning goal.
After a scoreless first half, Italy’s Francesca Faustini scored the game’s first goal when she weaved her way through a packed Ireland defense and smartly placed a shot underneath sliding Ireland goalkeeper Angela Platt for a 1-0 Italy lead.
After being held scoreless for the last two and a half games, Ireland finally found the goal when Eimaer Cregan slammed a shot from just inside the circle to tie the game at 1-1 with 12 minutes remaining.
The win was the first for Ireland (6 points) at the tournament after beginning the event with three successive draws, while Italy (3 points) suffered its second straight last-minute loss.
Korea 5 defeated New Zealand 3
KOR: Young Soon Park PC 21m, Sang Hee Gim FG 24m, Jung Hee Kim PC 34m, Sang Hee Gim FG 13m, Jong Eun Kim FG 58m; NZL Jane Maley PC 34m, Suzie Muirhead PC 54m, Diane Weavers PC 68m
Korea earned a spot in the World Cup as Sang Hee Gim scored two goals to help lift her team to a 5-3 victory over New Zealand.
Korea’s win send the team to the World Cup and also sends the USA to Madrid as the two teams joined England and Japan as qualifier teams to earn their passage to Madrid.
After controlling much of the first half, Korea exploded for back-to-back goals in a three-minute span when Young Soon Park converted a drag flick on a penalty corner and Gim drove a hard-angle shot off of the right post to give Korea a 2-0 lead.
But New Zealand took advantage of one of its only opportunities of the first half when Jane Maley tipped in a penalty corner pass from off the left post to pull her team to within 2-1 at halftime.
Korea took charge early in the second half when Jung Hee Kim deflected a penalty corner shot high into the New Zealand net for a 3-1 Korea lead.
Korea extended its lead to 4-1 in the second half as Jung Hee Kim scored on a penalty corner and Gee added her second field goal.
New Zealand’s Suzie Muirhead converted a penalty corner to pull her team to within 4-2, but Jong Eun Kim iced the game four minutes later to send Korea to the World Cup.
Diana Weavers concluded the scoring with New Zealand’s third penalty corner of the game in the closing minutes.
The world’s No. 6 ranked team, New Zealand must now defeat or draw with Italy in the team’s final pool game to remain in the hunt for the fifth and final World Cup berth.
