The The Argentine hockey team fell to the Netherlands 3-1 in the World Cup final in the Catalan city of Terrassa. An excellent tournament for Fernando Ferrara’s team, who lost the undefeated record that he had held since the beginning of his leadership against the Dutch.
Valentina Raposo, Victoria Sauze and Clara Barberi are going to hug Belén Succi who can’t stop crying. Soon the rest of the team arrives. The last game of the historic goalkeeper who was one of the great responsible for Las Leonas reaching the World Cup definition has just concluded. And that is the image that will remain after the defeat was confirmed against the Netherlands.
Cries of pain, of anguish, of sadness, but also of pride. Again the same rock, again the same end, and again Lace Lionesses who run into the best team in the world. It was the fourth World Cup definition between the two. The Dutch team had won the title in the first World Cup in 1974, the subsequent clashes were in Perth 2002 and Rosario 2010, in which Las Leonas conquered the planet. This Sunday in Terrassa a faster European team was seen in the game that took advantage of every mistake made by Argentina.
The final began to be played from the hymns, the tears of Belén Succi, of María José Granatto, of Rocío Sánchez Moccia, the smile of Agustina Albertario and the cry of the 18 players who for seventeen days left everything in the Olympic Stadium in Terrassa.
The first fourth started with a favorable development for Las Leonas with two short corners a minute that they could not take advantage of. The Netherlands matched the game quickly. With a green card per side, the first fifteen minutes left with a scoreless draw.
During the second quarter the pitch tilted for the Dutch national team and the first goal came from a rebound after a save by Succi. Argentina requested the ref video for an alleged infraction by the European player on the goalkeeper, but the referees did not consider it that way and The Lionesses were left without the possibility of requesting it for the rest of the match. Before the end of the first half, the Netherlands scored again and Las Leonas, who could not generate a good team play as in the rest of the tournament, went into the break with a 2-0 partial defeat.
A reaction from the Argentines was expected, but instead, the dutch defense came from below with a perfect triangulation that with a long pass left one of their players hand in hand and the third goal came which seemed to decree the outcome of the match.
The last quarter kept the illusion because at 26 seconds Argentina discounted with a goal by Agustina Gorzelany. The penalty corner specialist was the top scorer of the tournament and equaled Soledad García’s mark in Perth 2002 as the top scorer in a World Cup with eight goals. “It gives a lot of impotence to continue coming second knowing that we are so close, I am very angry. I would have liked not to win the award and see the team lifting the cup”, said the defender.
Time was diluted and the result was decreed so that The Netherlands wins its ninth world title with thirteen finals played in fifteen tournamentsa real predominance.
Agostina Alonso, the midfielder who had an incredible tournament, spoke about the development of the game: “We try to enjoy ourselves and go out to play as equals but they do not forgive the mistakes you have, they were in detail, they were super aggressive and effective. A little justice was done with the individual awards.”
It was very special because Belén Succi received the award for best goalkeeper of the tournament, the day she put an end to her career. Also the birthday of Eugenia Trinchinetti, the midfielder who never got tired of taking the ball away and running faster than everyone else. On the day in which she was also awarded María José Granatto as best player of the tournament and Just under a year after winning the silver medal at the Olympic Games, Las Leonas are runners-up in the world.
The path of the Lionesses
The group of Las Leonas seemed accessible on paper. Should they go out first? In the case of being in second or third place, they should play in the round of 16. What was the disadvantage of occupying first place? Being in a tournament lasting 17 days, 5 in a row without playing. That didn’t matter for Fernando Ferrara’s side, who made their debut with a 4-0 win over South Korea.. The second game against Spain was much harder than the previous one. The final result marked a 4-1 in favor, but only in the third quarter was it unlocked with the goal converted by Agustina Gorzelany, from a penalty. The last rival in the area was a weak Canadian team that ended up beaten by Argentina 7-1, which represented a perfect regular phase for Las Leonas with an ideal score.
July 13 was the key match of the tournament, Argentina faced England. To be left out would be seen as a failure, to win was to be among the top four again. In a complicated match they won 1-0 with a goal from Victoria Granatto and straight to the semifinals against Germany, a rival against which Argentina took the ticket to the final on Australian penalties after drawing 2-2. What happened today is known history. Sixth final for Las Leonas who close a tournament with 19 goals for, 7 against and the promise that they will always leave the flag high.
It was not enough for Las Leonas
Despite their good intentions in the last quarter, and the discount achieved by Agustina Gorzelany, Las Leonas were left without the world title. In any case, when the anger over the defeat in the final passes, they will be able to value the great tournament they did in the World Cup in Spain and the Netherlands, where they finished as runners-up.
The Lionesses managed to discount 3 to 1
The Lionesses go all or nothing against the Dutch who control the game to their liking from the second to the beginning of the second quarter. A few seconds before the start of the last quarter, the Argentine team discounted 3 to 1, in a penalty corner play converted by Agustina Gorzelany.
The Netherlands stretched the lead to 3-0
With Las Leonas launched the attack and trying to speed up the process for the discount, the Netherlands once again showed the strength of their players in a counterattack with three touches, Albers defined one-on-one against Succi to score 3-0.
halftime
After a weak second quarter for Las Leonas, coach Fernando Ferrara will have to adjust the small details to try to turn the score around in the second half.
The first quarter ended 0-0
After a very close first quarter, the Argentines and the Dutch finished level at zero. Both teams had one more player for 2 minutes for green cards, but they could not impose that advantage on the scoreboard. The Lionesses, who had two penalty corners in their favour, against one of the Dutch, play a little further back against an opponent who feels comfortable and manages the pressure on the rival field very well.
The Lionesses sing the anthem with pure emotion
The tears of most of Las Leonas at the time of singing the Argentine national anthem are a clear example of the energy and emotion of the Argentine girls for this World Final.
The pre-ceremony started
The Women’s Hockey World Cup is presented in the center of the playing field, through a show of lyrical song and dance. Only one of the two finalist teams will lift it this Sunday.
Both teams are already on the field to listen to the anthems and thus kick off the grand hockey final.
Heating in Catalonia
The Lionesses are already warming up at the Estadi Olimpic de Terrassa in Catalonia, where the final of the Hockey World Cup in Spain and the Netherlands will be played in minutes. In the other half of the playing field, the Dutch, current two-time world champions, are preparing.
Australia took third place.
The Australian women’s field hockey team beat Germany 2-1 and won third place in the 2022 World Cup in Spain-Netherlands. Germany took the lead through Lena Micheel (PT 13m) and Australia reversed it with a double by Stephanie Kershaw (ST 18 and 25m). Goalkeeper Jocelyn Bartram, along with Kershaw, was one of the standout players for the Australian team, making timely saves against German attacks, and she was chosen as the star of the match.
