On day three of the Olympics, the women of Great Britain and Argentina recorded their first victories. The title holders Great Britain defeated South Africa 4-1 after a difficult start. Las Leonas settled with Spain: 3-0.
Germany – India 2-0 (1-0)
Germany simply did what it had to do in the second group match. So win. The vice European champion beat India, which – just like against the Netherlands – participated for a long time, but eventually capitulated. Captain Niki Lorenz, playing with her much-discussed rainbow band, opened the score from a penalty corner after twelve minutes, which were quite scarce. Field opportunities were much more for Xavier Reckinger’s team. From one of those opportunities, Club an der Alster midfielder Anne Schröder struck, 2-0. The result: Germany, just like the Netherlands, comes on six points. Sjoerd Marijne’s India is still empty-handed.
’12 Nike Lorenz 1-0 (sc)
’35 Anne Schröder 2-0
New Zealand – Japan 2-1 (2-1)
Without impressing too much, New Zealand added the second three-pointer of this tournament. After the impressive 3-0 win over Argentina, a 2-1 victory against Japan followed. So close. The home team even took the lead, because Shihori Oikawa hit a corner. It caused a big smile at the corner trainer of Japan, Taeke Taekema. That smile disappeared like snow in the sun, however, when Olivia Merry (corner hit) and Hope Ralph (tacker after corner failure) put the Kiwis on the right side of the scores. The halftime score also turned out to be the final score: 2-1.
’18 Shihori Oikawa 0-1 (sc)
’26 Olivia Merry 1-1 (sc)
’28 Hope Ralph 2-1 (sc)
Great Britain – South Africa 4-1 (1-1)
They lost to Germany and also against South Africa it didn’t come naturally for the team that won gold in Rio, Great Britain. South Africa took the lead early, because corner declarant Nicole Walraven – her mother swam for Zimbabwe at the 1980 Games – was allowed to type outright. After Ellie Rayer’s equalizer in the final minute of the second quarter, GB continued after the break. Via Lily Owsley, Laura Unsworth and again Rayer the score rose to 4-1. Unsworth’s hit was preceded by a classic defensive error; South Africa tried to play the ball wide in the build-up, but gave in to the British veteran, who had a free passage to the goal.
‘6 Nicole Walraven 0-1 (sc)
’30 Ellie Rayer 1-1
’39 Lily Owsley 2-1
’40 Laura Unsworth 3-1
’50 Ellie Rayer 4-1
Argentina – Spain 3-0 (0-0)
Las Leonas recovered against Spain from the blow they incurred against New Zealand. But they didn’t get the win in the least. Spain, semi-finalist at the last European Championship, only bowed to the podium candidate from South America in the last quarter. Valentina Raposo, only eighteen years old, provided the liberating opening goal. Spain got the chance to equalize from a corner through former Kampong player Maria López. Her stroke did not result in a hit, a tip-in from Agustina Albertario and a penalty from Noel Barrionuevo did. The score rose to a flattering 3-0.
’47 Valentina Raposo 1-0 (sc)
’57 Agustina Albertario 2-0
’59 Noel Barrionuevo 3-0 (sb)
Australia v China 6-0 (2-0)
Australia is currently performing excellently at the Olympics. After the win over Spain in group B, the number four in the world also convincingly beat opponent China.
Player of the match was Emily Chalker, who first made the 1-0 in the second quarter and then also the 2-0. In the won game against Spain (3-1), Chalker also scored once. The Aussies were much stronger than China and recorded a convincing victory. Until the 54th minute the score was 3-0, but in the final phase the Hockeyroos managed to run well to 6-0.
Grace Stewart’s goal was painful for Chinese goalkeeper Li Dongxiao, who let the ball slip through her legs. In 2018, Dongxiao was banned for a year because she tested positive for sibutramine, an anti-obesity drug. Her replacement Ye Jiao performed excellently and was nominated for the World Goalkeeper of the Year award in 2018. Dongxiao managed to fight back under the bar after her suspension.
’16 Emily Chalker 1-0
’22 Emily Chalker 2-0
’31 Brooke Peris 3-0
’54 Ambrosia Malone 4-0
’56 Stephanie Kershaw 5-0
’60 Grace Stewart 6-0
Netherlands – Ireland 4-0 (1-0)
A late flurry of goals saw world number one side the Netherlands eventually break Ireland down and win 4-0 at the Oi Stadium
Felice Albers had given the Dutch a strong start but the Green Army – inspired by an Ayeisha McFerran masterclass – kept the Oranje raiders out for the guts of 40 minutes. But a final quarter barrage from Malou Pheninckx, Laurien Leurink and Frédérique Matla saw the Dutch ease home.
The Irish goalkeeper had already shown her steel in the first few minutes, swatting away efforts from Lidewij Welten and Laura Nunnink while Sarah McAuley and Lena Tice scooped efforts off the goal line.
McFerran’s pick of the bunch was a diving stick-stop from Frédérique Matla’s ripper of a drag-flick, tipping it around the post with a measure of disdain.
The attacks came in waves but the Green Army were gritty and resolute, keeping the Oranje scoreless for the guts of 40 minutes. Maria Verschoor did have it in the net but an umpire’s referral from Xiaoying Liu ruled that out for a prior foot, adding to their frustrations.
That encompassed seven penalty corners which were well dealt with but the rearguard action was eventually breached in the 49th minute when Caia van Maasakker slammed a shot onto the inside of the post.
Read the detailed competition story here from Hockey.nl.
‘8 Felice Albers 1-0
’49 Malou Pheninckx 2-0 (sc)
’50 Laurien Leurink 3-0
’56 Frédérique Matla 4-0 (sc)
Group A
| Item. | Country | W | D | L | For | Against | Ptn |
| 1. | Netherlands | 2 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 6 |
| 2. | Germany | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 6 |
| 3. | Britain | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 3 |
| 4. | Ireland | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 3 |
| 5. | India | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 0 |
| 6. | South Africa | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 0 |
Group B
| Item. | Country | W | D | L | For | Against | Ptn |
| 1. | Australia | 2 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 6 |
| 2. | New Zealand | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 6 |
| 3. | Argentina | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| 4. | China | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 9 | 3 |
| 5. | Japan | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 0 |
| 6. | Spain | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 0 |
Program Monday 26 July (women)
| Time of day | Contest | group | Result |
| 03:00 | Netherlands -Ireland | a | 4-0 |
| 05:15 | Australia-China | B | 6-0 |
| 11.30 | South Africa-Great Britain | a | 1-4 |
| 12:00 | Argentina-Spain | B | 3-0 |
| 13:45 | Japan-New Zealand | B | 1-2 |
| 14:15 | Germany-India | a | 2-0 |
Unlike the Orange Men, the Belgian men have been on steam from day one in this Olympic tournament. After the 3-1 win over the Orange squad in the opening game, coach Shane McLeod’s team won against Germany with the same. In the same group B, Great Britain won 3-1 against Canada.
Germany – Belgium 1-3 (0-2)
Coen van Bunge was one of the arbitrators during this top match from Pool B. The Dutch arbitrator had his hands full at times. Especially in the last quarter when Germany tried to turn the game around through a final offensive. The Germans did not get further than a pebble-hard penalty corner from Marin Häner.
Belgium also deservedly won its second match. The big man on the Belgian side was the power man Cédric Charlier, who scored in the fifth and seventh minute. That was also the rest position. At the start of the third quarter, Alexander Hendrickx closed the game with another used penalty corner, which flew high into the German goal. It was already the fourth goal for Pinoké’s penalty corner gun.
‘5 Cedric Charlier 0-1
‘7 Cedric Charlier 0-2
’35 Alexander Hendrickx 0-3 (sc)
’51 Martin Häner 1-3 (sc)
Great Britain – Canada 3-1 (0-0)
Despite a goal from Floris van Son playing for HIC, Canada failed to score a point against Great Britain. The next opponent of the Netherlands has so far not scored a point. That should probably happen for the team, which is coached by the Dutchman Pasha Gademan, against South Africa or will Canada provide a stunt against the Netherlands?
The Orange squad has been warned, as Canada played a fine game against Great Britain. Despite a predominance of the British, the Canadians kept their goal clean before half time. Liam Ansell broke the spell for Great Britain immediately after the break. Sam Ward doubled the lead in the third quarter. Van Son’s goal in the fourth quarter brought the tension back, but Ansell put an end to all uncertainty for the British just before time.
’33 Liam Ansell 1-0
’41 Sam Ward 2-0 (sc)
’51 Floris van Son 2-1
’57 Liam Ansell 3-1
Group A
| Item. | Country | W | D | L | For | Against | Ptn |
| 1. | Australia | 2 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 4 | 6 |
| 2. | Argentina | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 4 |
| 3. | New Zealand | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 6 | 3 |
| 4. | India | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 9 | 3 |
| 5. | Spain | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 1 |
| 6. | Japan | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 0 |
Group B
| Item. | Country | W | D | L | For | Against | Ptn |
| 1. | Belgium | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 6 |
| 2. | Britain | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 6 |
| 3. | Germany | 1 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 4 | 3 |
| 4. | Netherlands | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 6 | 3 |
| 5. | South Africa | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 0 |
| 6. | Canada | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 10 | 0 |