After a 0-0 draw between England and China, England must now await the results from other games to find out their fate.
England’s Helen Richardson saw her late penalty stroke saved by China’s goalkeeper Zhang Yimeng in their final Pool A match at the Champions Trophy. The result means that England must await the outcome of Korea’s match with Argentina, which will determine whether Korea or England join Argentina in Pool C to compete for medals.
There was no lack of endeavour throughout the first half but clear cut chances were few and far between.
A lively start saw England Leicester’s Laura Unsworth shoot over before Helen Richardson won a penalty corner but England could not take advantage. China won a penalty corner of their own shortly after but the shot from the top of the circle flew wide of Storry’s goal.
Midway through, Reading’s Anna Bennett had a half chance during a scrappy moment inside the Chinese circle but the team in yellow cleared the danger before she could finish.
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Moments later, China’s counter attack looked to have won a penalty corner but England successfully appealed to the video umpire, who overturned the decision to award the corner on the grounds that the ball struck an English stick, not the foot.
Five minutes from the break Helen Richardson came close at the other end but her back post deflection from a penalty corner went wide; and on the stroke of half time Alex Danson’s shot was saved by China goalkeeper Zhang Yimeng.
Despite edging the first half in shots and possession statistics, England found themselves on the back foot early in the second half and were grateful for Beth Storry as she pulled off a good one-on-one save after a long ball had split the English defence.China then fired a cross through the circle before England regained possession.
In what was an open match, England’s hard work and endeavour was evident throughout as they looked to take maximum points from the match.
Head Coach Danny Kerry said afterwards that he was proud of the effort his team had put in, adding, “We had lots of pressure at the end of the match but we couldn’t convert that into a penalty corner or a clear opportunity. We worked hard but with the running we did and the openness of the game fatigue crept in towards the end.”
Monica Stott, Sportsister
The Women’s Sports Magazine
