Scotland within touching distance of Champions Challenge final

 

Scotland Women have surged into the semi-finals of
the FIH Champions Challenge in Dublin, where Gordon Shepherd’s side
now find themselves facing a last four encounter against USA
tomorrow afternoon, in what will be one of their most important
matches for several years.
Coming into the competition as the lowest ranked
team by the International Hockey Federation (FIH), the players have
made a mockery of the world rankings by remaining the only unbeaten
team amongst the eight international teams vying for promotion to
the FIH Champions Trophy.
They successfully negotiated their Pool A matches
against South Africa (2-2), USA (3-1), and Japan (1-1), and
defeated Azerbaijan (3-2) in their quarter-final match on
Wednesday.  That these teams are all ranked higher than the
Scots would suggest that the current placing of 21st in the world
doesn’t accurately reflect the squad’s progress over the last
eighteen months under Shepherd.
Their results in the competition to date have
surpassed the squad’s expectations, putting them within touching
distance of the final of a competition in which they were expected
to be fighting it out for a bottom four place in the final
standings, and this unexpected success has forced Shepherd to amend
his initial aim of finishing sixth in this prestigious event:
“To finish in the top six in Dublin was our
original target, but now we want a medal for our efforts in the
competition. USA in the semi-finals will be a very hard game and
they are now playing very well, but so are we, so I think it will
be very close”
Indeed, the Scots will be wary that whilst the
Americans finished bottom of the group, they went on to defeat an
Ireland side (3-1) in the quarter-finals that had progressed from
Pool B with an unbeaten record after wins against India (2-1),
Azerbaijan (2-1), and a draw with Spain (1-1).
But that will not phase Scotland, as Shepherd was
keen to emphasise following their win over Azerbaijan:
“The performance against Azerbaijan in the
quarter-final was excellent. We started the game well and didn`t
panic when we lost a goal.  I was extremely impressed with the
players` composure. The squad’s reaction is an obvious one; the
players are over the moon.  It was a high pressure game with
so much at stake, now they are relieved as they feel they deserve
to be in the top four.”
“I am delighted with the whole tournament, thrilled
to be part of a great team who are playing excellent hockey on a
big stage,” said Shepherd trying to sum up the whole
experience.

Scotland Women have powered their way into the
semi-finals of the FIH Champions Challenge in Dublin, where Gordon
Shepherd’s side now find themselves facing a last four encounter
against USA tomorrow afternoon, in what will be one of their most
important matches for several years.

Coming into the competition as the lowest ranked team by the
International Hockey Federation (FIH), the players have made a
mockery of the world rankings by remaining the only unbeaten team
amongst the eight international teams vying for promotion to the
FIH Champions Trophy.

They successfully negotiated their Pool A matches against South
Africa (2-2), USA (3-1), and Japan (1-1), and defeated Azerbaijan
(3-2) in their quarter-final match on Wednesday.  That these
teams are all ranked higher than the Scots would suggest that the
current placing of 21st in the world doesn’t accurately reflect the
squad’s progress over the last eighteen months under Shepherd.

Their results in the competition to date have surpassed the
squad’s expectations, putting them within touching distance of the
final of a competition in which they were expected to be fighting
it out for a bottom four place in the final standings, and this
unexpected success has forced Shepherd to amend his initial aim of
finishing sixth in this prestigious event:

“To finish in the top six in Dublin was our original target, but
now we want a medal for our efforts in the competition. USA in the
semi-finals will be a very hard game and they are now playing very
well, but so are we, so I think it will be very close”

Indeed, the Scots will be wary that whilst the Americans
finished bottom of the group, they went on to defeat an Ireland
side (3-1) in the quarter-finals that had progressed from Pool B
with an unbeaten record after wins against India (2-1), Azerbaijan
(2-1), and a draw with Spain (1-1).

But that will not phase Scotland, as Shepherd was keen to
emphasise following their win over Azerbaijan:

“The performance against Azerbaijan in the quarter-final was
excellent. We started the game well and didn`t panic when we lost a
goal.  I was extremely impressed with the players` composure.
The squad’s reaction is an obvious one; the players are over the
moon.  It was a high pressure game with so much at stake, now
they are relieved as they feel they deserve to be in the top
four.”

“I am delighted with the whole tournament, thrilled to be part
of a great team who are playing excellent hockey on a big stage,”
said Shepherd trying to sum up the whole experience.

Tomorrow’s match starts at 3.00pm and you can follow action live
online via Hook Hockey website.

For more information about the competition, including fixtures,
results and pool standings, please visit the FIH Champions Challenge website.

 

FIH Champions Challenge, Dublin, Ireland

Saturday 25 June 2011

Semi-Final 1: Spain vs. Japan, 1pm.

Semi-Final 2: Scotland vs. USA, 3pm.

 

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