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FIH PRO LEAGUE-Great Britain Women hold their nerve to take out a shootout win.
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Great Britain has held off a fast-finishing Vantage Black Sticks Women. Olivia Shannon managed to score her first two goals in her international career as she helped the New Zealand side to a 2-2 draw with Great Britain. In the shootout, the Brits would hold their nerve in sudden death to see off the home side 5-4. We played with a lot more intent in that game, particularly off the ball. Today we made it difficult for them off the ball and didn’t allow Great Britain to have to much space. We still need to hold possession better when we get it and build more phases; however, the side is heading in the right direction. The Vantage Black Sticks Women were looking for an improved effort in their second match of the weekend against Great Britain. Early on it was the Brits who had the best scoring opportunities and were rewarded with the first penalty corner of the match. Some great penalty corner running diffused this threat to keep the Great Britain side off the score sheet. As the quarter wore on the Kiwis started to look stronger and construct some opportunities themselves. Towards the end of the quarter, New Zealand earned a penalty corner themselves, Olivia Merry’s subsequent shot went just wide of the goal. Great Britain continued to pass the ball around with great flair early in the second quarter; this put significant pressure on the New Zealand defence who were forced to scramble to deny the Brits on several occasions. The Kiwis hit the front midway through the second quarter when a quick counter-attack for the New Zealanders resulted in Olivia Shannon having a one on one with Great Britain goalkeeper. Shannon ripped her shot into the top net of the goal for her first-ever international goal. As the first half wound down the New Zealand side ramped up their speed and pressure on the Great Britain team as they looked to double their lead, unfortunately for New Zealand they were unable to crack the defence again. New Zealand came out of the halftime sheds playing with passion and constructed several scoring opportunities. Great Britain’s defence was holding on as they attempted to keep the Black Sticks defence at bay. After absorbing the pressure, Great Britain managed to work their way down the other end of the field and earn themselves a penalty corner. Anna Toman stepped up for the penalty corner and swept in the shot to tie the match up at one goal apiece. Moments later, the Great Britain side managed to hit the front off another penalty corner goal. This time it was Grace Balsdon who flicked the ball into the top of the net. Olivia Shannon then tied the match back up when Great Britain saved the first shot of the penalty corner only for Shannon to jump on the rebound and put it in the goal for her second goal of the match. The match would go into a shootout where Great Britain would hold their nerve to secure the victory 5-4 The Vantage Black Sticks Women will return to the turf next Saturday at Nga Puna Wai where they will take on a hungry USA women. Vantage Black Sticks Women 2 (Olivia Shannon 28, 53 min) Great Britain 2 (Anna Toman 38 min, Grace Balsdon 42 min) *Great Britain won the shootout 5-4 |
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