Race for girls U18 semi-finals heats up in Krefeld as Czechs and Wales shine too
England and Spain made major moves in Krefeld to put themselves into the semi-final picture while Ireland grabbed a win to keep their hopes of avoiding the drop alive.
In Zagreb, the Czech Republic landed an important win in their first fixture while Lithuania and Switzerland drew.
Wales, meanwhile, delighted their home crowd in Swansea with a strong win that ignites their title hopes.
Girls
EuroHockey U18 Championship (Krefeld, Germany)
Pool A
Ireland 2 Scotland 1
Twin penalty corners goals just before half-time saw Ireland win their first game this week, raising their hopes they can potentially avoid relegation. Player of the match Mikayla Power and Amelia Jerman scored in quick succession in the 28th and 29th minutes for a 2-0 lead.
Lexie MacMillan got one back for the Scots and they survived a late Irish penalty stroke but they were unable to pull level. It lifts Ireland to fourth in the group, level with France on points but behind on goal difference.
Scotland must win on Wednesday against France to have any chance of staying up. Belgium and Germany, meanwhile, meet in the battle between the two group leaders.
Pool B
Austria 0 England 9
England had eight different goalscorers as they got their first win of the competition as they proved too strong for newcomers Austria. Sienna Dunn opened the scoring four minutes in and was the player to get two to her name.
It lifts England into second place on goal difference, ahead of the Netherlands.
Netherlands 0 Spain 1
Carmen Fernandez’s 35th minute goal earned Spain a famous 1-0 win over the Netherlands to make it two wins from two in Pool B.
They had come close to breaking the deadlock from a couple of corners in the first half, earning four in the first quarter, as well as going close after they went ahead.
For the Dutch, they also had 11 set pieces of their own but could not make them count as Spain defended brilliantly.
The group will now be decided on Thursday when Spain face England and the Dutch face Austria.
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EuroHockey U18 Championship II-A (Zagreb, Croatia)
The five-team group continues to be incredibly close to call with precious little between the teams. In game one, Lithuania’s Guste Dabravolskaite gave her side a 1-0 lead against Switzerland in the 12th minute.
Swiss captain Dunja Hartsch equalised before half-time and 1-1 was how it remained through to the end. It leaves Lithuania on two points and Switzerland on one after two fixtures each.
The Czech Republic won their opening game of the competition with a 3-2 victory over Croatia to move into a share of the lead. The hosts led from an Iskra Bedenko stroke but the Czechs scored the next three via Adéla Urhová and two from Linda Nová. Lucija Buzjak got one back but the Czechs got the win.
Tomorrow sees just one game with Italy facing the Czechs.
EuroHockey U18 Championship II-B (Swansea, Wales)
Wales got right back in contention as they recorded a strong win over Türkiye, getting their first points and halving the gap to current leaders Poland.
After a scoreless first half, Freya Diamond broke the deadlock early in the third quarter before Olivia Forey made it 2-0. Jemima Robinson added a corner and Emily Hersch completed the scoring in a 4-0 win.
The Welsh face Poland on Wednesday in a game which could see the latter win the title if they get a win; Wales need a result to keep the tournament live.
** All games from Swansea will be streamed on www.eurohockeytv.org
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