Overview

In the medal quarterfinals, United States of America defeated Croatia 24-6 with an 8-1 second half; Spain held off Hungary 15-13 with a penalty shootout after the match was drawn at 11-11; Greece nailed Brazil 20-7 and Italy fended off Netherlands 11-9.

This means that unbeaten USA will play Italy in the semifinals with its two wins and unbeaten Spain will clash with Greece with just the one loss.

In the classification 9-12 semifinals, China had the better of Israel 19-10 and Australia surpassed neighbour New Zealand 13-5.

In Group E, where classifications 13-16 will be decided on Friday, Argentina beat Mexico 12-8 in the American clash and Canada swam over South Africa 12-4 in the Commonwealth encounter.

Day 6 Schedule

Group E (Classification 13-16)
Match 39. 09:00. Argentina v Canada
Match 40. 10:30. Mexico v South Africa
Classification 11-12
Match 41. 12:00. Israel v New Zealand
Classification 9-10
Match 42. 13:30. China v Australia
Classification 5-8 Semifinals
Match 43. 16:00. Croatia v Netherlands
Match 44. 17:30. Hungary v Brazil
Classification 1-4 Semifinals
Match 45. 19:00.United States of America v Italy
Match 46. 20:30. Spain v Greece

Match Reports

Classification 1-8 Quarterfinals

Match 38, NETHERLANDS 9 ITALY 11 (0-3, 2-3, 4-2, 3-3)

Italy made it through to the semifinals from third position in its group, no small feat considering USA and Greece, who finished one-two ahead of Italy, also made the top four. By beating second-ranked Netherlands from Group A, Italy made a statement that it belonged within this quartet and in with a medal chance. Italy made sure of victory from the opening quarter by keeping the Dutch scoreless. Goals were traded in the second quarter with Italy adding an extra one for 6-2 at the halftime turn. Malika Bovo scored twice while captain Emma de March was in the thick of the action, leading her troops by example. Federica Morrone made the sixth goal but her fortunes changed considerably early in the second half.

Morrone was sent with a red card for an alleged violent action at 5:40, but this did not dim Italy’s resolve to win. Goals were traded with Pien Gorter, the Dutch senior international, drilling one in from the deep left. Beatrice Cassara replied from the same position after a short drive. Amy Kleinlugtebeld and Amalia Christodoulou-Out pulled two back for the Dutch while Cassara scored on counter and Tess van der Meer gained her second after her coach, Richard van Eck, gained a yellow card. Bovo scored her third goal at the top of the fourth period, which gave breathing space at 9-6.Kleinlugtebeld sharply responded but Cristina Malluzzo converted a penalty after a coach challenge for 10-7 at 6:28. Christodoulou-Out replied on the next attack. After two timeouts, neither side could score but at 3:28 Malluzzo rose high on the left-post position to accept a cross pass to score on extra for what was a match-winning 11-8. Tatum van der Elst was sent on a red card. The Dutch called a timeout at 0:46 and Christodoulou-Out responded with the 11-9 goal, too little, too late.

Match Heroes
Cassara and Bovo scored three each for Italy while Christodoulou-Out also scored three for Netherlands. Goalkeeper Caitlin van Leeuwin pulled in 12 saves.

Turning Point
The first quarter where the victory was established and maintained.

Stats Don’t Lie
Italy scored three for four on extra and defended six from nine. Italy made three from four on penalty and Netherlands converted its one. Italian stole the ball eight to three while the Dutch took the overall shots at 29-27.

Bottom Line
Italy came through the hard way, through the crossovers, and that may have steeled the team ahead of tonight’s encounter. The Dutch will have to settle for the five-eight positions.

Match 37, GREECE 20 BRAZIL 7 (6-2, 5-2, 5-2, 4-1)

Greece romped into the semifinals and hopefully will continue the fine showing by its women’s teams this year with two titles already in the bag. Greece held Brazil at bay throughout and poured in the action goals — 14 in all. Dionysia Koureta started the ball rolling with the first three goals for Greece and the 6-2 lead at the first break showed where this match was going. The score was pumped to 11-3 as Zoi Tzortzakaki scored twice and Aspasia Fouraki gained her second. Karen da Silva and Dandara Sampaio scored for Brazil as the score reached 11-4 at the turn.

Efstathia Kovatsevits opened the second half with the first two goals while Maiah Nascimento and Stefany Azevedo claimed their second strikes for Brazil. Two more Greek hits gave the team a 10-goal margin at the final intermission. Tzortzakaki, Kovatsevits and Rafaela Saltamanika boosted their tallies heading into the final three minutes with Saltamanika and Nascimento trading goals before the full-time buzzer.

Match Heroes
Kovatsevits, Koureta, Tzortzakaki and Saltamanika scored three each for Greece. Nascimento netted three and Azevedo two for Brazil.

Turning Point
Greece breaking free of 1-1 and 3-2 and onwards to a huge win.

Stats Don’t Lie
Greece converted three from four on extra and Brazil three from five. Greece missed one of two penalty attempts and Brazil missed its sole chance. Greece took the steals six to four and the shots were squared at 29.

Bottom Line
Greece has three world champions on its roster and Brazil was never going to get past that fact. Now it has a chance to beat that eighth placing from 2015.

Match 36, SPAIN 15 HUNGARY 13 in penalty shootout. FT: 11-11. Pens: 4-2 (2-1, 5-4, 3-3, 1-3)

What a terrific match this was with a penalty shootout deciding the fate of the world champion Hungarians. Hungary held the lead briefly at the start and was then always behind until equalising with 34 seconds to go. Hungary kept Spain scoreless for nearly seven minutes in that final quarter while scoring twice to go to the shootout, which it lost.

It was a tight opening with Eszter Macsai giving Hungary the lead and no further Hungarian goal coming for eight minutes. Bibor Pogonyi scored from deep right for 3-2 with goals traded all the way to 7-5 at halftime. Carlota Penalver scored twice for Spain with her rocket from the top needing VAR to decide whether it made it across the line. Eszter Varro netted twice for Hungary from centre forward and Macsai snared another, on penalty.

Penalver started the second half with Macsai replying for her third. Olympic champion Isabel Piralkova scored twice either side of a Dominika Kardos extra-player goal. Piralkova’s second goal was studied by VAR before she was awarded it. Zoe Lendvay scored with six seconds remaining for 10-8 at the final break. Lendvay scored on penalty to start the fourth quarter with Ariadna Temprano scoring her second with a lob for 11-9 at 6:52. Macsai converted extra at 4:05 and with the last minute approaching had successive shots denied. At 0:52, Hungary went to a timeout and Dominika Kardos scored with just two seconds left on possession for the valued equaliser. Spain called a timeout at 0:33 and earned an exclusion and took another timeout to set up Queralt Anton for the outside shot. It slipped from her hand and captain Alba Munoz shot off the rebound from two metres, but it was saved and the match went to penalties.

Piralkova had her first shot saved. Four shots went in and Zoe Lendvay, also had hers saved by Blanca Colominas. Anton scored for Spain and Dominika Kardos watched as her bounce shot hit the crossbar, leaving Itziar Almeda to convert for the winner, giving Spain the semifinal berth and Hungary consigned to the play-off for five-eight.

Match Heroes
Penalver grabbed three goals for Spain with Temprano and Piralkova two each. For Hungary, Macsai made four with pairs to Lendvay, Varro and Dominika Kardos.

Turning Point
Hungary coming back to force the shootout.

Stats Don’t Lie
Spain converted three from seven and Hungary four from six. Spain scored one penalty goal and Hungary two. The steals were even at five and Spain needed 28 shots to Hungary’s 24.

Bottom Line
Spain has been winning all week while Hungary has just the one crossover victory to its name. Hungary played far better tonight but any other opponent other than Spain and it could be in the medal hunt still.

Match 35, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 24 CROATIA 6 (6-3, 5-2, 7-1, 6-0)

USA turned on the taps and let the goals flow in the second half of the match after a busy first half in which Croatia was competitive. However, when Iva Rozic left on three majors early in the third, it seemed to upset the Croatians and goals dried up. USA scored the first two goals and Croatia responded in kind. USA surged to 6-2 with Meghan McAninch netting twice before Rozic closed the gap to 6-3 a minute before the first break. USA captain Emily Ausmus, one of the world’s leading players, countered and Allison Cohen collected her third goal from the top on extra. A Croatian timeout worked a treat with captain Jelena Butic scoring from a six-metre free throw on extra. Two USA goals, including a second for Charlotte Raisin, closed the half at 11-5.

Julia Bonaguidi finished off an extra-player move when Rozic was ejected and scored her third, also on extra. Ausmus threw two more with Raisin and McIninch lifting it to 17-5. USA used a timeout for Rosalie Hassett to claim her second goal before Ria Glas brought Croatia back from 10 minutes in the wilderness on extra for 18-6 at the final break. The final period was a rout with six goals coming in five minutes to secure the victory and send USA into the semifinals.

Match Heroes
McIninch with five and four goals each to Raisin, Ausmus and Cohen were USA’s best shooters. Lauren Steele made nine from 15 saves in her time in goal. Butic scored three for Croatia and Rozic two.

Turning Point
From 2-2 to 6-2 and then from 9-5 to 18-5 by late in the third quarter showed USA’s class.

Stats Don’t Lie
USA buried seven from nine on extra to two from four. USA scored a penalty goal and lost the steals six-five but had more shots at 36-32. The percentage was 67-19.

Bottom Line
USA remains unbeaten, although this match was much easier than the two one-goal victories in the rounds. For Croatia, it was a first defeat in five matches.

Classification 9-12 Semifinals

Match 34, AUSTRALIA 13 NEW ZEALAND 5 (3-2, 2-2, 3-0, 5-1)

Australia blew away the frustration of losing to Hungary in the crossovers to easily dispose of trans-Tasman neighbour New Zealand with a withering 8-1 second half. The writing was on the board with three goals to start despite a saved penalty attempt. New Zealand struck back with two. Bless Daly, who scored the first goal, took a penalty attempt to start the second quarter, bouncing into the right post and gaining the rebound to score. Taafili Taoso converted extra off the right-post position for 5-2. Emison Styris, the Kiwis’ second scorer, hurled in an eight-metre shot for 5-3 and Riaan Bryant converted extra from the top to keep New Zealand within one goal at the turn.

Australia kept New Zealand away from goal and converted three extra-player goals with two from Sienna Owen and Daly’s third after many passes. Saskia Dunn converted extra to start the fourth period when New Zealand’s senior international, Holly Dunn, was ejected. Dunn on Dunn! A Kiwi timeout produced nothing other than two more Aussie goals with Daly grabbed her fourth with a lob from wide left. Taylor Fisher broke the 12-minute Kiwi drought at 4:42 for 11-5. Bryant had her penalty attempt saved and Australia squared away the last two goals with a third to Owen.

Match Heroes
Daly scored four and Owen three for the Aussies. Isabel Scott made nine saves in goal. For the Kiwis, Styris netted twice.

Turning Point
The 3-0 third period set up what was an 8-1 second half.

Stats Don’t Lie
Australia was perfect on extra, netting five and denying New Zealand eight of nine. The Aussies missed two penalty attempts from four and New Zeal missed its one chance. The Aussies stole the ball six to five and needed only 23 shots to 32 — a 56 to 15 per cent difference.

Bottom Line
Australia now has four victories and a return clash with China, which it beat 14-8 on day three, will settle ninth position. New Zealand will be chasing a third win when it faces Israel, a team it beat 12-11 on day one.

Match 33, ISRAEL 10 CHINA 19 (3-5, 1-6, 5-5, 1-3)

Fresh from six goals against Italy, Wang Beiyi proved her left arm is worth the emperor’s gold with another five goals as China proved its worthiness for ninth place with a top showing against Israel. China had a 5-3 advantage at the quarter thanks to a pair of goals to Shao Yixin and Wang’s first goal on lob, but it was the second period that set the seal on the match with six unanswered goals for an 11-3 margin that Israel could not come back from. Shao added two more as five different players scored. Noga Levinshtein closed the scoring on extra for her second goal for 11-4 at halftime.

Gili Borenstein and Levinshtein converted penalty goals to finish a three-goal haul at the top of the third period. Three more Chinese goals, with Wang claiming an extra-player move had the match at 14-6. Mika Koren and Wang exchanged goals before Israeli captain Miya Tirosh from the deep left; Zhang Yumian with a lob and Maya Katzir rifling one in from the top to beat the buzzer, had the score at 16-9 at the last break. Goals were swapped in the fourth quarter before Wang landed the last two, albeit three minutes apart and still 1:11 from full time.

Match Heroes
Wang scored five, Shao four and Zhang Yumian three for China. Goalkeeper Yan Xintong made 10 saves from 15 shots during her stint. Levinshtein topped Israel’s scoring with three with Carmel Rahum and Tirosh chiming in with two each. Roni Kakuzin made nine save from 27 shots during her tenure.

Turning Point
China breaking away from 4-3 up to 11-3.

Stats Don’t Lie
China scored four from six on extra and saved four from eight. Israel scored two penalty goals and China one. China made four steals to three and shot 37-32.

Bottom Line
China gained its fourth victory and Israel is still winless despite two one-goal defeats.

Group E (Classification 13-16)

Match 32, CANADA 12 SOUTH AFRICA 4 (3-0, 2-1, 5-1, 2-2)

Canada and South Africa clashed for the second time with Canada increasing its winning margin. On day three, Canada won 14-8 and today the margin was elevated to eight. Keeping South Africa scoreless in the first quarter set up the victory. Isabella Mady, who scored six goals the last time they met, scored the opening two goals with a centre-forward scoop and an extra-player score off the left-post position. Brooklyn Plomp drilled one from the top for 3-0, 19 seconds from the buzzer. Cianne Benjamin also scored from two metres before Hannah Banks collected South Africa’s first goal from penalty. Sydney Krushen did the same for 5-1 in a low-scoring period.

It opened up in the third period with Katherine Featherstone starting her run and Benjamin once again doing damage from two metres. Banks responded on a centre-forward drive; Plomp converted a penalty and Featherstone landed two more for 10-2 at the final break. Tori Voke converted from five metres for 10-3 early in the fourth. Four minutes later, Canadian captain Pippa Heaver and Plomp — for her third as in the first encounter — had it out to nine goals differential. Voke reduced the deficit with a missile from seven metres a minute from full time.

Match Heroes
Featherstone and Plomp with three apiece. Alexandra Stoddard made eight saves in her time in goal. Voke scored twice for South Africa.

Turning Point
Keeping South Africa scoreless until midway through the second quarter and taking the score to 7-1 proved crucial to victory.

Stats Don’t Lie
Canada converted two from three on extra and South Africa missed its one chance. Both teams converted two penalty goals. South Africa commanded the steals 8-6 and the shots 28-27.

Bottom Line
Canada is well placed for 13^th position having won three matches now.

Match 31, ARGENTINA 12 MEXICO 8 (5-1, 2-3, 2-2, 3-2)

In a repeat of the first day, Argentina defeated Mexico. It was 16-7 in the opening match of the tournament and Mexico can be congratulated on reducing that margin to four, such has been the week’s experience. From 1-1, Argentina finished the first quarter handsomely with captain Anahi Bacigalupo scoring a hat-trick and increasing the margin to six in the second quarter. Mexico scored three straight with Sofia Gaytan adding two more to her first-quarter score and have the match at 7-4 by halftime.

Isabella Mastronardi converted the fourth penalty of the match to start the third period with Mexico scoring twice, either side of a saved penalty attempt by Argentina. Dafne Legaspi lobbed on counter and Mercedes Feliciano sent in a penalty goal. Bacigalupo used her incredible skills at centre forward to maintain the three-goal lead by the final break. Two Argentinian strikes, including a fifth goal, on counter, for Bacigalupo had the margin at five. Goals were traded, Mastronardi gaining her fourth, at centre forward, and Gaytan had the last say with her steal and score at 0:54 for the final score of 12-8.

Match Heroes
Argentina’s Bacigalupo with five goals and Mastronardi with four. For Mexico, Gaytan made four goals and Alma Luna took in 13 saves from goal.

Turning Point
The 7-1 advantage midway through the second quarter was where victory came.  Mexico won the rest of the match 7-5.

Stats Don’t Lie
Argentina missed both extra chances and Mexico managed just one from three. Argentina converted three from four on penalty and Mexico two from two. Argentina won the steals 5-3 and the shots 29-20.

Bottom Line
Argentina now has three victories and Mexico has yet to make that mark.