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PAHF Challenge: Guyana qualifies for Pan Am Cup in 2013

Alysa Xavier
Team Guyana Goal Keeper - Alysa Xavier

Despite a 2-0 loss to top seed and pre-tournament favourites, Uruguay, the Guyana Women’s Hockey Team has achieved its primary objective of making the final of the PAHF Challenge. The Challenge which is being played in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, begun on July 31st and will be completed when the finals are played on Sunday August 7th 2011. The top two teams in the PAHF Challenge, Guyana and Uruguay, who clash in the final tomorrow (August 7), both earn spots in the World Cup Qualifier for the Americas, the PAHF Cup, to be held in Argentina in 2013.

Leigh Sandison and Ulrica Sutherland
Leigh Sandison joins Ulrica Sutherland (partly hidden) to disposses a Uruguayan striker

Going into their final pool match of the tournament against the unbeaten Uruguayans, Guyana needed to concede as few goals as possible against them to have the best chance for qualification. The Guyanese had drawn their match against Brazil 1-1 earlier in the week and now had to do their best on the final day to finish with a better goal average than the hosts to qualify for the final. The match however proved to be a difficult one with the Guyanese going down by one goal as early as the 4th minute when a powerful penalty corner strike from Uruguayan full back, Karina Bisignano, deflected off the stick of Captain Chantelle Fernandes and into the Guyanese net. Guyana played strong defence but struggled to mount any meaningful attacks as the Uruguayans controlled the possession and applied continuous pressure. In the 22nd minute, Uruguayan substitute, Florencia Norbis produced a skilful deflection on a pass across the scoring circle that proved too difficult for Alysa Xavier who had been having a fine game in goal for the Guyanese.

Ulrica Sutherland
Team Guyana's sweeper Ulrica Sutherland

With the Guyanese down 0-2 at the half, their chances appeared to be slipping away as there seemed to be no way around the organised and skilful Uruguayans. Guyana would however produce a greatly improved second with brave efforts from many of their players including Leigh Sandison, Ulrica Sutherland and Xavier in goal. Uruguay would fail to produce any more goals for the remainder of the match and while Guyana managed to enjoy greater possession of the ball, never seemed to threaten the outcome. The game finished at 2-0 in favour of Uruguay.

With Brazil now needing the beat Paraguay by 5 goals in the final match of the day, the Guyanese girls remained tense as their fate was now in Paraguay’s hands. Brazil would muster a gutsy 4-1 victory but it would not be enough to deny the Guyanese their place in the final. Uruguay topped the pool round with 12 points, Guyana and Brazil managed 7 points each but Guyana placed second with a better goal average. Paraguay finished fourth in the pool with 3 points and Bermuda remained on zero at the end of the pool round. Guyana now faces Uruguay again in the finals at 14:30hrs while Paraguay will challenge Brazil for third place at 12:00hrs tomorrow, Sunday 7th.

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Guyana Scores 6-0 Win Over Bermuda in PAHF Challenge

Chantelle Fernandes
Chantelle Fernandes

With the need to improve on its goal difference and chances to make the final of the Pan American Hockey Federation (PAHF) Cup, Guyana faced off against Bermuda today (August 3rd) in their third match of the PAHF Challenge.  From the outset Guyana pressed the game into the Bermudan half and signalled their intent to score but Bermuda’s tough defence held of the initial challenge as their team struggled to string together counterattacks against the heavy pressure.  Guyana however would gain a penalty stroke in the 13th minute as desperation set in for Bermuda who resorted to fouling striker Kerensa Fernandes before she could complete her shot at goal.  Captain Chantelle Fernandes made good on the stroke giving Guyana the 1-0 lead.  Dominique DeGroot would make it 2-0 eight minutes later by slotting home a rebound off the goalkeeper and was fouled herself just one minute later securing a second penalty stroke for Guyana.  Marzana Fiedtkou scored the penalty to give Guyana the 3-0 lead at the half.

Chantelle Diving
Chantelle Diving

Bermuda came out stronger in the second half and seemed determined to reduce the margin but Alysa Xavier in goal for Guyana matched every attempt as did Guyana’s sweeper Ulrica Sutherland.  Captain Chantelle Fernandes would move her team to 4 ahead just five minutes into the second half with a diving finish registering her second of the match and Gabriella Xavier added another from the narrowest of angles 2 minutes later.  Bermuda enjoyed a reprieve as the game stretched for 25 minutes before Guyana would complete their tally of 6 as midfielder Leigh Sandison was first onto a rebounded shot for the tap in.

Dominique Degroot
Dominique Degroot

Coach of the Guyana side, Philip Fernandes, indicated that the team needed to score as many goals as possible in the match as goal average may play an important role since Guyana drew with Brazil.  Fernandes said that their strategy for the match was designed to be very attacking with this specific objective in mind.

Guyana now leads the pool after the third day of competition with 7 points followed by pre-tournament favourites Uruguay on 6, Brazil on 4 and Paraguay and Bermuda remaining on 0.  Guyana now enjoys two rest days before their next match against Uruguay on Saturday, August 6th at 12:00hrs.  Meanwhile, tomorrow (Thursday 4th) will see Bermuda face Paraguay at 10:00hrs and the key matchup of hosts Brazil against Uruguay at 12:00hrs.

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Guyana draws 1-1 with host Brazil in PAHF Challenge

Trisha Woodroffe
Trisha Woodroffe

Guyana came from behind for the second time in as many matches in the Pan-American Hockey Federation (PAHF) Challenge to draw with hosts Brazil on one goal apiece.  After a 2-1 victory against Paraguay in their opening encounter, the John Deere sponsored Guyanese would have to settle for a hard-fought draw with the hosts who routed Bermuda by 3-0 in their opening match.  Brazil began the match looking purposeful and enjoyed the lion’s share of possession in the opening minutes, but Guyana settled and changed the momentum of the game as the half wore on.  With Guyana seemingly enjoying the better run, it was Brazil who would score first in the 28th minute.  A well executed penalty corner by Brazil saw their lead midfielder Patricia Boos deflecting the ball into the net after it had crossed the goal too far ahead of Alysa Xavier in goal.

Guyana would hold their nerve and make several good runs to threaten the Brazil goal and their efforts paid off in the final minute of the half when Trisha Woodroffe was first onto the rebound from a penalty corner shot.  Woodroffe settled the ball in a split second and flicked it powerfully high in the net and over the diving Brazilian goalkeeper for the equalizer.

Guyana Female Hockey Team
Guyana Female Hockey Team

The second half would see end-to-end action with chances for both sides but as the game entered the closing minutes it was Brazil who seemed to gain the edge and pressed into the Guyana half for the win.  Fine defending from Guyana sweeper, Ulrica Sutherland and goalkeeping from Alysa Xavier however shut out the Brazilians leaving the game drawn at full time.  Coach of the Guyana team, Philip Fernandes, expressed satisfaction at his team’s performance indicating that the last time the two teams met, which was in 2005, Guyana lost 0-5.  Fernandes indicated that inexperience caused his team to lose focus and structure in the dying minutes and that they would need to improve in that area.

Guyana and Brazil are now tied on top of the pool with 4 points each from two matches followed by Uruguay with 3 points from one match while Paraguay and Bermuda are yet to secure points.  Matches continue today (August 3rd) with Uruguay taking on Paraguay at 10:00hrs and Guyana facing Bermuda at 12:00hrs.

By Philip Fernandes