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.
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.
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.
