Junior Women's Hockey World Cup: Netherlands crowned champion for fourth time

POTCHEFSTROOM: The Netherlands were on Tuesday crowned FIH Junior Women's Hockey World Cup champions after beating Germany 3-1 in the final on Tuesday. In a performance that absolutely oozed class, the Netherlands conceded their first goal of the tournament but despite that came back strongly to win the final.

Till the final, the Netherlands had scored 46 goals and conceded none. Germany, by contrast, had lost a pool match but had used that as a springboard to get better with every game. The question was whether the German side had what it takes to breach the Dutch defence, said the FIH in a release.

The need to find a way to score against the Netherlands increased when Danique van der Veerdonk sent a magnificent drag flick penalty corner past Mali Wichmann in the German goal. The goal came after a sustained period of pressure by the team in orange on the German defence.

As the half progressed, Germany withstood a period of play where the Netherlands just didn't let up possession. The team in white looked to be run ragged as they chased the ball around the pitch.

However, as the half counted down, the German resistance paid off and they started to make in-roads of their own. Germany's Sophia Schwabe scored to make it 1-1. This followed a period of confident and aggressive hockey from the German players.

The scores remained even for two minutes before Tessa Beetsma was able to restore her team's lead. Maria Steensma worked the ball down the baseline and slipped it goalwards. Beetsma needed no second invite to flick it home.

It was Beetsma again just 10 minutes later. The ever-excellent Noor Omrani ran down the baseline and her cross found Beetsma waiting in the circle. Not even Wichmann could stop the sharpshooter from scoring her second and Netherlands' third. IANS

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