Wednesday, August 5, 2009

News Junior Black Sticks


The Netherlands has been a strong competitor in past Junior Women's World Cups, but the unexpected happened today when New Zealand won the 5th match 3-1. The first half of the game was dominated by the Netherlands women as they made smooth and well paced passes down the field. In the 19th minute, #4, Kitty Van Male of the Netherlands scored the first goal.
The second goal was scored by New Zealand's #6 Cathryn Finlayson in an exciting breakaway. Netherlands came out on top with patience and control in the second half while New Zealand struggled to gain possession. The opportunity was there for the Netherlands but it was New Zealand who scored the next goal on a corner with a smooth flick into the net by #13 Katie Glynn. The frustration in the Netherlands players was apparent as they continued to dominate and make shots with no results. In yet another breakaway for New Zealand, the Netherlands' goalkeeper came forward leaving the goal open for #13 Katie Glynn to dribble in and score again.
Although the Netherlands had possession for the majority of the match, New Zealand's speed and accuracy kept them in the lead. This is only their second time competing in this tournament.