Scotland Women reach highest ever ranking after Nations Cup win over Japan

Scotland 2-0 Japan

Scotland women finished their FIH Nations Cup campaign with a deserved 2-0 win over Japan to finish in fifth spot, which propelled the team into 15th in the FIH world rankings, their highest ever ranking. The goals came through Amy Costello and Fiona Burnet to claim the win against a Japanese team ranked three spots above Scotland.

It was a tentative opening but Scotland fashioned the first opportunity of the match from a penalty corner. From the corner rebound Jess Ross fired a rocket at goal but it launched over the bar at ferocious pace.

There was a scare for Scotland at the end of the first quarter when Hanami Saito cracked the left post from a penalty corner strike. Danger averted.

In the second quarter Japan had a glorious chance to take the lead on the counter attack after all of Scotland’s pressure, but Nanako Tateiwa couldn’t reach the ball after taking it past Jess Buchanan and the opportunity evaded them.

In the second half Scotland continued to attack and a break down the right saw the ball reach Rebecca Birch at the far post but her strike at goal was off target and hit a defender.

As the quarter reached a conclusion, a great break by Ellie Mackenzie down the right saw her slip a pass across goal that was booted clear by the keeper and the danger averted.

Then a Japanese penalty corner saw the injector strike the post as the half reached its end.

Early in the final quarter Scotland finally took the lead. An Amy Costello penalty corner struck a Japanese defender and looped into the net to make it 1-0.

Japan bounced back and a world class reaction save by Jess Buchanan, when the ball had passed her from close range, denied the equaliser. It was a quite exceptional save at a critical moment.

Talking of moments, a few moments later Scotland countered through an end-to-end lung busting run by Ellie Mackenzie who found Fiona Burnet in the circle to blast the ball into the bottom left corner for 2-0.

A sublime double save by Buchannan in the final few seconds retained Scotland’s clean sheet and a great victory to end the tournament.

Head coach Chris Duncan said, “I can’t express my pride and delight at how the players have approached this tournament. The results are wonderful and indicative of how they approach the game. We’ve beat two sides ranked above us playing a very unique and Scottish brand of hockey.

This squad has the capacity to keep getting bigger, and they dream very big, and the way they went about their business this week makes Scottish Hockey proud.

“I’m thrilled for all the players and staff for what we’ve achieved and for what comes next, and for what this does for the sport in the country.”

 

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