Great British comeback secures draw with Netherlands

A Great British comeback took place at the
Champions Trophy in Rosario on Sunday as two Crista Cullen goals
helped Great Britain fight back from two goals down to draw 2-2
with the world’s number one team, the Netherlands.
Leicester defender Cullen scored both of Great
Britain’s goals from second half penalty corners in a match that
also saw the 26 year old and captain Kate Walsh fail to convert
penalty strokes.  And Great Britain had EuroCanterbury
goalkeeper Abi Walker to thank for an inspired performance in goal
as the Scottish stopper pulled off a series of excellent saves from
second half penalty corners.
Great Britain Head Coach spokes afterwards about
his side’s belief being key to getting results.  “The girls
need to believe in themselves more,” he said.  “At half time
we spoke about belief and for them [the players] to decide if they
are good enough.”
Great Britain’s Welsh star Sarah Thomas made her
50th appearance in a GB vest while birthday girl Abi Walker came in
for Beth Storry, who sat out the match with Walker’s clubmate
Natalie Seymour.
Great Britain had fallen behind to a scrappy goal
from the Netherlands’ Naomi Van As in the seventh minute as the
Dutchwoman volleyed home after the ball fell to her inside the
British circle.  They Brits thought they had equalised though
midway through the first half after a good advantage was played at
a penalty corner.  However, the whistle had already gone to
award Great Britain a penalty stroke, which captain Kate Walsh
could only put wide of the goal.
Things got worse for Great Britain three minutes
before the break when Kim Lammers doubled the Dutch tally.
After a rallying half time team talk Great Britain
returned for the second half and five minutes in Crista Cullen gave
them the lifeline they needed as she converted a penalty corner to
make it 2-1.
And Cullen had the chance to make it 2-2 from the
spot when Great Britain were awarded a second penalty corner in the
56th minute.  Despite putting her effort on target, the
Leicester player was thwarted by Joyce Sombroek in the Dutch
goal.
At the other end, Scottish goalkeeper Abi Walker
made a series of top drawer saves to prevent the Netherlands from
extending their lead and her contribution was to prove critical as
the match entered its final stage.
With nine minutes remaining, up stepped Cullen to
net her second penalty corner of the match to equalise and earn
Great Britain a share of the spoils against the world’s number one
ranked team.
Afterwards, Head Coach Danny Kerry said, “We’re
disappointed with our first half performance.  The girls need
to believe in themselves more.  At half time we spoke about
belief and for them [the players] to decide if they are good
enough.
“I’m disgusted that we’re being asked to play in
such high temperatures; it’s dangerous and wrong.”
Despite earning the draw, Captain Kate Walsh added,
“We’re disappointed with our performance today.  We turned the
ball over too cheaply.  We needed to be stronger.  We
created chances and gradually put them under more pressure as the
game went on.  It was a more buoyant second half and we can
take that forward into the rest of the tournament.”
Great Britain now have a rest day on Monday before
the final Pool A fixture against China on Tuesday.   In the
other match in the Pool, Olympic silver medal holders China beat
Japan 2-1.

A Great British comeback took place at the Champions
Trophy in Rosario on Sunday as two Crista Cullen goals helped Great
Britain fight back from two goals down to draw 2-2 with the world’s
number one team, the Netherlands.

Leicester defender Cullen scored both of Great Britain’s goals
from second half penalty corners in a match that also saw the 26
year old and captain Kate Walsh fail to convert penalty
strokes.

And Great Britain had EuroCanterbury goalkeeper Abi Walker to
thank for an inspired performance in goal as the Scottish stopper
pulled off a series of excellent saves from second half penalty
corners.

Great Britain Head Coach spokes afterwards about his side’s
belief being key to getting results.

“The girls need to believe in themselves more,” he said.
 “At half time we spoke about belief and for them [the
players] to decide if they are good enough.”

Great Britain’s Welsh star Sarah Thomas made her 50th appearance
in a GB vest while birthday girl Abi Walker came in for Beth
Storry, who sat out the match with Walker’s clubmate Natalie
Seymour.

Great Britain had fallen behind to a scrappy goal from the
Netherlands’ Naomi Van As in the seventh minute as the Dutchwoman
volleyed home after the ball fell to her inside the British circle.
 They Brits thought they had equalised though midway through
the first half after a good advantage was played at a penalty
corner.

However, the whistle had already gone to award Great Britain a
penalty stroke, which captain Kate Walsh could only put wide of the
goal.

Things got worse for Great Britain three minutes before the
break when Kim Lammers doubled the Dutch tally.

After a rallying half time team talk Great Britain returned for
the second half and five minutes in Crista Cullen gave them the
lifeline they needed as she converted a penalty corner to make it
2-1.

And Cullen had the chance to make it 2-2 from the spot when
Great Britain were awarded a second penalty corner in the 56th
minute.  Despite putting her effort on target, the Leicester
player was thwarted by Joyce Sombroek in the Dutch goal.

At the other end, Scottish goalkeeper Abi Walker made a series
of top drawer saves to prevent the Netherlands from extending their
lead and her contribution was to prove critical as the match
entered its final stage.

With nine minutes remaining, up stepped Cullen to net her second
penalty corner of the match to equalise and earn Great Britain a
share of the spoils against the world’s number one ranked team.

Afterwards, Head Coach Danny Kerry said,

“We’re disappointed with our first half performance.  The
girls need to believe in themselves more.  At half time we
spoke about belief and for them [the players] to decide if they are
good enough. I’m disgusted that we’re being asked to play in such
high temperatures; it’s dangerous and wrong.”

Despite earning the draw, Captain Kate Walsh added,

“We’re disappointed with our performance today.  We turned
the ball over too cheaply.  We needed to be stronger.  We
created chances and gradually put them under more pressure as the
game went on.  It was a more buoyant second half and we can
take that forward into the rest of the tournament.”

 

 

 

Great Britain now have a rest day on Monday before the final
Pool A fixture against China on Tuesday.   In the other match
in the Pool, Olympic silver medal holders China beat Japan 2-1.

 

 

Recent posts:

Back to all news
Back to top