The U.S. women’s field hockey team upset Argentina 2-1 on the first full day of Olympic competition.
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Goaltender Julia Gomes allowed both American goals. Lily Owsley produced a sublime finish at the end of a flowing move to give Team GB a 1-0 lead at half time, only for Australia to hit back shortly after the break thanks to Georgina Morgan’s fierce penalty corner drag-flick. The Hockeyroos dropped their opener to Britain 2-1 on Saturday.
“We play a very fast, attacking, counter-type of hockey, and I think you’ll see that that comes out throughout the tournament, ” Morgan said. “It was important for us to keep the pressure on Argentina, and I thought we did that for the second part of the game”.
Reinprecht’s shot didn’t generate much power.
Goalkeeper Jackie Briggs, a University of North Carolina product, made 12 saves for the U.S. “But you just never know. You’ve got to play every team in your pool, so it doesn’t really matter”. Vittese scored on a penalty corner to put the United States up 1-0 in the second period.
But Australia, despite temporarily being down to nine players because of players being carded, got within 2-1 with 2:38 remaining in the third period when the US failed to clear a loose ball after an Aussies breakaway and Kathryn Slattery scored.
Argentina’s Carla Rebecchi, right, fight for the ball with United States’ Melissa Gonzalez, …
“I think the first period, we started a little slow, maybe a little bit tentative”, Parnham said. “It may be better attributed to that”. The No. 5 ranked U.S.is competing in Pool B, along with Great Britain, Argentina, Australia, India, and Japan.
Argentina entered the Olympics ranked No. 2 in the world in field hockey.
The United States has had success in some of their biggest matchups with the Argentines. Although, Team U.S.A. defeated its opponent, we just need to watch the game to see who will take home the medal tonight. The United States also beat Argentina a year ago in the gold medal match at the Pan American Games.
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The Americans haven’t medaled since 1984, and Argentina and Australia have been good for years while the United States is an emerging program. Briggs stopped four shots in the first period, and the match remained scoreless.
