LAUSANNE (SWITZERLAND): Nerves were fully on display on the fourth day of Women's World Cup action in Amstelveen and Terrassa. In the opening match, Chile won a war of attrition with Ireland to record their first ever World Cup win.
The next match was a clash between two teams who couldn't be separated as China and India played out a high tempo game that only produced two goals but was a fascinating encounter from start to finish, reports FIH.
If the first two matches were tense, the third match, between Japan and South Africa was thrilling as the African team, led by Onathatile Zulu, completed a great escape after going three-nil down in the first half.
New Zealand went into a 3-1 lead over England and held onto that lead with a defiant display of defending. And in the final match of the day Australia stunned Belgium with two quick goals that took the Red Panthers by surprise.
Ireland v Chile (Pool A)
This was a match that both teams had targeted as a game where points might be available and that awareness really added to the pressure and urgency that could be felt across the pitch.
The first three quarters were goalless but full of high-energy running and a lot of attacks on both goals. Claudia Schuler was the busier of the two goalkeepers but both Schuler and Ayeisha McFerran pulled off some vitally important saves.
Chile's work was made harder in the first half with a series of cards – yellow and green – which put the side under some additional pressure.
Ireland's Head Coach Sean Dancer will doubtless be frustrated as Ireland won a series of penalty corners but failed to make any of them count. Chile's number one penalty corner runners played a vital part in keeping the higher ranked team from scoring.
The breakthrough came three minutes into the final quarter. Chile won their own penalty corner and Denise Krimerman Losada made no mistake as she fired the ball into the bottom left corner of McFerran's goal.
Ireland put Las Diablas under immense pressure for the final 10 minutes, winning a number of penalty corners but still failing to find a way past the team in red. A yellow card for Eleana Tice limited Dancer's option to remove his goalkeeper and Chile held on to record a very important first win in a World Cup.
Player of the Match was Manuela Urroz. She said: 'I am so proud of this team, we have worked hard for a number of years. I am so happy I cannot explain it. I think both teams knew that this was an important game for the group. But this is a big step for us, to win our first game at a World Cup.'
Elena Tice of Ireland said: 'We knew Chile would be a good team. We are bitterly disappointed. We didn't convert our penalty corners. We struggled with the execution. We have to do better. Now we have to go out and do better against Germany tomorrow.'