Hosts roar into final
Thursday, 21 August 2008
BEIJING, Aug 20 : Hosts China beat defending titlists Germany 3-2 in the semifinals of the Olympic women's hockey here Wednesday, roaring into finals for the first time.
Suffering a 4-3 loss to Germany on penalty shootouts in the first semi-final play in Athens four years ago, China took sweet revenge this time.
Germany took a 4th minute lead with a field goal from Keller Natascha. After losing three chances for penlaty corners, Gao Lihua found the net with a field goal in the 31st minute, levelling the score 1-1 for China at halftime.
No more than one minute as the second half started, Janine Beermann's field goal gave Germany 2-1 lead but just three minutes later China's captain Ma Yibo scored the equaliser on a penalty corner.
Then the match went on more tight. Though China had more possessions and lauched repeated attacks, their attacks either flew over the post or were saved by German goalkeeper Kristina Reynolds.
Suffering a 4-3 loss to Germany on penalty shootouts in the first semi-final play in Athens four years ago, China took sweet revenge this time.
Germany took a 4th minute lead with a field goal from Keller Natascha. After losing three chances for penlaty corners, Gao Lihua found the net with a field goal in the 31st minute, levelling the score 1-1 for China at halftime.
No more than one minute as the second half started, Janine Beermann's field goal gave Germany 2-1 lead but just three minutes later China's captain Ma Yibo scored the equaliser on a penalty corner.
Then the match went on more tight. Though China had more possessions and lauched repeated attacks, their attacks either flew over the post or were saved by German goalkeeper Kristina Reynolds.