22 November 2023
Lausanne, Switzerland: As a part of our build-up to the FIH Hockey Girls’s Junior World Cup Chile 2023, we convey you the primary of 4 Pool previews which examines the qualification routes, previous type and essential gamers from the groups that may compete on the showpiece occasion in Santiago, Chile.
Australia, Chile, Netherlands and South Africa all function in Pool A, with a prime two end being the one solution to safe a spot within the competitors quarter-finals and thus keep hopes of Junior World Cup glory.
Australia
FIH Junior World Rating: 9
How they certified: 1st Place – Junior Oceania Cup 2022
Junior World Cup historical past: 2016 – third, 2013 – sixth, 2009 – fifth, 2005 – 4th, 2001 – third, 1997 – 2nd, 1993 – 2nd
In regards to the workforce: With the continued fall-out of covid-19 forcing the cancellation of the 2021 Junior Oceania Cup, Australia had been unable to qualify for the 2022 Junior World Cup in South Africa. Nonetheless, they are going to be eager to remind the world of their qualities on the 2023 competitors in Santiago. The Jillaroos have a nice Junior World Cup report, having medalled on 4 events and by no means ending decrease than sixth. That mentioned, the Oceania giants haven’t but managed to safe that elusive gold medal, one thing they’ll hope to alter this time round. The workforce chosen by former Hockeyroo Stacia Pressure is massively gifted, with the bulk having helped Australia to success on the Junior Oceania Cup 2022 in Canberra (AUS) to seal their berth on this competitors. Quite a few of Pressure’s gamers have represented the senior facet, with Maddison Brooks, Claire Colwill, Hannah Cullum-Sanders, Alana Kavanagh, Amy Lawton, Tatum Stewart and Grace Younger having amassed over 170 caps between them. Lawton, who was shortlisted for the 2022 FIH Rising Star of the Yr Award, will compete in Santiago alongside youthful sister Josie.
Chile
FIH Junior World Rating: 23
How they certified: Host nation
Junior World Cup historical past: 2016 – eleventh, 2009 – twelfth, 2005 – tenth, 2001 – twelfth, 1989 – twelfth.
In regards to the workforce: Having staged the FIH Girls’s Junior World Cup on two earlier events, host nation Chile can be hoping to make it third time fortunate this time round. Their finest end thus far was tenth on the 2005 competitors in Santiago, however they are going to be setting their sights far greater in 2023. Whereas the workforce won’t have needed to qualify for this competitors attributable to their standing as hosts, the workforce’s glorious third place completed on the Junior Pan American Championships in Barbados earlier this yr ensures they are going to be taken very critically on this occasion. Chile’s defeat within the Junior Pan Am semi-finals got here by the hands of eventual winners USA, who edged the South People in a shoot-out after common time completed 1-1. Nonetheless, the workforce bounce again in sensational fashion with a thumping 5-1 victory in opposition to Canada, with Martina Gago, Marin Goñi, captain Francisca Irazoqui, Josefina Gutierrez and Constanza Muñoz all on track to seal the bronze medal. Irazoqui and Laura Müller had been each a part of the Chile senior squad that completed fourth on the latest Pan American Video games 2023, performed on the identical pitches that may stage this Junior World Cup.
Netherlands
FIH Junior World Rating: 1
How they certified: 1st place – FIH Hockey Junior World Cup South Africa 2022
Junior World Cup historical past: 2022 – 1st, 2016 – 2nd, 2013 – 1st, 2009 – 1st, 2005 – third, 2001 – 4th, 1997 – 1st, 1993 – fifth, 1989 – 4th.
In regards to the workforce: In 9 ladies’s Junior Hockey World Cups, the Netherlands have solely did not safe podium finishes on three events, profitable a report 4 golds (Seongnam 1997, Boston 2009, Mönchengladbach 2013, Potchefstroom 2022), one silver and one bronze. With such an unimaginable observe report and a wonderful pool of splendidly gifted gamers, you may count on the Jong Oranje Dames to be amongst the entrance runners as soon as once more. They had been in glowing type on the 2022 version in Potchefstroom, scoring 49 objectives and conceding simply as soon as on their solution to the title. A bronze medal on the 2022 EuroHockey Junior Championship in Ghent was maybe under expectations, guaranteeing they are going to be suitably motivated to re-affirm their standing as the very best on this planet right here in Santiago. The squad chosen by head coach Dave Smolenaars, who’s aiming to win his second successive ladies’s Junior World Cup, accommodates a handful of gamers who competed within the 2022 version, together with goalkeeper Sofia ter Kuile and Jip Dicke, who prime scored in Potchefstroom with 13 objectives. The workforce additionally options Lilli de Nooijer, daughter of Netherlands all-time nice Teun de Nooijer and former Germany Olympian Phillipa Suxdorf.
South Africa
FIH Junior World Rating: 8
How they certified: 1st Place – Junior Africa Cup 2023
Junior World Cup historical past: 2022 – seventh, 2016 – 14th, 2013 – eighth, 2009 – eleventh, 2005 – eighth, 2001 – sixth, 1997 – sixth.
In regards to the workforce: Following their disappointing 14th place end on the 2016 FIH Girls’s Junior World Cup in Santiago, South Africa can be aiming for a a lot better final result on their return to Chilean soil. They actually have good causes to really feel optimistic. By ending seventh ultimately yr’s Junior World Cup on dwelling soil in Potchefstroom, South Africa achieved their highest placement in additional than 20 years. The workforce produced a string of dominant performances at this yr’s Junior Africa Cup in Ismailia, Egypt, claiming the gold medal by profitable all 4 of their matches, scoring 20 objectives with out as soon as conceding. Twelve gamers from that squad have been named for Santiago 2023, together with workforce co-captain Caylin Maree, who additionally competed within the Potchefstroom 2022 occasion. South Africa’s rising stars are coached by Lenise Marais, who as a participant represented her nation 232 occasions and competed on the Beijing 2008 and London 2012 Olympics.
The FIH Hockey Girls’s Junior World Cup Chile 2023 begins on 29 November with 12 groups in motion on opening day! Pool B encounter between Korea and Zimbabwe will get the occasion underway at 10am native time. Excessive octane clashes between Netherlands and Australia, India and Canada, Argentina and Spain, Germany and Belgium will comply with, earlier than hosts Chile play the ultimate match of the opening day in opposition to South Africa. The total match schedule for the FIH Hockey Girls’s Junior World Cup might be discovered right here.
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