Catherine Ledesma was only a few months old the last time England women failed to win an opening Pool match at the EuroHockey Championships in 1999.
Ledesma was handed a late call up last week for her first senior tournament with England and the 22-year-old then notched her first goal at a crucial time against a typically dogged Italy outfit, which last played a meaningful hockey match at the 2019 Olympic qualifiers.
These two had met in the opening Pool stages in 2003 when England won 8-0. In Amsterdam, it was a tighter affair against an inexperienced Italy team and so Ledesma’s goal, England’s third, proved crucial – especially after the Italians had been denied a goal moments earlier.
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