Friday, February 14, 2025

Paris Olympics Hockey: Team GB women suffer insipid loss to Spain

Paris — Great Britain women needed the 12 players they briefly fielded in the Olympic qualifier defeat to Spain which ensured their Paris berth — but even then Spanish desire and grit might well have held out as they won their first ever Olympic match against Team GB.

If there was a match to sum up life since the Rio Olympics (barring coach Mark Hager’s tenure when he gave a winning bite to the squad) then Great Britain’s first match in pursuit of a fourth straight Olympic medal was probably it. A Sunday lunchtime to forget.

GB had won all three of their past Olympic meetings, including 2016 and 2020 on their way to medal success. In the modern world of hockey, nothing is certain, as the world order gets closer to each other (barring one team) thanks to the advent of four quarters.

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Here, they chased an equaliser for 51 minutes after three goals within the opening 10. Spain, with their man to man marking, like to make life difficult for opponents and so it proved here as they held out for a deserved 2-1 victory.

As time ticked in the final quarter, GB’s pace of play seemed frantic. In truth, David Ralph’s side lacked the patience and quality. Perhaps there were already thoughts of what this loss would mean. 

For defeat leaves GB now with must-wins against Australia or Argentina (as well as South Africa and the USA) to avoid a potential last eight clash against the Dutch. One/18 shots, including their one PC conversion from 13 attempts from the set piece told the story in a match of largely even territory.

Players spoke over Spain’s “chaos” play afterwards. That much was evident in the opening quarter on the smaller Pitch 2 at Yves-du-Manoir Stadium.

An aerial ball and defensive inefficiencies led to Spain’s opener inside the first five minutes. Sent to the right and Spain advancing goalwards, GB failed to clear and Laura Barrios managed to get enough over the line. But with the next move, GB levelled. A second stab at a penalty corner saw Giselle Ansley thrust a flick between Barrios on the post and Clara Perez.

Spain were rapidly closing in on 70% possession in the first quarter. And they were rewarded when Lola Riera fired between three closing line runners and past Miriam Pritchard’s left glove for Spain’s second.

It left GB to find an equaliser which eventually ran to over three quarters of the match. It also left Spain to find space and receive multiple turnover balls. This included Marta Segu running a third of the pitch to the byline before Pritchard did enough to see the ball to safety.

Turnovers gifted and uninspired movement in the final third from GB gave little worry to the Spanish as the third quarter developed.

Yet, Ralph’s side did offer some urgency.

With three minutes left of the quarter, Segu picked a fine aerial to the baseline but her cross-shot went just wide across goal.

At the other end, neither Ansley or Amy Costello could conjure the power to bypass the Spanish lines. Patricia Alvares, who scored the winner against GB to ensure Spain’s Olympic berth in January, put in a telling defensive deflection on GB’s ninth set piece. It served to underline the Spanish fire which was lacking for GB.

“This is really good,” captain Hollie Pearne-Webb twice offered her team as a video referral for obstruction on Laura Roper went upstairs and a break in play ensued . GB’s multiple Olympian went off holding her right hip soon afterwards.

With five minutes left, Hannah French reversed into the path of Lily Owsley, her touch just going wide. Tournament hockey on the biggest stage has worked for GB in the last two Games. They will need a heavy dose of it, starting against Australia on Monday early evening.

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