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Wan LixinOpinion deputy editor of Shanghai Daily
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Argentina clinches Champions Trophy
Source: Agencies |
July 20, 2009, Monday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
CAPTAIN Luciana Aymar struck the decisive penalty as Argentina beat Australia 4-3 in a shootout yesterday to take the gold medal at the women's Champions Trophy tournament in Sydney.
The game was scoreless after fulltime and 15 minutes of overtime failed to produce a breakthrough.
In the shootout, Australian goalkeeper Toni Cronk saved one Argentina penalty stroke but after Fiona Boyce and Nicole Arrold missed shots for Australia, Aymar slotted the winning goal.
"We've improved with each match (and) we're a young group with some new players and to come second in a Champions Trophy is great," Arrold told reporters.
Argentina retained the Champions Trophy, having also won in Germany last year. It also won in 2001.
Despite winning silver - its first Champions Trophy medal since 2005 - and beating Olympic champions the Netherlands, Australia was relegated from the elite six-nation tournament for the first time since its inception in 1987.
"It's disappointing that you can come second and lose in a penalty shootout and all of a sudden you're not in the next year's Champions Trophy," said Australia captain Madonna Blyth, who was named player of the tournament.
"But they are the rules and after this they'll have a bit of a look at them, because a team that can come fifth can go through but a team that can come second can't."
England finished last after being thrashed 0-7 by China yesterday but gets automatic entry to next year's tournament as host. That meant Australia was relegated because it had the lowest Olympic ranking -fifth of the remaining teams.
"China were awesome in front of goal. Their first chance came within two minutes and bang, goal," England coach Danny Kerry said. "It's not like we didn't know about their ability to counter-attack but their counter-attack is incredible."
Earlier, the Netherlands beat Germany 5-2 for the bronze medal.
The game was scoreless after fulltime and 15 minutes of overtime failed to produce a breakthrough.
In the shootout, Australian goalkeeper Toni Cronk saved one Argentina penalty stroke but after Fiona Boyce and Nicole Arrold missed shots for Australia, Aymar slotted the winning goal.
"We've improved with each match (and) we're a young group with some new players and to come second in a Champions Trophy is great," Arrold told reporters.
Argentina retained the Champions Trophy, having also won in Germany last year. It also won in 2001.
Despite winning silver - its first Champions Trophy medal since 2005 - and beating Olympic champions the Netherlands, Australia was relegated from the elite six-nation tournament for the first time since its inception in 1987.
"It's disappointing that you can come second and lose in a penalty shootout and all of a sudden you're not in the next year's Champions Trophy," said Australia captain Madonna Blyth, who was named player of the tournament.
"But they are the rules and after this they'll have a bit of a look at them, because a team that can come fifth can go through but a team that can come second can't."
England finished last after being thrashed 0-7 by China yesterday but gets automatic entry to next year's tournament as host. That meant Australia was relegated because it had the lowest Olympic ranking -fifth of the remaining teams.
"China were awesome in front of goal. Their first chance came within two minutes and bang, goal," England coach Danny Kerry said. "It's not like we didn't know about their ability to counter-attack but their counter-attack is incredible."
Earlier, the Netherlands beat Germany 5-2 for the bronze medal.
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