Hyderabad, March 9: Uruguay achieved its first victory in the FIH Hockey World Cup 2026 qualifiers on Monday at the GMC Balayogi Hockey Ground. In an exciting Pool B match, Uruguay defeated Wales 3-2. Meanwhile, England secured its place in the semifinals by defeating Korea.
For Uruguay, goals were scored by Manuela Villar in the 29th minute, Agustina Diaz in the 36th minute, and Teresa Viana in the 41st minute. Wales managed to score through Anja Atkin in the 5th minute and Rachel Goodwin in the 48th minute. Earlier, England qualified for the semifinals with a 3-0 victory over Korea, marking their second win in as many matches in Pool A.
Lily Walker scored in the 16th minute, followed by Elizabeth Neal in the 38th minute, and Grace Balsdon in the 44th minute, helping England secure three points. On Sunday, England showcased a strong performance against Italy, winning 5-2, while Korea narrowly defeated Austria 1-0. For England, Grace Balsdon scored twice (12th and 32nd minutes), along with goals from Lottie Bingham (15th minute), Elizabeth Neal (16th minute), and Anna Toman (27th minute). Italy’s goals came from Ivanna Pesina (19th minute) and Federica Carta.
The host nation, India, kicked off its campaign in the FIH Hockey World Cup Qualifiers 2026 with a commanding 4-0 victory over Uruguay. Sunelita Toppo scored in the 21st minute, followed by Ishika in the 40th minute, Lalremsiyami in the 49th minute, and Rutuja Dadaso Pisal in the 58th minute. The match began positively for the home team.
India made several entries into the circle and created numerous scoring opportunities. They received their first penalty corner in the fourth minute, but the shot went slightly high. Udita scored a stunning goal after a brilliant variation. Uruguay relied on counter-attacking hockey and created opportunities but failed to breach India’s strong defense.
Leave a Comment