England defeated New Zealand to keep alive the dream of a first Commonwealth hockey gold

Eager to build on Victory of England At last month’s European Women’s Football Championship, organizers Birmingham 2022 carefully crafted Sunday’s top-flight women’s sporting program by putting the women’s hockey, cricket and soccer finals in quick succession on the same afternoon. With England’s cricketers and netters set to play the semi-finals on Saturday, the hockey players have now ensured that the first leg is over.

“I’m at the end of my career now, so it’s definitely something I’ve wanted so desperately my whole career,” Hinch said of that elusive Commonwealth title. “I’ve been so close to it a few times so I really hope it goes our way.

“Regardless of the result, as long as we put on an amazing 60-minute show, we can be really proud of what we’ve achieved here already.”

Shooter Petter added: “We could make history. It’s really exciting. We really want it. When you have a crowd like that behind you, it means a lot more. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

England were big ahead of the game on a glorious Friday night in Birmingham after scoring 21 goals and conceding just one of their four pool games unbeaten. Against the reigning champions, this would be their biggest test.

Had the entire match been played with the frenetic intensity of the opening half dozen minutes, it would have been an instant classic. Sorry, it wasn’t.

By this early stage, both sides had already been awarded two penalty corners – Giselle Ansley failed to convert either for England – before decent chances at both ends of the pitch, with Holly Hunt hitting the outside of the New Zealand post.

That, unfortunately, was the sum total of the action until half-time, at which point the goalkeepers became mere spectators as 23 minutes of disjointed action passed and New Zealand managed to dismiss a yellow card, a 10th-minute player’s lapse without the slightest alarm.

With the sun sinking lower in the sky, the two sides came closer in the third quarter, which ended with Hope Ralph picking up New Zealand’s second yellow card of the match, reducing the number to 10 men once again.

England couldn’t find a way out though, failing to take four penalties in quick succession. Again, the winner would be decided by penalty kicks. England would win this time.