Ranchi, Jan 18 – Goalkeeper Lucia Ines Caruso pulled off a couple of good saves in the shoot-out, including a penalty stroke, as Italy defeated Chile 2-1 in the tie-breaker after a 2-2 draw in regulation time in a classification match in the FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers here on Thursday.
Italy were cruising towards victory having taken a 2-1 lead with goals by Bruni Antonella (20th min) and Federica Carta (24th min) scoring in quick succession after Francisca Tala had given Chile an early lead in the 13th minute.
However, Chile came back to level scores through Paula Valdivia seven minutes before the final hooter and took the match into the shoot-out at the Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Astro-Turf Hockey Stadium.
Carta and Maria Inaudi were successful for Italy in the shoot-out while Guadalupe Moras and Antonella Rinaldi failed to convert. For Chile. Domenica Ananias scored the first attempt to give them the edge after Italy’s Rinaldi had missed.
Simone Avelli, Josefina Khamis and Josefina Khamis missed the next three attempts, two of them thwarted by Italy goalkeeper Lucia, who was pulled up for a foul on Khamis’ second attempt for Chile but came up with a fine save off the resultant penalty stroke to maintain Italy’s advantage.
Federica converted the fourth shoot-out attempt for Italy to seal victory after Khamis failed to put it across the Italian goalkeeper.
With this win, Italy will now fight for the fifth position while Chile will figure in the playoff to decide the seventh and eighth positions on Friday, the final day of the Olympic Qualifiers.
bsk/bc
