Similar to the men’s tournament, the women’s quarterfinal round began with a showcase of underdog resiliency.
China, which recently hired former Olympic gold-winning Dutch coach Alyson Annan, opened the day with a one-goal win over 2022 World Cup bronze medalist Australia — a team that went undefeated in the pool round (China lost thrice).
2024 Paris Olympics women’s field hockey quarterfinal schedule
Monday, Aug. 5
Australia vs. China: 4 a.m. ET
Argentina vs. Germany: 6:30 a.m. ET
Netherlands vs. Great Britain: 11:30 a.m. ET
Belgium vs. Spain: 2 p.m. ET
Australia vs. China
Though Australia entered the match as the favorite — having gone undefeated in the pool round and facing a Chinese squad that, in recent years, has struggled in international play — China was unrelenting, earning a 3-2 win behind tight offense and caught rebounds.
Since Annan took the Chinese helm in 2022, the team has markedly improved, moving from eighth place in the Pro League in 2021-22 to fifth in the most recent year to earning gold in the 2022 Asian Games.
In the 10th minute, the Kookaburras were awarded a penalty corner, giving them the edge they needed to jump ahead. Though China goalkeeper Ye Jiao made the initial save, Alice Arnott caught the rebound off Ye’s pads and sent it back toward the goal. The ball deflected off Ye’s glove and into the cage. Both of Australia’s goals came from deflections off of Chinese players.
Two minutes later, China leveled the playing field on another penalty corner, sneakily tucking a drag flick into the net just inches from the right post — a play that began an unanswered three-goal run for the Snow Lotuses.
China’s Dan Wen found the second tally for the country, winning a battle with three Australian players in the circle and chipping the ball into the net. Then, five minutes into the third, Zhong Jiaqi grabbed a rebound and slammed it into the net.
Australia cut the deficit to one as the third quarter wound down, but the Steel Roses shut down every chance the Kookaburras got to even the score through the remainder of the contest.
“We knew we could do this, we knew it, but we didn’t come here to be in the top four. We came here to be on the top,” Annan told her players in a huddle after the game. “We’re proud, we’re happy, but this is not the end.”
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