Hockey World Cup 2018: England stuns Argentina 3-2, enters semifinals

England has defeated Olympic champion Argentina 3-2 to progress to the semifinals of the 2018 Hockey World Cup at Bhubaneswar's Kalinga stadium.

Updated : Dec 12, 2018 19:14 IST

Argentina and England in action in their quarterfinal clash at the Kalinga stadium.
Argentina and England in action in their quarterfinal clash at the Kalinga stadium.
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Argentina and England in action in their quarterfinal clash at the Kalinga stadium.

 

FULL TIME: England stuns the Olympic champions Argentina and books a place in the semifinal of the 2018 Hockey World Cup.

58' Oh boy. Argentina down to 9 men as it picks up another yellow card.

58' Under two minutes left and England is getting closer to a place in the semis.

56' Yellow card for Augustin Mazzilli and that means Argentina will play with a man down for the rest of this game.

53' On a 2 vs 3 counter, Ansell gets past his marker but his shots comes off the post. So close to putting the game to bed.

52' Matias Paredes sees his shot go into the goal but he thought there was a deflection on that and started celebrating but the referee disagrees. Right call. No touch inside the circle.

51' With less than ten minutes left, it's not surprising that Argentina is finally showing a lot of urgency in its play.

49' Argentina barely got time to celebrate being back on level terms before Martin found enough space to get a shot past Vivaldi.

49'Harry Martin puts England back in the lead again! It was behind for less than a minute!

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Harry Martin sees his shot hit the back of the Argentina goal.
 

48' Gonzalo Peillat makes it 2-2 for Argentina.

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Peillat makes it 2-2 to Argentina.
 

48' The video replay overturns the decision. No penalty stroke but Argentina wins another penalty corner, a third in quick succession.

48' The first one is saved but the referee, rightfully, awards them a second one. And the referee gives Argentina a penalty stroke!  He asks for a referral to make sure it is the right call.

47' Argentina wins a penalty corner. Can it make this one count?

46' Both teams have lost their referral as there is no clear reason for the referee to overturn his actual decision.

46' Argentina gets the final quarter underway and, on its first attack of the final 15 minutes, they ask for a referral for the ball hitting a foot inside England's circle.

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45' ENGLAND TAKES THE LEAD AT THE END OF THE THIRD QUARTER. Will Calnan puts England ahead. Calnan, was was out for five minutes after picking up a yellow card, turns into a hero. He sneaks a shot past Vivaldi to give England the advantage as the third quarter comes to an end .

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42' Just five circle penetrations in this quarter, from both teams. England, on the whole, has had a lot more than Argentina. The stats show that it has been the more dominant team but there's a reason why stats don't tell the whole story. Argentina has been barely in trouble this game, despite the stats telling a different story.

POSSESSION: England has kept 63% of the possession in the quarter. It has either matched Argentina or kept more possession than its opponent through the game, though the scoreline doesn't reflect that.

38' Two back-to-back penalty corners for England but it isn't converted. Argentina almost gets away with a counter attack after that.

37' Zachary Wallace with some good footwork to get into the Argentine circle before being hauled down and winning a penalty corner. Argentina players complain but the referee shuts them down with a "Do you want a referral" question. They do not want to and we get on with the game.

36' Will Calnan picks up yellow card for deliberately using his foot and Argentina has a penalty corner, which isn't converted. Silly from him and England will be a man down for five minutes.

34' England, when not in possession, tries to quickly close down and win back possession while Argentina is happy to wait for an interception or a misplaced pass to spring a counterattack. The game play is suiting both teams right now.

33' Liam Ansell with a crucial interception inside the circle to stop an Argentina attack. Had to be precise or he would have given away a penalty corner. Beautiful execution.

31' Jack Waller gets England underway for the second half. The winner of this match will face Germany or Belgium in the semifinals.

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The hooter goes and the second quarter comes to an end.

29' Both teams now seem content with defending their goals to make sure they don't go into the break trailing. We are a minute away from half time.

STAT: Barry Middleton is playing in his fourth World Cuo, more than any other Englishman.

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Barry Middleton celebrates putting England back on level terms.
 

27' Middleton absolutely thumped that it. Finds space inside the circle and shoots into the bottom corner. Juan Vivaldi in the Argentine goal could barely move before that went it.

 

27' GOAL! England makes it 1-1! Barry Middleton with the goal.

 

26' Gleghorne makes another run down the right side, plays and 1-2 and hits one across the face of the goal but Argentina survives.

23' The game has turned in Argentina's favour now. The goal has made it even more difficult for it to break open the Argentinian defence.

19' England takes a gamble on its referral for a free hit and loses it. The replays didn't back up its claim and now it has lost its referral with more than two quarters left in the game.

18' England gets down the other end and almost equalise. Argentina caught napping there. Still celebrating the goal?

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Peillat celebrates after giving Argentina the lead.
 

17' GOAL! Argentina takes the lead from the penalty corner. Gonzallo Peillat with the goal. His flick is too quick for George Pinner. He gets some contact on the ball but not enough to keep it from going in. Against the run of play!

 

17' Argentina does just that. It keeps possession and changes sides quickly, pushing England wide. Agustin Mazzili gets the ball inside the circle and his pass rolls out. But the Argentina players have asked for a video referral. They think it has hit an English leg, Harry Martin's to be precise, on its way out.

After several minutes of replays, the decision goes Argetina's way. It is a penalty corner and it keeps its referral.

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15'First quarter ends. It stays goalless after a slow quarter. Either team will have to up its tempo to make the breakthrough.

13' Argentina has done well to soak in England's attacks. Apart from one good chance in opening minutes, England hasn't been allowed to build on its possession.

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12' Of the 30 penalty corners, England has been able to score only from two. Needs to do better from such opportunities.

11' Luke Taylor takes it and wins another penalty corner immediately. Argentina defend the second one and try to build an attack but England closes it down quickly before winning back the possesssion.

10' England asks for a video referral for a foul inside the circle after the referee doesn't spot it. And the players are right. England gets a penalty corner and keeps its referral.

POSSESSION:  England with 59% of the possession so far.

STAT: England's Michael Hoare picks up his 100th cap today.

6' England has settled down quicker in the game, doing well to keep possession and probe the spaces in Argentina's defence.  The slow start to the game should suit the South American side though.

 

4' The first attack for the game comes from England. Gleghorne gets down the right channel and smacks one into the box but it only finds an Argentinian player, who clears it.

2' It has been a steady start to this game. Both teams are feeling each other out, with focus on staying tight defensively.

1' England gets the first quarter underway.

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• National anthems are done and we are minutes away from the start of the first quarterfinal of the 2018 Hockey World Cup.

• Argentina has had six days to rest and prepare for this game. England, on the other hand, comes into the game on the back of two must win games - its final pool game against Ireland and its cross-over game against New Zealand.

• Here's how both the team lineup for the game today:

 

Head-to-head: Argentina and England have faced each other sixteen times in all competitions, with Argentina winning seven times and England thrice. The stats are on Argentina's side, but will the stats hold good today?

• Olympic champion Argentina takes on a resurgent England in the first game of the day.

 

• England, France, Belgium and Netherlands won their cross-over games and have progressed to the last-8. You can read the report  of their cross-over games here and here .

• The Pool stages are done and the cross-over games got over. It is time for the quarterfinals of the 2018 Hockey World Cup.

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