Chile men & Canada women run riot in Guadalajara

September 18, 2014 | Field Hockey Canada | fieldhockey.ca

Chile men and Canada women emerged victorious at the Hockey World League Round 1 event in the Mexican city of Guadalajara, with both teams finishing top of the standings with 100 per cent winning records in their respective competitions.

The first place finishes mean that both have earned qualification for HWL Round 2, keeping the dream of qualifying for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games very much alive and kicking.

The Chilean men lived up to their billing as pre-tournament favourites with three comprehensive victories that left little doubt that they were worthy champions. Two goals from Nicolas Renz helped the team ranked 26 in the world to a richly deserved 3-1 win over host nation Mexico (WR: 35) on Friday (12 September) while Renz grabbed another double on Saturday (13 September) as his side cruised to a 4-1 success against Brazil (WR: 34).

Chile confirmed their tournament triumph with a 19-0 win over minnows Guatemala (WR: 71) on Sunday, with Vincente Martin collecting the biggest haul with five goals to his name. Martin ended the tournament with a total of six goals, one behind Mexico’s Francisco Aguilar who ended finished top of the scoring charts with seven.

To find out more information about the men’s tournament in Guadalajara including results, scorers and tables,click here .

Canada were in absolutely ruthless form in women’s tournament, netting a staggering 63 goals in three matches to seal a comfortable passage through to Round 2 of the Hockey World League.

The North Americans powered to a 34-0 win over unranked Guatemala before despatching both Mexico (6-0 – WR: 28) and Peru (22-0 – unranked) to confirm their place at the top of the standings in emphatic style. Their devastating form suggests that they will be a team to be feared in the second phase.

Canadian attacker Brienne Stairs finished as the tournament top scorer with 13 goals, netting six against both Guatemala and Peru as well as a solitary strike against Mexico.

To find out more information about the women’s tournament in Guadalajara including results, scorers and tables,click here.

The winning teams at all of the Hockey World League Round 1 events are guaranteed a place in Round 2 of the Hockey World League, where they will be joined by a number of the highest-placed finishers from the Round 1 tournaments. Round 2 will also see the introduction of the teams placed from 12 to 19 in the FIH World Rankings with the sides ranked 1 to 11 starting their journey in Round 3, where tickets for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games as well as qualification for the Finals tournament are up for grabs.

To learn more about the second edition of the Hockey World League, click here.

Round 1 tournament winners

Men

Sveti Ivan Zelina, Croatia (1-6 July): Russia

Hradec Králové, Czech Republic (2-7 September): Belarus

Nairobi, Kenya (5-7 September): Egypt

Dhaka, Bangladesh (5-7 September): Bangladesh

Muscat, Oman (5-7 September): Azerbaijan

Lousada, Portugal (12-14 September): Austria

Guadalajara (12-14 September): Chile

Kingston, Jamaica (30 September-5 October): Upcoming

Suva, Fiji (6-13 December): Upcoming