Ranking not as high as you? Doesn't matter. Technical experience is not as good as you? Doesn't matter. Goals cancelled? Doesn't matter. Anyway, just fight with you to the end! On February 6, the young Chinese team broke out in the third round of women's hockey group stage at the Beijing Winter Olympics, beating Japan, which ranked sixth in the world and had won two consecutive victories before, on penalties. At present, the Chinese team has 5 points, and only needs to get 1 point in the last group game to ensure that it will enter the quarterfinals.
Later came on penalty upset
The Chinese team is only ranked 20th in the world, and there is a significant gap between its strength and Japan. Although the match began with a fierce confrontation with the Japanese team, the Chinese players were still sent off for two minutes for fouls due to inexperience, and the Japanese team took advantage of the numerical advantage to score a goal in the final moments of the first quarter, scoring the goal of Akane Hosoyamada, the only Japanese team with experience in the National University Sports Association (NCAA) first division.
Fortunately, after conceding the goal, the Chinese team did not panic, but crossed a heart and fought with the Japanese team to fight for physical fitness. This tactic surprised the Japanese team, after the second quarter of the stranglehold, the Japanese team began to fall into the disadvantage, the first two quarters of the Japanese team shot the goal of the number of times dominant, but in the third quarter by the Chinese team 9-6. It was also at the beginning of the third quarter that Hu Baozhen took advantage of the opportunity of the opposing goalkeeper to save the ball and make up for the equalizer.
The two sides still drew in a five-minute four-on-four overtime match and had to enter a brutal "penalty shootout". This rule is somewhat similar to the way soccer deciders decide, except that the penalty player can challenge the goalkeeper with the ball. But China's goalkeeper Zhou Jiaying was extremely brave, saving all five penalties from the Japanese team, while Miller, who was the fourth player in the Chinese team, scored the winning goal. In the end, the Chinese women's ice unexpectedly beat the Japanese team.
Only one step away from the quarterfinals
According to the rules of ice hockey, the two teams that win and lose in regular time receive 3 and 0 points each, while in overtime or penalty shootout, they score 2 points and 1 point respectively. In this Winter Olympics, only 3 of the 5 teams in Group B of China entered the quarterfinals. The Chinese team lost to the Czech Republic in the first game, defeated Denmark in the second game, and won 5 points after defeating Japan in the third penalty shootout. Denmark and Sweden still have two games in hand, and any team that wins two games may overwhelm the Chinese team.
But this is only a theoretical possibility. The Chinese team only needs to not lose to Sweden in the regular time of the final battle to ensure the qualification for the quarterfinals. Danish and Swedish journalists in the media workshop of the Wukesong Stadium said that they did not even need this "no loss": "We don't think there is still suspense, Sweden needs to beat China and Denmark in a row, Denmark also has to play the Czech Republic and Sweden, two consecutive wins is basically impossible." ”
Article/Hubei Daily reporter Guo Xiaoming from Beijing
Photo: Xinhua News Agency