Four close-run battles opened the week of second division action as Czechia, Poland and Scotland recorded wins while Italy and Wales shared a lively draw.
Here’s a round-up of the day’s action:
II-A, Rakovnik
Italy salvaged a late point via Lara Manzoni as her goal made it 2-2 against Wales in the opening game of the tournament in Rakovnik.
Wales had led twice with Freya Diamond getting the only goal of the first half and then they went 2-1 up through Betsan Thomas in the 40th minute after Chiara di Bella had levelled.
Afterwards, Welsh player Isabella Howton said: “We were expecting to come out with a win but it is one point on the board and we are ready for tomorrow.”
Team mate Holly Done added: “Game management [can be improved]. It is our first match together as a group and so we can definitely work on that!””
Czechia, meanwhile, scored two penalty corners to get the better of Lithuania 2-0, one a deflection from Zuzana Semrádová and the other from a scramble which Veronika Pribikova took control of.
Day two sees Italy take on Lithuania (16.00 CET) and then Czechia face Wales (18.15 CET).
Pool A
| Rank | Team | Played | Wins | Draws | Losses | Goal Difference | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Czechia | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| 2 | Italy | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2 | Wales | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 4 | Lithuania | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -2 | 0 |
II-B, Konya
Scotland began the competition with a 3-1 victory over Ukraine; Cat Nelli and a double from Ava Smith gave the Scots the victory, setting up an intriguing day two game against the day’s other winner Poland, on Wednesday.
Scotland started well eight minutes into the match they took the lead. Mhairi Low won the ball on the left from a successful press and played in Nelli who finished clinically on her reverse.
Straight after half time, Ukraine equalised from a ball into the circle which took a double deflection and allowed Veronika Korobkina to round the keeper and score.
Ukraine began to enjoy some pressure of their own and Scotland found it tough to manage for a time but they did bounce back in the closing quarter. Good build up on the left side was finished off by an Ava Smith deflection to make it 2-1 for Scotland.
And then Smith bagged her second of the match with a superb reverse stick finish to complete the scoring.
Poland (pictured, top) edged out Türkiye in the second game of the day in a thriller to close out the first day in Konya.
After a tightly contested first half, Nur Baran put the Turks in front in the 38th minute only for the visiting Poles to turn the scoreline on its head within five minutes.
Oliwis Krychniak tied it up and then Marta Czujewicz got what proved to be the winner from a penalty corner in the 43rd minute.
It was an advantage they held through to the final whistle. Türkiye will now face Ukraine in their second game each with both sides looking to get points on the board.
