Awards:
Junior player of the tournament: Franco BECERRA of Chile, presented by Mr. Sebastián Wenz, Director of the Prince of Wales Country Club (PWCC)
Goalkeeper of the tournament: Rodrigo FAUSTINO of Brazil; presented by Mr. Gianni Delucchi, President of the Peruvian Hockey Federation and Member of the Board of Directors of the Pan American Hockey Federation
Top scorer: Lucas PAIXÃO of Brazil, presented by Mr. Gonzalo Andrade, Vice President of the Prince of Wales Country Club (PWCC)
Player of the tournament: Lucas PAIXÃO of Brazil, presented by Mr. Walter Kramer, President of the Chilean Hockey Federation and Member of the Board of Directors of the Pan American Hockey Federation
Final standings:
1. CHILE
2. BRAZIL
3. VENEZUELA
4. URUGUAY
5. PERU
6. BOLIVIA
URU 5-0 BOL (URU 2-0 BOL)
To start the last day of the Mens Hockey Open Series 2018, Uruguay and Bolivia met. Bolivia was looking for their first goal as well as first win of the competition. From the opening whistle, however, Uruguay controlled the possession and kept play in their attacking half of the pitch. Bolivia played good defense to minimize Uruguay’s scoring opportunities, but Uruguay’s Gabriel FERREIRA was able to break through in the 9th minute to make it URU 1-0 BOL. Bolivia continued its good defensive positioning to prevent Uruguay from increasing its lead before the quarter break.
Less than one minute into the second quarter, Uruguay earned a penalty corner, but Bolivia’s keeper Carlos ZAMBRANA was there for the save; and led to Bolivia running into their attacking circle. Uruguay quickly regained possession and continued their attacking intensity; earning another penalty corner, and again ZAMBRANA was there to block the shot and break up the play. Uruguay continued to pressure strongly on attack; and Luis SALMINI gave his team a two goal lead in the 25th minute. With few seconds remaining in the second quarter, Uruguay earned another penalty corner, but failed to execute the play. Thus, the URU 2-0 BOL score remained at halftime
The third quarter started out as a more even battle between Uruguay and Bolivia. Bolivia limited Uruguay’s scoring opportunities until the 38th minute when Uruguay earned a couple penalty corners. On the second corner, Agustin RIVERO sent a beautiful drag flick into goal to make the score URU 3-0 BOL. About five minutes later, Uruguay earned another penalty corner, but Bolivia played good defense to break up the play. Behind the continued strong play of ZAMBRANA, Bolivia successfully defended four Uruguay penalty corners in the final two minutes of the third quarter; keeping the score URU 3-0 BOL going into the fourth quarter.
Less than 10 seconds into the fourth quarter, Uruguay earned another penalty corner, but Bolivia came up with the ball before Uruguay could get a shot off. ZAMBRANO continued to come up with big saves to keep Uruguay from increasing their lead.After about five consecutive penalty corners, Gonzalo MARTINONI finally converted a penalty corner for Uruguay to make the score URU 4-0 BOL in the 52nd minute. A minute later Felipe CASTRO scored off a field goal give his team a five goal lead over Bolivia. With Bolivia playing strong defense against Uruguay for the rest of the match, the match ended URU 5-0 BOL.
PER 0-3 VEN (PER 0-1 VEN)
Peru and Venezuela met on the final day of the Mens Hockey Open Series 2018 in a match that would inevitably determine which Mens team would secure third place in the competition. The match started very fast paced. As the first quarter progressed, Venezuela had more of the possession in their attacking half. Halfway through the first quarter, Venezuela earned the first penalty corner of the match. Peru’s keeper Felix MAFFERETTI came up with the save to keep the match scoreless. Less than a minute later, Venezuela had a good shot on goal go just wide off the goal cage. With Peru able to keep Venezuela outside of their attacking circle, the first quarter ended PER 0-0 VEN.
Exactly like the first quarter, Venezuela dominated possession in their attacking half from the start; and earned their first penalty corner of the quarter halfway through. This time, however, Captain Andy Adrian converted the corner with a fast drag flick to give his team the lead in the 23rd minute. For the rest of the second quarter Venezuela dominated the possession. Peru held good defensive positioning for the rest of the second quarter, preventing Venezuela from any more scoring opportunities. With Peru barely having possession near their attacking circle, the score remained PER 0-1 VEN at halftime.
Possession was more evenly shared in the third quarter. Yet, both teams had trouble getting into their attacking circles until late in the third quarter. Venezuela’s Wilber BRACAMONTE deflected a great cross pass past MAFFERETTI to give his team a two goal lead in the 40th minute. Off the restart Peru rushed with the ball into their attacking end and immediately earned a penalty corner, their first of the match; but after connecting a series of passes could not complete the play keeping the score PER 0-2 VEN. During the final minutes of the third quarter, both teams defended penalty corners well. Thus, keeping the score PER 0-2 VEN to start the fourth quarter.
During the fourth quarter, Peru looked to have a renewed intensity and had the most possession of the ball they have had all match. Peru was able to keep play in the midfield a lot of the time and generally, away from Venezuela’s attacking circle. Despite yellow cards to Venezuela’s Yordano CASTRO in the 44th and Jose OROPEZA in the 53rd minutes, Peru could not capitalize. Venezuela had the best scoring opportunities of either team with just two minutes remaining in the match. MAFFERETTI made multiple big saves, but Venezuela’s last minute pressure ultimately proved too much. Cristian VARGAS hit a hard shot past MAFFERETTI to make the score PER 0-3 VEN in the 60th minute. Venezuela had a hard shot go wide off the restart. As a result, the match ended PER 0-3 VEN; and Venezuela solidified third in the Mens Hockey Open Series 2018.
CHI 1-0 BRA (CHI 1-0 BRA)
The last match of the Mens Hockey Open Series 2018 was a fierce battle between Brazil and host Chile for the top spot in the competition and thus, more world ranking points. Much of the first quarter was spent with Brazil passing around the midfield. With Chile facing the exact direction of setting sun Chile seemed to have a hard time seeing the ball during the first quarter. Nevertheless, the first scoring opportunity for either team came late in the first quarter when Felipe RENZ received the ball in the midfield and ran fast into Chile’s attacking circle. Felipe RENZ crossed the ball perfectly to Sven RICHTER waiting near the opposite goal post who deflected the ball into the cage in the 11th minute, to make the score CHI 1-0 BRA. Brazil was able to force play down near their attacking circle for the rest of the quarter, but were unable to tie the match before the break.
The second quarter continued like the end of the first, with both teams trading possession in the midfield. Midway through the second quarter, Felipe RENZ nearly scored again, but the play was interrupted due to an obstruction call. Finally, in the 24th minute, Brazil earned the first penalty corner of the match, but Chile’s defense prevented Brazil from getting a shot off. Brazil kept up its attacking intensity and four minutes later, earned another penalty corner. Brazil hit a hard shot into goal, but it went high and thus, did not count. With Chile unable to capitalize off a breakaway in the last 30 seconds of the second quarter, the score remained CHI 1-0 BRA at halftime.
The third quarter was a hard fought fast paced battle for possession. Both teams held strong positioning, limiting each other’s possession in their respective attacking circles. In the 42nd minute Brazil earned a penalty corner, but Chile’s defense blocked up the play. Brazil quickly recovered the ball and shot it, but Chile’s keeper Esteban KRAINZ made the save. Chile countered earning their first penalty corner of the match in the 44th minute. Nicolas RENZ put in his signature drag flick to give his team a two goal lead over Brazil going into the fourth quarter.
Brazil started the fourth quarter with a renewed attacking intensity and controlled most of the play in their attacking half. RICHTER was awarded a yellow card in the 47th minute and Brazil looked to capitalize. Brazil’s momentum paid off when the top mens scorer of the competition, Lucas PAIXÃO, put in a hard shot passed KRAINZ. Brazil kept up their intensity and, just two minutes later, came back to tie the match off another goal by PAIXÃO; making the score CHI 2-2 BRA with 9 minutes remaining in the match. Chile then started to control possession and play shifted to their attacking half. Chile’s team effort paid off when Franco BECERRA hit the ball into the goal in the 55th minute. Brazil quickly rushed into their attacking circle; and almost tied the match a minute later, but the shot went wide. Chile’s Martin RODRIGUEZ was then awarded a yellow card in the 56th minute, but then both teams played short when Brazil’s Yuri van der HEIJDEN was awarded a yellow card a minute later; indicative of the intensity of the match. Chile held off an intense attack by Brazil in the final 30 seconds to come away with the CHI 3-2 BRA victory; and secure the top spot in the Mens Hockey Open Series 2018.
