Ireland 2-1 Azerbaijan

At the Euro Hockey championship in Amsterdam, Ireland closed out a 2-1 win against Azerbaijan with just six tense minutes to spare.

These three points puts them on top of Pool C ahead of Scotland, Russia and Azerbaijan before they play in their final pool game against Russia this Saturday, where a draw (1 point) will be enough to ensure they remain in the A division of European Hockey.

Ireland opened the match dominating and controlling the play and got their first clear chance in the 17th minute, but Nikki Symmons drag went high over the cross bar.

Six minutes later Symmons got a second crack of the whip and made no mistake when she fired home low to the left of the post to take the lead into half time.

Azerbaijan were more steady after the break and more confident defending Ireland’s attacking style play. Their patience paid of in the 50th minute when Zhun Mammadova picked up a pass at the top right of the circle for a fierce shot high into the net leaving Goode in goals with no chance.

Both sides began to look a little frantic as they searched for the winner with just twenty minutes to go.

Azerbaijan looked liked they were about to cause the girls in green a major upset when Marina Aliyeva pounced on a loose ball scooping it onto her reverse towards the goal but Symmons was on hand to save it off the line.

Ireland then made the play of the game with a great four on two attack; displaying great skill as Emma Smyth fed the ball into Alex Speers who laid off for Megan Frazer’s strike which Alex Speers slid in to deflect the ball over the keeper’s head and fall over the line for the winning goal.