They will play in Santiago, Chile on April 24 to May 2, 2010 with in a pool which features the host country, Malaysia, Scotland and Trinidad & Tobago.
As in the recently completed men's WCQ competition, only one qualifying place in the 2010 World Cup - which will be held in Argentina - is available.
Ireland's performances in the recent European championships meant they were in the pot of second seeds but the surprise loss of world number five-side Australia to New Zealand on penalty strokes, though, immediately threw a shark into the water when it came to the draw.
Subsequent qualifiers left Ireland as the sixth highest ranked side for the WCQs and thus destined, by the FIH's draw system, to be pitted against the Aussies ahead of the other first seeds, the USA or Japan.
It leaves Ireland, as world number 15s, facing a tough, uphill task to reach the tournament's final. Malaysia were beaten 1-0 (world number 22) in Kazan last summer while a 0-0 draw in the Europeans against Scotland show how tight the battle will be.Hosts Chile have jumped to 16th in the world after their bronze medal in the Pan-Am games; an event where Trinidad finished fifth.
13 comments:
All the other countries are clearly beatable but Australia....how unlucky is that?
If Ireland are th 5th highest ranked team, why are they put in a group with the 2nd highest ranked team, and the 4th highest ranked team not placed with the 1st??
Ireland were the sixth highest ranked side. It went in this order (world rank in brackets):
1. Australia (5th)
2. Japan (8th)
3. USA (10th)
4. Korea (11th)
5. Azerbaijan (14th)
6. Ireland (15th)
In relation to these six teams, the FIH uses a formula to describe thr groups which pits 1st vs 6th, 2nd vs 5th, 3rd vs 4th (as happened in the men's WCQ competition).
Balls!
best of luck !!!
alright alright alright. Hot Hockeyroos coming to town!
"immediately threw a shark into the water when it came to the draw"
Theh's a shaahk in the wawteh! Very apt Findlater!
Ladies should reach the final... and anything can happen in finals!!!
positive comments for the ladies queso in comparison to your negativity towards the mens team a week or so ago?highlighting your cheesy ways!
I wasn't negative at all towards the Irish men... just supported the view that the Czech result was disappointing... and in the end finishing 3rd justified our ranking...
In exactly the same way, I would expect the ladies to reach the WCQ final and will also be disappointed if they don't!!
ah we can beat the Aussies home and away..sigh
best of luck girls!!!
how are Azerbaijan above us in the rankings? Surely we would crush them in a match...
I'd say because they have performed better in the more recent international tournaments for a start....
2009 Champions Challenge - 7th (Ireland didn't compete at that level)
2008 Olympic Games ranking AZE were 13th and Ireland were 16th
2007 Champions Challenge - 6th (Ireland didn't compete at that level)
We have finished above them on two occassions...
2006 World Cup rankings we were 15th and AZE 16th and in the European Championship we finished 5th and AZE 6th where we beat them 2-1 in a relegation pool match.
But AZE just shade it on recent international competition results overall
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