FIH Women’s Olympic Qualifiers: USA edges past Japan 2-1 to secure Paris 2024 Olympic quota

USA booked its spot for the Paris 2024 Olympics after a come-from-behind 2-1 win over Japan in the first semifinal of the FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers at the Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh AstroTurf Hockey Stadium here on Thursday.

The US women will return to the Olympics for the first time since 2016. Japan will have one more chance to qualify as it takes on the loser of the second semifinal between India and Germany in the third-place playoff on Friday.

Japan looked well on its way to victory as it led 1-0 going into the final quarter on a cold and foggy evening. Amiru Shimada had put Jude Menezes’ side in front in the third quarter as she hit the rebound past US goalkeeper Kelsey Bing after the initial attempt following a penalty corner save.

However, US skipper Ashley Hoffman found the equaliser seven minutes into the final quarter as she slotted the ball into the bottom-right corner with a superb drag flick from the top of the circle.

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Chico Fujibayashi received a yellow card for a clumsy tackle from behind on Leah Crouse, and Japan paid heavily for it as it conceded another PC in the 54th minute. Japanese goalkeeper Akio Tanaka dived to her right and saved Hoffman’s attempt, but Abigail Tamer made no mistake with the rebound.

“When we started that last quarter and lost one player, it became a bit hard, especially while chasing the game. They were putting pressure on us, and with the player down, it became difficult. We need to keep our discipline,” said Menezes after the defeat.

With two minutes remaining, Menezes took Tanaka off to have an extra outfield player, but the US successfully ran down the clock.

In the contest between the two best defensive outfits of the tournament, it was the US which had to absorb the initial pressure from Yuri Nagai and Miyu Hasegawa. The match soon turned into a physical battle with both sides going for hard tackles and finishing the first half a player down as Hazuki Nagai (29th minute) and Hoffman (30th minute) received green cards in quick succession.

Japan finally broke the deadlock in the third quarter as the umpire awarded a PC, deeming that the Americans deliberately cleared the ball over the backline inside their shooting circle. Soon, the US conceded its first goal of the tournament, but David Passmore’s side upped the intensity in the final 15 minutes and stunned its Asian opponent to end on the right side of the result.

Five years after losing to India in the qualifiers in Bhubaneswar and missing the ticket to Tokyo, USA will return to the Summer Games in the French capital.