Susan Fraser: slotted home Scotland's first penalty corner
IF Scotland are to win a medal at the World Cup in Utrecht, then the women who have excelled themselves over the past couple of days will have to achieve the near impossible by beating Germany by five clear goals.
The Scots got themselves to within three points of the Germans, who are in second, a similar distance behind Australia, by beating China 2-1. However, having failed to kill off the Chinese by squandering a series of chances, Scotland have made their task decidedly more difficult.
Ric Charlesworth, the Australian coach, said after his side's 3-0 defeat of Germany: ''We should have made it easier for them by hitting at least half a dozen goals against the Germans.''
Still, without their golden girl Britta Becker, Germany are not nearly as formidable as they would have every right to be, so Scotland's task is not hopeless.
Their play, however, against China was exceptionally nervous, even when Susan Fraser slotted home their first penalty corner with a direct strike after 16 minutes.
China eventually caught them napping right on half-time. Zhaoxia Chen breached their defences with a superb strike at one of their own corners. The Scots appeared shell-shocked for a large part of the second half.
After 53 minutes, Alli Grant was fouled, and from the subsequent penalty, Susan MacDonald made the conversion for her fourth goal of the championship and Scotland's second successive triumph.
Rhona Simpson and Louise Burton could have scored others, which would have made today's assignment much easier. Results:
Women: Pool A - Scotland 2, China 1; USA 1, South Africa 2; Germany 0, Australia 3. Men: Pool A - India 1, New Zealand 0; Canada 4, Germany 4; Holland 4, Korea 2.
Today's fixtures. Women: Pool A - China v USA; Australia v South Africa; Scotland v Germany. Pool B - New Zealand v England; India v Korea; Argentina v Holland. Men. Pool B - Pakistan v Poland; Spain v Malaysia; Australia v England.
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