Latest update April 1st, 2025 5:37 PM
Fair start: Guyana Ladies stun Brazil, holds Paraguay to goalless draw
Makaylah Poole celebrates scoring the decisive goal in Guyana’s 1-0 win against Brazil.
2024 PAHF Challenge in Bermuda
Kaieteur Sports – The Guyana Women’s Hockey Team continues to make waves at the 2024 Pan American Hockey Federation (PAHF) Challenge, holding higher-ranked Paraguay to a 0-0 draw in their second match of the tournament on Monday. Despite Paraguay’s world ranking of #47, 21 spots ahead of Guyana at #68. The Guyanese squad showcased impressive resilience, building on the momentum from their historic upset victory over Brazil.
Fresh off their first-ever win against Brazil, a 1-0 triumph, Guyana entered the match against Paraguay full of confidence. However, Paraguay came out strong, pressing high in the opening minutes and creating early penalty corner opportunities. But thanks to the solid defense led by standout goalkeeper Alysa Xavier, Guyana withstood the initial onslaught. Xavier’s brilliance between the posts proved crucial, as she turned away several key attempts to keep the score level.
As the game progressed, Guyana found their footing, and the contest settled into a more balanced affair. Both sides created chances, but neither could find the back of the net in what turned into a hard-fought, defensive struggle.
Meanwhile, in their tournament opener, Guyana stunned Brazil with a thrilling late goal to secure a 1-0 victory. After a cagey first half with both teams unable to break the deadlock, Brazil looked dangerous in the second half, earning multiple penalty corners. However, once again, Xavier was up to the challenge, making key saves to keep Brazil off the score sheet. With the clock winding down, Guyana’s persistence paid off when Abosaide Cadogan set up Makaylah Poole for a decisive goal in the dying minutes, giving the Guyanese their first-ever win over Brazil in hockey.
One Communications Women’s Hockey team defended well against Ranked #47 Paraquay.
Reflecting on the team’s performance, Guyana’s head coach Philip Fernandes praised the players’ efforts but emphasized the need for sharper execution in the final third.
“Our team has the ability to match all those in participation here,” Fernandes said. “However, we are not making the best use of our opportunities. Our execution in the final attacking third of the field is producing too many errors. If we are to come away with a good final result in the tournament, this has to improve.”
Looking ahead, Guyana was scheduled to face host Bermuda, ranked two spots below them at #70, in a crucial clash. Bermuda had defeated Guyana 1-0 in their last encounter, but the Guyanese remain optimistic about maintaining their unbeaten record.
The 2024 PAHF Challenge, which kicked off on September 21, will run until September 28 in Hamilton, Bermuda.
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