# 2012 Women's Hockey Champions Challenge I

The 2012 Women's Hockey Champions Challenge I was the 7th edition of the field hockey championship for women. It was held from 29 September to 7 October 2012 in Dublin, Ireland. The tournament doubled as the qualifier to the 2014 Women's Hockey Champions Trophy to be held in Argentina as the winner earned an automatic berth to compete.
Australia won the tournament for the first time after defeating the United States 6 – 1 in the final, earning an automatic berth at the 2014 Women's Hockey Champions Trophy after their absence in the previous edition.

## Qualification

The following eight teams announced by the FIH competed in this tournament.
* Ireland (Host nation)
* Australia (Sixth in 2011 Champions Trophy)
* Belgium (Winners of 2011 Champions Challenge II)
* United States (Second in 2011 Champions Challenge I)
* Scotland (Third in 2011 Champions Challenge I)
* South Africa (Fifth in 2011 Champions Challenge I)
* India (Seventh in 2011 Champions Challenge I)
* Wales

## Results

All times are Irish Standard Time (UTC+01:00)

### First round
#### Pool A

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 1 | Australia | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 2 | +14 | 9 |
| 2 | Belgium | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 6 |
| 3 | India | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 11 | −5 | 3 |
| 4 | Wales | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 11 | −9 | 0 |
* 29 September 2012 10:00
| India | 3–0 | Wales |
| Rani 18' Mayengbam 70' Yendala Soundarya 70' | Report | |
* Umpires: Carol Metchette (IRL) Maggie Giddens (USA)
* 29 September 2012 12:30
| Australia | 4–1 | Belgium |
| Schulz 20' Eastham 26' Flanagan 47' Blyth 67' | Report | Sinia 54' |
* Umpires: Lesley Pieterse (RSA) Hannah Sanders (ENG)
* 30 September 2012 10:30
| Belgium | 4–2 | Wales |
| de Groof 3', 4' 29' Boon 39' | Report | Richards 37' Marke 57' |
* Umpires: Valentina Tomasi (ITA) Emi Yamada (JPN)
* 30 September 2012 13:00
| India | 1–8 | Australia |
| Rani 18' | Report | Blyth 3', 57' Eastham 21' Schulz 24', 70' Messent 50' Nanscawen 64' Hurtz 68' |
* Umpires: Fanneke Alkemade (NED) Mariana Reydo (ARG)
* 2 October 2012 11:00
| Belgium | 3–2 | India |
| Coppey 33' de Groof 63' Gerniers 70' | Report | Dungdung 1' 14' |
* Umpires: Mariana Reydo (ARG) Hannah Sanders (ENG)
* 2 October 2012 13:30
| Australia | 4–0 | Wales |
| Hurtz 1', 68', 70' Smith 38' | Report | |
* Umpires: Lesley Pieterse (RSA) Emi Yamada (JPN)

#### Pool B

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 1 | United States | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 4 | +3 | 6 |
| 2 | Scotland | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | +1 | 5 |
| 3 | Ireland | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 | −1 | 4 |
| 4 | South Africa | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 | −3 | 1 |
* 29 September 2012 15:00
| South Africa | 0–1 | Ireland |
| | Report | Watkins 52' |
* Umpires: Michelle Meister (GER) Emi Yamada (JPN)
* 29 September 2012 17:30
| United States | 0–1 | Scotland |
| | Report | Robertson 25' |
* Umpires: Mariana Reydo (ARG) Valentina Tomasi (ITA)
* 30 September 2012 15:30
| Ireland | 1–1 | Scotland |
| Mullan 59' | Report | Ralph 35' |
* Umpires: Lesley Pieterse (RSA) Maggie Giddens (USA)
* 30 September 2012 18:00
| United States | 4–2 | South Africa |
| O'Donnell 20', 59' 53' Albini 68' | Report | Terblanche 24' Lategan 34' |
* Umpires: Michelle Meister (GER) Carol Metchette (IRL)
* 2 October 2012 16:00
| South Africa | 0–0 | Scotland |
| | Report | |
* Umpires: Valentina Tomasi (ITA) Carol Metchette (IRL)
* 2 October 2012 18:30
| Ireland | 1–3 | United States |
| Atcheler 7' | Report | Taylor 48' Pfeiffer 55' Crandall 68' |
* Umpires: Fanneke Alkemade (NED) Michelle Meister (GER)

### Second round

| Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | | Final | Final |
| 4 October 2012 | 4 October 2012 | | | |
| Australia | 2 | | | |
| Australia | 2 | 6 October 2012 | 6 October 2012 | | |
| South Africa | 1 | 6 October 2012 | 6 October 2012 | |
| South Africa | 1 | Australia | 2 | |
| 4 October 2012 | 4 October 2012 | | Australia | 2 | |
| 4 October 2012 | 4 October 2012 | Scotland | 0 | |
| Scotland (p.s.o.) | 1 (3) | Scotland | 0 | |
| Scotland (p.s.o.) | 1 (3) | | | | 7 October 2012 | 7 October 2012 |
| India | 1 (1) | | | | 7 October 2012 | 7 October 2012 |
| India | 1 (1) | | | | Australia | 6 |
| 4 October 2012 | 4 October 2012 | | | | | Australia | 6 |
| 4 October 2012 | 4 October 2012 | | | | United States | 1 |
| Belgium | 1 | | | | United States | 1 |
| Belgium | 1 | 6 October 2012 | 6 October 2012 | | | |
| Ireland (a.e.t.) | 2 | 6 October 2012 | 6 October 2012 | | | |
| Ireland (a.e.t.) | 2 | Ireland | 1 | | | |
| 4 October 2012 | 4 October 2012 | | Ireland | 1 | | | |
| 4 October 2012 | 4 October 2012 | United States | 2 | | Third place match | Third place match |
| United States | 7 | United States | 2 | | Third place match | Third place match |
| United States | 7 | | | | 7 October 2012 | 7 October 2012 |
| Wales | 2 | | | | 7 October 2012 | 7 October 2012 |
| Wales | 2 | | | | Scotland | 2 (3) |
| | | | | | Ireland (p.s.o.) | 2 (4) |

#### Quarterfinals

* 4 October 2012 10:30
| Scotland | 1–1 (a.e.t.) | India |
| Judge 58' | Report | Ja. Kaur 41' |
| Penalties |||
| Kidd Judge Bunce Lloyd Marshall | 3–1 | Thokchom Rani Yendala Kataria |
* Umpires: Michelle Meister (GER) Emi Yamada (JPN)
* 4 October 2012 13:00
| United States | 7–2 | Wales |
| O'Donnell 10' Albini 19', 57' Taylor 24', 46' Pfeiffer 49', 53' | Report | Evans 31' Richards 65' |
* Umpires: Carol Matchette (IRL) Fanneke Alkemade (NED)
* 4 October 2012 15:30
| Australia | 2–1 | South Africa |
| Flanagan 11' Smith 66' | Report | Damons 18' |
* Umpires: Maggie Giddens (USA) Valentina Tomasi (ITA)
* 4 October 2012 18:00
| Belgium | 1–2 (a.e.t.) | Ireland |
| Raes 63' | Report | Connery 50' O'Flynn 85' |
* Umpires: Lesley Pieterse (RSA) Hannah Sanders (ENG)

#### Fifth to eighth place classification

| Crossover | Crossover | Fifth place match | Fifth place match |
| 6 October 2010 | 6 October 2010 |
| South Africa (a.e.t.) | 3 |
| South Africa (a.e.t.) | 3 | 7 October 2010 | 7 October 2010 |
| India | 2 | 7 October 2010 | 7 October 2010 |
| India | 2 | South Africa | 1 |
| 6 October 2010 | 6 October 2010 | | South Africa | 1 |
| 6 October 2010 | 6 October 2010 | Belgium | 2 |
| Belgium | 8 | Belgium | 2 |
| Wales | 0 | | |
| Wales | 0 | Seventh place match | Seventh place match |
| | | 7 October 2010 | 7 October 2010 |
| | | India | 4 |
| | | Wales | 0 |

##### Crossover

* 6 October 2012 10:00
| South Africa | 3–2 (a.e.t.) | India |
| Lategan 4', 6', 72' | Report | Rani 22' Barla 67' |
* Umpires: Hannah Sanders (ENG) Carol Metchette (IRL)
* 6 October 2012 12:30
| Belgium | 8–0 | Wales |
| Sinia 4', 44' De Groof 19', 42' Leclef 33' 38' Gerniers 51', 58' | Report | |
* Umpires: Maggie Giddens (USA) Fanneke Alkemade (NED)

##### Seventh and eighth place

* 7 October 2012 09:00
| India | 4–0 | Wales |
| Poonam 7' Barla 27' Rani 29' Mayengbam 47' | Report | |
* Umpires: Valentina Tomasi (ITA) Maggie Giddens (USA)

##### Fifth and sixth place

* 7 October 2012 11:30
| South Africa | 1–2 | Belgium |
| Bright 70' | Report | Coppey 50' Gerniers 55' |
* Umpires: Michelle Meister (GER) Hannah Sanders (ENG)

#### First to fourth place classification
##### Semifinals

* 6 October 2012 15:00
| Australia | 2–0 | Scotland |
| Schulz 52' Flanagan 56' | Report | |
* Umpires: Emi Yamada (JPN) Lesley Pieterse (RSA)
* 6 October 2012 17:30
| Ireland | 1–2 | United States |
| Jacob 3' | Report | O'Donnell 37' Pfeiffer 59' |
* Umpires: Mariana Reydo (ARG) Michelle Meister (GER)

##### Third and fourth place

* 7 October 2012 14:00
| Scotland | 2–2 (a.e.t.) | Ireland |
| Bell 5' Judge 39' | Report | Smyth 17' Atcheler 66' |
| Penalties |||
| Kidd Judge Bunce Wyllie Marshall | 3–4 | Smyth Harvey Jacob Watkins Symmons |
* Umpires: Lesley Pieterse (RSA) Fanneke Alkemade (NED)

##### Final

* 7 October 2012 16:30
| Australia | 6–1 | United States |
| Close 17', 32' Nanscawen 24' Smith 39' Schulz 59', 68' | Report | Dawson 4' |
* Umpires: Carol Metchette (IRL) Mariana Reydo (ARG)

## Awards

The following awards were presented at the conclusion of the tournament:
| Player of the Tournament | Top Goalscorer |
| Katie O'Donnell | Jodie Schulz |

## Statistics
### Final ranking

As per statistical convention in field hockey, matches decided in extra time are counted as wins and losses, while matches decided by penalty shoot-outs are counted as draws.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Status |
| | Australia | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 4 | +22 | 18 | Qualified for 2014 Champions Trophy |
| | United States | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 17 | 13 | +4 | 12 | |
| | Ireland | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 9 | −1 | 8 | |
| 4 | Scotland | 6 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 6 | −1 | 7 | |
| 5 | Belgium | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 19 | 11 | +8 | 12 | |
| 6 | South Africa | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 11 | −4 | 4 | |
| 7 | India | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 13 | 15 | −2 | 7 | |
| 8 | Wales | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 4 | 30 | −26 | 0 | |

### Goalscorers

There were 99 goals scored in 24 matches, for an average of 4.12 goals per match.
6 goals
* Jodie Schulz
5 goals
* Stephanie De Groof
4 goals
* Emily Hurtz
* Alix Gerniers
* Ritu Rani
* Izelle Lategan
* Katie O'Donnell
* Lauren Pfeiffer
3 goals
* Madonna Blyth
* Anna Flanagan
* Emily Smith
* Emilie Sinia
* Torrie Albini
* Shannon Taylor
2 goals
* Jade Close
* Casey Eastham
* Georgia Nanscawen
* Erica Coppey
* Anupa Barla
* Lily Mayengbam
* Niamh Atcheler
* Samantha Judge
* Phoebe Richards
1 goal
* Claire Messent
* Jill Boon
* Pauline Leclef
* Anouk Raes
* Roselin Dungdung
* Jaspreet Kaur
* Poonam Rani
* Yendala Soundarya
* Aine Connery
* Lisa Jacob
* Kathryn Mullan
* Audrey O'Flynn
* Emma Smyth
* Chloe Watkins
* Alison Bell
* Catriona Ralph
* Sarah Robertson
* Tarryn Bright
* Sulette Damons
* Nicole Terblanche
* Lauren Crandall
* Rachel Dawson
* Tina Evans
* Natasha Marke
1 own goal
* India (against Belgium)
* United States (against South Africa)
2 own goals
* Belgium (both against Wales)
Source: FIH