China v Australia

China's performance in their first ever World Championships clearly suggests they will be a force on the World stage in the years ahead and today's performance against Australia highlights just how much progress they have made in so little time.

China got off to an impressive start with goals from Gao Fei Fei and Zheng Yan to take the score to 2 - 0. Australia hit back with a mid range goal from Jessica Risomondo but three goals from the Chinese took them into a 5 - 1 lead with 17 minutes gone.

Australia battled there way back into the game with two goals from Daniel Crispe and a mid range goal from Paul Riley to bring Australia to within one at 5 - 4.

China went into the half time break leading 7 - 6 and there was little to separate the two sides in the 2nd period.

After 5 minutes Michelle Duffin's close range goal too Australia into the lead for the first time in the game but seconds later Zheng Yang pulled the score even for China from mid range.

With the score even at 11 - 11 with 15 minutes remaining Australia brought on Ashlyn Wetherall for Michelle Duffin but two quick goals from China's Chen Gui Hua saw Australia trailing by 2 at 13 - 11.

Australia then called a time out, replacing Paul Riley with Daniel Philips but China extended their lead with 10 minutes to go with a mid range goal from Jing Feng extended China's lead 14 - 11.

Goals from Ashlyn Wetherall and Adam Robertson brought Australia back in contention at 14 - 13 but another mid range goal from Chen Gui Hua into a 15 - 13 lead with just 7 minutes remaining.

Australia launched a desperate fight back and a close range goal from Matthew Kleeman brought them back to within 1 goal.

Australia used their second time out with 4 minutes on the clock and whatever was said seemed to do the trick as Matthew Kleeman found the basket again, this time from a free pass, to bring the score to 15 - 15.

With a draw looking likely as the last few seconds of the game passed away Jessica Abell snatched victory for Australia with a close range goal in the 60th minute.

Australia's Daniel Crisp and China's Zheng Yan were the games's leading scorers with 5 goals each.

For Australia this has been a disappointing World Championships and defeat at the hands of newcomers China would have been disaster.  China on the other hand look to be getting better with each game and with Australia making hard work of Hong Kong in the Pool stage the next Asian Oceanic Championships should prove interesting.

Australia head in the 9th/10th play off while China will play out in the 11th/12th play off, both of which are played tomorrow

Hong Kong v South Africa

After China narrowly lost out to Australia in the first game of the day Hong Kong further emphasised the progress Asian Korfball is making as the defeated South Africa to head through to the 9th/10th play off against Australia tommorrow.

Hong Kong were off to a flying start as the went into a 3 - 0 lead with goals from Ham Kwok Kuen, Chan Chuen Wai and Lau Tung Kong in the opening 10 minutes.

Jaun Pierre Cassel then missed a penalty for South Africa and Hong Kong then extended their lead to 5- 0 with goals from Ham and Lau.

South Africa finally got on the score sheet after 17 minutes with a goal from close range from the substitute Jaun Pierre Cassel and as Hong Kong brought on Ip Wai Seen Sincere for Cheong Chao Yee South africa pulled themselves back into the game at 5 - 4 with a goal from Jean Pierre Jacobs. 

Hong Kong led 7 - 5 going into the half time break and in the opening minutes of the second period Ham Kwok Kuen extended the Hong Kong lead to 8 - 5.

South Africa missed again from the penalty spot, this time Liandri Theyse but a minute later Rene Jacobs brought South Africa to within 1 goal at 8 - 6.

Jaun Pierre Cassell then missed his 2nd penalty of the game but three minutes later finally found the basket from the penalty spot to bring the score to 8 - 7 with 7 minutes to go.

With 6 minutes on the clock Etienne Stander's close range goal brought South Africa even at 8 - 8 as Hong Kong called a time out.

Liandri Theyse missed the chance to take South Africa into the lead for the first time, at a crucial stage of the game, as she failed to convert her penalty shot once again with just 2 minutes on the clock.

Hong Kong then replaced Tse Yan Sin with Ip Wyinga and with just 2 minutes remaining Ham Kwok Kuen goal from long range secured a dramatic last minute win for Hong Kong with a final score of 9 - 8.

Hong Kong will now face Australia to play off for 9th/10th place while South Africa will find themselves battling against China to avoid finishing in last position.

Hong Kong's  Ham Kwok Kuen was the game's leading scorer with 5 goals while Jaun Pierre Cassel scored 4 for South Africa.

England v Czech Republic

England's line up saw three changes to the one that had lost against Chinese Taipei yesterday with Davesh Patel replacing Luke Francis, Craig Gosling coming in for Johnny Nickerson and Aimee Evans for Charmagne Francis.

Roman Veznik opened the scoring for the Czech's with an early running in shot but England were soon even as Joe Bedford scored from the penalty spot.  As the team traded goals the score was even at 3 - 3 until two free pass goals from
Jakub Blaha took the Czehc Republic into a 5 - 3 lead.

Natasha Dawson pulled one back England from long range, but the Czech's hit back with a long range goal of their own from Katerina Motakova.  Otto Fabius brought the score back to 6 - 5 with his second goal of the game and a last minute close range goal from captain Rebecca Woolmer sent England into the half time break trailing 8 - 7.

England missed an early opportunity to draw even in opening minutes of the 2nd period as Otto Fabius missed from the penalty spot but a mid range goal from Rebecca Woolmer and a running in goal from Natasha Dawson took England into a 9 - 8 lead.

Rudolph Buchta's penalty saw the Czech side draw even seconds later as the Czech's brought on Eva Kejdusova for
Radka Brizova.

A third goal from Rebecca Woolmer from mid range took England into the lead once again but the deadly free pass shooting of Jakub Blaha once again brought the Czech's even

Natasha Dawson added her 4th goal of the game from mid range to take the score to 11 - 10 but seconds later the Czech's were back even as Roman Veznik scored from long range.

Johnny Nickerson replaced Craig Gosling in the 52nd minute and two minute later the Czech's made their own substitution replacing Matej Kubicek with David Scwartz.

With the game finely balanced at 11 - 11 with 6 minutes remaining a goal from close range and a running in shot from England captain Rebecca Woolmer took England into a commanding 2 goal lead.

England had only to hang on for the remaining 5 minutes and the Czech's made a last ditch substitution, replacing Rudolf Buchta with Ivan Zak but it was to no avail and England will now head through to the 5th/6th play off to face either Germany or Catalonia.

Rebecca Woolmer was England's leading scorer with 5 goals while Jakub Blaha scored 4 for the Czech Republic.

England were never expected to finish any higher than 5th place in this tournament and a win against Germany tommorrow will see the squad having achieved what many believe would be the best possible result.

Germany v Catalonia

Germany headed into the clash with Catalonia as favourites and were off to a strong start with goals from Katharina Holtkotte and Sven Muller taking them into an early 2 - 0 lead.

Javier Blazquez pulled a goal back for the Spanish side from a free pass but with 10 minutes gone Germany had extended their lead to 5 - 2 with mid range goals from Hendrik Menker and Lennart Schwirtz.

As the game progressed there was little to separate the two sides as Germany struggled to pull clear of the Catalonian side and went into the half time break leading by 2 goals goal at 10 - 8.

Catalonia came out strong in the 2nd period and 2 goals in 2 minutes from Javier Blazquez and Alexis Excardibul brought them even at 10 - 10.

Two mid range goals from Hendrik Menker and Henning Schmidt took Germany into the lead once again but they simply could not shake off the Catalonian's

In the 42nd minute Germany were leading 15 - 13 after another Henning Schmidt goal and replaced Lennart Schwirtz with Marc Toegemann.

The substitution may well have backfired for the Germans however as two goals from Jose Luis Jorado brought the score even at 15 - 15.

With 8 minutes to go Javier Blazquez set the tone for a thrilling last few mintues as he slotted home from the penalty spot to take Catalonia into a 16 - 15 lead.

With just 4 minutes left on the clock Hendrik Menker brought the score even at 16 - 16 from long range

With three minutes left the Germans called a time out and Catalonia replaced Oscar Henrandes with Octavio Sanchez and the German time out seemed to do the trick as mid range goals from Sven Muller and Linda Schiller took Germany into an 18 - 16 lead with just 2 minutes remaining. 

As Alexis Escardibul pulled one back from long range for Catalonia the Germans called a time out only seconds remaining but it seems the decision backfired again as Javier Blazquez scored from the penalty sport to send the game to golden goal at
18 - 18.

Catalonia were the first to attack and patiently probed the German defence and as German lost possession after their first attack the game would be won by the next goal.  Catalonia came the closest from distance as they continued to probe the Germans defence and in the 70th minute Germany replaced Marc Toegemann with Fabian Kloes but as was the case with all of their tactical decisions in this game it would not have the desired effect and seconds later Jose Luis Jurado sailed past his German defender to slot the ball home from a running in shot sending the Catalonia players into a wild celebration.

The win sets up what should be an interesting clash between the Catalonian's and England in the 5th/6th play off and with only one goal separating the two in the Pool game it should be one worth watching.

Sadly the poor quality video coverage coming out of the event looks unlikely to improve by finals day.