Argentina have once again been installed as the team to beat ahead of the eight-team women’s hockey Champions Trophy, which begins here on Saturday. As world champions and reigning Champions Trophy holders, Argentina are favoured to prevail again over hosts the Netherlands, having beaten the Dutch side twice in those two finals last year.
The tournament has two pools, with the top two teams in each pool progressing to the semi-finals. Argentina and England are most likely to make the semi-finals from Pool A, ahead of China and South Korea, while Australia and New Zealand will struggle to make the semi-finals from Pool B ahead of Germany and the Netherlands.
Argentina coach Carlos Retegui is up against former national team-mate Max Caldas, now coach of the Netherlands, who reads Retegui like an open book having played with him for more than eight years. Retegui can call upon the legendary 300-cap Luciana Aymar, a seven-time international player of the year, who returns after a long lay-off following the World Cup last September in Argentina. Her ability to evade the close attentions of opposition players and score impossible goals has earned her the nickname ‘The Magician’ from her country’s fanatical fans. Argentina are predicted to make short work of England in the second Pool A match on Saturday.
