[ADDRESS] won six penalty corners in the opening six minutes before converting when [PERSON_NAME] deflected the ball past the keeper. They were lucky to only trail by one goal but quickly equalised after a rebound.

[ADDRESS] improved in the second half but wasted chances until [PERSON_NAME]’s superb strike put pressure on them again. Captain [PERSON_NAME] said: "We've had a big push over the last year in terms of consistency, and the first half today was a big step backwards." Coach [PERSON_NAME] added that consistency needs to remain the focus going forward.

When asked about a trend against lower-ranked sides, [PERSON_NAME] disagreed, citing strong performances in previous qualifiers. With seeding for next year’s Euro Hockey championships and LA 2028 Olympic qualification at stake, maintaining steady progress throughout this World Cup remains vital.