China defeated Argentina 3:0 in the first women's preliminary match of "Good Luck Beijing" 2007 International Hockey Invitational Tournament at the hockey field in the Olympic Green Hockey Field. China was offensive in the opening match and eventually won an easy victory over the strong Argentina through the goalkeeper's great performance.

As is known to all, Argentina is a traditional strong team and has just taken the crown of the women's hockey event at the Pan-American Games to be qualified for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. Having known each other very well, the two teams attacked each other from the beginning of the match. In the 2nd minute, Argentina won a short corner and created a threatening shot, but the Chinese goalkeeper dissolved the shot through her great performance.

Thereafter, the two teams got into a seesaw until China swept into the penalty area and won a short corner at the 10th minute. This time China created a shot, drew a foul from the rival in a tip shot and won a penalty stroke, No.4 Ma Yibo's kick pushed China to a lead by 1:0.

After taking the lead, China gradually dominated the match. In the 14th minute, China got a good opportunity in a counterattack, but the close-range shot was blocked by the opposing goalkeeper. In the 23rd minute, China made a fast counterattack but missed a center. In the 29th minute, China organized a beautiful center, but the outflanking shot narrowly missed the goal.

In the 31st minute, China won a free hit, created a short corner and made a shot, but an opposing player blocked the shot out of the field. Thinking that the Argentinean player had blocked the shot with her body, the umpire imposed a penalty stroke but was vigorously opposed by Argentina. However, following the suggestion of another umpire, the umpire finally judged that the Argentinean player had blocked the shot with her stick and cancelled the penalty stroke.

China did not weaken its attack. First, No. 17 Li Hongxia made a shot near the penalty arc but the shot was blocked by the opposing goalkeeper. After that, China won another short corner, this was also the fourth in the first half the match but did not even earn China a goal.

In the second half of the match, Argentina improved its attack significantly and made a shot at the 2nd minute, but the shot was blocked by the Chinese goalkeeper. In the 5th minute, China won a short corner in a counterattack and organized a beautiful combination. No.12 Zhou Wanfeng passed the ball to No.4 Ma Yibo to score her second goal, China took the lead by 2:0.

After that, Argentina, trailed by two goals, made all-out attacks and created many threatening shots, but the Chinese goalkeeper dissolved them through her great performance. In the 16th minute, Argentina made fast breaks in the penalty and created a close-range shot, but the shot was blocked by her again.

In the 20th minute, China won a short corner through a long corner, but did not create a shot due to a pass turnover. In the 24th minute, China mounted a counterattack. No.11 Tang Chunling received a pass in the penalty area and scored, China took the lead by 3:0.

In the 30th minute, China won the 9th short corner in the match but a flip shot narrowly missed the goal. A minute later, Argentina made a fast break, created a center and won a short corner. Subsequently, Argentina made shots continuously, but the Chinese goalkeeper blocked Argentina's shots and kept the goal safe.

Thereafter, China maintained the victory to the end of the match and eventually beat Argentina 3:0.

Source: BOCOG / 2007 Invitational Hockey Tournament