Hockey World Cup 2018, Ireland vs England: 3 Standout Players from the match

Modified Dec 07, 2018 21:14 IST

England's attacking approach was a bridge too far for resilient Ireland

#1 Liam Ansell (England)

Liam Ansell outpaced Ireland's defenders and covered great distance — Liam Ansell outpaced Ireland's defenders and covered

With his confident body language and significant pace, Liam Ansell was central to England's comprehensive performance against Ireland.

The 25-year old covered a lot of distance and often left the Irish defenders gasping for breath by running them ragged.

Ansell received the first major scoring opportunity in the match. Although he fluffed the chance by shooting wide, he did not deter and kept piercing the inner circle. His dexterity helped England win a penalty corner in the opening quarter.

During the third quarter, his penchant for keeping the opposition defenders on their toes paid ample dividends.

Seconds after Ireland equalised, he produced a rocket back-handed strike from a tight angle at a considerable distance from goal.

The accurate shot not just evaded David Harte's clutches but almost rendered him helpless. For his steady work rate right throughout the game, Ansell was rewarded with the Player of the Match award.

Head to Sportskeeda to check out the Hockey World Cup schedule for the upcoming matches

Edited by Alan John