URUGUAY put forth a dominant performance to sink Guyana in the final of the Pan American Hockey Federation (PAHF) Women’s Challenge Cup at the Deodoro Hockey Complex in Brazil on Saturday. Guyana suffered a 6-0 defeat by the same side who defeated them 2-0 in their preliminary round match, while Brazil defeated Paraguay 2-1 to take the bronze medal.
Despite the loss, both Uruguay who completed the tournament unbeaten and Guyana have now advanced to the 2013 World Cup qualification competition in October, where they join the United States, Chile, Argentina, Canada, Trinidad and Tobago and Mexico to identify the Pan American region top two teams for the World Cup.
Uruguay’s Lucia De Maria and Karina Bisignano were the tournament’s top goalscorers with four goals each.
The match saw Uruguay drawing first blood as early as the fifth minute when Lucia de Maria scored a field goal and then doubling the lead through an Isabel Olaso strike in the 15th minute.
Teresa Viana netted from a penalty corner in the 21st minute while Paula Carvalho scored a field goal to give the eventual victors a 4-0  lead at halftime and after the break, Virgina Besio scored from a penalty corner in the 42nd minute and Florencia Norbis accounted for the sixth goal in the 53rd minute.