Going for gold…again! GB Women’s hockey team progress through to the quarter-finals

Great Britain finished their Tokyo 2020 group stage campaign on a high after beating Ireland 2-0 to progress through to the quarter-finals.  

The reigning Olympic champions bounced back from their narrow defeat against the Dutch to finish Pool A in third place. 

It was Susannah Townsend and Hannah Martin who provided the all-important goals to advance through to the next stage of the competition – where they will face Spain. 

Ireland needed a win to progress through to the knockout stages, but GB asserted their dominance from the get go. 

Nevertheless, GB were camped out in their oppositions half but failed to convert in the opening quarter.  

However, Townsend broke the stalemate after knocking home the rebound from Martin’s shot in the second quarter. 

Martin went on to score her second goal of the Games after a lovely passage of play down the right hand-side with Ellie Rayer.  

Martin later added another goal to her tally – becoming GB’s highest goal scorer of the competition.       

Speaking after the game, Townsend said: ‘We’re peaking at the right time. We’re incredibly fit and just taking on each game as it comes. 

‘Taking on Spain is going to be a good challenge, they’re a good team and are going to bring something a little bit different.

‘Knockout stages are always a little bit tricky but we’re incredibly well prepared, playing well and it’s only going to get better.’