Scotland’s women, making their first appearance in the Nations Cup, will rue missed opportunities and their failure to exploit five penalty corner chances when they went down 3-0 to Ireland in their opening game in the competition in Santiago, Chile.
Mistakes also cost the Tartan Hearts who had chances in the game but failed to take them against a side ranked No 12 in the world, four places ahead of Scotland.
Korea, rated No 15 in the world, now await the Scots on Tuesday and coach Chris Duncan must lift them after the defeat by the silver medallists in the last Nations Cup, Ireland being edged by Spain.
Scotand’s women struggled with the early pace of the eager Irish, but they grew into the game after the women from the Emerald Isle had taken the lead following a rebound from the Scotland runner at a penalty corner.
Mikayla Power picked up the loose ball, pivoted and fired home through a ruck of players with goalkeeper Jessica Buchanan having little chance.
However, Scotland responded by gaining a foothold in the game being played in a heat of 34c and they pushed the green shirts back in the second quarter, creating a number of chances and three penalty corners.
Sadly, they failed to make any count and Olympian Charlotte Watson fired wide from the top of the D when in a great position following an aerial from her Great Britain team-mate Amy Costello.
The Tartan Hearts had most of the play in the second quarter but were caught with swift breakaway down the left in the final minutes. The ball was sent into the unmarked Niamh Carey who was left unmarked at the back post and she cooly slotted past Buchanan.
Scotland coach Duncan (pictured) rued mistakes which had cost his side and his Irish counterpart Gareth Grundie felt his charges had not reached their full potential during the first half.
Ireland suffocated Scotland in the third, limiting their opportunities, and Buchanan had to block a shot from Christina Hamill, but the Tartan Hearts created little and mistakes allowed the Irish to pick up loose balls and drive forward, putting the Scots under pressure.
The Tartan Hearts pressed early in the final session but failed to score despite having two penalty corners, and the Irish made them pay by slotting again in the dying minutes when Kathryn Mullan netted.
New Zealand, rated No 10 in the world, beat Korea 5-4 in the other match in Scotland’s pool.
Earlier, there was joy for Scotland as the first ever men’s FIH Nations Cup 2 trophy is heading back to Glasgow.
Scotland beat Egypt 4-2 in the final in Muscat, Oman, two goals from Struan Walker and strikes from Jamie Golden and Tommy Austin sealed the win for the Blue Sticks who will now play in the next Nations Cup.
Egypt battled back to score twice but Scotland managed the game well in the closing stages and dampened the Egyptian fire to retain their two-goal lead and lift the trophy.
Struan Walker, the Player of the Match, said: “The boys are absolutely on fire at the moment and that was a brilliant performance from some really talented players. A deserving victory for us in the end.”
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