Russian women make it

Russia qualified for the 2002 women's World Cup hockey finals when they beat Lithuania 2-1 in the qualifying tournament in Amiens, France, on Thursday.

The victory gave them the top spot in Pool B, ahead of Japan, who also made it to the semi-finals of the ongoing tournament.

Needing a win to finish on top of the pool, the Russians, who failed to qualify for the 1998 tournament and were 12th and last at the 1994 edition in Dublin, proved too good for thier opponents, who needed a 12-goal victory to snatch a semifinal berth.

Russia will play Ukraine, who finished second in Pool A, in an all-east European semi-final in Abbeville on Saturday while England, the Pool A winners, will play Group B runners-up Japan in Amiens.

Russia went ahead within six minutes through a penalty-stroke conversion by Natalia Kravtchenko, who, in the process, took her goal tally in the tournament to five, four of which have come from penalty-strokes.

The 'stroke' was awarded when Galina Bassaitchuk was checked while advancing into the circle.

However, Bassaitchuk got her name on the scorers' sheet by tapping home Russia's second goal.

With five minutes remaining, Lithuania got a consolation goal through Virginia Caikauskiene as the Russians began celebrating their qualification.

In other Pool B matches, Malaysia beat Belgium 5-4 while Scotland defeated Canada 2-0.

The top six teams from the qualifier make it to the World Cup finals at Perth in November-December 2002. The team that finishes seventh will have to beat the United States, who missed the qualifier because of the terrorist attacks on the US, in a three-match play-off later this year.

The league standings -- Pool A

Country	Played	Won	Drew	Lost	For	Against	Difference	Points
England	6	6	0	0	20	3	17	18
Ukraine	6	3	2	1	19	17	2	11
India	6	3	1	2	14	5	9	10
Ireland	6	3	1	2	9	4	5	10
France	6	2	1	3	7	13	-6	7
Kazakhstan	6	1	1	4	6	12	-6	4
Uruguay	6	0	0	6	1	22	-21	0

The league standings -- Pool B

Country	Played	Won	Drew	Lost	For	Against	Difference	Points
Russia	6	5	1	0	25	5	20	16
Japan	6	5	1	0	17	1	16	16
Lithuania	6	3	1	2	13	10	3	10
Scotland	6	3	1	2	11	8	3	10
Canada	6	2	0	4	10	8	2	6
Malaysia	6	1	0	5	9	29	-20	3
Belgium	6	0	0	6	6	30	-24	0

Women's World Cup qualifier - The Complete coverage