Colombia got the better of fellow South Americans Brazil to secure their spot in the next round ©FIRS

The line-up for the quarter-finals of the Women's World Championship of Rink Hockey was confirmed at the Play Brava venue in Iquique in Chile today as the group stages came to a close.

In front of a packed crowd there were six pool stage games with teams fighting to progress to the next round.

In Group A, reigning champions Argentina made it four wins out of four to claim top spot.

They defeated Italy 3-0 which was enough to also see the Italians through to the last eight in second place.

Elsewhere, Colombia got the better of fellow South Americans Brazil 6-2 to secure their spot in the next round with three spots available for progression from Group A, which has five teams.

In Group B, top spot was claimed by Spain who were the second of three teams, along with Argentina and hosts Chile, to progress with a 100 per cent record.

The Spaniards dominated South Africa today as braces from Natasha Lee, Sara Gonzales, Anna Casarramona, Maria Diez and Laura Puigdueta, as well as another from Berta Tarrida, secured an impressive 11-0 win.

Portugal beat France 3-1 to finish ahead of their European rivals elsewhere in Group B, with both still advancing.

Hosts Chile won Group C with three wins from three as they beat Germany 4-0.

The Germans also progressed, whilst the United States defeated India 7-0 to claim their first win at the tournament.

Spain beat South Africa today to progress with a 100 per cent record ©FIRS
Spain beat South Africa today to progress with a 100 per cent record ©FIRS

In the first of Thursday's (September 29) quarter-finals, hosts Chile will take on France before Argentina meet Colombia, who they have already beaten 9-1.

In the other two matches, Germany face Portugal in the first all-European affair while Italy and Spain square off in the other.

The teams who did not make the quarter-finals will now drop into another group stage to determine who finishes in positions ninth to 13th.

They are the US, Brazil, South Africa, India and Egypt.

This is the last stand-alone World Championship in the history of rink hockey because, starting from next year, the World Roller Games will join all three rink hockey World Championships - male, female and male under-20 - together for a single event in Nanjing in China.

The event is also enjoying complete TV coverage thanks to CDO, a Chilean cable-broadcasting company, and Canal 13.

FIRS TV, meanwhile, is streaming the event live online.