News 20 March 2014
All the news for Thursday 20 March 2014
Malaysia blast China 7-3
Malaysia hammered China 7-3 to move to the top of the standings at the Azlan Shah stadium. And they did that without ace striker Faizal Saari who was suspended for a moment of madness in the match against Canada on Monday.
But what was more comforting was that seven different players scored the goals and that will surely boost their confidence in the final pool match on Saturday.
Malaysia have 10 points from 4 matches with Australia on 9 points from three matches while Korea are on 7 points with three played.
Australia and Korea play each other and the Malaysians will be hoping for an Aussie win. A draw will mean Malaysia has to gain a point against Australia as South Korea are expected to defeat South Africa in the final match on Saturday night.
Malaysia has a plus 7 goal difference with Korea on plus 4. So if both go down to Australia, then it will go down to goal difference and Korea will hold the advantage as they will know just what they need to score against South Africa.
Malaysia raced to a 5-0 lead by halftime with Marhan Jalil opening the accounts with a pile driver in the 6th minute with Azlan Misron scoring the second off a penalty corner rebound three minutes later.
Izad Hakimi Jamaluddin (24), Tengku Ahmad Tajuddin (26) and Shahril Saabah (30) made it 5-0 and the hosts were cruising.
E Liugang pulled one back for Vhina in the 44th minute only for Fitra Saari to score the sixth a minute later.
Du Talake converted a penalty stroke in the 61st minute but Firhan Ashaari scored Malaysia's 7th and his first in the very next minute.
But Du Talake scored three minutes from time and Malaysia may well be left ruing why they let in the three goals.
Sultan Azlan Shah Cup site
SA men’s hockey team edge Canadians 3-2 in Ipoh
JONATHAN COOK in Ipoh, Malaysia
Julian Hykes (second left) scores the winner after a pass from Pierre de Voux (right) during South Africa's 3-2 win over Canada at the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in Ipoh, Malaysia Wednesday night. Photo: TIM MYERS
The South Africa men’s hockey team edged Canada 3-2 after leading 2-1 at half-time at the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in Ipoh, Malaysia Wednesday evening.
SA’s goals came from Tim Drummond in the 27th minute, Lungi Tsolekile (33rd) and Julian Hykes (67th) while Canada scored through captain Scott Tupper in the 12th minute and Matthew Guest (48th).
After three rounds both sides were desperate for victory, even if only to get the psychological advantage ahead of what is likely to be the playoff for fifth place on Sunday.
In the third minute a diagonal aerial ball from Rhett Halkett - in the SA side for the first time due to club commitments in The Netherlands - found left midfielder Taylor Dart, who got in a backhand shot.
Soon after, Halkett made a crucial tackle following a turnover but in the 12th Canada won the first penalty corner after keeper Rassie Pieterse had made a save from Sukhpal Panesar’s snap shot and Tupper aimed his PC flick low to open the scoring.
Canada made two goal-threatening entries into the strike zone thereafter, while SA were struggling to string a telling sequence of passes together, but in the 27th SA came out of defence with a neat move between four players down the left that eventually found an unmarked Drummond, who picked his spot past Canadian goalkeeper Antoni Kindler for the equaliser.
The goal seemed to galvanise SA and in the 33rd an intelligent interchange of passes between strikers Hykes and Player of the Match Lungi Tsolekile saw the latter shovel the ball over the goalline for the lads in green and gold’s 2-1 half-time lead.
Going into the second half SA continued to transfer the ball intelligently and captain Wade Paton’s effort was saved following a PC variation, but in the 48th Canada got their second goal from set-piece play when Matthew Guest followed up the rebound and volleyed into the net.
At 2-2 with 20 minutes left, the match was evenly poised and SA missed a great chance when the determined Paton fed Hykes, whose well-placed cross went tantalising across an empty goal with no one to latch on to it. Tsolekile got in a shot soon after and umpire Zhinan Tao of China awarded a PC, yet the Canadian defence held firm.
But SA had the last laugh when striker Pierre de Voux showed the presence of mind to be patient before passing to Hykes for his fellow frontman to score three minutes from time (67th).
On the final hooter Australian umpire Ben de Young awarded Canada a PC - and with the whole team on the edge of the strike zone it was a dramatic moment that South Africa managed to survive for a much-needed 3-2 victory.
Next up, world number 12 SA meet world number seven South Korea at 2.05pm (SA time) on Saturday.
The match will be televised live on SuperSport, as will all three playoff matches on Sunday. Live commentary on Twitter @azlancup
SCORERS
Canada (1) 2 (Scott Tupper 12th minute, Matthew Guest 48th, )
South Africa (2) 3 (Tim Drummond 27th minute, Lungi Tsolekile 33rd, Julian Hykes 67th)
SOUTH AFRICA LINE-UP
Rassie Pieterse (Southern Gauteng, goalkeeper), Jethro Eustice (SG), Rhett Halkett (Western Province), Robin Jones (KZN Inland), Dylan Swanepoel (WP), Wade Paton (WP, capt), Jonty Robinson (Northern Blues), Tim Drummond (KZN Coastal Raiders), Clint Panther (SG), Lungi Tsolekile (WP), Julian Hykes (SG).
Rolling substitutes: Francois Pretorius (NB), Taylor Dart (SG), Owen Mvimbi (SG), Pierre de Voux (WP), Ignatuis Malgraff (Eastern Province), Brandon Panther (SG), Jacques le Roux (WP, goalkeeper).
SA RESULTS/FIXTURES
Thurs, 13 Mar: SA 2 Malaysia 3
Fri, 14 Mar: SA 0 China 5
Mon, 17 Mar: SA 0 Australia 7
Wed, 19 Mar: SA 3 Canada 2
Sat, 22 Mar: SA vs South Korea (2.05pm SA time)
Sun, 23 Mar: Classification and medal matches.
SA Hockey Association media release
Canada with 3-2 Loss to South Africa
One Pool Match Remains for Men in Malaysia
Celia Plottel
The Canadian Men’s National team took to the pitch in Malaysia on March 16th for their fourth game of the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup. The game presented Canada with it’s best chance so far for a win. Testament to the quality of teams Canada has faced, South Africa is currently ranked 12th in the world. The sun was out and the oppressive humidity from the last few days eased up for game time. The usual drums and singing school children helped to create a great atmosphere to play hockey.
There was backfield build up from both teams with possession, but tipped in Canada’s favour in the first 10 minutes. Both teams had circle penetrations but Canada’s chances were more dangerous. Canada was rewarded by their play with a penalty corner in the 10th minute. Scott Tupper scored a clinical goal on a low drag flick through the goalies legs. Canada was in the lead 1-0.
Confident play from the Canadians continued with an especially exciting left side run by Gabe Ho-Garcia showing excellent speed into the circle. There was a flurry of shots on net before the ball was cleared by a South African defender.
The South Africans were able to hit some long balls from the back field that were getting through the middle, but the Canadian defence was solid and kept the ball from getting in the circle. South Africa were rewarded with their better play with 2 goals, the first from a point blank shot on net in the 29th minute and then again in the 34th minute by a tic tac toe play. The first half ended 2-1 in favour of South Africa.
The second half began with determined play by the Canadians. Against the play, South Africa was awarded a penalty corner that was stopped by the Canadian defence. Play continued in the middle of the field with no team getting the upper hand. Scott Tupper kept the team’s composure under control with his solid, confident and imposing style of play. Finally Iain Smythe earned a corner for the boys in red at the 48th minute. A rocket drag flick by Scott Tupper was stopped by the goalie and Matt Guest deftly struck the rebound home for the equalizer. Play continued with the teams tied but both teams pushing for the winner.
With a flurry of play as the time ran down, the South Africans were able to capitalize with 6 minutes to go. The Canadians did not give up and their quick aggressive passing and tackling kept the game exciting. Canada earned a penalty corner with time run out but was unable to score. The final score was 3-2 for South Africa.
Canadian veteran Mark Pearson said of the game; “It was a disappointing match for the boys here in Ipoh. There are some positives to build upon, but we were really looking to put our first W up on the board. There is no time for the team to dwell on the result though as we have an important match tomorrow against China. Also, just a quick shout out to thank everyone back home who has been reading and commenting on our team blog entries, the guys are really feeling the support here!”
The last game of pool play for Canada is tomorrow against China at 6:00pm.
Canadian Men’s National Roster in Malaysia:
Adam Froese (Abbotsford, BC)
Antoni Kindler (Vancouver, BC)
Benjamin Martin (Vancouver, BC)
David Carter (Vancouver, BC)
Gabriel Ho-Garcia (Burnaby, BC)
Gordon Johnston (Vancouver, BC)
Hudson Stewart (Vancouver, BC)
Jagdish Gill (Toronto, ON)
James Kirkpatrick (Victoria, BC)
Iain Smythe (Vancouver, BC)
Keegan Pereira (Ajax, ON)
Mark Pearson (Tsawwassen, BC)
Matt Guest (Calgary, AB)
Paul Wharton (Vancouver, BC)
Philip Wright (Vancouver, BC)
Scott Tupper (Vancouver, BC)
Sukhi Panesar (Surrey, BC)
Taylor Curran (North Vancouver, BC)
For a fan-friendly in-depth look at Field Hockey Canada Men’s National Team in Malaysia follow:
https://www.facebook.com/CanadianMensNationalFieldHockeyTeam
Twitter: @FHC_MNT
Instagram: fhc_mnt
Field Hockey Canada media release
Seventh heaven
AZLAN SHAH CUP: Malaysia turn on the style to keep final hopes alive
By Jugjet Singh
MALAYSIA whipped the daylights out of China when seven different players scored in the 7-3 win in the 23rd Edition of the Azlan Shah Cup in Ipoh yesterday.
Goal difference could come into the picture as Malaysia, who confirmed a berth in the third-fourth placing match, make a dash for the final with only the match against Australia on Saturday remaining where they need to keep the score low.
China were the early aggressors, but cheered on by a capacity crowd, Malaysia took an early lead after they started with an attack oriented lineup instead of a defensive side.
And in the sixth minute, Marhan Jalil's cracking shot from the top of the semi-circle went crashing into the roof of the net for the much needed lead.
The opening goal was just the tonic for another push, and the first penalty corner was won in the eighth minute.
Ahmad Kazamirul's dummy went to Shahril Saabah, whose flick was saved by the goalkeeper but in came Azlan Misron who slapped in the rebound for the second goal in the ninth minute.
Missing from the match was striker Faizal Saari, who was suspended for one match yesterday morning after tournament director Gavin Hawke from New Zealand found his conduct during the Canada match unbecoming.
On Monday, Faizal was yellow carded in the 24th minute for hitting Canadian Jagdish Gill, and instead of sitting it out, he hit the sin-bin chair with his hockey stick and broke it.
The four-goal striker was then suspended for the match against China, and coach K. Dharmaraj had to push skipper and defender Azlan into the forwardline.
And the coach's reshuffle paid dividends as Malaysia went on a first half rampage and in the 23rd minute, off their third penalty corner, Kazamirul's push found Izzat Hakimi who tucked in to make it 3-0.
Three minutes later, it was the turn of experienced striker Tengku Ahmad Tajuddin Tengku Abdul Jalil to slam in the ball from an acute angle for his first of the tournament, as Malaysia cruised at 4-0.
The fifth goal was another masterpiece, as Shahril got his name on the scoreboard with a tap-in in the 30th minute.
China pulled one back when E Liguang scored in the 44th, but a minute later Malaysian were awarded a penalty stroke and Fitri Saari scored from the spot to make it 6-1.
The second China goal was scored off a penalty stroke by Du Talake in the 60th minute, but Firhan Ashaari made it 7-2 in the 62nd minute.
In the end, the final score was 7-3, as Du Talake got his second in the 66th.
"I did expect my players to pull off a win, but the score was not expected as the players pushed themselves to the limit," said Dharmaraj.
As for Azlan, who from a defender was promoted to striker, Dharmaraj said: "This is a new trend which I will propagate, as I look to make players versatile and able to play in any position when required."
New Straits Times
Goal spree as Malaysia thrash China
By Aftar Singh
Mohd Izad Hakimi Jamaluddin (left) pushing the ball past China's goalkeeper Yan Rong Yao, to score Malaysia's third goal in their Sultan Azlan Shah Cup match in Ipoh. – SAIFUL BAHRI/The Star
IPOH: Malaysia were without top scorer Faizal Saari in the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup match against China but it didn’t really matter.
The national team put on a splendid first-half show of free-flowing hockey to trounce China 7-3 and take a step closer to reaching the final.
Goals by Mohd Marhan Mohd Jalil (sixth minute), Azlan Misron (eighth), Mohd Izad Hakimi Jamaluddin (23rd), Tengku Ahmad Tajudin (26th) and Mohd Shahril Saabah (30th) gave Malaysia a commanding 5-0 half-time lead. Malaysia then added two more goals through Mohd Fitri Saari (45th) and Mohd Firhan Ashaari (62nd) for their biggest win in this tournament.
China, who were totally outplayed in the first 35 minutes, fought back after the breather to score through E Liguang off a penalty corner in the 44th minute before Du Talake netted a brace in the 60th and 66th minutes.
Skipper Azlan, who usually mans the backline, played as a forward in place of the suspended Faizal and was named Man of the Match.
Faizal had to sit out the game as he was handed a one-match suspension for breaking a plastic chair after being flashed a yellow card in the match against Canada on Monday.
But his team-mates made light work of his absence and went for the kill right from the start.
National chief coach K. Dharmaraj was thrilled to see his boys take their chances well.
“It’s good to see seven of my players getting on the score sheet. It was a good win.
“We took a handsome lead in the first-half. Unfortunately, the players failed to maintain the momentum after the breather. This is something we need to rectify,” he said.
Dharmaraj also praised Azlan for doing a good job in the forward line.
“He is a utility player ... he can play well in every department,” said Dharmaraj.
Meanwhile, South Africa came back from a goal down to edge Canada 3-2 for their first win in four matches.
Timothy Drummond (28th), Lungile Tsolekile (33rd) and Julian Hykes (67th) netted for South Africa.
Canada replied through Scott Tupper (12th) and Matthew Guest (49th) but it wasn’t enough to prevent them from suffering a fourth straight defeat.
The Star of Malaysia
Indomitable Aussies still not tested at Azlan Shah Cup
By Aftar Singh
Australia thumped South Africa 7-0 in the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup. The Aussies' keepers are yet to be tested in the tournament. – Bernama Photo
IPOH: Defending champions Australia are the team to beat in the 23rd edition of the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup hockey tournament.
The Kookaburras, led by forward and five times World Player of the Year Jamie Dwyer, have the best strike force and defence in the six-nation tournament.
The world number one, who are in Ipoh with their top players, have been in smashing form – amassing a total of 20 goals in three matches.
They trounced China (7-0), Canada (6-0) and South Africa (7-0) to lead the standings with maximum points.
Rookie defender Nicholas Budgeon is currently the top scorer for Australia with five goals – four from penalty corners and one field goal.
The world champions also have yet to concede a goal in three matches.
Skipper Mark Knowles said that their goalkeepers Andrew Charter and Tyler Lovell have yet to be tested after three matches.
“We have two of the best keepers in the world but they have hardly been tried out in the tournament.
“We want them to be tested as preparation for the World Cup (in The Hague in May),” said Knowles.
Liam Deyoung, 32, meanwhile, will be making his 300th international appearance for Australia in the match against Asia Cup champions South Korea on Thursday.
Knowles said that they are looking forward to a good match against the speedy Koreans.
Australia, who are gunning for their eighth title, just need a draw against the Koreans to seal a place in the final.
Korean coach Shin Seok-kyo said they want to be the first team to burst the Australians’ bubble.
“Although Australia are the strongest team in the tournament, we will go all out to score against them.
“We are here to qualify for a place in the final and we need good results against them to achieve our target,” said Seok-kyo.
South Korea, ranked seventh in the world, have seven points from three matches.
They will wrap up their fixtures with a match against South Africa on Saturday.
The Star of Malaysia
Hosts make flying start
Skipper Mamunur Rahman Chayan struck his eighth international hattrick to give Bangladesh a comprehensive 5-1 victory over Hong Kong in their first match of the Asian Games Hockey Qualifiers at the Maulana Bhasani Hockey Stadium yesterday.
Apart from Chayan's three goals from penalty corners, Moinul Islam Koushik and Hasan Jubair Niloy scored one goal apiece in an almost one-sided affair where Arif Ali struck a consolation goal for the losing team.
A rejuvenated Bangladesh needed such a convincing start in a bid to rebuild the confidence among the players and they played like a team, rather than individuals, to dominate possession right from the word go.
However, forwards failed to find the target time and again before Chayan opened the scoring in the 24th minute from a penalty corner.
Chayan doubled the lead in the 33rd minute with a drag and flick off a penalty corner before completing his hattrick in the 46th minute in the same fashion.
Coach Naveed Alam used his all substitutes as Bangladesh increased the margin to 5-0 with Koushik and Niloy scoring field goals in the 54th and 55th minutes respectively.
Hong Kong availed pounced on the relaxing Bangladesh to pull one back in the 59th minute which just reduced the margin of defeat for them.
“The players might have been excited as it was the first match which is why they missed some field goals in the first half. Otherwise, they did very good work today (Sunday),” said Naveed. “But I want more tactical work and hope you will see it from the next match.”
“Definitely, this win gives us more confidence and trust among our players even though we could not play according to plan in the first half but we did it in the second half,” said man-of-the-match Chayan.
Meanwhile, in the day's first match of the same group, Singapore came from two goals down to notch a dramatic 3-2 win over Iran.
Hockey Asia
U.S. Indoor Uses CanAm Test Series as Final Preparation for Pan Am Cup
The U.S. Men’s and Women’s Indoor National Squads took on Canada in a three-match test series this weekend at the University of Toronto. Field Hockey Canada played host to the annual CanAm Indoor Test series that began last year. The teams will meet again in the Pan American Cup in April, making the series a critical last tune-up for both sides.
“Building this strong relationship with Canada is very important to us, and having these two CanAm events this cycle helps solidify that bond,” said Head Women’s Coach Denise Zelenak. “We are not Europe where travel is not a challenge and competitive teams are close at hand; we essentially only have each other and by having a neighbor who is strong we stay challenged, thus motivated.”
“This weekend with Field Hockey Canada was a good learning experience for the young U.S. Men’s Squad,” said U.S. Indoor Manager Nigel Traverso. “We are looking forward to the upcoming Pan Am Indoor Cup in Uruguay and putting what we have learned here this weekend into competition.”
The U.S. Women’s National Indoor Squad started the series off strongly with an impressive 5-1 win Saturday morning. Canada opened the match with aggressive play and forced U.S. goalkeeper Maria Keesling (Downingtown Pa.) to make two saves in the opening minutes. The U.S. proved to be strong on the counter attack and Susan Ciufo (Bangor, Pa.) opened the scoring in the 4th minute with a quick shot from the left side of the circle to beat Canada’s goalkeeper at the near post. The lead increased to two in the 12th minute when U.S. defender Kim Tunell (Wilmington, Del.) fed a ball to Erin Matson (Chadds Ford, Pa.) who curled to the right baseline to beat the last defender and snuck a low angle shot into an open net. Less than a minute later Matson scored her second of the match off another right side feed from Tunell to take the U.S. in to halftime with a 3-0 lead.
Canada came out strong in the second half and earned a corner in the 1st minute. U.S. keeper Ashley Dalisera (Millersville, Md.) turned away the initial shot but the follow-up was sent high into the middle of the cage to move the score to 3-1. In the 29th minute the U.S. capitalized on a turnover and Kim Susko (Short Hills, N.J.) found Matson at the top of the circle. Matson dodged a defender and again found the back of the net for her third goal of the match. Canada continued to battle back and in the 35th minute, Dalisera was forced to turn away a flurry of shots. On the ensuing penalty corner, Canada was unable to score and U.S. defender Lauren Hibshman (Allentown, Pa.) found Matson up the right board for another open net goal to take the score to 5-1. That proved to be the final score despite a strong counter attack play with 7 seconds left in the match and a corner awarded to Canada with no time left. Maeve Doherty (Millersville, Md.) and Alexa Hoover (Collegeville, Pa.) earned their first caps for the U.S. in the match.
In the second meeting of the day, Canada brought early high pressure and capitalized with two goals in the first few minutes of the match. Back and forth physical play continued throughout the first half and Canada put a penalty corner goal away in the 18th minute. In the final moments of the half, the U.S. Women earned a corner but were unable to convert. Canada again came out of halftime strong and put a fourth goal in from the low left baseline. In the 3rd minute of the half, Ciufo and Matson connected again as Ciufo, under hard pressure, found Matson on the left side to put the U.S. on the board. Just a few minutes later Hoover stole the ball from a Canadian defender and scored an unassisted goal from the middle of the circle. Ten minutes into the second half, a Canadian player was caught breaking early on a penalty corner and was sent to mid court, forcing them to defend the corner with only a goalkeeper and two defenders. The U.S. team capitalized on the opportunity and Matson put away a pass from Ciufo to cut the lead to one.
The U.S. brought more pressure and a flurry of shots with less than 7 minutes remaining, forcing Canada to call timeout with 6:30 left in the match. Although Head Coach Zelenak pulled the goalkeeper to add a fifth field player and the U.S. generated attack but they were unable to score the tying goal and lost the match 3-4.
The third and final match was held Sunday morning and this time the U.S. women jumped out to an early lead as Matson put away her seventh goal of the series off a feed from Ciufo in the 1st minute of the match. Matson then earned a penalty corner in the third minute and Rachael Milne (Hatfield, Pa.) converted to increase the lead to two. Canada brought more pressure but was turned away by the U.S. defense and goalkeeper Keesling until the 13th minute when they scored to move to within one. The intensity of play remained high for the remainder of the half and the U.S. women were able to increase their lead when Hoover finished a feed from Amy Daniel (Mountain Top, Pa.) in the 18th minute. Canada generated more offense in the waning minutes of the half and snuck in a close range tally in the final minute of the period.
In the final half of the series, the intensity and physicality of play increased and both teams earned penalty corners and attack opportunities but neither side was able to score until the last three minutes of the match. Hoover scored her third goal of the series in the 37th minute unassisted to take the score to 4-2. Canada immediately increased the pressure and scored when a shot deflected off a U.S. stick to fly high into the cage over the U.S. goalkeeper to cut the U.S. lead to one. A Canadian corner with no time left proved tense but their shot didn’t find the net and the U.S. women preserved the 4-3 win for their second victory of the series.
“Having a highly intense competition a few weeks prior to the Indoor Pan American Cup gives a better understanding of what the competition will be, and gives us a gauge of where we are in our own preparation,” said Zelenak. “It motivates our squad to work even harder and value the details as we work to peak in Uruguay.”
The U.S. Men’s National Indoor Squad started their first game off strong, but were unable to sustain their lead. Within 20 seconds of the start, the US team generated flowing movement from the defense, ending with a deflection from Ajai Dhadwal (Agoura Hills, Cali.) into the goal. For the remainder of the first half, Canada capitalized off of Team USA turnovers. With the U.S. down 5-1 at half-time, they made several tactical adjustments and tied the 2nd half 1-1. William Holt (Camarillo, Cali.) scored the second goal of the match which ended 6-2 in favor of Canada.
The second game of the evening did not start off well for Team USA, who was down 3-0 within the first 5 minutes of play. Once the U.S. settled into their own, they generated several scoring opportunities which were saved by Canada on the line. Jaja Kentwell (Spring City, Pa.) scored the lone goal for Team USA in their 1-6 loss.
Match three proved to be the best match play for Team USA, who came out with intensity. The score remained tied at 0 for much of first half play. Canada finally knocked one in only to be immediately answered by the U.S. thanks to a well-executed corner from Mike Barminski (Ventura, Cali.). Unable to sustain the pressure, the U.S. fell 4-1 at the end of the half and the score line was maintained for the full second half.
“This was our final weekend of selection against a very good Canadian Squad who is currently ranked number 7 in the newly released FIH Indoor World Ranking,” said Traverso. “The U.S. Men are ranked number 13. We competed with them for long spells, but couldn't manage to take control of the game as we would have liked.”
For updates on the U.S. Indoor National Squads, regularly check usafieldhockey.com.
USFHA media release
PIA lift Brig Atif Memorial Hockey title
LAHORE - Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) defeated Wapda-B 4-2 to emerge as the champions of the 1st edition of Brigadier (r) Manzoor Hussain Atif Memorial Hockey Tournament at the Sargodha Hockey Stadium on Wednesday.
According to information made available here on Wednesday, the final started at the newly-laid astroturf at the stadium which was packed to capacity. PIA got an early penalty corner in the initial minutes of the first half but Wapda’s goalkeeper bravely stopped the ferocious hit on his chest to save the goal. After that PIA’s forwards exerted pressure and made some aggressive moves. They earned second penalty corner in the 14th minute which their full back Ihsanullah converted to register PIA’s first goal. Wapda launched a massive counter attack in the 19th minute and reached into the PIA’s D where goalkeeper’s timely dash frustrated their attempt. In the meantime, PIA got another penalty corner in the 21st minute and M Zubair made no mistake to score the second goal on an indirect pass which consolidated his team’s position.
After trailing by two goals, Wapda launched a massive counter attack in the 23rd minute and their forward reached into the D where goalkeeper’s daring dash frustrated their attempt. Their forwards bounced back fiercely in the 27th minute and Forward Ateeq beat the defenders to score the first goal for his team. Wapda applied more pressure with the combination of right-left attacks and earned a penalty corner in the 34th minute which was successfully converted by Waseem to level the score 2-2 at the half time.
In the second half, Ihsanullah scored the third goal for PIA in the 43rd minute, which was his second, to earn 3-2 lead for his team while M Irfan scored the fourth goal in the 67th minute to help PIA register 4-2 win. After the match, Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) secretary Rana Mujahid Ali gave away the winning trophy to PIA’s captain Aamir Shahzad. District Coordination Officer (DCO) Tariq Mahmood and MNA Ch Abdul Hamid, parliamentary secretary Gilgit-Baltistan Affairs and MPA Dr Nadia Aziz also gave away prizes to the players and officials of the organising committee.
PHF ANNOUNCES RS 100,000 FOR DHA SARGODHA: Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) has announced a prize of Rs 100,000 for the District Hockey Association (DHA) Sargodha for successful holding of the 1st Brig (r) Manzoor Hussain Atif Memorial Hockey Tournament in the city.
Speaking at the occasion, PHF secretary Rana Mujahid paid rich tribute to the district hockey association for excellent arrangements and extending their hospitality to the guest teams. He lauded the efforts of organising secretary Fiaz Ahmed Hinjra for his dedication and hard work to make the event successful. He also praised Tournament Director ex-Olympian Shafqat Malik for making the smooth holding of matches in the middle. He also thanked the local administration headed by DCO Tariq Mahmood and his team for facilitating the teams and officials.
The Nation
PHF announces cash prize for Sargodha DHA
LAHORE: The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) has announced a cash prize of Rs.100,000 for the District Hockey Association (DHA) of Sargodha for successful holding of the First Brigadier Manzoor Hussain Atif Memorial Hockey Tournament in the city.
Talking to media after conclusion of the tournament, PHF Secretary General Rana Mujahid Ali paid rich tributes to the District Hockey Association for their excellent arrangements and extending kind hospitality to the guest teams throughout the tournament. He appreciated the efforts of Fiaz Ahmed Hinjra, the Organising Secretary of the tournament, for his dedication and hard work. He also praised Tournament Director and former Olympian Shafqat Malik for his efforts.
Mujahid thanked the local administration headed by District Coordination Officer Tariq Mahmood and his team for facilitating the teams and officials during their stay in the city.
The Daily Times
CAG book semifinal berth in senior men's hockey
LUCKNOW: Comptroller & Auditor General (CAG) defeated last year runners-up Punjab 3-1 to enter the semifinals of the 4th Hockey India Senior Men National Championship at the Major Dhyan Chand Stadium on Wednesday.
Punjab drew first blood in the Pool B contest when Parvinder Singh scored a field goal in the 32nd minute. CAG, who struggled in the first half, showed remarkable composure to make a comeback in the second period.
CAG levelled the score in the 42nd minute when they converted a penalty corner through Darshan DS. Darshan gave his side the lead in the 63rd minute through another penalty-corner strike.
Sarvjeet Singh (69th) scored in the dying moments to register their fourth win in a row.
Madhya Pradesh Hockey Academy overcame Manipur 3-2 in their Pool A match.
MPHA came back strongly in the second half to take away the match from Manipur who were leading by 2-0.
Manipur had a comfortable lead with Laiba Singh and Heera Singh scoring in the 21st and 29th minutes respectively.
In the second-half, however, Vikas Chaudhary (38th, 41st and 51st minute) scored a hat-trick to turn the game in MPHA's favour.
Earlier, Air India Sports Promotion Board routed Association of Indian Universities by 7-2 in Pool A.
Results of the day:
Pool B - Madhya Pradesh Hockey Academy 3 Vikas Chaudhary (38, 41 and 51 min) Vs. Manipur 2 Laiba Singh (21 min) and Heera Singh K (29 min)
Comptroller & Auditor General 3 Darshan D S (42, 63), Sarvjeet Singh (69 min) vs Punjab 1 Parvinder Singh (32 min)
Pool A - Air India Sports Promotion Board 7 Shivener Singh (11, 29 and 45 min), Birender Lakra (24 min), Sameer Dad (26 min), Gaganpreet Singh (33 min), Girish Pimpale (43 min) Vs Association of Indian Universities 2 Gurjinder Singh (4 min) and Gagandeep Singh (8 min).
The Times of India
CAG, A-I enter national hockey semis
LUCKNOW: Comptroller and Auditor General XI (CAG) rallied from a one-goal deficit at half-time to defeat former champions Punjab 3-1 to advance to the semifinals from Pool B of the 4th Hockey India National Championship (Division A) at the Dhyan Chand Stadium on Wednesday.
Air-India also virtually secured their semis berth from Pool A when they outplayed Indian Universities 7-2 to record their third successive win. They play their last match against lowly Andhra on Thursday, and even a draw or a narrow defeat would be enough for them. Their closest rivals Services have finished with 9 points from all four matches with a goal-difference of +3.
The Times of India
Bhopal, Odisha win 14-1 in senior women hockey
BHOPAL: Bhopal, Odisha and Railway Sports Promotion Board registered big wins in their respective matches of the 4th Hockey India Senior Women National Championship, on Wednesday.
In Pool C, Hockey Bhopal hammered Mumbai Hockey Association 14-1 while Odisha routed Chhattisgarh 12-1 in a group A contest.
In another goal-fest, Railway Sports Promotion Board blanked Uttar Pradesh 20-0 in Pool B.
Haryana eked out a 2-1 win over Madhya Pradesh, while Maharashtra beat Kerala 7-0 and Jharkhand sailed past Sports Authority of India with a comfortable of 6-0 scoreline.
Results of the day:
Pool C - Bhopal 14 Rashmi Singh (1, 32, 43 and 64 min), Jameela Bano (2 and 33 min), Ritusha Arya (3, 34, 37 and 62), S. Ranjika (26, 39 and 55 min) and Reena Katariya (63 min) Vs. Mumbai Hockey Association Ltd. 1 Bhagyashree Agarwal (18 min).
Pool A - Odisha 12 Lilima Minz (4, 27 and 68 min), Nilprojita Majhi (12 and 54 min), Zeera Ekka (15 min), Elin Lakra (21, 36 and 58 min), Dipti Lakra (25 min), Seema Lakra (29 min) and Amubi Devi Ningombam (69 min) Vs. Chhattisgarh 1 Balvinder (46 min).
Pool A - Haryana 2 Bharti (15 min) and Ritu Rani (64 min) Vs. Madhya Pradesh 1 Shyama Tidgam (48 min).
Pool D - Maharashtra 7 Vivenda D'Costa (23, 35, 56 and 70 min), Rukhsar Shaikh (30 min), Payal Chumbale (47 min) and Pratibha Sawant (62 min) Vs. Kerala 0.
Pool C - Jharkhand 6 Poonam Barla (14 and 21 min), Binita Xess (31 and 56 min), Anima Minz (37 min) and Lorencia Kerketta (69 min)
Pool B - Railway Sports Promotion Board 20 Vandana Katariya (8, 23, 25, 51, 59 and 67min), Deepika (28, 55, 60 and 70 min), Rani (37, 42 and 47 min), Jasjeet Kaur (9 and 64 min), Anupa Barla (1 min), Amandeep Kaur (15 min), Th. Chanchan (21 min), Poonam Rani (41 min) and Soundriya .Y (62 min) Vs. Uttar Pradesh 0.
The Times of India
Assam wins women's hockey championship
Assam beat Himachal Pradesh 3-2 in the final to win the title in the National women’s B division hockey championship here on Wednesday.
Delhi beat Tamil Nadu 2-0 to take the third place.
The results: B Division: Final: Assam 3 (Dolly Yadav 6th minute, Maully Yadav 8th, Minni 44th) bt HP 2 (Ravita Chauhan 4th, Baljinder Rana 59th).
A Division: Pool A: Odisha 12 (Lilima Minz 3, Elin Lakra 3, Nilprojita Majhi 2, Zeera Ekka, Dipti Lakra, Seema Lakra, Amubi Devi Ningombam) bt Chhattisgarh 1 (Balvinder); Haryana 2 (Bharti, Ritu Rani) bt MP 1 (Shyama Tidgam).
Pool B: RSPB 20 (Vandana Katariya 6, Deepika 4, Rani 3, Jasjeet Kaur 2, Anupa Barla, Amandeep Kaur, Th. Chanchan, Poonam Rani, Y. Soundriya) bt UP 0.
Pool C: Bhopal 14 (Rashmi Singh 4, Ritusha Arya 4, S. Ranjika 3, Jameela Bano 2, Reena Katariya) bt Mumbai 1 (Bhagyashree Agarwal); Jharkhand 6 (Poonam Barla 2, Binita Xess 2, Anima Minz, Lorencia Kerketta) bt SAI 0.
Pool D: Maharashtra 7 (Vivenda D’Costa 4, Rukhsar Shaikh, Payal Chumbale, Pratibha Sawant) bt Kerala 0.
The Hindu
Karnataka, Odisha win in junior women hockey
MYSORE: Karnataka tasted their first victory as they defeated Hockey Bhopal 4-1 in the 4th Hockey India Junior Women National Championship, while Odisha and Madhya Pradesh Hockey Academy (MPHA) cruised to second consecutive wins, on Wednesday.
Karnataka's Ramya N (34th minute) stroked the first goal just before the half time to help her side take a 1-0 lead at half-time in the group B contest.
The second period saw Karnataka piercing in three goals in just eight minutes through Sushma C G (43rd), skipper Sandhya H P (47th) and Niha's (50th) at Chamundi Vihar Hockey Ground.
Bhopal's Puja Yadav scored the only goal in the 56th minute.
In a Pool D match, Hockey Odisha registered their second win in a row as they defeated Punjab 3-0. Hockey Odisha took control of the match early when skipper Ambika Toppo (9th minute) converted a penalty corner to open team's account.
Second goal also came from a penalty corner strike by Ashmita Barla (33rd), and was followed by Sarojini Ekka's field goal in the 54th minute.
In another Pool D match, Madhya Pradesh Hockey Academy hammered Delhi 5-0. For MPHA, Rakhi Prajapati (8th and 25th minute) and Anuja Singh (54th and 66th) slammed two goals each while Preeti Dubey scored in the 61st min.
Mumbai Hockey Association Ltd beat Bihar 7-0 in Pool D.
Results of the day:
Pool B - Karnataka 4 Ramya N (34 min), Sushma C G (43 min), Sandhya H P (47 min) and Niha (50 min) Vs. Bhopal 1 Puja Yadav (56 min).
Pool D - Odisha 3 Ambika Toppo (9 min), Ashmita Barla (33 min) and Sarojini Ekka (54 min) Vs. Punjab 0.
Pool B - Madhya Pradesh Hockey Academy 5 Rakhi Prajapati (8 and 25 min), Anuja Singh (54 and 66 min) and Preeti Dubey (61 min) Vs. Delhi 0.
Pool D - Mumbai Hockey Association Ltd 7 Pranali Patil (3 and 60 min), Shaikh Ruqqaiya (52 and 66 min), Preeti Bhatia (32 min), Jemimah Rodrigues (41 min) and Akansha Singh (50 min) Vs. Bihar 0.
The Times of India
Henning to step down as Uhlenhorst coach in summer
André Henning will step down as head coach of HTC Uhlenhorst Mülheim at the end of this season following seven years in the role.
During his time with the club, he led the Ruhr-based team to the German indoor title, the first time the side won the crown since 1987. He also led the club into the Euro Hockey League on three occasions while last December he was head coach of the German Under-21 coaching setup that won the Junior World Cup.
Speaking about his decision, Henning said he that while it was a difficult decision - especially having worked with some of the players for over a decade - he is looking to explore new opportunities in his personal career. Previously, he had been involved with the club's youth system.
The club's Christian Windefer, meanwhile, said that Henning will be a tough man to replace. "We are very grateful for his years of commitment to the club but hockey is an amateur sport and so we have to expect these moments of change as part of our challenges of a club.
"We are considered one of Germany's leading hockey clubs and are confident that we can find an optimal solution to replace Henning."
Henning will remain in charge of the side for the Euro Hockey League campaign in April.
Euro Hockey League media release
Crucial clashes in NOW: Pensions Premier Division
EG v Beeston
TEAMS are preparing for crucial clashes at both ends of the table in the NOW: Pensions Men’s Hockey League Premier Division, with two sides fighting for automatic European qualification at the top, while at the bottom three clubs are aiming to avoid relegation.
Leaders East Grinstead and second-placed Beeston – level on points and separated only by scoring difference – both harbour hopes of clinching their place in Europe for next season by finishing top of the table.
East Grinstead travel to fellow semi finalists Surbiton on Sunday, while Beeston host Cannock at the same time.
“It’s going to be one hell of a game, because Cannock are fighting for their lives,” said Beeston manager Graham Griffiths. “But we don’t expect to lose at home, and will be fighting hard.
“We’ve had several players out since Christmas and that continues to give us problems with GB keeper George Pinner missing, and David Ames, Harry Martin and Gordon McIntyre all out too as well as several others. But we have a great team spirit here and will continue to fight all the way.”
Elsewhere, bottom of the table Sheffield Hallam go to Wimbledon as they aim to pull themselves up and avoid automatic relegation, while second bottom Loughborough Students face a tough match at third-placed Reading.
If Loughborough win, they could secure Premier Division safety as Cannock may be pulled into the play-offs if they lose at Beeston.
In other Premier Division action, Canterbury host Hampstead and Westminster.
In two of the NOW: Pensions Conferences, the title is still up for grabs and an exciting finish to the season is beckoning.
In the NOW: Pensions Conference West, leaders Cardiff and Met need to beat Havant to be sure of the title. A draw may be enough as they have a two point lead and superior goal difference over second placed Team Bath Buccaneers who host Guildford..
And in the NOW: Pensions Conference East, Southgate only need a point from their match at Bromley and Beckenham. Second-placed Holcombe go to Richmond, knowing that if Southgate lose, a win would be enough to put them top and into the promotion play-offs.
Title winners Brooklands Manchester University go to West Bridgford in the NOW: Pensions Conference North on Sunday. They will be aiming to continue the great form which has seen them go 19 consecutive games unbeaten in outdoor competition.
League Finals Weekend
The winners of the NOW: Pensions Men’s Hockey League and the Investec Women’s Hockey League will be crowned over two action-packed weekends at Reading Hockey Club in April. The top four Premier Division teams qualify for their respective finals weekends, playing off against each other to be crowned league champions.
The men’s finals will take place on the 5-6 April while the women will battle it out a week later from 12-13 April. Tickets are now available to purchase for both weekends, please visit www.englandhockey.co.uk/tickets
The three Conference winners plus ninth place in Premier also play off at Reading, preceded by matches at Cannock on 30 March, with the top two gaining places in the Premier Division in 2014-15.
NOW: Pensions Men’s Hockey League (Sunday, March 23 2014)
NOW: Pensions Premier Division
Beeston v Cannock 14:00
Canterbury v Hampstead and Westminster 14:00
Reading v Loughborough Students 14:00
Surbiton v East Grinstead 14:00
Wimbledon v Sheffield Hallam 14:00
NOW: Pensions Conference East
Bromley and Beckenham v Southgate 14:00
Old Loughtonians v Teddington 14:00
Oxted v Brighton and Hove 14:00
Richmond v Holcombe 14:00
St Albans v Cambridge 14:00
NOW: Pensions Conference North
Belper v Khalsa 14:00
Bowdon v University of Durham 14:00
Deeside Ramblers v Olton and west Warwickshire 14:00
Leek v Wakefield 14:00
West Bridgford v Brooklands Manchester University 14:00
NOW: Pensions Conference West
Havant v Cardiff and Met 14:00
Indian Gymkhana v Cheltenham 14:00
Isca v Fareham 14:00
Team Bath Buccaneers v Guildford 14:00
University of Birmingham v University of Exeter 14:00
England Hockey Board Media release
Canterbury chase Europe dreams
Canterbury celebrate a goal
LEADERS Canterbury take on play-off rivals Clifton in the Investec Women’s Hockey League Premier Division on Saturday, with dreams of European hockey dependent on the result.
The team who are top of the table at the end of the 18-match season automatically qualify for Europe next season, and if Canterbury qualify it will be their first time in eight years.
“Europe isn’t something that we’ve been discussing a lot as a team,” said Canterbury player/coach Jen Wilson. “Everybody else is talking about it around the club like the fans and the media, but the players have been very professional and focusing on each week.
“And that’s what we will do this week against Clifton. We are excited to have them as opponents this week and our only focus at the moment is on a strong performance.”
Meanwhile, Reading host Bowdon and Hightown, and could snatch first place if Canterbury drop points.
Elsewhere, third-placed Surbiton will want to keep their good form going with a double-header weekend which sees them face Beeston at home in the league on Saturday, before travelling to Buckingham in the Investec Cup semi final on Sunday.
Sutton Coldfield travel to University of Birmingham in their last Premier Division match of the season, and will want to get a win under their belts before focusing on the play-offs, where they face the winners of the three Investec Conferences in a bid to preserve their top-flight status.
For their part, University of Birmingham also have a double header with a clash on Sunday at Hampstead and Westminster in the Investec Cup semi finals.
Finally, Leicester travel to relegated Olton and West Warwickshire in the day’s other Premier Division match.
The title is still up for grabs in the Investec Conference North, with leaders Brooklands Poynton travelling to Kendal as they bid to sew up their place in the promotion play-offs.
But Wakefield – who go to Whitley Bay and Tynemouth – could go top if they win and Brooklands lose.
Runaway Investec Conference East leaders Holcombe go to St Albans in their final match of the regular season, while Investec Conference West winners Buckingham entertain Gloucester City.
League Finals Weekend
The winners of the Investec Women’s Hockey League and the NOW: Pensions Men’s Hockey League will be crowned over two action-packed weekends at Reading Hockey Club in April. The top four Premier Division teams qualify for their respective finals weekends, playing off against each other to be crowned league champions.
The men’s finals will take place on the 5-6 April while the women will battle it out a week later from 12-13 April. Tickets are now available to purchase for both weekends, please visit www.englandhockey.co.uk/tickets
The three Conference winners plus ninth place in Premier also play off at Reading, preceded by matches at Cannock on 30 March, with the top two gaining places in the Premier in 2014-15.
Investec Women’s Hockey League (Saturday, March 22 2014)
Investec Premier Division
Clifton v Canterbury 14:00
Olton and West Warwickshire v Leicester 14:00
Reading v Bowdon Hightown 14:00
Surbiton v Beeston 14:00
University of Birmingham v Sutton Coldfield 14:00
Investec Conference East
Chelmsford v Wimbledon 14:00
Harleston Magpies v East Grinstead 14:00
Horsham v Sevenoaks 14:00
Old Loughtonians v Ipswich 14:00
St Albans v Holcombe 14:00
Investec Conference North
Ben Rhydding v Doncaster 14:00
Kendal v Brooklands Poynton 14:00
Loughborough University v Boots 14:00
University of Durham v Stourport 14:00
Whitley Bay and Tynemouth v Wakefield 14:00
Investec Conference West
Buckingham v Gloucester City 14:00
Exe v Barnes 14:00
Oxford Hawks v Bristol Firebrands 14:00
Swansea City v Slough 14:00
Trojans v Isca 14:00
Investec Women’s Cup, semi finals (Sunday, March 23 2014)
Buckingham v Surbiton
Hampstead & Westminster v Univ of Birmingham
England Hockey Board Media release
Irish Hockey League - Round 4
This weekend brings the penultimate round of the Irish Hockey League pool stage as teams battle it out to secure a 1st / 2nd berth in the league tables to guarantee a spot in the semi finals on 5th / 6th April.
Firstly to men’s Pool A its Three Rock Rovers and Pembroke Wanderers neck and neck on maximum 12 points each but Lisnagarvey are not far off the mark chasing on 9 points and a chance to steal 4 points from top dogs Three Rock Rovers when they host them at Comber Road at 14.45 on Saturday. Over to Pool B and its Banbridge and Monkstown dominating the top two spots on 12 points a piece with the remaining table a little off the pace on 4, 3 and 2 points.
Over to the women’s side of the competition with UCD and Railway Union holding on to posts 1 & 2 with Lurgan coming in third on 5 points in Pool A. Over to Pool B and Pegasus are holding court on their own at the top on a maximum 12 points chased closely by Loreto on 10 and Old Alex on 6.
Pool A MEN
Saturday 22nd March
14.30 Cookstown v Instonians
14.45 Lisnagarvey v Three Rock Rovers
15.30 Pembroke W v Cork Harlequins
Pool B MEN
Saturday 22nd March
15.00 Corinthian v Monkstown
16.15 UCD v Cork C of I
Sunday 23rd March
13.30 Annadale v Banbridge
Pool A.
Saturday 22nd March
13.00 Greenfields v Railway Unino
14.30 UCD v Lurgan
15.00 Hermes v Catholic Institute.
Pool B
Saturday 22nd March
13.00 Pegasus v Ards
14.30 Ballymoney v Loreto
14.30 Old Alex v Cork HQ
FINALS INFORMATION
The two top teams in each pool qualify for the semi finals (Saturday 5th April 2014) where the Winner from Pool A plays the Runner-up from Pool B and the Winner from Pool B plays the Runner-up from Pool A. The winners of which go onto play in the final (Sunday 6th April 2014)
SEMI FINALS Saturday 5th April
10.30am (Ladies) 12.30pm (Ladies)
15.00pm (Men’s) 17.00pm (Men’s)
FINALS Sunday 6th April
13.30 Women's Final
16.00 Men's Final
Irish Hockey Association media release
MHL fast becoming a farce
The Malaysian Hockey League is fast becoming the butt of jokes amongst the hockey fraternity.
While the initial intentions were noble – to create another platform for hockey players to be involved in competitive hockey throughout the year plus to introduce a Women’s Hockey League, it has obviously not been done with much thought and handled in a manner that cast serious aspersions on the ability of the MHC Competitions Committee.
The rules seem to be ambiguous, as there is no clarity on the eligibility of players, for instance can those involved in coaching the various national teams be allowed to play in the Division One.
Then there is the case of the womens league eligibility of players – if a player who is a national trainee but has yet to earn a single international cap be deemed as a national player.
But the crux of the problem is the constant, and last minute change of fixtures that have many stumped.
From the beginning the MHL was besieged by problems, as the fixtures for the Women’s League showed that it will be all over by April 12, hardly before anyone becomes aware of it. The Women’s League was being done to akin a “pasar malam” trader who comes one night, sells his wares and never to return, knowing that its sub standard items that were sold.
The teams were told off at the managers meeting on March 9, in simple words to adhere to what the Competitions Committee had decided, with no room to voice their displeasure. What was more baffling was that MHC Senior Vice President Prof Dr. Shamala Subramaniam was present and said or did nothing to protect the interest of the women.
And now the fixtures have mysteriously been changed, extending the leage to end of April, when really that could and should have been decided much earlier if due care and planning was in place.
It gets better as matches scheduled for Sunday March 23 have now been postponed, with the final of the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup cited as a reason. All of MHC was well aware that the final was on that day, so why schedule matches in the first place. As a matter of fact why can’t the Division One start after the Azlan Shah Cup, what was the big rush?
The MHC Competition Committee has to shoulder the blame for the state of affairs as it clearly showed poor planning and a total disregard to the importance of doing things the correct way, with decisions being made by a select few.
As an early notice to the Competitions Committee, are you aware that you have scheduled matches during the Champions Challenge period?
TNBMHL site
Selangor Sukma look ahead
The Selangor Sukma squad may have lost 6-0 to tournament favourites Tenaga Nasional Berhad in their opening match last Sunday. But they are on a learning mission, hoping to reap rewards at the Malaysian Games in Perlis this May.
Hence The Selangor Hockey Association, which has set a target of finishing in the top eight of Division One are not too concerned about the result but are focussing on a larger picture.
"One of the key successes of the Selangor U21 team was early preparation since June last year We formed the Project 2014 team with the long term goal to reach the finals of SUKMA 2014. The Selangor Div 2 Razak Cup Team had 8 players from the U21 squad<' said Selangor HA Secretary P. Kuganeson.
"We subscribed to the policy of exposing players, letting the good players go and play for other team and exposing the remainder. That worked for us when the U21 squad was was fielded in the Div 1 Selangor Hockey League and played some tough matches and they won 3 matches lost 2 and drew 1.
"In the current TNBMHL2014 there are players from the Selangor SUKMA Squad playing for other teams Sapura - Harmesh Singh, UniKL - Mohammad Hafif Elkan, UniKL - Muhammad Haikal Zamri andSSTMI - Amir Zulkarnain Ahmad Robangi
"The remainder we keep together to expose them in the TNBMHL2014 and bringing some senior players to guide the team"
TNBMHL site
Project 2013 hockey team wins award from sportswriters
(From left) SAM vice-president Eric Samuel, F&N Beverages Marketing consultant Datuk Kamal Harun and corporate affairs manager Carisssa Goh, SAM president Khawari Mohd Isa and vice-president Norismadi Manap.
PETALING JAYA: The national Project 2013 hockey team have been chosen to be the recipients of the Sportswriters Association of Malaysia (SAM)-100Plus “Special Award” for finishing a creditable fourth at the Junior World Cup in New Delhi last year.
The National Juniors lost 3-1 to France on penalties in the semi-finals after both teams were tied at 1-1 in regulation time. Malaysia went through the group phase unbeaten before falling to France.
“It is an award for an individual or a team who leave their mark on a tournament with a strong performance. The hockey boys’ achievement is something all Malaysians can be proud of,” said SAM president Khawari Mohd Isa at the launch of the 2013 SAM-100Plus-KBS Award ceremony at a leading hotel here on Wednesday.
The Malaysian hockey team will receive the award at the April 3 ceremony, which will be attended by Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin.
The “Special Awards” is a prelude to the SAM Awards. Among the awards up for grabs are the “Athlete of the Year”, which carries a RM10,000 incentive and a trophy, the “Comeback Athlete”, “Young Athlete” and the “Most Dynamic Association”.
It will be tough to predict the winner of the “Athlete of the Year” award this time as the list includes two world No. 1's – Datuk Lee Chong Wei (badminton) and Datuk Nicol David (squash).
The others shortlisted for the award are Sazali Samad (body building), Pandelela Rinong-Leong Mun Yee (diving) and Diana Bong-Hon Mun Hua (wushu).
The winners will be decided by SAM members.
F&N Beverages Marketing Sdn Bhd corporate affairs manager Carissa Goh said they are pleased with the partnership with SAM, which enters its 11th year.
“It has been more than a decade since we began our collaboration with SAM and we at 100Plus are more than pleased with this partnership. Ultimately, I believe that we are all here for the same purpose – to promote sporting excellence and give support to our local sportsmen and women,” she said.
The SAM members are also in for a windfall at the awards ceremony as they stand to win a total of RM40,000 in cash prizes.
The “SAM-KBS Media Awards” is divided into six categories – with the overall winner of the “Anugerah Utama” receiving RM7,000 and a trophy.
The six categories are for news report (print); commentary (print); news report (electronic); commentary (electronic); special report (print & electronic); and best photography. The “Anugerah Utama” winner will be picked from the winners of the six categories.
The winner of the six categories will each receive RM3,000 and a trophy. All five nominees from each of the six categories will get RM500 and a crystal medal.
The Star of Malaysia
Sports Commissioner ignored
The Malaysian Hockey Confederation has shown that it does not understand simple instructions as evident with the organizing of a so called briefing session for its affiliates.
MHC had sent out an email last Friday to all its affiliates seeking the attendance of Presidents and secretaries to a briefing session by the Director General of the Sports commissioners Office. This briefing was to e held in Ipoh and it largely touched on constitutional matters.
However checks with the Sports Commissioner Ahmad Shapawi Ismail revealed that they never requested for such a session ad had made it clear that the Sports Commissioners Office wanted to hold a special session with affiliates of the Perak Hockey Association.
“I made it very clear that the briefing is for Perak HA affiliates and not MHC. I do not know why MHC has invited their affiliates as this is something that we want to clear with Perak HA,” clarified Shapawi.
“I have directed my officers to inform MHC of this error by them and its for them to rectify it. We have no issues to discuss with MHC affiliates as all is running fine. It is Perak HA that is of our concern.”
To make matters clear, Perak HA are currently embroiled in a situation that could even render MHC illegal and hence the Sports Commissioners Office wanted to put things right in Perak.
This comes about after a complaint was filed against Ipoh City Hockey Association and the Sports Commissioners Office had directed Perak HA to investigate and revert. The investigation rvealed that a fresh election needed to be held and it was then that the Sports Commissioners Office directed ICHA and Perak HA to do so.
However both parties ignored the directive and went about doing business as usual with Perak HA even going a step further to endore a 10 year ban on the ICHA Deputy President.
And to make matters worse, certain officials of Perak HA went on to assume positions in certain districts despite not living in the said districts, thus further compounding matters.
And finally Perak HA is the onlt MHC affiliate that has yet to merge its men’s and women’s associations, thus running foul of the HC deadline of December 31 2013.
MalaysianHockey.com.my
Over 50 Schools dribbling around the World
The commonwealth dribble that has been launched ahead of Glasgow 2014 is moving at great speeds, with over 50 schools currently participating and still counting.
As part of Glasgow 2014 and under Scottish Hockey legacy brand 'Hockey Generation' we have created a fun and educational way of getting kids into hockey. They have to dribble a ball the target distance of a country or territory that are competing in the Commonwealth over the summer to add to our national total, the distance from Delhi to Glasgow.
Arduthie School in Stonehaven have already completed their target, dribbling a total distance of 40,989 metres of which they have linked these to 9 countries within the Commonwealth.
They completed their Commonwealth Dribble target as one part of Commonwealth day on 10th of March during their PE curriculum time.
PE Teacher Jenny Munro said ‘All pupils really enjoyed the event and found it great fun to learn hockey.’
If your school or hockey club are interested in getting involved in the Commonwealth Dribble then sign up here.
Scottish Hockey Union media release