News for 06 July 2015
All the news for Monday 6 July 2015
Ciriello strikes late as Kookaburras take glory in Antwerp
Over-time penalty corner drag-flick sees off Red Lions
A dramatic late goal form Chris Ciriello gave Australia a 1-0 win over host nation Belgium to secure a first place finish at the FINTRO Hockey World League Semi-Final in Antwerp.
Ciriello - who scored a hat-trick in the final of last year’s Rabobank Hockey World Cup - struck with a blistering overtime penalty corner drag-flick to give the Kookaburras a hard-earned win in a fantastic and hugely competitive match with the Red Lions.
Despite the defeat, it was a memorable day for Belgian captain John-John Dohmen, who played his 300th game for his country and was also named FINTRO Best Player. Australia’s Blake Govers, who celebrates his 19th birthday on Monday, was named as the HERO Best Young Player and also took the HERO Top Scorer Award with seven tournament goals. Ireland’s David Harte was named FINTRO Best Goalkeeper.
It was a thrilling end to a stunning two weeks of hockey in Antwerp, an event which has seen big crowds enjoy watching some of the world’s finest teams compete for the chance to reach the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
In the 3-4 play-off match, team captain Barry Middleton celebrated his 350th international appearance with a goal as Great Britain powered to a convincing 5-1 win over India to claim third place. Australia, Belgium and Great Britain all achieved Olympic qualification at the event in Antwerp, with fourth placed India having already booked their Olympic ticket last year thanks to their triumph at the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon, Korea.
Earlier in the day, Ireland’s Green Machine increased their chances of becoming the first Irish team, in any sport, to qualify for the Olympics since 1948 by claiming a fifth place finish with victory over Malaysia. Ireland will have to wait until the completion of this year’s Continental Championships before they find out if they have done enough to earn their ticket to Rio.
In the 7-8 play-off match, goals from Simon Brisac-Martin and Hugo Genestet helped France to a 2-1 victory against Pakistan.
More information on the final standings, player awards and the day’s matches can be found below.
Final Standings: 1. Australia 2. Belgium 3. Great Britain 4. India 5. Ireland 6. Malaysia 7. France 8. Pakistan 9. Poland 10. China
Individual awards:
FINTRO Best Player Award: John-John Dohmen (BEL)
HERO Best Young Player Award: Blake Govers (AUS)
FINTRO Best Goalkeeper Award: David Harte (IRL)
HERO Top Scorer: Blake Govers (AUS) - 7 goals
1-2: Australia 1-0 Belgium
A dramatic late goal form Chris Ciriello gave Australia a 1-0 win over host nation Belgium to secure a first place finish at the FINTRO Hockey World League Semi-Final in Antwerp. Ciriello - who scored a hat-trick in the final of last year’s Rabobank Hockey World Cup - struck with a blistering overtime penalty corner drag-flick to give the Kookaburras a hard-earned win in a fantastic and hugely competitive match with the Red Lions.
Despite the defeat, it was a memorable day for Belgian captain John-John Dohmen, who played his 300th game for his country and was also named FINTRO Best Player. Australia’s Blake Govers, who celebrates his 19th birthday on Monday, was named as the HERO Best Young Player and also took the HERO Top Scorer Award with seven tournament goals. Ireland’s David Harte was named FINTRO Best Goalkeeper.
Belgium came out firing at the start of a pulsating match, with a huge, largely Belgian crowd watching on in delight as Australian goalkeeper Andrew Charter was forced into action on numerous occasions. The Kookaburras defence, marshalled by 2014 FIH Player of the Year Mark Knowles, held firm before an evenly contested but feisty second quarter ended goal-less.
The Australians had the better of the third and fourth quarters, with Red Lions keeper Vincent Vanasch making a brilliant reaction glove save from a Kiel Brown snapshot before a top class penalty corner block in the final minute in the match ahead of the most dramatic of finishes. With four seconds of the match remaining, a smart video referral from Jamie Dwyer resulted in a penalty corner with four seconds of the match remaining, with Chris Ciriello sending a rocket flick into the goal to win the match.
“It was a great flick”, said Australia captain Mark Knowles after the match. “We put him under a lot of pressure and him, Blake Govers and Kieran Govers in this tournament have been really good. We want guys to step up at big moments and that was a really big moment, so well done to Chris for that.”
Belgian talisman John-John Dohmen said: “It was a really nice game. It has been a good tournament for us and for Australia as well, they had a really good game and their victory is well deserved. We tried everything, but we had a good tournament and that is the main thing.
3-4 Play-off: Great Britain 5-1 India
Barry Middleton celebrated his 350th international appearance with a goal as Great Britain powered to a convincing 5-1 win over India to claim third place at the FINTRO Hockey World League Semi-Finals.
“It’s been a good week”, said team captain Middleton, reflecting both on his milestone and the crucial fact that his team achieved qualification for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games here in Antwerp. “Obviously it is nice to get 350 caps, but this was all about qualifying for the Olympics. Once we had done that, we had the chance to show how good a team we are. We did that against Australia without getting the win, but we wanted to finish the tournament off properly today and I think we went and did that.”
Great Britain soaked up some Indian pressure early on before snatching an early lead through Alastair Brogdon got a crucial touch on Dan Fox’s backhand strike from a second phase penalty corner.
Chris Griffiths doubled the advantage in the second quarter with an instinctive touch from a superb Nick Catlin pass before GB produced a rampant third quarter performance to effectively kill the contest, with Ashley Jackson, Adam Dixon and Middleton taking the score to 5-0.
India scored a consolation in the final minute thanks to Rupinder Singh, who sent a low drag-flick past goalkeeper James Bailey, who replaced George Pinner four minutes earlier.
“I think we started very poorly and gave GB too much of an advantage,” said India captain Sardar Singh. “We are playing with a new strategy and it took some time to adjust, but we have some young players who have done very well playing against higher ranked teams and learned a lot.”
5-6 Play-off: Ireland 4-1 Malaysia
Ireland kept their Olympic dreams very much alive with a 4-1 victory over Malaysia. The Green Machine got off to the best of starts with two quick goals from Kyle Good and then Peter Caruth, and despite a Malaysia fightback, the Ireland team remains on course to be the first team, in any sport, from Ireland to qualify for the Olympics since 1948.
Good's goal was created by Caruth, who cracked the ball into the circle for Good to deflect past Roslan Jamaluddin in the Malaysia goal. Caruth then scored a goal of his own – a scorcher from the top of the 'D'.
The second half saw Chris Cargo come tantalisingly close to adding to the Ireland scoreline with a full-length dive onto a crisp pass. Jamaluddin breathed a sigh of relief as the ball whizzed past post and player.
Ireland's third, and the goal that gave Ireland a comfortable cushion, was scored by Alan Sothern. He picked out a flying ball from Michael Darling and directed it past the oncoming 'keeper.
Ireland survived five penalty corners in the last 10 minutes, but on the sixth attempt, Faiz Jali found the net with a deflection past Harte. With just 40 seconds left on the clock, Ireland made it four, with a breakaway goal from Michael Darling.
"We will be watching all the other results in the Continental Championships to see if we are going to Rio," said Harte, speaking after the game.
7-8 Play-off: Pakistan 1-2 France
"A bit of French flair", was the verdict of Francois Sheefer, as 18th-ranked France outplayed their higher-ranked rivals, Pakistan (10) to record a seventh place finish at the FINTRO Hockey World League Semi-Final.
France took the lead through Simon Brisac-Martin after Martin Genestet ran the ball behind the Pakistan defence and slipped to his teammate.
Pakistan nearly got back into the game when Muhammad Ali flicked the ball past the French 'keeper Martin Zylbermann but Muhammad Waqas just failed to connect.
Moments later there was high drama as Mazhar Abbas in the Pakistan goal came out of his area and fouled the Brisac-Martin. Abbas was dismissed from the field of play in his first appearance at the tournament.
France doubled their lead on the stroke of half-time through Hugo Genestet. His shot rattled off the post into the goal.
The Greenshirts reduced the deficit through a fantastic reverse stick shot from Toseeq, but the flurry of Pakistan attacking play was too little, too late.
"We wanted to finish well and show what we are capable of," continued Sheefer after the game. "It is what is expected of us I think – sometimes we can play brilliantly, sometimes not so much, it is like our rugby and football teams."
FIH site
Kookas dramatic win
Ciriello's PC goal two seconds from full time wins Kookaburras World League in Antwerp
An overtime penalty corner goal by Chris Ciriello following the final hooter won the Kookaburras the World League Semi Final tournament in the most dramatic of circumstances, earning a 1-0 over hosts Belgium, on Sunday.
Spurred on by a full house crowd, Belgium held out the World Champions for almost the full 60 minutes in Antwerp with the match coming within two seconds of going to a shoot-out.
Having withstood the hosts’ early pressure, the Kookaburras were well in control of proceedings throughout the second half but it took a flowing late counter attack as the clock ticked down to help seal the outcome.
Bursting out of a deep midfield position, Simon Orchard found Blake Govers inside the Belgian half. A first time pass from Govers found Daniel Beale and the Queenslander found the foot of a Belgium defender inside the circle.
And it was Beale whose penalty corner injection was trapped perfectly at the top of the circle by Orchard for Ciriello to flick inside the left post and win the match.
18 year-old Blake Govers, who turns 19 on Monday, was later named the tournament’s top scorer and Best Junior Player after netting seven goals.
Kookaburras coach Graham Reid said afterwards, “We didn’t plan to bring it down to the wire like that but it’s always good to win.
“Today was a good experience with the crowd. That’s really important and I think our guys handled it well.
“I felt that our second half performance was pretty tops - the pressure that we had on them. Our defence was really good. We created a lot more of the opportunities but unfortunately didn’t put the ball in the net.
“We talked about it before the game; we prepared them that we just needed to be patient with our game plan. The referred pressure that we put on teams becomes more apparent as the game goes on, that was pleasing to see.”
Speaking about Blake Govers, who made his senior international debut in May and was playing in his first major international tournament, Reid added, “He’s had a good start to his career. He’s the sort of guy who listens, he’s very coachable. And, of course, he’ll come away from this tournament with lots of good memories and lots to learn.”
While Ciriello’s goal won the tie, the goalkeepers were amongst the heroes of the day with all three – Australian pair Andrew Charter and Tyler Lovell, playing in his 50th match, and Belgium’s Vincent Vanasch – pulling off a strong of top saves.
Vanasch’s stunning reflex dive low to his right to deny Australian Kiel Brown late in the third period was the pick of several stops that also included a full length dive to deny Eddie Ockenden and a strong save from Blake Govers’ late penalty corner.
At the other end, Andrew Charter’s double denial of Belgium at the game’s first penalty corner was crucial as the Kookaburras found their feet in the match. And Tyler Lovell’s glove save to thwart a late Belgian counter attack came at just the right time.
Ciriello was already public enemy number one with the partisan home fans after a verbal altercation with Tanguy Cosyns in the second quarter that saw both players sin binned. The Victorian was subsequently booed every time he touched the ball but ultimately silenced his critics with the late strike.
In a fantastic example of sportsmanship late on and with the scores locked at 0-0, Kieran Govers ran to the umpire to tell him that the ball had hit the foot of an Australin player before Govers lashed it into the net.
It is the fourth time in little over a year that Ciriello’s goals have been crucial in a major final after his hat-tricks in the Grand Finals of the World Cup and Commonwealth Games, and four goals in the 2014 Sultan Azlan Shah Cup final.
The Kookaburras will have the chance to meet Belgium again in the World League Finals tournament at the end of the year in India, which will also feature Germany, the Netherlands, Great Britain, Argentina, India and Canada.
Hockey World League
Antwerp, Belgium
Final
KOOKABURRAS: 1 (0)
Chris Ciriello 60 (PC)
BELGIUM: 0 (0)
-
Kookaburras squad v Belgium
Name (Hometown/State) Caps/Goals
Started
Andrew Charter (Canberra, ACT) 98/0
Chris Ciriello (Melbourne, VIC) 170/110
Tim Deavin (Launceston, TAS) 113/5
Jamie Dwyer (Rockhampton, QLD) 341/222
Blake Govers (Wollongong, NSW) 13/11
Fergus Kavanagh (Geraldton, WA) 206/14
Mark Knowles (Rockhampton, QLD) 265/22
Eddie Ockenden (Hobart, TAS) 252/62
Simon Orchard (Maitland, NSW) 178/54
Jake Whetton (Brisbane, QLD) 97/41
Tristan White (Wollongong, NSW) 63/3
Used Substitutes
Daniel Beale (Brisbane, QLD) 64/12
Kiel Brown (Toowoomba, QLD) 168/6
Matt Gohdes (Rockhampton, QLD) 131/39
Kieran Govers (Wollongong, NSW) 108/56
Tyler Lovell (Perth, WA) 50/0
Matthew Swann (Mackay, QLD) 122/6
Aran Zalewski (Margaret River, WA) 66/6
Classification Fixtures & Results
9th/10th: Poland 4-2 China
7th/8th: Pakistan 1-2 France
5th/6th: Ireland 4-1 Malaysia
3th/4th: Great Britain 5-1 India
1st/2nd: Australia 1-0 Belgium
Final classification
1st: Australia
2nd: Belgium
3rd: Great Britain
4th: India
5th: Ireland
6th: Malaysia
7th: France
8th: Pakistan
9th: Poland
10th: China
Hockey Australia media release
Australia down Belgium 1-0 in title encounter
ANTWERP (Belgium): Chris Ciriello sent a low drag flick into the right corner of the goal in the dying seconds for World champion Australia to defeat host Belgium 1-0 in the title encounter of the Hockey World League Semi-Final at the KHC Dragons Stadium here on Sunday.
The title encounter seemed headed for the penalty shootout after Australia's two successive penalty corners in the last 25 seconds. Ciriello finally found the target by placing the shot wide of the Belgian goalkeeper's reach.
It was a heart-breaking moment for the partisan crowd and Belgian goalkeeper Jeremy Gucassoff, who played a gallant game on Sunday to thwart repeated raids by the Australian strikers.
World No 1 Australia laid siege on the Belgian citadel in the second half, forcing numerous penalty corners, but the goal eluded them as Belgium defended stoutly.
Goalkeeper Gucassoff frequently dived to the sides and leapt in the air to block goal-bound shots. During this period, Belgium banked on a few breakaway counters that posed some danger at the other end of the pitch.
Australia managed to put the ball into the goal three minutes from the hooter and the umpire blew for goal, but it was reversed as the ball had hit to foot of striker Blake Govers inside the scoring circle.
For a while in the first half, Belgium had an advantage as Australian player Tristan White was shown the yellow card and was off the turf for an extended period.
It became a nine men versus 10 contest when a player of either side were suspended for two minutes owing to a midfield clash, while White was still off the field. But Australia's strong defence did not allow Belgium to gain any benefit.
Belgium's best chance came early in the second half when their ace striker Tom Boon flicked just wide from close range.
Earlier, Great Britain claimed the bronze medal by defeating India 5-1 in the playoff between the teams beaten in the semifinal.
This was Britain's biggest ever victory in a hockey international against Indian men, the previous best being the 3-0 win at the Seoul Olympics in a preliminary round match before Britain went on to win the gold medal.
All four semifinalists form this World League Semi-Final qualified for the 2016 Olympics Games, with India making the grade as the gold medalists at the Incheon Asian Games.
Malaysia's effort to boost the Asian challenge at the Olympic Games, after Pakistan's failure, was hampered when Ireland defeated them 4-2 in the playoff for the fifth-place.
Ireland enhanced their claim to play in the Olympic hockey competition for the first time in over 100 years. Malaysia, finishing sixth here, now await the countdown after the five continental champions have been decided.
Pakistan suffered another defeat on Sunday as France beat them 2-1 in the playoff for the seventh and eighth spots.
The Times of India
Rampant Great Britain finish on a high with India win
Barry Middleton marked his 350th international appearance with a goal. Credit World Sport Pics Frank Uijlenbroek
A stunning attacking display from Bobby Crutchley’s Great Britain side blew India away as five different players helped themselves to goals in a 5-1 win. Alastair Brogdon, Chris Griffiths, Ashley Jackson, Adam Dixon and Barry Middleton were on the score sheet as Great Britain ran riot in Belgium. Middleton’s goal was particularly fitting, coming as it did on his 350th international appearance.
The win gave GB third place in the tournament and confirmed a place in both the World League Final and at the Rio Olympics.
It was India who had the game’s first clear opening. Akashdeep Singh broke free down the left leaving defenders in his wake but as he cut in towards goal the giant frame of goalkeeper George Pinner slammed the door shut with a fine block at the near post.
Great Britain who took the lead in the 11th minute. Sam Ward showed some good improvisation to win GB their first penalty corner. Although Jackson’s drag flick was charged down, it fell to Dan Fox who smashed a backhand towards the far corner where Brogdon touched the ball in to open the scoring.
India started the second quarter strongly but some impeccable defending from Iain Lewers held them at bay in the opening exchanges. Having weathered the storm Great Britain doubled their lead with a lovely second goal. Nick Catlin’s long pass into the circle was touched in by Griffiths who had slipped away from his marker. The umpires consulted the video umpire and the goal was given. Great Britain held a 2-0 lead at the break and Griffiths had his third goal of the competition.
Catlin was causing havoc for the India defence at the start of the second half, an early chance for Jackson went begging but it was a sign of things to come. Great Britain ran riot in the third quarter scoring three times without reply. The first was a flowing move after Pinner made a superb save in a one-on-one situation. The goalkeeper had the presence of mind to kick the ball out to Dixon, launching a counterattack. The No16 found Ward who beat his man in the final third and teed up Jackson to slot home. Dixon got in on the act with the fourth from a lovely penalty corner deflection and then it was 5-0 as the man of the moment, Middleton marked the special occasion with a calm finish from close range.
In the final quarter Brogdon almost added a sixth but his backhand shot flew over the top. India fought hard to build some attacking momentum and won a penalty corner with seven minutes left. Jasit Singh Kular took the shot but he couldn’t hit the target and the effort went wide.
Mark Gleghorne seemed to be having a personal battle with Sreejesh as he sought to add his name to the score sheet. The goalkeeper was forced into action to see off a series of penalty corners from the No14 as GB hunted more goals. James Bailey came on to replace Pinner in the GB goal and the Wimbledon stopper was beaten in the final minute by a fierce penalty corner from Rupinder Singh. It did not affect the result and GB ran out impressive 5-1 winners.
Quotes – Great Britain Captain Barry Middleton
“It’s been a good two weeks. We’ve had a big six or seven months coming into this tournament where we weren’t sure what to expect or where we were as a group. We know we are a good team but we needed to prove it. We pride ourselves on finishing strong in tournaments because that’s where you win medals. It was great to do finish strong again today.
We want to be better in front of goal because that’s how you win games. We’re very good defensively and hard to beat but we want to be better at scoring goals and breaking teams down. We had a great intensity against Australia, but we needed to do that again today and make them chase us, which we did. It’s nice to execute a game plan like that.
We are capable of games like this. It’s hard work out there and we put a lot in to get ourselves into such a strong position. The last couple of minutes were a bit slower but I can promise you it wasn’t comfortable before that. I want to score in every game but it’s one of those things to score on my 350th appearance. It looks nice on the outside and it’s a good feeling but as long as we’re winning 5-1 I don’t mind who’s on the score sheet!”
Great Britain Head Coach – Bobby Crutchley
“It was a very good performance. Considering it’s the last game of a really tough tournament, to play with that intensity and control the game like that is very good. I’m proud of the players. It’s nice to finish with a big win and it’s our best display in a long time.
One of the key things was to take the lead early. It meant India had to come out at us meaning we could exploit the space behind them. We created chances well and we showed we have the players capable of causing teams problems. We were brave and aggressive in attack but really disciplined in defence, we didn’t give them a lot of chances.
We want to win these tournaments and although we qualified for Rio we wanted to be in the final here. We have a big challenge to get on a par with teams like Australia but we’re certainly heading the right way.”
Great Britain 5 (2)
Alastair Brogdon 11 (PC)
Chris Griffiths 27 (FG)
Ashley Jackson 37 (FG)
Adam Dixon 42 (PC)
Barry Middleton 44 (FG)
India 1 (0)
Rupinder Singh 60 (PC)
Great Britain Hockey media release
Great Britain defeat India to clinch 3rd place in the World League tournament
By Mike Haymonds
Ashley Jackson was key for Team GB again
GREAT BRITAIN clinched third place with an emphatic 5-1 victory over India at the World League in Antwerp, having already qualified for the Rio Olympics.
Goals from Alastair Brogdon, Chris Griffiths, Ashley Jackson, Adam Dixon and Barry Middleton, earning his 350th combined cap, confirmed England’s impressive tournament performance as they were undefeated in six of their seven games, losing only to world champions Australia in their semi-final.
GB controlled most of the game as their defence offered India’s forwards precious few chances and India’s playmaker and captain Sardar Singh was effectively policed in midfield.
GB had a two-goal lead at half time and were five up after the third quarter before Rupinder Singh converted India’s second penalty corner in the final minute.
GB opened the scoring in the 11th minute when Brogdon got a crucial touch on the far post to a Dan Fox rebound shot at their first penalty corner .
On 27 minutes Griffiths added a second with an instinctive deflection to a Nick Catlin pass.
Jackson twice came close in the third quarter before Sam Ward drove into the D and squared for him to find an open net.
Two goals inside two minutes late in the third quarter made victory secure as Mark Gleghorne set up Dixon for a fourth before Middleton slammed in a pass from David Condon.
There were no further GB goals in the final period with the closest effort a backhand shot from Brogdon over the bar. GB replaced keeper George Pinner giving James Bailey his first action in the tournament but, after two unsuccessful late penalty corners for GB, Bailey was beaten by Rupinder Singh’ s last minute corner conversion.
GB coach Bobby Crutchley said: “Considering it’s the last game of the tournament, to play it with that intensity and control the game like that is very good. I’m proud of the players. It’s nice to finish with a big win and it’s our best display in a long time.
“One of the key things was to take the lead early. It meant India had to come out at us, meaning we could exploit the space behind them. We created chances well and showed we have the players capable of causing teams problems. We were brave and aggressive in attack but really disciplined in defence. We didn’t give them a lot of chances.
“We want to win these tournaments and, although we qualified for Rio, we wanted to be in the final here. We have a big challenge to get on a par with teams like Australia but we’re certainly heading in the right direction.”
GB skipper Middleton said: Obviously, it is nice to get 350 caps but this is all about qualifying for the Olympics. Once we had done that we had the chance to show how good a team we are.”
Australia beat the hosts Belgium 1-0 in a terrific final with Chris Ciriello firing the winner with a corner strike after the final hooter.
Australia, Belgium and Great Britain have qualified for Rio while fourth placed India are also qualified after winning last year’s Asian Games.
Ireland still have hopes to make it to Rio after beating Malaysia 4-1 for fifth place with goals from Kyle Good, Peter Caruth, Alan Sothern and Mitch Darling. If they do qualify, they will be the first Ireland team in any sport to reach the Olympics since 1948.
The Daily Express
Great Britain men defeat India to take World League Hockey bronze on Barry Middleton's 350th cap
Captain Barry Middleton scores on landmark cap as Great Britain gear up for European Championships with podium performance
By Rod Gilmour
On the up: Great Britain lost one game in Antwerp on way to World League bronze Photo: WORLDSPORTPICS.COM
Great Britain finished a highly satisfactory World League campaign by hammering India 5-1 in Antwerp, Belgium on Sunday afternoon.
Captain Barry Middleton scored on his 350th combined appearance for Great Britain and England, while there were three penalty corner goals in all, a welcome shot in the arm ahead of next month's EuroHockey Championships in London where Holland and Germany will pose a greater threat.
"It's been a good week and nice to get 350 caps," said Middleton, with Great Britain not only qualifying for Rio 2016, but also cementing their place in the World League finals in December.
"Once we'd qualified for the Olympics, we wanted to show what a good side we are. We did that against Australia without getting a win, so we wanted to put that right against India.
"It's something we've prided ourselves on where we've finished games strongly and still had something to offer."
Middleton is certainly doing just that at the helm of the Great Britain side. It was only last summer when he broke Russell Garcia's 307-cap mark to become the most decorated home international. Now he is set to lead the side in Rio - his fourth Olympics.
In Antwerp, defeat to Australia represented their only loss in seven World League matches. Against India, they were never put under threat and their superior fitness and midfield domination garnered four second-half goals.
Alastair Brogdon was accredited with the deflected opener, but Dan Fox did the initial work as his penalty corner strike was destined to find the net cleanly. It would also have represented the defender's first since London 2012.
Chris Griffiths' goal before the break gave Bobby Crutchley's side the ascendancy, but it was three second-half goals in seven minutes which put paid to India's hopes of bronze.
Chris Cirello then underpinned Australia's short corner dominance when he netted a last-gasp shot against Belgium, with the final heading for a shoot out.
Sunday's last round of matches saw the culmination of a month-long and congested series of World League events to determine a majority of the Rio 2016 berths.
GB women had already qualified by winning the Valencia event two weeks ago.
The Telegraph
GB exposes Indian chink five times to one
s2h team
Antwerp (Belgium): Displaying perfect drill on everything they did, Great Britain exposed Indian chinks like never before and in the process walked with easy looking bronze on the final day of the Hockey World League Semifinals at Antwerp in Belgium.
Great Britain stamped its dominance throughout the proceedings and won the game fittingly with one-sided score of 5-1, the lone consolation goal coming off the tired and jaded Rupinder Pal Singh.
After ten minutes of domination, Great Britain went ahead with the first penalty corner when Alastair Brogdon did no mistake in finding the nets on the rebound shot.
In the 27th minute, a long pass by Nick Catlin from outside the semicircle was spectacularly connected by agile Chris Griffiths which really spent shivers down the spines of India. His touch on the ball went into the nets, leaving Indian goalie Sreejesh with no chance to react.
Four minutes into the third quarter, Chinglensana from the right flank passed the ball to Akashdeep Singh in the D and who on his part was slow in capitalizing on the good pass.
In the 37th minute India was seen again in the attack as a very good pass from Lalit Upadhyay to Ramandeep Singh in the D proved to be a golden chance for the latter as there was only the goalkeeper to beat. But unfortunately for Ramandeep, the opponent goalie saved and this was followed by an immediate counter attack by Great Britain, giving Ashley Jackson to convert the easiest of goal.
Indian worked hard to contain the British and also did well to ward off a penalty corner. In the next penalty corner in the 42nd min Adam Dixon finished a neat job (4-0). This was closely followed by another brilliant field goal by Barry Middleton in the 44th minute and third quarter scores stood at 5-0 in their favour.
The fourth and final quarter saw the Indian team increasing its tempo of attack as they could pile up some pressure. Half way into the quarter India had their first shot at the penalty corner and Jasjit Singh taking the flick was wide of the goal box. 56th minute Great Britain got one more penalty corner to their name and Manpreet Singh running out of the goal box averted the danger through his stick. Just a minute left into the game, India through a penalty corner opportunity saw Rupinder Pal Singh finding the nets giving the opponent goalie no chance to stop, taking the score to 1-5.
Stick2Hockey.com
Indian defence crumbles, lose 1-5 to Great Britain
ANTWERP: India's defence crumbled in the bronze medal playoff as they crashed to a 1-5 defeat against Great Britain for a fourth-place finish at the World League Semifinals on Sunday.
This is Britain's biggest victory in a hockey international against Indian men, the previous best being the 3-0 win at the Seoul Olympics in a preliminary round match before Britain went on to win the gold medal.
The only time Britain had scored four goals against India was at the 2012 Olympic Games in London.
The Indian defence fell apart as they were frequently caught off-guard by counter-attacks, but the defenders also faltered on penalty corners twice.
Goals from Alastair Brogdon (11th minute), Chris Griffiths (27th), Ashley Jackson (37th), Adam Dixon (42nd) and captain Barry Middleton (44th) gave Britain a five-goal lead before India pulled one back through Rupinder Pal Singh's penalty corner conversion in the 59th minute.
Britain started with the first raid into the Indian circle in the third minute, but the Indian defenders managed to hold their ground without any panic.
India striker Akashdeep Singh ran down the left flank and into the scoring zone, but had no support to receive the cross and he sent a reverse hit straight to the goalkeeper. Britain took the lead in the 11th minute when Alastair Brogdon got a touch to a reverse shot from Dan Fox into the right corner of the Indian goal.
India created some ripple in the British circle in the 17th minute when Nikkin Thimmaiah picked up a long ball deep in the British territory and dribbled his way past a defender on the edge of the circle, but failed to have a clear look at the goal.
Finding the goalkeeper blocking his sight of the goal, Thimmaiah gave a back-pass they went a begging for want of opportunism among Indian strikers.
Britain's second goal game in the 27th minute on a counter-attack after Manpreet Singh moved up into the rival circle, exchanging wall-passes with Satbir Singh, but could not have a crack at the citadel in the crowded circle.
The quick clearance saw Nick Catlin send a long ball down the middle that Chris Griffiths deflected into the goal with the Indian defence just not in the frame.
The third British goal also came on a brisk switchover after Ramandeep Singh muffed an opening by sending a soft flick into onrushing goalkeeper George Pinner after getting a good ball and some open space in front in the 37th minute.
Ward beat the goalkeeper with his deft cross that was tapped into the goal by Jackson.
Dixon deflected in a penalty corner drive into the goal in the 42nd minute and captain Middleton capitalised on a cross from Ward two minutes later to make it 5-0.
India forced two penalty corners in the last seven minutes and Rupinder, who did not play a major role in today's game, sent a low drag-flick into the left corner of the goal.
Britain had defeated India 2-1 through a last-minute goal in the last encounter between the two nations, during the World Cup at The Hague last year.
All four semifinalists form this World League Semifinals qualified for the 2016 Olympics Games, with India making the grade as the gold medallists at the Incheon Asian Games.
Malaysia's effort to boost the Asian challenge at the Olympic Games, after Pakistan's failure, was hampered today when Ireland defeated them 4-2 in the playoff for the fifth- place.
Ireland enhanced their claim to play in the Olympic hockey competition for the first time in over 100 years. Malaysia, finishing sixth here, now await the countdown after the five continental champions have been decided.
Pakistan suffered another defeat as France beat them 2-1 in the playoff for the seventh and eighth spots.
The Times of India
Indian team needs to organize defence better: Sardar Singh
ANTWERP: After suffering a 1-5 loss to Great Britain, India captain Sardar Singh on Sunday said his team needs to organise its defence better if it has to be ranked among the top international sides.
India conceded five goals as their defence crumbled in the bronze medal fixture of the World League Semifinals at the KHC Dragons Stadium.
The defeat meant Sardar's team lost a chance of featuring on the podium ahead of the World League Finals that India will be hosting later this year.
Four top teams from both World League Semifinals will qualify for the tournament, to be played from November 28 to December 6 in Raipur, Chattisgarh.
"We need to organise our game better and the defensive structure is a crucial part of it," said Sardar, dejected to have let in five goals against Britain.
This was the first time Britain had scored five times in one game against India. The previous biggest win was 3-0 during the Seoul Olympics of 1988. In 2012 at the London, Britain had managed to score four goals against India but India retorted with two goals of their own.
The Indian defensive structure today fell apart as they were frequently caught off-guard by counter-attacks, but the defenders also faltered on penalty corners twice.
Goals from Alastair Brogdon (11th minute), Chris Griffiths (27th), Ashley Jackson (37th), Adam Dixon (42nd) and captain Barry Middleton (44th) gave Britain a five-goal lead before India pulled one back through Rupinder Pal Singh's penalty corner conversion in the 59th minute.
"The breakdown of our defensive structure was a letdown for the team that aspired to put up a good show," said Sardar.
The captain said India's strikers also need to be quick in taking chances when they come their way.
"We need more enhanced skills, but quick finishing is also essential," he said.
"You can't show any laziness and hope to do well in international sport," said Sardar.
Coach Paul van Ass said the pace of the game against Britain today proved too much for the Indian team.
"The difference today was that the Indian players are not used to this pace of the game," said van Ass.
"We are still two steps behind the top teams. When the pace goes up, we fall apart," he said asserting that the team needs to work on its structure and also play more matches against the top teams to be able to improve to the next level.
"These players are not playing any real internationals at the highest level," he said.
Van Ass said the juniors would benefit a lot from this tournament as they are going back after making the World League Finals as a right, and not just as hosts.
The right to play in the World League Final has been earned by the top four teams from both Semifinals tournaments - in Antwerp and Velencia.
The Times of India
Ireland beat Malaysia,on the verge of Olympic dream coming true
Photo:FIH
Ireland have done all they can to secure their spot at the Rio Olympics with a polished 4-1 victory over world number 12 Malaysia today. Goals from Good, Caruth, Sothern and Darling put the game out of reach of a pacey Malaysian side that struggled to take their chances.
The Green Machine got off to the perfect start with a goal each for Good and Caruth in the opening 10 minutes. Malaysia enjoyed the bulk of possession but pressure from the Irish defence and superb goal keeping from Harte meant the sides went into the half 2-0 to the Irish.
2 clear missed chances, one on open goal, by Malaysia could have proved the turning point of the match but the Irish looked more clinical with their chances throughout. Mitch Darling with a precise backhand pass expertly setting Sothern up for a tap in in front of goal in the 40th minute. Malaysia earned a goal back in the 55th minute thanks to a deflected shot by Faiz from a training-ground PC routine.
Steady heads and maturity came to the forefront for the Irish as the clock wound down and this time it was the turn of Darling to get on the score sheet and make it 4-1 from a diving deflected shot by O’Donoghue.
The victory earns Ireland a 5th place finish at Hockey World League in Antwerp, having beaten 2 teams ranked higher than them along the way. But more importantly the 5th spot gives Ireland every chance of going to Rio. For the Green Machine to not compete at the Olympics 3 things must occur:
Brazil finish 6th or higher at the Pan Am games and claim their host spot
New Zealand win the Oceania Continental Championships
Egypt win the African Continental Championships
Hockey World League Antwerp
Ireland 4 (Good, Caruth, Sothern, Darling) vs 1 Malaysia
Team: Harte, Jackson, Bell, Gormley, Watt, Cargo, Sothern, Dowds, O’Donoghue, Darling, Gleghorne
Subs: Magee, Caruth, Shimmins, Carlisle, Good, Harte, Fitzgerald
Irish Hockey Association media release
Ireland hockey team keep Olympic qualification dreams alive with latest victory
A 4-1 win over Malaysia in Belgium clinched fifth place in the World Hockey League.
Michael Darling celebrates winning with teammates Source: Koen Suyk/INPHO
IRELAND’S SENIOR MEN’S hockey team have taken a major step to sealing qualification for next year’s Olympics in Rio.
A 4-1 victory over Malaysia in today’s World Hockey League play-off in Antwerp earned the Green Machine a fifth-place finish, which could prove enough to clinch a spot at the Games.
The final places won’t be confirmed until all the continental championships have been completed, however.
Two goals in the first ten minutes set Ireland on their way as Kyle Good and Peter Caruth both found the back of the net early on.
Ireland goalkeeper Davy Hare was called into action, before Malaysia wasted two big chances. In the 40th minute, Mitch Darling teed up Alan Sothern to make it 3-0.
Malaysia narrowed the deficit to two goals in the 55th minute, but Darling then added a fourth for Ireland via a deflected shot from Shane O’Donoghue.
IRELAND: Harte, Jackson, Bell, Gormley, Watt, Cargo, Sothern, Dowds, O’Donoghue, Darling, Gleghorne
Subs: Magee, Caruth, Shimmins, Carlisle, Good, Harte, Fitzgerald.
The 42
Ireland hockey team keep Olympic dream alive
Ireland 4 Malaysia 1
The Irish mens hockey team are on track to qualify for next year's Olympic Games in Rio following a brilliant 4-1 win over Malaysia today in Antwerp.
Following their 1-0 win over Pakistan during the week, the Irish knew that only a win would keep their hopes of qualifying for next year's Games alive.
Today's victory means they finished fifth in the World Hockey League and will be in Rio next year if results in the continental championships go their way.
The win over Malaysia was never in doubt with Good fired home from close range early on. Peter Caruth added a spectacular second with a shot from the edge of the circle as Ireland took a comfortable 2-0 lead into the end of the first quarter.
Although it was the Boys In Green who were making all the running, Irish keeper Davey Harte was called into action on a couple of occasions and made some fine saves.
Hero against Pakistan, Alan Sothern, was on target for Ireland's third when he scored after great play by Mitch Darling and Ireland were in cruise control.
Darling added Ireland's fourth when he deflected the ball in the Malaysian net late on. The Irish must wait on other results to see if they have done enough.
The Irish Independent
Malaysia shoot themselves in foot... again
by Jugjet Singh
MALAYSIA crumbled like dominoes to hand Ireland their first ever Olympics ticket when they went down 4-1 in the Fifth-Sixth placing match in the World League Semifinals in Antwerp, Belgium yesterday.
By finishing fifth, Ireland are assured of playing in the Rio de Janeiro Olympics, while Malaysia will have to wait their turn and hope on luck that there are plenty of double qualifications from the Oceania Cup, Pan American, European Cup and that hosts Brazil do not finish in the top six bracket in the Pan American.
The players only have themselves to blame as they had two golden chances to qualify but blew the quarterfinals 3-2 against India, and then went crashing against the Irish.
Now Malaysia are fifth reserves behind Canada, Spain, Ireland and New Zealand.
Ireland came charging in the first quarter, and scored two quick goals to place great pressure on Malaysia. Kyle Good slotted in a cheeky goal in the fifth, while a top of the semi-circle hit from Peter Caruth in the eighth minute made it 2-0.
It was a better second quarter from Malaysia, as they won their first penalty corner immediately upon restart, but the Irish defense was stubborn.
But luck ran out of the Malaysian bench when easy sitters were blown by Faizal Saari and Haziq Shamsul, and their poor attempts made Ireland goalkeeper David Harte look good.
Coaches Tai Beng Hai, Nor Saiful Zaini and team manager Stephen van Huizen got their 10 minutes at the half-time break to motivate the players, as there is still time for Malaysia to pull off an upset.
However, the Irish were better prepared with their counter attacks and made it 3-0 when Alan Sothern tappen in a cross in the 40th minute.
After six penalty corners, finally a deflection from Faiz Jali went crashing into the net in the 55th minute.
But the Irish were in no mood to give away their win and added their fourth in the 59th minute off Michael Darling.
Meanwhile, Pakistan ended their campaign on another low when they were beaten 2-1 by France.
Simon Martin (13th) and Hugo Genestet (30th) scored for France and Muhammad Toseeq (48th) for Pakistan.
RESULTS: Final: Australia x Belgium x; Third-Fourth: India x Britain x; Fifth-Sixth: Malaysia 1 Ireland 4; Seventh-Eighth: Pakistan 1 France 2.
Jugjet's World of Field Hockey
Youth show promise
by Jugjet Singh
IF nothing else comes out of Malaysia's campaign in Antwerp, three young Malaysians players have matured to lead the country into Next years New Delhi Junior World Cup.
Meor Azuan, Shahril Saabah and Haziq Shamsul have scored goals as well as showed maturity, and they are just 21 and the right age to lead the Junior Asia Cup in Kuantan in November.
From Kuantan, four teams qualify for the Junior World Cup and the prediction is Malaysia, India, Pakistan and South Korea.
Meor, who scored a crucial goal against France to take Malaysia into the fifth-sixth bracket said: "This is my first international goal with the senior side and Oh! what a feeling is was!
"Ive played in the last Junior World Cup, but the feeling here is so much different and challenging. And it was a big relief for me to have finally helped the team by scoring against France," said Meor.
Meor, 21, scored the second goal to give Malaysia the lead, after his junior team-mate Haziq Shamsul scored the equalsier.
France had taken the lead, but the two Junior World Cup players delivered for Malaysia before seniors Faizal Shaari and Razie Rahim made it look like an easy 4-1 win.
It was Haziq's third goal of the tournament: "I'm just happy I could help Malaysia reach a playoff stage where we have a chance to the Olympics," said Haziq.
And of Malaysia do beat Ireland today and make the trip to Rio de Janeiro next year, Meor, Haziq and Shahril Saabah will be on that plane.
As for Ireland Malaysia have a good record, but records don't matter at this level.
Malaysia beat Ireland in the last two encounter -- 4-2 in the Champions Challenge in Kuantan and again 4-2 in Group B in Antwerp -- and will have to bring out their best again today.
Ireland beat Pakistan 1-0 for the first time in their history of 10 encounters, to deny them the Olympics for the first time ever.
"We will give our very best again, and I personally have a good feeling that we can beat Ireland and finish fifth here. All of us badly want to play in the Olympics, but almost missed the boat when we lost to India. We are not about to give uo our second chance though," said lanky defender Baljit Singh who stopped France during penalty corners with his kamikaze runs.
Malaysia might need to break a few bones, and receive a few cuts today to beat the Irish -- but it would be worth the ticket to Rio de Janeiro, and the tag 'Olympian' for the rest of their lives.
SUNDAY: Final: Australia v Belgium (12 midnight); third-fourth: India v Britain (9.30pm); fifth-sixth: Malaysia v Ireland (7pm); seventh-eighth: Pakistan v France (5.30pm).
Jugjet's World of Field Hockey
Poised for Olympics.
by Jugjet Singh
MALAYSIA are poised to play in the Olympics after a lapse of 16 years, as fifth and sixth placing in the World League Semifinals in Antwerp, Belgium, are bound to qualify via double qualifications.
To make matters easy for everybody, a simple explanation will be made here, as the scenario right now is same as the World League Semifinals hosted by Malaysia for the 2014 Hague World Cup.
The only difference now is that Netherlands as hosts were automatic qualifiers, while Brazil as 2016 hosts must finish among the top six in the Pan American to qualify.
Lets start with the Argentina World League Semifinals where the positions were 1 Germany, 2 Argentina, 3 Holland and 4 Canada.
And lets assume at the ongoing Antwerp World League the end positions would be 1 Australia, 2 Belgium, 3 Britain, 4 India.
Six teams, the top-three from both the World League Semifinals, are automatic qualifiers and that means Australia, Belgium, Britain, Germany, Argentina and Holland will make up six of the 12 Olympic teams.
With five continental tournaments to offer Olympic tickets as well, there is bound to be double qualification.
The Asian Games the only continental tournament which has been completed, with champions India taking up the seventh Rio de janeiro spot, and if they finish fourth in Antwerp, the first reserves would be Canada who were fourth in Argentina.
The second reserves would be Spain (higher ranked than Malaysia and Ireland), who finished fifth in Argentina, and the third reserves would be the fifth spot in Antwerp (Malaysia/Ireland), the fourth reserve would be fourth placed New Zealand in Argentina (higher ranked than Malaysia and Ireland). And finally the fifth reserves would be the sixth spot in Antwerp which could belong to either Malaysia or Ireland.
The World League format is a little long winded so bear with me.
Now, with a long history and statistics to back the claim, the other four continental champions are easy to predict.
In the Pan American it would be a toss between Argentina and Canada and this would open the first double qualification door. Likewise, Australia winning the Oceania Cup, and any of Netherlands/Germany/Belgium/Britain winning the European Championships; South Africa winning the African Cup and Brazil not making the top-six in the Pan American would open up five more tickets to the Olympics.
As for South Africa, their Olympic Council has said that since they did not qualify for the World League Semifinals, they can't go to the Olympics even if they win the African Cup -- like they always do.
If all the above has been confusing, and gibberish... rest assured that the fifth spot in Antwerp is 99 per cent going to Rio de Janeiro.
And the sixth spot in Antwerp is 80 per cent heading towards the Olympics.
So, Malaysia had better grab the 99 rather than the 80 per cent, by the horns when they meet Ireland today.
Jugjet's World of Field Hockey
Olympic dream over for Malaysia hockey team
by Aftar Singh
Malaysia's Marhan Jalil shouts in agony in the 5th-6th qualification match against Ireland at the World Hockey League Semi-Finals in Belgium on Sunday. Malaysia lost 4-1. - FIH
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia can kiss goodbye to their hopes of qualifying for next year’s Rio de Janeiro Olympics.
On Sunday, Malaysia were outplayed 4-1 by Ireland to end up in sixth place in the World Hockey League Semi-Finals at the KHC Dragons Stadium in Antwerp, Belgium.
With the loss, Malaysia go on the Olympic reserves list with Canada, Spain, New Zealand and Ireland. And realistically, they have little chance of making it although their fate will only be known after the continental tournaments are completed by October.
Despite needing a win to keep their Olympic hopes alive, Malaysia put up a pathetic show. They were also let down by poor finishing and only managed to convert one of their seven penalty corners.
National coach Tai Beng Hai was understandably disappointed.
“We started by letting in two early goals and ended up playing catch-up. We also wasted a number of sitters as well as penalty corners.
“We now will have to wait for the other continental tournaments to end before we know out fate,” lamented Beng Hai.
Ireland, who lost 4-2 to Malaysia in the group match, started off promisingly. A Peter Caruth cross from the right was well deflected into goal by Kyle Good in the fifth minute. Three minutes later, Ireland were two-up when Caruth sent Michael Darling’s pass past goalkeeper Roslan Jamaluddin.
Malaysia only managed to earn their first penalty corner in the 17th minute but Mohd Razie Abdul Rahim’s low flick was well saved by goalkeeper David Harte.
Four minutes later, forward Mohd Haziq Samsul missed a golden opportunity from close range as his low flick was well saved by Harte.
Ireland then punished Malaysia for poor defending in the 40th minute.
Chris Cargo’s cross from the left was well connected by Alan Sotheran to make it 3-0.
But Malaysia managed to narrow the deficit with a penalty corner goal by Faiz Helmi Jali in the 55th minute. Ireland, however, pressed on and were rewarded in the 60th minute when Darling sounded the board from close range.
The Star of Malaysia
Pakistan finish poor eighth at Hockey World League
By Muhammad Ali
ANTWERP: Pakistan suffered another jolt on Sunday when they were outplayed by France 2-1 in a classification match for 7th-8th positions in the Hockey World League at KHC Dragons Stadium here. The HWL, which concluded yesterday, was the qualification round for the Rio Olympic Games 2016. It was a sheer embarrassment for the Men in Green, who are ranked 10th in the world, to be outplayed by a team having 18th ranking in the world. The difference between the two teams was of planning and fitness. The national team performed as if they were not even familiar with the sport. Earlier in the pool match, France had held skipper Mohammad Imran and his charges to a 2-2 draw. Pakistan failed to qualify for the Olympics for the first time in their history when they were stunned by lowly ranked Ireland 1-0 in the classification match for 5-8 positions in the HWL on Friday. Ireland scored in the 46th minute to condemn Pakistan to another historic low. The Greenshirts had failed to feature among the 12 teams for the 2014 World Cup, an event that they have won more times than any other country.
Three-time gold medallists Pakistan are among the most successful team in Olympic hockey, only behind eight-time gold medallists India and four for Germany, which includes one by West Germany. Pakistan, who missed their first opportunity to qualify for the 2016 Olympics after losing the Incheon Asian Games final to India last year, needed to finish in top three or at least at fifth spot in the HWL to be guaranteed a spot in the Rio Summer Games 2016. But they were once again guilty of not capitalising on opportunities in front of goal. Their performance in the HWL has shattered hopes and dreams of their 180 million countrymen. The HWL presented Pakistan their last opportunity to clinch an Olympic spot. Three Olympic qualification spots are available to the top-placed teams from this competition, but some sides ranked up to the sixth place may also get a chance if any of the countries earn dual qualification by winning the continental tournaments.
“This is terrible for Pakistan hockey,” Pakistan head coach Shahnaz Sheikh, also a former captain and Olympian, said. Shahnaz, from the sidelines, saw his misfiring strikers squander several goal-scoring chances at the KHC Dragons Stadium. “If you don’t score goals, you lose. It is as simple as that,” said Shahnaz, asserting that Pakistan hockey needed some serious backing. “We in Pakistan need to work seriously to save our national game. There needs to be some very serious thought for hockey’s sake.” Shahnaz said his players were hampered by the lack of resources and had just few international outings in the past one and a half year. “Apart from playing in the Asian Games and the Champions Trophy, we did not have adequate international exposure,” lamented Shahnaz.
Pakistan fired the first shot in this play-off match. Muhammad Toseeq's blistering penalty corner just flying past the upright. It was France however, who took the lead through Simon Brisac-Martin after Martin Genestet ran the ball behind the Pakistan defence and slipped to his teammate. Pakistan nearly got back into the game when Muhammad Ali flicked the ball past the French 'keeper Martin Zylbermann but Muhammad Waqas just failed to connect. Moments later there was high drama as Mazhar Abbas in the Pakistan goal came out of his area and fouled Brisac-Martin. Abbas was dismissed from the field of play in his first appearance at the tournament. France doubled their lead on the stroke of half-time through Hugo Genestet. His shot rattled off the post into the goal.
The second half saw France create more of the chances, but Pakistan always looked potentially dangerous on the break. This proved true when the Greenshirts reduced the deficit through a fantastic reverse stick shot from Toseeq – the forward had been threatening to get on the score-sheet throughout the match. Pakistan had a chance to equalise when they won a penalty corner but the subsequent shot was weak and cleared easily. France captain Francois Sheefer said they wanted to finish well and show what they were capable of. "It is what is expected of us I think – sometimes we can play brilliantly, sometimes not so much, it is like our rugby and football teams. We will go to the European Championships with confidence and we will aim to finish top two in our pool," Sheefer said in his post match comments.
The Daily Times
France inflict further damage to Pakistan’s pride; Imran steps down
Imran followed the footsteps of the national selection committee which also resigned from their posts after Pakistan failed to qualify for the 2016 Games - Photo courtesy FIH
KARACHI: Two days after their seeing their Olympic dreams go up in smoke, Pakistan failed to restore some pride when they went down 2-1 to France on Sunday to finish a lowly eighth at the Hockey World League Semi-finals in Antwerp.
Pakistan went into the match against France after a 1-0 loss to Ireland on Friday which saw their hopes of finishing fifth and earning a spot at next year’s Olympics in Rio de Janeiro come to an end.
And it seemed they hadn’t really recovered from that heartbreak as France took the lead in the 13th minute through Simon Brisac-Martin.
Shahnaz Sheikh’s men looked completely out of sorts for large swathes of the match and the French doubled their advantage in the 30th minute through Hugo Genestet.
Tauseeq Ahmad pulled one back in the fourth quarter but it was too little too late for Pakistan whose captain Mohammad Imran stepped down following their latest defeat.
Imran followed the footsteps of the national selection committee, headed by chief selector Islahuddin Siddiqui, which also resigned from their posts after Pakistan failed to qualify for the 2016 Games. The coach of Pakistan’s junior team Kamran Ashraf also resigned from his post on Saturday.
There were also unconfirmed reports from Antwerp that head coach and manager, Shahnaz had also tendered his resignation.
In what appeared to be another attempt by the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) top officials to salvage the situation, Imran said in a statement that he was given an absolute autonomy in executing his responsibilities by the federation and he has informed the PHF about his decision.
“Players were given all the necessary facilities but they failed to perform,” he said, adding that it is time to allow youngsters to come forward and play their role.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif expressed concern at the hockey team’s performance and PHF affairs after Pakistan were beaten by Ireland and squandered their last opportunity to play in the Olympics.
It is for the first time since the 1948 Olympics that Pakistan’s hockey team will not feature in the mega-event.
Pakistan, three-time Olympic gold medallists and four-time World Cup winners in the sport, needed to finish among the top five for getting any chance to qualify for the Olympics.
Pakistan, once a powerhouse in world hockey, also failed to qualify for the World Cup last year for the first time in the history of the event.
The spate of resignations appear to have been triggered by the formation of a five-member inquiry committee by the Prime Minister who has given the committee a week to submit a preliminary report with strong indications that an ad-hoc committee will be appointed to run hockey affairs.
The committee that includes former hockey heavyweights Colonel Mudassar Asghar, Shahbaz Ahmed and Khawaja Junaid and is headed by the secretary sports Ejaz Chaudhary will hold its first meeting on Monday.
Dawn
Pakistan skipper Imran, head coach Shahnaz quit after debacle
ANTWERP: Pakistan team captain Mohammad Imran and head coach Shahnaz Sheikh resigned from their posts after the national team’s poor performance at the Hockey World League which concluded here on Sunday. Pakistan lost to France 1-2 in a classification match for 7th-8th positions at KHC Dragons Stadium. Both Imran and Shahnaz informed the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) top officials about their decision. PHF president Akhtar Rasool and secretary general Rana Mujahid Ali are present in Antwerp to witness the HWL. The PHF officials and the team members will reach back home on Tuesday.
Imran told media he was given an absolute autonomy in executing his responsibilities by the PHF. “Players were given all the necessary facilities but they failed to perform,” he said, adding that it was time to allow youngsters to come forward and play their role. Imran had made up his mind to step down from the captainship a day before, however, he announced it only after the classification match against France. Head coach Shahnaz resigned from his post after pressure was mounting on him to accept responsibility for the team’s poor performance. Chief selector Islahuddin Siddiqui along with the other members of PHF’s selection committee had already resigned following the team’s disastrous showing at the HWL as the team failed to qualify for the Olympics for the first time in its history.
The Daily Times
Pakistan hockey captain resigns
KARACHI: Pakistan captain Muhammad Imran on Sunday stepped down after the national team failed to qualify for next year's Rio Olympics Games, following their latest defeat in the World Hockey League to France which left them at the bottom of the points table.
Imran followed the footsteps of the national selection committee, headed by chief selector Islahuddin Siddiqui, which also resigned from their posts after Pakistan failed to qualify for the 2016 Rio Olympics.
There were also unconfirmed reports from Brussels where Pakistan failed to qualify for the Rio Olympic games that head coach and manager, Shahnaz Sheikh had also tendered his resignation.
In what appeared to be another attempt by the Pakistan Hockey Federation top officials to salvage the situation Imran said in a statement that he was given an absolute autonomy in executing his responsibilities by the federation and he has informed the PHF about his decision.
"Players were given all the necessary facilities but they failed to perform," he said, adding that it is time to allow youngsters to come forward and play their role.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif expressed concern at the hockey team's performance and PHF affairs after Pakistan were beaten by Ireland and squandered their last opportunity to play in the Olympics.
It is for the first time since the 1948 Olympics that Pakistan's hockey team will not feature in the mega-event, a development described by the "The News" newspaper in an editorial today as "The death of hockey."
The spate of resignations appear to have been triggered by the formation of a five-member inquiry committee by the Prime Minister who has given the committee a week to submit a preliminary report with strong indications that an ad-hoc committee will be appointed to run hockey affairs.
The committee that includes former hockey heavyweights Colonel Mudassar Asghar, Shahbaz Ahmed and Khawaja Junaid and is headed by the secretary sports Ejaz Chaudhary will hold its first meeting on Monday.
Chief selector, Islahuddin Siddiqui while resigning along with member Kamran Ashraf said the team had failed to live up to expectations in the World Hockey League.
"We are hurt and disappointed and we take responsibility and there is now a need for a clean up in hockey in Pakistan. New faces must be given chance to set things right," the former Pakistan captain said.
Two other selectors, Ayaz Mahmood and Khalid Bashir had resigned a day earlier after the defeat to Great Britain in the quarter finals.
Mahmood said today that neither he nor Bashir attended the trials in Islamabad to select the national side for the WHL as the PHF didn't send him the air ticket to travel from Karachi.
"Obviously they were two or three players who should have been in the team," he said.
Interestingly, the PHF President Akhtar Rasool, secretary Rana Mujahid are yet to step down and are presently in Brussels as is also the former PHF secretary Asif Bajwa who is blamed mainly for the decline in Pakistan hockey during his tenure between 2009 and 2014.
The sports ministry and government auditors are also presently carrying out an audit into the nearly one billion rupees given to the federation as grants by the government in Bajwa's tenure.
The Times of India
Pakistan hockey team captain calls it quits after Olympics qualifier debacle
PHOTO: AFP
Pakistan hockey team captain Muhammad Imran has quit after his team’s poor performance at the World Hockey League (WHL), Express News reported on Sunday.
Imran, who said he was given an absolute autonomy in executing his responsibilities by the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF), has informed the federation about his decision.
“Players were given all the necessary facilities but they failed to perform,” he said, adding that it is time to allow youngsters to come forward and play their role.
According to reports, the skipper had made up his mind to step down from the captain ship a day before, however, he announced it only after today’s match against France.
Chief selector Islahuddin Siddiqui along with the other members of PHF’s selection committee had already resigned following the team’s disastrous showing at the WHL semi-finals as the team failed to qualify for the Olympics for the first time in its history.
Meanwhile, team’s head coach Shahnaz Shaikh also resigned from his post after pressure was mounting on him to accept responsibility for the team’s poor performance.
Further, resignations from some of the team’s senior players are also expected.
Yesterday, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif expressed his concern over the performance of the country’s hockey team in the WHL.
The premier, who is also patron-in-chief of the Pakistan Hockey Federation, said the team’s performance in 2016 Rio Olympics qualifiers was embarrassing.
Read: Dismal performance: PM seeks explanation from hockey officials
He sought explanation from officials from the federation and the sports ministry and questioned how a three-time gold medallist team performed so poorly. He then directed them to work on bettering their performance and regain the national sport’s faded glory.
The Express Tribune
PHF rubbishes reports of coach, captain resigned
ISLAMABAD - Pakistan hockey team head coach Olympian Shahnaz Sheikh denied reports about tendering his resignation as head coach.
While talking exclusively with The Nation from Belgium on Sunday, Shahnaz said: “I will announce my future course of action upon my arrival on Wednesday. I will submit my detailed report to federation, in which I will mention actual reasons behind team’s dismal performance.” He also rubbishes claims made by some quarters that national team skipper M Imran has also resigned as captain of the team. There is absolutely no truth in these rumors, the matter of the fact is we would announce our future course of action when we return, Shahnaz concluded.
Meanwhile sharing his views Pakistan Hockey Federation secretary Olympian Rana Mujahid rubbishes claims of Shahnaz and Imran’s resignations. “They have not informed federation in this regard. We were together for the last several days and there is no such development. It might be some people’s wish but had nothing to do with reality. Both are very much holding their positions. I will announce 4-member fact-finding commission upon my arrival on Wednesday and real culprits would get severe punishment. We had won Asian Champions Trophy, played the final of Asian Games, played the final of Champions Trophy after gap of 16 years. One or two bad results doesn’t mean end of the story. I hope no decision would be made in haste and we were given ample time to study the ship.”
Meanwhile inside sources in Belgium have confirmed that FIH and AHF havesent clear warning they would not tolerate any illegal act or government interference in the PHF affairs. If any ad hoc or illegal step by government was taken , FIH and AHF will act swiftly and Pakistan could face ban from international bodies.
The Nation
Hockey debacle was certain: Tahir Zaman
ISLAMABAD: Former Olympian Tahir Zaman said on Sunday that Pakistan team’s poor performance in the World Hockey League Semi-finals was not surprising since the team did not prepare well for the event.
“The debacle was certain. Team’s preparations for the event were not up to the mark. It was obvious from the start that it would be tough for them to qualify for the 2016 Olympics,” the ex-Olympian told APP.
Tahir’s opinion about players’ fitness was also negative, stating that he had found their physical fitness very poor at two initial camps which he visited as a consultant.
“Our team was already lacking speed and strength which are essential ingredients for better performance in a big event. You can’t win matches just with emotions,” said Tahir who played a key role in 1994 World Cup victory for Pakistan at Sydney.
Pakistan had been constantly changing coaches since 2013 which was also one of the main reasons behind team’s poor show at the Hockey World League, maintained the former Olympian. “If you keep on changing coaches frequently, you remain unable to get desired results.”
“Look at the Germans who have had their coach for the last 12 years. He has been given full authority by the federation which only facilitates the coach who in turn is held responsible in connection with producing favourable results,” he added.
Tahir said skipper Mohammad Imran had taken a wise decision to step down after national team’s poor performance, adding that the players should also be held accountable for poor show in the event.
“I think time has come to take bold decisions and players should also be asked as to why they have remained unable to fulfill nation’s expectations,” added Tahir.
He said despite the fact that hockey was Pakistan’s national game, orthodox and conventional methods were being used in training of the players.
“The world has changed. Old methods of training will no longer work. We need to make our training attractive, entertaining and creative if we want to see it result-oriented,” he maintained.
The former Olympian said that prudent decisions were needed to help Pakistan regain its lost glory. “At present, there seems to be a total collapse of the national game but I believe we can rise from the ruins if all stakeholders focus on how to resurrect the national game,” he said.
Tahir proposed introducing league matches in schools during summer vacation camps, saying that the step would create interest and passion among youth for the national game.
“Sooner or later we will have to do it, if we want to see revival of hockey in our country,” he said.
Commenting on formation of a committee by the government to probe the dismal performance of the national hockey team, he expressed the hope that the committee would come up with some concrete recommendations for the uplift of the game.
Dawn
POA chief Arif rues hockey not qualifying for Olympics
LAHORE: Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) President Lt Gen Syed Arif Hasan has lamented the failure of the national hockey team to qualify for Olympics 2016. He has said that the country has little chance of participating in the Rio de Janeiro Summer Games barring a few wildcard entries. “It’s nothing that wasn’t expected,” Arif commented Sunday on the hockey team after they failed to qualify for the Olympics 2016 and finished poor eighth at the Hockey World League in Belgium . “I wonder why the government is now taking steps to probe the failure. Pakistan hockey is suffering from one debacle after the other. First they finished 12th in the 2010 World Cup before missing out on the next edition and now the Olympics. The situation was foreseeable but nothing was done when effective measures could’ve avoided this catastrophe.”
He said that unless the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) doesn’t stop involving politics in sport, the country’s sport would suffer and slammed the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) officials who have been in their posts for the last eight years. Arif said that another sporting disaster was in the offing with Pakistan not in a position to field a strong contingent at the South Asian Games to be held in India in December. “Pakistan had been a force to reckon in the regional event but this time we won’t be in a position to fight for the top three positions,” he concluded.
The Daily Times
Islah rues players’ failure
Anwar Zuberi
Pakistan former hockey player and chief selector Islahuddin speaks at a press conference - AFP/file
KARACHI: Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) chief selector Islahuddin Siddiqui and his co-selectors have tendered their resignation in the aftermath of greenshirts failure to qualify for the 2016 Rio Olympics. Other members of the committee were Ayaz Mahmood, Khalid Bashir and Mussadiq Hussain.
“We were given the task for four to five years but we feel it is our duty to quit as the Pakistan hockey team has reached a new low at the Hockey World League semi-finals at Antwerp, Belgium, failing to qualify for the next year’s Olympics for the first time ever,” Islah told Dawn.
“I’d talked to Ayaz and Mussadiq on the telephone and they gave their consent while Khalid had also stepped down,” he added.
“We’ve picked the team on ‘merit’ from the available pool of players but nobody can do anything when the players failed to capitalise on penalty stroke, penalty corners and 10-12 open sitters ,” said Islah, who led Pakistan team to victory at the Buenos Aires World Cup in 1978.
The former Olympian said he and his colleague selectors were carrying out their duties ‘honorary.’
Islah said he will always be available whenever the PHF calls him in the larger interest of the game.
He added that it was the duty of the PHF to check the credentials and past success record while appointing his successor.
To a query, he said the PHF and chief coach Shahnaz Shaikh will give their points of view on the team’s poor display at Antwerp where the team finished eighth among 10 teams.
Dawn
PHF solely responsible for hockey debacle: Naveed
Mohsin Ali
ISLAMABAD - Olympian Naveed Alam has termed Pakistan hockey team’s defeats against Ireland and France as the worst ever and termed it black day for Pakistan hockey and held the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) sole responsible for the debacle.
Talking to The Nation, Naveed said: “The PHF incompetent and arrogant top brass has harvested what they had been cultivating for the past 10 years. It was purely due to the wrong policies of the PHF management, which led to downfall of green shirts and such pathetic results were witnessed. They focus on self-praise, misguiding entire nation and kept on reaping all the benefits. Had the prime minister taken notice of the entire situation a bit earlier, the situation could have far different.”
“I am deeply shocked instead of claiming the responsibility and handing over their resignations, Akhtar Rasool, Rana Mujahid and head coach Shahnaz Shaikh are presenting lame excuses. I was present during the camp at Pakistan Sports Complex and witnessed what was being cooked in the name of training. I noticed a lot of flaws and the team was lacking far behind. The management didn’t take Olympic qualifiers seriously and they were more concerned about minting money and kept on demanding incentives rather than focusing on mega event. It is unbelievable that the world and Olympic champions were deprived of appearing in Rio Olympics,” the former Olympian said.
Naveed said they were the same persons who were enjoying perks and privileges for the last 10 years in one capacity or another. “It was a matter of grave concern when we lost against Ireland. Now immediate resignations are need of the hours. These incompetent persons should have been shown the door quite earlier, but they kept on clinging to their posts which resulted in another worst result in shape of losing against France for the 7th place match. I request the PM to appoint highly impartial fact-finding committee based on Olympians with neat and clean image and also include one journalist to ensure fair and transparent and actual reasons behind green shirts downfall.”
“The inquiry should be conducted from the last 10 years as huge amount of funds were misused. Instead of passing on the benefits to the players, officials reap all the benefits, they go on joy-rides, waste national kitty on such tours, which are of no use for the national team. Until and unless, these people are not removed from the federation and below the belt accountability is not conducted, there is no hope for the national game to rise from the ashes.
“The only viable and real solution to lift hockey from ashes is to empower the real stakeholders and people who have will and courage to work for the noble cause without personal favors. People like Khawaja Zaka Ullah must be handed over role of fact-finding along with Khalid Mehmood, Samiullah and Tariq Aziz. They are highly professionals and know the actual fats. I doubt the committee announced by the IPC minister could make real and genuine recommendations. They should be given three weeks to file their recommendations. The honest persons should be drafted into the federation and they should work on long-term policies rather than patch work,” Naveed concluded.
The Nation
Olympic Qualification
The eligibility and order of which teams will qualify for the Olympics is now known. There are several ifs to be sorted out as the different Continental Championships happen. What many pundits have forgotten is the status of Brazil as host nation. They were given the target of finishing in the top 6 at the Pan American Games to qualify. The Women failed to qualify for the Pan American Games so their position can already be allocated and technically the Oceania Cup position can be allocated to USA as both Australia and New Zealand will have prequalified before that event takes place.
Men
| AUS | Qualified 1st place finish Antwerp |
| GER | Qualified 1st place finish Buenos Aires |
| BEL | Qualified 2nd place finish Antwerp |
| ARG | Qualified 2nd place finish Buenos Aires |
| NED | Qualified 3rd place finish Antwerp |
| GBR | Qualified 3rd place finish Buenos Aires |
| IND | ualified Asian Champions |
| CAN | If Canada or Argentina win the Pan American Games |
| ESP | If Brazil do not finish in the top 6 of Pan American Championships or if neither France nor Russia win the European Championships as all other squads are prequalified. |
| IRL | If Spain qualify through Brazil not finishing in the top 6 of the Pan American Games and if neither France nor Russia win the European Championships or if neither France nor Russia win the European Championships and South Africa win the All Africa Games. SASCOC has already said they will not send the SA hockey squads through qualification only by way of the Continental championship. |
| NZL | If Australia win the Oceania Cup and South Africa win the All Africa Games |
| MAS | If Brazil do not finish in the top 6 at the Pan American Games and South Africa win the All African Games. |
Women
| NED | Qualified 1st place finish Antwerp |
| GBR | Qualified 1st place finish Valencia |
| CHN | Qualified 2nd place finish Valencia |
| KOR | Qualified Asian Champions |
| AUS | Qualified 3rd place finish Antwerp |
| GER | Qualified 3rd place finish Valencia |
| ARG | Qualified due to Korea double qualification |
| NZL | Qualified due to host nation Brazil not qualifying for Pan American Games |
| USA | Qualified due to Australia and New Zealand prequalifying prior to Oceania Cup |
| IND | If ARG, or USA win the Pan American Games or NED, GBR or GER win the European Championship |
| JPN | If ARG, or USA win the Pan American Games or NED, GBR or GER win the European Championship |
| ESP | If South Africa win the All Africa Games. |
Fieldhockey.com
Umpires, the unsung heroes
Ayanna McClean (Trinidad & Tobago) and Carol Metchette (Ireland)
Sarah Juggins
2011 Pan American Games, Guadalajara - Canada vs. Argentina, Carol Metchette (IRL) and Catalina Montesino Wenzel (CHI). Yan Huckendubler
They are the unsung heroes of the game. Invisibility rather than presence on the pitch is the sign of a job well done. We meet two of the umpires who put in great performances in Guadalajara in the previous edition of the Pan American Games.
Ayanna McClean and Carol Metchette were both involved in officiating at the 2011 Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico. It was Ayanna’s second Pan Am Game as an umpire, representing Trinidad and Tobago, while Carol – who is from Ireland – was working as a neutral umpire at the event.
Here, the umpiring duo share their experiences and thoughts about the Pan American Games.
“Pan Am events are like going home for Christmas,” says McClean. “Throughout the years I have met several people, made lifelong friendships, gained exemplary mentors in the region and each tournament is a time to re-connect with them. Interacting with, not only fellow umpires, but the teams, technical staff and fans at each tournament is always a special moment.”
Metchette, who has umpired at top level events all over the world, says: “I was very excited when I received my appointment for the Pan Am Games in Guadalajara. I had never been to any Pan Am tournaments before. I found it was a bit like the Olympics because it is a multi-sports event, with 36 sports and 42 countries, but it had a very different atmosphere.
“Having already been to several tournaments around the world I have been lucky enough to meet lots of umpires from different countries. Each time you attend a tournament you might meet one or two people you have never met before, but at the Pan Am Games I only knew one or two from the umpiring group. So it was a very different experience for me and great to get to know the Pan Am umpires who all knew each other so well.”
McClean has seen both sides of the Pan American Games, she played for Trinidad and Tobago at the 2003 Games in the Dominican Republic. She says: “I have umpired in every Games since 2003, this is the ultimate regional tournament for everyone involved. For participants from smaller nations that may not qualify for the Olympic Games, this is their Olympic event, and the atmosphere lends to it. National pride is on the line and fans get to see their favorite athletes. It is definitely the best event we have in the region for our athletes, their families and the fans.”
At an event such as the Pan Am Games, the umpires are very much part of a team. They have meetings, briefings, social gatherings and team-building exercises, before, during and after the event. Many of the international umpires are part of a Facebook community where they share tips, experiences and memories. Speak to most international umpires and they will talk of the life-long friendships and the close ties they have formed with other officials from all over the world.
Marshalling the umpire teams at both the men’s and women’s events in Toronto is an umpire manager (UM). This year the women’s tournament umpire manager is the experienced Argentinian Cinthia Melli, while Steve Horgan of the USA is managing the men’s umpires.
The umpire manager is responsible for coaching and mentoring the team, as well as assigning umpires for each game. There is a huge honor attached to ‘getting’ the big games – the semi-finals and the final. McClean says: “Every umpire is expected to come in ready to perform at their very best for every game; not only for themselves, but their country, the athletes, the sport they are officiating and the Games. The UM, along with the tournament technical director (TD) make the final decisions as to who will be on the field each and every game. One thing I learned a long time ago, and need to continue to remind myself at each tournament, is to not read into the game assignments. It is a case of doing your very best, putting everything on the table, and having fun.”
Metchette was chosen to umpire the final between USA and Argentina in 2011. She says: “There was a great atmosphere for the final, the USA had quite a few supporters and had been playing well so the fans were expecting a good game – which of course they got. I umpired the final with Wendy Stewart from Canada. Argentina of course was the favorites going into it as the team was full of stars but the USA were having none of it!! USA played extremely well and I think they deserved it on the day, but it came as a big shock to most people.”
Metchette added that there are some games when the gap between the two sides is like a chasm. “There is quite a difference in the standard of some of the Pan Am teams. Some of the matches are played with very high skill levels, some with lower skill levels and then you get the games where there is a marked difference between the two teams. These matches bring challenges to the umpires as well as the players. Obviously, umpires have to stick to the rules but some empathy is need for these games.
“For some of these teams playing against Argentina in the Pan Am Games is the highlight of their career and something maybe they have dreamed of. That can also be the case for some of the umpires.”
All umpires have to learn and develop both their knowledge and their umpiring skills, so the UM will often match a novice umpire with someone who has a lot of experience under their belt. At other times, the nature of the match lends itself to giving an inexperienced umpire the opportunity to show what they can do. McClean explains: “I believe we are paired up by what the game requires. Some games require more experience, others not so much. This is all in the remit of the UM and TD. They have to determine what the best combination for each game is.”
McClean is a relatively new umpire on the international scene, and she talks about who her inspirations and mentors have been as she has developed as an umpire.
“My first and main mentor has always been my mother. She is my number one cheerleader and without her cool, calm and supportive demeanor, my career as an umpire, and as individual would have been completely different. Her "the world hasn’t ended yet" attitude keeps me going towards my goals, because there is always somewhere to go to get there, not always up.
“My second mentor is Minka Wooley, an umpire manager and FIH mentor from Australia. I met Minka at the Youth Olympic Games in Singapore in 2010. When I had the opportunity to choose a mentor from the FIH, there was no question she was the one. Her umpiring career path, experience, delivery of feedback and overall attitude toward the sport, umpiring and umpire/life balance is one I have the utmost respect for. She continues to write her own story, moving from being an umpire to becoming one of the top umpire managers around the world.”
With the Pan Am Games fast approaching, McClean will be readying herself for the challenge in Toronto. Tipped to become the first umpire from Trinidad and Tobago to umpire at an Olympic Game, she will be hoping to put in a good performance, but as Metchette muses, “You have to be ready for anything. On arriving in Mexico for the 2011 Games, I discovered my luggage had gone missing, so I spent most of the trip in my umpiring kit.”
Pan American Hockey Federation media release
Rot Weiss the German champions
In a suitably thrilling finale, Rot Weiss Köln claimed the German title with a 4-3 success against arch rivals UHC Hamburg on Sunday.
UHC had reached the final courtesy of some shoot-out heroics the evening before while Rot Weiss had the smoother passage thanks to a 3-0 semi-final win over Crefelder.
And the Köln side used some of that momentum to build a 2-0 lead in the first half thanks to goals from Benjamin Wess – later awarded player of the finals – and Joshua Delarber. Mats Grambusch extended that margin to 3-0 in the 43rd minute before UHC started their comeback via Philip Schmid’s effort.
Tom Grambusch restored the three-goal wedge from the penalty spot but UHC did not lie down. Florian Fuchs reeled in the gap while Moritz Fürste ensured some late drama with a corner goal two minutes from the end.
But Rot Weiss held on for their seventh title while UHC have yet to win a national crown despite all their success on the European scene.
The tension of the game was summed up by double Olympic champion Christopher Zeller who sat out the final through injury: "When you look at the game from the outside, it is even more exciting. What the guys have done is world class.
“Yesterday and today, we have played like kings. In the end, it was of course nervy but I was sure that the boys would win the trophy."
Euro Hockey League media release
BUMPER HARVEST: Champions Telkom Orange thrash Mount Kenya University as Scorpions sting JKUAT
By Elizabeth Mburugu
Orange Telkom player Catherine Kimeu (l) fights for the ball with Simbarettes Farida Nabafu when they played National Women League at CityPark. Orange scored 10-0. JENIPHER WACHIE
Kenya Hockey Union (KHU) women's league reigning champions Orange Telkom thrashed Mount Kenya University (MKU) students 22-0 in a league match played yesterday at City Park Stadium.
The African queens were no match for the students as they dominated the match from the first minute.
International Lilian Aura was the top scorer for the 17-time champions with for goals while Captain Betsy Ommalla scored a hat-trick. Veterans Jacqueline Mwangi and Hellen Chemtai blended in well with youngsters Ann Juma, Maurine Okumu and Caroline Guchu to score a brace each.
Internationals Terry Juma, Glenis Namasake, Tracy Nungari and Audrey Omaido put their names on the score sheet with one goal apiece.
Orange assistant coach Josephine Ataro told FeverPitch the results of the match were good but the low standards were not helping them to prepare well for their continental title defence later in the year.
"The standards (of the league) are very low, thus making it easy for us to win with bigger margins, but these matches are of no help as we prepare for the Africa Club championships," said Ataro.
Ataro said the consistency of the league is wanting but they are currently training and playing friendly matches with men's teams to up their game ahead of the African challenge.
Chemtai opened the scores for Orange two minutes into the game with her second coming in the fourth minute. Nungari made it three a minute later with Mwangi adding a fourth in the eighth minute before adding her second in the 52nd minute. Guchu beat MKU goalkeeper Shirley Liavuli three minutes to score her first, then added her second on the half hour mark.
Skipper Ommalla converted a penalty corner in the 13th minute, added her second in the 24th and a third two minutes later. Former Strathmore University and national team midfielder Aura scored her first of the match by the quarter hour mark to give Orange a seven goals lead. Aura found the back of the net again in the 39th, 40th and 59th minutes.
In another women's league encounter, last year's first runners-up Strathmore Scorpions thrashed Jomo Kenyatta University of Technology and Agriculture (JKUAT) 9-0. Captain Carol Njoki led from the front, scoring a hat-trick in the fourth, 17th and 46th minutes respectively.
Last season's league top scorer Gilly Okumu and Yvone Karanja scored a brace each, while Linda Ayodi and Angie Mayaka were on target once.
In the men's premier league, 2013 champions Kenya Police gave a dismal performance to register a 1-0 victory over Coast based Mvita XI. Willis Okeyo scored the law enforcers lone goal in the 16th minute to earn them the three points.
Parklands were all smiles as they recorded their first victory since their promotion to the premier league with a 2-1 victory against Greensharks. They came from behind to score through Daniel Aredha in the 37th minute and Owen Oduor in the 18th while Sammy Namonyo scored Sharks' lone goal in the ninth minute.
The Standard Online
Auckland Men and Women win at Under-18s
Pictured: A pic of the 2014 Under-18 Auckland regional team
The Auckland Men rebounded from yesterday’s shock loss to Central with a resounding 4-1 win over Northland at the National Under-18 Regional Tournament at North Harbour Hockey today.
The blue and white hoops were keen to atone for yesterdays performance and started strongly, earning a penalty corner inside two minutes which Zander Fraser duly converted to give his side the lead.
The Northland side gradually got their way back into the game, with Jesse Embling and Bronson Baker standing out.
However, Auckland regained their ascendency with two quick goals to captain Kalyan Jeram and Izaak Tele to go into halftime with a 3-0 lead.
Northland goalkeeper Grayson Javins was kept busy in the first half, as was his replacement in the second half - Nathan Cork-Thompson - with both producing some fine saves to keep their side in the game.
The Auckland side, coached by Cameron Gibbons, was well led in the first half by Jeram and Mark Bell-Kake, with both players creating a number of chances along with Daniel Easton and Xavier Guy.
Auckland went 4-0 up early in the second half through Bell-Kake with a stinging reverse stick shot. This did not deter Northland who scored a deserved goal through Baker to make it 4-1.
Jeram was pleased his side was able to turn around yesterday's loss into a more positive performance today.
“We woke up today with a better attitude and keen to play a better game today. The boys responded and played really well."
Northland player James Agnew was able to take some positives from the game despite the scoreline.
“We played well in the second half – we really showed up then. If we continue on with our second half in tomorrow’s game we will do well.”
Competition heats up at day two of the National Under-18 Regional Tournament
In the earlier men’s results, Central continued their winning run defeating Canterbury 4-2, Midlands and Southern battled for 70 minutes of great hockey before the men in orange ran out the winners 2-1, and the local North Harbour side accounted for Capital 7-1.
In the women’s competition, Midlands made it two from two with a 3-1 win over Central, North Harbour bounced back from yesterday’s disappointment to beat Northland 5-0, Canterbury won the Southern derby 2-1 and Auckland confirmed their place in the top 4 with a victory over Capital 3-2.
DAILY RESULTS – 6th JULY
MEN’S POOL A
Central 4 (Lee Moir, Aaron Purser, Joshua Wray, Dion Spackman) vs Canterbury 2 (Matt Cummins, Ben Thomas)
Auckland 4 (Zander Fraser, Kalyan Jeram, Izaak Tele, Mark Bell-Kake) vs Northland 1 (Bronson Baker)
MEN’S POOL B
Midlands 2 (Jonathan Bloor, Maks Wyndham-Smith) vs Southern 1 (Sam Stannard)
North Harbour 7 (Travis Good 2, Henry Will 2, Keegan Russell, Mitchell Ottow, Benji Edwards) vs Capital 1 (Dylan Price)
WOMEN’S POOL A
Midlands 3 (Kelsey Lewis 2, Tori Robinson) vs Central 1 (Beth Norman)
North Harbour 5 (Mattea Harris 2, Kayla Reed, Ashleigh McNaughton, Tonya Botherway) vs Northland 0
WOMEN’S POOL B
Canterbury 2 (Charlotte Arthur, Maddie Wotton) vs Southern 1 (Celia Dickie)
Auckland 3 (Ailsa Connolly 2, Rose Tynan) vs Capital 2 (Anna Wood, Whena Munn)
CLICK HERE for the full results from the 2015 Regional and Association Under-18 Tournaments
Hockey New Zealand Media release
USMNT Athletes Spend Independence Day Together in the Heart of Boston
Michael Barminski #3
Fireworks burst over the Charles River in Boston. The combination of colors is muddled by the water. We find ourselves in silence observing the remembrance of a moment in our nation's history. A turning point that 239 years later still rallies the American people.
As athletes on the national team, we represent the United States of America. We are ambassadors of the USA through the sport of hockey and that comes as a big responsibility. We train hard and prepare for years to represent "Home" to the best of our ability. We want the people of America, to look at our U.S. Men's National Field Hockey Team and see a bit of themselves and the values that helped established this country.
The team is looking strong in the lead up to the Pan American Games. We all met up in Boston on Friday, July 3 and have taken in the sights of the town, such as; Quincy Market, Boston Commons, The Harbor, Bunker Hill, The Hatch Memorial Shell and Fenway Park. A city this rich in America's history is easy to draw inspiration from.
In the coming days we will look to complete several practices and match up against Argentina twice. We hope you all rally behind us and support us in the coming month. Go USA!
USFHA media release
Hockey for Heroes 2015
Hockey for Heroes 2015
It is just over a month since the Hockey for Heroes team completed a gruelling 10-day challenge in aid of Help for Heroes charity. The squad, made up of 26 players, finished 33 games and the National Three Peaks Challenge in style with some 295 (176 scored, 119 conceded) goals amassed in the process meaning that anyone who came down to watch was certainly not disappointed by the standard of hockey put on show.
All of the games played were done so in a good spirit, fiercely competitive and of a high standard. Despite being "friendly" games the competitive nature of all the teams shone through as both sides would always want to win the games which made for some great hockey. Hockey for Heroes Ambassador Carl Woods told England Hockey:
"Not enough thanks can be placed on the facilities and clubs that hosted or were involved, including those that supported the squad at the number of training events leading up to the 10-day challenge".
The squad were buoyed by some of the support they received before and during the tour. Gabby and Kenny Logan, Paula Radcliffe and a number of the Great Britain hockey players took time to offer advice in preparing for the challenge. England and GB Men's Team Manager, Andy Halliday took the time out of his schedule to cast his eye over the squad on Day Five at Hertford Hockey Club encouraging the group and spurring them on before he joined up with the GB squad for their Olympic Qualifiers preparation. There was a familiar face in Simon Mason who took to the pitch to play against Hockey for Heroes when they faced Reading.
Andy Halliday talks to the H4H squad
On the pitch one of the highlights for Coach Robin Walker was Game 26 versus Bridgnorth.
"We started the game slow and were 2-0 down within 10 minutes. It showed that earlier in the day we had already played two games against Army opposition coupled with a three hour drive.” Walker adds “Despite this the squad dug deep and the grit and determination to work for each other showed the camaraderie that the squad had built. I still don't know how the players had the energy to keep going for the full 70 minutes, let alone running out 5-3 winners against a very good side."
The mountains were naturally tough and took a lot out of the squad as they faced wind, rain, fog, hail and even snow. Not one for an easy challenge they made the task even more difficult on Day 2 by taking a wrong turn up Scafell Pike in order to finish with a scramble! On the evening of Day 2 the squad were hit with news that Scottish Mountain Rescue would not allow anyone to climb to the summit of Ben Nevis, whilst disappointed as there was no other time to fit this in to their tight schedule H4H took over the gym at one hotel to climb the equivalent on the treadmills.
Hockey For Heroes do Ben Nevis on treadmills
Towards the end of the week Hockey for Heroes were invited to Tedworth House, one of the Help for Heroes Recovery Centres in Tidworth, Wiltshire. It was a humbling experience to see how the money being raised by the challenge would be implemented. Hockey for Heroes Manager Gary Ryder said
"The house has excellent facilities and truly dedicated staff. The service men and women along with their families that require these centres provided inspiration in how they challenge the barriers they are faced with."
The recent challenge certainly has been an amazing journey, Hockey for Heroes cannot thank enough all the people who took their time to support the cause. However the hard work does not stop there. There are more events planned includingbeing part of England Hockey’s Club of the Year Old Silhillians HC's Grand Opening of their new Clubhouse on the 12th July 2015, more details can be found here: http://www.silshockey.co.uk/news/silhillians-sports-club-grand-opening-1446007.html. The squad will be around most of the day assisting in the activities and games, including playing a game against the England Masters including a few notable people.
Hockey for Heroes are close to their target of raising £30,000 for 2015, however still require your support to cross that line. Please take the time to donate at http://www.bmycharity.com/H4H2015.
England Hockey Board Media release
Hockey on road to revival in UP
Uday Rana
MEERUT: Hockey is on path of revival in Uttar Pradesh, said sport legend Syed Ali, who played for India in the 1976 Summer Olympics and is currently one of seven selectors for the Indian national men's hockey team. "The hockey culture here isn't yet dead."
The two-time Asian Games silver medalist also said that hockey tournaments are now being organized in the state on regular basis and that even funds have started pouring into the sport. "While the money and sponsorships we get are still not at par with cricket, it is a good start. Even local tournaments get good money. The annual K D Singh Babu Hockey Tournament in Lucknow had Rs 10 lakh as prize money for the wining team," he said.
Talking about what motivates people to take up hockey, Ali said, "In our time, we were devoted to the sport and there was this thirst to represent India at the highest level. Today, players are more professional and I think it's a good trend. They don't settle for just low-paying government jobs and want to be treated like professionals. Things will improve once league hockey picks up here and more funds are pumped in. We are taking hockey back to rural areas so that children from poor backgrounds, too, can take up the sport. "
Ali has been given the responsibility of hunting for talent in UP and he runs a training academy in his hometown Lucknow. "Even the government has started setting up academies. Cities like Lucknow, Aligarh, Rampur and Meerut are important centers for hockey. Unlike in In Punjab where the hockey culture is seen in schools and colleges, this is not the case in UP. Earlier, Schools used to contribute immensely to the talent pool. Most people who made it to the Indian team were very young. I was 15 when I got picked for the national squad. Since the talent pool in schools has run dry, we realized that we need to nurture young players in these academies," he said.
But there are more challenges to be tackled. "In the entire state, there are just six grounds with astro-turf. There are three in Lucknow, two in Saifai and one in Rampur. In countries like Germany, there are turfs in almost every village. Kids play on grass till they reach a certain level and then they have to adjust their game all over again," he said.
Ali said that UP has produced some of the greatest hockey heroes. "Mohammed Shahid, Zafar Iqbal and Surjeet Kumar are all from the state. Even the legendary Major Dhyan Chand was born in Allahabad."
The Olympian also stressed on the need for bigger players to come forward and encourage the younger lot. "I urge international stars to go back to their hometowns and spread the sport. The Walmiki brothers have now become heroes in their ancestral village. One of the reasons why kids in 1970s played hockey so enthusiastically was because they had idols to look up to. The current lot of Indian stars need to reach out to the average Indian kid," he said.
The Times of India