News for 19 July 2019
All the news for Friday 19 July 2019
Men's Indoor Asia Cup Chonburi 2019 - Day 4 and 5
Chonburi (THA)
Results
18 Jul 2019 UZB v KAZ (Pool B) 1 - 4 (1 - 1)
18 Jul 2019 NEP v TPE (Pool B) 6 - 7 (5 - 5)
18 Jul 2019 MAS v IRI (Pool A) 1 - 4 (0 - 2)
18 Jul 2019 BAN v THA (Pool A) 1 - 3 (0 - 2)
19 Jul 2019 TPE v UZB (Pool B) 2 - 7 (1 - 5)
19 Jul 2019 IRI v PHI (Pool A) 18 - 2 (9 - 1)
Fixtures (GMT +7)
19 Jul 2019 17:20 KAZ v SGP (Pool B)
19 Jul 2019 20:00 THA v MAS (Pool A)
20 Jul 2019 11:00 5th Pool A v 5th Pool B (9/10th)
20 Jul 2019 14:00 4th Pool A v 4th Pool B (7/8th)
20 Jul 2019 18:30 1st Pool A v 2nd Pool B (SF)
20 Jul 2019 20:00 1st Pool B v 2nd Pool A (SF)
Pool Standings
Pool A
| Rank | Team | Played | Wins | Draws | Losses | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Iran | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 37 | 5 | 32 | 12 |
| 2 | Malaysia | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 27 | 5 | 22 | 6 |
| 3 | Thailand | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 15 | 9 | 6 | 6 |
| 4 | Bangladesh | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 10 | 17 | -7 | 3 |
| 5 | Philippines | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 57 | -53 | 0 |
Pool B
| Rank | Team | Played | Wins | Draws | Losses | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kazakhstan | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 3 | 23 | 9 |
| 2 | Uzbekistan | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 23 | 9 | 14 | 9 |
| 3 | Singapore | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 19 | 4 | 15 | 6 |
| 4 | Chinese Taipei | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 11 | 26 | -15 | 3 |
| 5 | Nepal | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 10 | 47 | -37 | 0 |
Women's Indoor Asia Cup Chonburi 2019 - Day 4 and 5
Chonburi (THA)
Results
18 Jul 2019 UZB v KAZ (Pool A) 2 - 7 (0 - 2)
18 Jul 2019 NEP v IRI (Pool A) 1 - 5 (0 - 3)
18 Jul 2019 TPE v MAS (Pool B) 0 - 2 (0 - 0)
19 Jul 2019 IRI v UZB (Pool A) 1 - 4 (0 - 3)
Fixtures (GMT +7)
19 Jul 2019 16:00 KAZ v PHI (Pool A)
19 Jul 2019 18:40 THA v SGP (Pool B)
20 Jul 2019 12:30 5th Pool A v 4th Pool B (7/9th)
20 Jul 2019 15:30 1st Pool A v 2nd Pool B (SF)
20 Jul 2019 17:00 1st Pool B v 2nd Pool A (SF)
Pool Standings
Pool A
| Rank | Team | Played | Wins | Draws | Losses | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kazakhstan | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 2 | 19 | 9 |
| 2 | Uzbekistan | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 26 | 8 | 18 | 9 |
| 3 | Iran | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 11 | 11 | 0 | 6 |
| 4 | Nepal | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 24 | -20 | 3 |
| 5 | Philippines | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 19 | -17 | 0 |
Pool B
| Rank | Team | Played | Wins | Draws | Losses | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Thailand | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 9 | 6 |
| 2 | Malaysia | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 2 | 5 | 6 |
| 3 | Chinese Taipei | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 10 | -6 | 3 |
| 4 | Singapore | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 8 | -8 | 0 |
USOPC Announces 2019 Team USA Pan American Team
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – July 18, 2019 – The United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee today announced the U.S. Pan American Team that will compete at the Pan American Games Lima 2019 from July 26 to August 11 in Peru. The current U.S. roster is comprised of 321 men and 325 women, which includes the preliminary eight athletes for the women’s artistic gymnastics team that will be trimmed to five by next week to complete the final 643-member roster.
Team USA consists of 36 sports across 17 days of competition, including field hockey. Click below for rosters for the U.S. Men's and Women's National Teams. 
Coverage of the 2019 U.S. Pan American Team can be found at TeamUSA.org/Lima2019 and on Team USA’s social channels featuring the hashtag #Lima2019. Additionally, visit TeamUSA.org/USADaily to sign up to receive the USA Daily, a digital news blast that provides Team USA results and highlights each night via email during the Games.
With competition a few weeks away, Team USA has their eyes set on Lima with a gold medal and automatic qualification to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games on the line. With that, fans and followers can join the conversation and follow along with additional story lines with the hashtag #AllEyesOnLima on social media and usafieldhockey.com. Check back weekly for more stories around USMNT and USWNT athletes, umpires, venue, history and more as the Pan American Games excitement heats up.
Don’t miss a moment of Pan American Games build up! For more information, check out the 2019 Pan American Games Event Program by clicking here.
Looking for a way to support the teams in Lima? Click here to make a gift today and leave a comment with your gift to cheer on your favorite athlete on the U.S. Men’s or Women’s National Team. All notes will be sent to the team.
Infographic and Information Courtesy of the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee
USFHA media release
Expect the unexpected
Sarah Juggins
“Our first focus is to qualify for the semi-finals and our final aim is to play for the gold medal. If that were to happen then the international community would really sit up and notice the hockey revolution that is taking place in Chile.”
The statement above was spoken by Jaime (Coco) Zarhi, captain of Chile men, as he contemplates the prospect of competing in the 2019 Pan American Games taking place in Lima, Peru.
Chile are just one of eight teams that will be contesting the Pan American Games men’s hockey competition, which has the additional lure of providing a qualification route straight to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
Chile recently competed in the FIH Series Finals in Le Touquet-Paris-Plage but, in a highly competitive field, could only manage sixth place. Nevertheless, the experience of playing sides from Europe and Asia will have widened the tactical awareness and developed the robustness necessary to perform consistently well in a tournament situation. Zaire himself didn’t compete in France but, for the Pan American Games, he will be hoping to use all the experience gained during his 150 plus cap career to push Chile onwards.
The gold and silver medals at the Pan American Games have been dominated throughout the competition’s 13-edition history by just two teams, Canada and Argentina. The north American side has won gold on four occasions, with their South American rivals finishing top of the podium on nine occasions.
The battle between the two highest ranked teams – Argentine are fourth in the world rankings, with Canada six places below them in 10th place – will be fascinating.
Los Leones have had an up and down time in the inaugural FIH Pro League, finishing in fifth place, just out of the top four and out of subsequent qualification for the Pro League Grand Final. During much of the six month home and away league, Argentina had to do without the services of their drag flick specialist Gonzalo Peillat who chose to play club hockey in Europe instead of playing for the national team.
Over a 14-match period, Argentina won six matches, lost five and drew two. Their home match against Germany was cancelled because of hazardous weather conditions (a tournament rule that could have affected Argentina’s final placing in the league: had they won that game and accrued all three points, they would have finished fourth ahead of Great Britain).
The past six months, combined with a below par performance at the men’s World Cup in December, could be just the motivating factor that German Orozco and his men need to put on a dazzling display in Lima.
If Argentina’s confidence has taken a knock, Canada are on a high. The Canadian team are through to the Olympic qualifiers in October and November by virtue of a consistent performance throughout the FIH Series Finals event in Malaysia. Although Canada lost their opening match to the tournament’s surprise package, Wales, they regrouped and put on a dominant series of performances that took them into a showdown in the final with host nation Malaysia. Canada held firm against a skilful Malaysian team and a stadium full of home supporters to register a 3-2 win.
Among the many positive factors to emerge from that competition was the team’s fitness level; the potential of young players such as Jamie Wallace; and the enduring quality of stalwarts such as captain Scott Tupper and goalkeeper David Carter – who also picked up the Goalkeeper of the Tournament award.
USA and Mexico, ranked 24th and 32nd respectively, have also recently enjoyed FIH Series Finals action, although neither team has emulated Canada’s qualification to the next stage.
For USA the Series Finals in Bhubaneswar were a wake-up call to the squad’s ability. Even head coach Rutger Wiese was surprised when his team finished top of their pool and qualified straight through to the semi-finals after beating higher ranked team South Africa and drawing with Asian Games champions Japan. “Our objective was to advance to the next round, which we did, but we weren’t planning to qualify directly for the semi-finals,” said Wiese. “We’re very proud of the guys, they worked extremely hard. This is the team USA we like to see. Our goalkeeper and two full-backs in particular had an outstanding performance.”
Unfortunately for USA, they were then knocked out of the top two places during a rematch with South Africa and the team finished fourth overall, but the ability to compete with, and beat, higher ranked teams is a confidence the squad will hold onto as they prepare for the challenge in Lima.
Mexico finished seventh in Bhubaneswar after they beat Uzbekistan in their final match. The team, under the guidance of Pol Moreno, have moved seven places up the world rankings to 32nd. While they are unlikely to make the podium in Lima, Mexico have a long-term strategy and every minute of international competition is an invaluable experience.
Although Trinidad and Tobago have slipped to 37th in the World Rankings, they are a team that is always capable of an upset. Their pool A rivals Argentina, Chile and Cuba would do well to remember that, in Kwan Browne, if he plays, the Caribbean team has a wily campaigner with heaps of coaching and playing experience under his belt. Browne has explicitly said he would like one more crack at Olympic qualification, so he will be going all out to inspire the team to greatness.
Cuba (WR:69) and Peru (WR:55) are the two teams that make up the eight competitors taking to the pitch in Lima. For Cuba, this is a chance to restore the glory days of just 16 years ago when they were bronze medalists for two consecutive edition. Since then, the Cuban team has slipped down the finishing order, with 2017 providing the team’s poorest ever finish, in eighth place. Expect them to come out fighting this time around and eyeing Chile as a team that they can gain valuable points from in the pool round.
For Peru, this is as much about growing the game and celebrating the installation of top quality facilities as it is about winning medals and plaudits on the pitch. True, every Peruvian supporter will be cheering themselves hoarse whenever Peru take to the field but, with the other members of pool B, USA, Canada and Mexico all flying high at the moment, the support will likely be for effort rather than outcome.
And so, with a berth at the Olympic Games on offer, the stakes couldn’t be much higher. And, as every sports fan knows, one of the beauties of tournament play is that you should always expect the unexpected.
Pan American Hockey Federation media release
Hockey players begin road to 2020 Tokyo Games
Sikhumbuzo Moyo
ZIMBABWE’s men and women’s hockey sides begin their road to the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games with matches against Egypt and Ghana respectively in Stellenbosch, South Africa, next month.
According to fixtures released by Africa Hockey this week, the Zimbabwe men’s side gets its campaign underway in Pool B against the North Africans on August 12, with their second game against Namibia the following day.
They wrap up their Pool B games with a contest against Ghana on August 15. Pool A has Uganda, Nigeria and hosts South Africa, and the top two sides from the two pools will progress to the semi-finals where winners of Pool A will clash with Pool B runners-up, while Pool A runners-up have a date with Pool B winners.
Semi-final winners square up in the final on August 18 to decide who goes to Tokyo for the Olympic finals.
For the ladies, Zimbabwe’s first match is against Ghana on August 12, with the second and third games three days later against Uganda and Namibia respectively.
The format for the ladies’ semi-finals is the same as the men’s, with the final preceding the men’s on August 18.
Africa was not represented at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games after continental winners South Africa decided against participating following a resolution between the
South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) and South African Hockey Association (SAHA) that the continental qualification route would not be considered.
Zimbabwe sent a total of 31 athletes to the Rio Olympics.03
Hockey was the first Zimbabwe landed an Olympic medal when the Golden Girls scooped gold in the 1980 Moscow Games.
The Chronicle
Next three months critical for us: Hockey captain Manpreet
Manpreet said new coach Graham Reid has a good understanding of Indian hockey and keeps encouraging India's counter-attacking play.
Next three months critical for us: Hockey captain Manpreet (Photo tweeted by @manpreetpawar07)
Men's captain Manpreet Singh Thursday said the next three months will be crucial for Indian hockey ahead of the final round of Tokyo Olympic Qualifiers in November.
"The next three months are critical for us and whatever we are doing is with focus on sealing our Olympic Qualification in November," Manpreet said on the sidelines of the on-going national camp.
The team will first travel to Japan for the Olympic test event starting August 17 where India will play New Zealand, Malaysia and hosts Japan followed by the tour of Belgium in September.
"Our main priority right now is to qualify for the Olympics but at the same time we don't want to come under pressure and be worried about who our opponent is going to be. Our focus right now is to work on our shortcomings and improve collectively as a team."
Manpreet also said new coach Graham Reid has a good understanding of Indian hockey and continues to encourage India's counter-attacking play.
"The good thing working under Graham Reid is that he has closely followed India's performance over the years and he understands our game well so in that sense he isn't changing our style.
"He continues to reinforce that our attack and counter-attacks are our biggest strengths but the focus of our training is to ensure we are defending and finishing well with continued emphasis on speed and fitness," Manpreet said.
Though the team has been marred with injuries including experienced midfielder Chinglensana Singh's ankle fracture, forward Lalit Upadhyay's back strain, Manpreet believes there are enough options in the core group who can soak up the pressure of international hockey.
"These players are missed in the team and we are hopeful they will be fully fit by the Olympic qualifiers.
India today
Improvise & Improve, the Sree way
Indian hockey’s star goalkeeper Sreejesh says he is constantly learning on ways to evolve; custodian adds that recent trend of rotation with youngsters will keep him fresh for big tournaments
By Rutvick Mehta
PR Sreejesh PR Sreejesh believes the next few months will be a critical phase in Indian hockey —Twitter/@16sreejesh
PR Sreejesh is 32 years old, and for a large part of his existence, he has been the best goalkeeper in Indian hockey.
PR Sreejesh made his senior international debut in 2006, and for a large part of those 13 years and counting, he has been the best goalkeeper in world hockey.
After having manned the Indian goalpost like the Night's Watch guarded the Wall during those long, winter nights, you'd probably be forgiven to assume that Sreejesh knows every trick there is in the trade. The man himself, though, doesn't think so.
Earlier this month, Hockey India had organised a special week-long camp for nine Indian goalkeepers with well-known hockey goalkeeping trainer Dennis van de Pol. And the Dutch said while the eight youngsters had plenty of questions for him, so did Sreejesh.
"The day you feel that you know everything, that's the end of your career," Sreejesh told DNA from Bengaluru. "That's when you have hit a low. From there, you won't go anywhere."
PR Sreejesh (L) is all ears to Dutch hockey goalkeeping trainer Dennis van de Pol (R) during a special camp in Bengaluru earlier this month
The experienced custodian from Kerala — with more than 200 international caps — isn't quite looking at drastic changes at this stage of his career, yet he believes that he needs to keep evolving and improvising constantly.
"The basic problem with me was that I never had any scientific training when I was a kid. A lot of my movements, my basic positions were not right. After having almost 18-19 years experience, I cannot change my basics now.
"But what I can do is improvise: with my technique, with my skills. And that's what I was discussing more with him (de Pol)," Sreejesh said.
Despite effectively carrying the defensive responsibility of Indian hockey on his shoulders for a number of years, Sreejesh isn't living in a bubble.
There have been murmurs lately about how Sreejesh's footwork isn't quite the same as before, and it has only intensified with younger goalkeepers like Krishan Pathak and Suraj Karkera showing promise.
Not that it affects Sreejesh negatively, it only pushes him to question himself more.
"I always look at other goalkeepers around me, be it a first-timer, a youngster or an experienced player with 300 caps. I always look at them, try and find out what best they're doing and what's the best part of that goalkeeper. And then, I compare myself with them: what they're doing different than me, how is that improvisation helping them perform better," Sreejesh said.
"Every goalkeeper is different from the other. But I always keep an eye, so that I can experiment.
"There's never a full stop with learning for me. In one's career, there will be a first stage, second stage, third stage and so on. In every stage, you will get something to learn. You just need to keep looking for it," he added.
Sreejesh is used to being the undisputed custodian of the Indian citadel, having no real challenger in the country for almost over a decade. Lately, however, he has been rotated frequently.
In the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup final against Korea in April this year, Sreejesh was benched for the penalty shootouts with Pathak being sent out. Even in the FIH Men's Series Finals last month, Sreejesh and Pathak were often switched between quarters.
Sreejesh said this is being done to give the younger goalies exposure in low-key tournaments, while also ensuring that he remains at his optimum when the big ones come calling.
"Being the senior-most player, I think it's time for me to relax. For me, at this age, it's all about being at my best in the big tournaments. The lesser-important tournaments are to guide the youngsters, give them more confidence and exposure so that in the future, they can do that job.
"I'm looking at it that way. The second goalkeeper gets more opportunities to be on the field while for me, I'm getting enough match experience as well as adequate breaks. I can say I am ready for the bigger challenges," he said.One of the biggest ones will present itself soon, with the Indian team needing to win its Olympic qualifier later in the year to seal a berth at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Sreejesh, who has seen the good, the bad and the ugly of Indian hockey through his illustrious journey, believes the next few months are critical to Indian hockey for more reasons than one.
"The expectations that we have created for our hockey fans is huge now. If you look at the Cricket World Cup, everyone expected our team to win. Similarly, we have also created such expectations. Now, people are waiting for us to not just qualify for the Olympics, but also perform well over there. That's why, every step that we take now is really crucial for us.
"And I feel this is the best time for us to keep our heads down and work really hard, both for the qualifiers as well as the Olympics.
"You cannot prepare for the Olympics two-three months before. You need at least one year. So, this is the right time for us to make use of that because we have some big challenges ahead of us," Sreejesh said.
Daily News & Analysis
EuroHockey Junior Championship Men 2019 - Day 5
Valencia, Spain
Results
18 Jul 2019 BEL v POL (Pool A) 6 - 0
18 Jul 2019 AUT v GER (Pool B) 2 - 9
18 Jul 2019 NED v FRA (Pool B) 0 - 0
18 Jul 2019 ESP v ENG (Pool A) 1 - 1
19 July is a rest day
Fixtures (GMT +2)
20 Jul 2019 09:00 POL v AUT (Pool C
20 Jul 2019 11:15 BEL v FRA (Pool C)
20 Jul 2019 15:45 ESP v GER (SF 1)
20 Jul 2019 18:00 NED v ENG (SF 2)
Pool Standings
Pool A
| Rank | Team | Played | Wins | Draws | Losses | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Spain | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 2 | 7 | 7 |
| 2 | England | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 5 |
| 3 | Belgium | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 4 |
| 4 | Poland | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 18 | -15 | 0 |
Pool B
| Rank | Team | Played | Wins | Draws | Losses | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Netherlands | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 1 | 11 | 7 |
| 2 | Germany | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 19 | 5 | 14 | 6 |
| 3 | France | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 10 | -3 | 4 |
| 4 | Austria | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 25 | -22 | 0 |
Pool C
| Rank | Team | Played | Wins | Draws | Losses | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Belgium | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 3 |
| 2 | France | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 3 |
| 3 | Austria | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 6 | -5 | 0 |
| 4 | Poland | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | -6 | 0 |
Men’s U21s team into EuroHockey Championship semi-finals
Photo credit - Frank Uijlenbroek / World Sport Pics
An evenly contested opening-half saw both sides unable to make a breakthrough despite creating numerous dangerous chances.
England enjoyed a sustained period of pressure during the opening 30 minutes, recording a number of consecutive penalty corners but failing to find a way to convert them into goals.
Needing at least a draw to secure second position in their group for a place at the semi-finals of the competition, England were looking resilient in defence as they repelled the threat posed by Spain who were looking to keep their 100% win record intact after consecutive victories over Belgium and Poland.
England put themselves in the driver’s seat when Edward Way put the side ahead from a penalty corner with 40 minutes on the clock in what was another closely fought half of hockey.
However, despite England looking strong in defence through the match, Spain were able to get on the scoresheet with a last-minute equaliser to ensure they would top the group with both sides moving on to the semi-finals and securing a place at the 2021 Junior World Cup.
The result means that England emerge from the group stages unbeaten having drawn against Spain and Belgium whilst also beating Poland. Next up England will face the Netherlands in the semi-finals on Saturday 20 July at 5pm BST.
England Hockey Board Media release
EuroHockey Junior Championship Women 2019 - Day 6
Valencia, Spain
Results
18 Jul 2019 ENG v BLR (Pool B) 2 - 2
18 Jul 2019 BEL v GER (Pool B) 1 - 1
18 Jul 2019 ESP v NED (Pool A) 1 - 4
18 Jul 2019 FRA v IRL (Pool A) 0 - 1
18 July is a rest day
Fixtures (GMT +2)
20 Jul 2019 09:00 BLR v FRA
20 Jul 2019 11:15 NED v BEL (Semi-Final 1)
20 Jul 2019 13:30 GER v ESP (Semi-Final 2)
Pool Standings
Pool A
| Rank | Team | Played | Wins | Draws | Losses | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Netherlands | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 2 | 22 | 12 |
| 2 | Spain | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 7 | 5 | 9 |
| 3 | Russia | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 15 | -9 | 6 |
| 4 | Ireland | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 10 | -8 | 3 |
| 5 | France | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 13 | -10 | 0 |
Pool B
| Rank | Team | Played | Wins | Draws | Losses | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Germany | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 7 |
| 2 | Belgium | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| 3 | England | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 6 | -2 | 2 |
| 4 | Belarus | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 7 | -3 | 2 |
Women’s U21s team one game closer to booking Junior World Cup place
Photo credit - Frank Uijlenbroek / World Sport Pics
England’s women’s team finished third in their Junior EuroHockey Championship group following a 2-2 draw with Belarus meaning victory over Russia on Sunday will guarantee the team a place at the 2021 Junior World Cup.
Having taken the lead just after the start of the second quarter thanks to Jen Park, who guided the ball into the back of the net from a penalty corner, England looked good value for their 1-0 lead going into the half-time break.
Pushing for another goal with good attacking intent, the team were rewarded for their efforts as Vicki McCabe’s field goal doubled the lead with little over ten minutes remaining.
Following the setback, Belarus roared into life, replying immediately after going two behind with a goal from a penalty corner. The team refused to lie down and found an equaliser with just five minutes remaining as Belarus again made the most of their strength from set pieces to level the game and secure a 2-2 draw.
With Belgium and Germany drawing 1-1 in the other match in the Pool, England finished third and will play their final game of the competition at 8am BST on Sunday in the 5th/6th place match against Russia.
England Hockey Board Media release
Junior Green Army show their will to beat France
The Irish Under-21 women in Valencia. Pic: Frank Uijlenbroek / World Sport Pics
Hannah McLoughlin’s goal saw Ireland’s women beat France 1-0 at the EuroHockey Junior Championships in Valencia, ensuring they will avoid the wooden spoon.
Less than 24 hours since having relegation confirmed, Dave Passmore’s side showed a determined will to bounce back and largely held sway to record Ireland’s first win in the top tier in over 15 years.
Controlling possession, Michelle Barry won an early corner while Niamh Carey’s great run caused problems in a lively opening phase.
While another corner went awry, Ireland hit the front when McLoughlin struck just before half-time following Christina Hamill’s excellent turnover.
More chances came in the second half with Michelle Caret’s turnover and sprint leading to a pass that went just beyond Jessica McMaster. The Queen’s woman also fired a reverse just over and a third corner flashed wide as the openings were there to put the game out of reach.
France did earn a corner with a minute to go which led to another but Ireland held on for a good win and now will play in the seventh place playoff on Sunday.
Ireland’s Under-21 men, meanwhile, will hope to pin down a promotion spot on Friday afternoon in Plzen Litice when they take on Scotland in the EuroHockey Junior Championships II semi-final.
With 18 goals in three games to date, they go in as heavy favourites, especially following four wins over the Blue Thistles in the past month in warm-up games.
But they will need to be wary of tournament top scorer Cameron Golden who missed most of those ties due to senior international duty. The game will be streamed live on www.eurohockeytv.org.
Women
EuroHockey Junior Championship, Pool A: Ireland 1 (H McLoughlin) France 0
Men
EuroHockey Junior Championships II, semi-final
Friday: Ireland v Scotland, Plzen Litice, 1.45pm
The Hook
EuroHockey Junior Championship II (Men) 2019 - Day 6
Plzeň Litice, Czech Republic
Fixtures (GMT +2)
19 Jul 2019 10:15 BLR v ITA (Pool C)
9 Jul 2019 12:30 CZE v POR (Pool C)
19 Jul 2019 14:45 IRL v SCO (Semi Final 1)
19 Jul 2019 17:00 RUS v TUR (Semi Final 2)
20 Jul 2019 09:15 3rd Pool A v 4th Pool B (Pool C)
20 Jul 2019 11:30 3rd Pool B v 4th Pool A (Pool C)
20 Jul 2019 13:45 Loser Semi Final 1 v Loser Semi Final 2 (3rd/4th Place)
20 Jul 2019 16:00 Winner Semi Final 1 v Winner Semi Final 2 (Final)
Pool Standings
Pool A
| Rank | Team | Played | Wins | Draws | Losses | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ireland | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 2 | 16 | 9 |
| 2 | Turkey | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 6 |
| 3 | Belarus | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 9 | -4 | 3 |
| 4 | Czech Republic | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 15 | -12 | 0 |
Pool B
| Rank | Team | Played | Wins | Draws | Losses | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Russia | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 15 | 8 | 7 | 6 |
| 2 | Scotland | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 13 | 6 | 7 | 6 |
| 3 | Italy | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 6 | 5 | 6 |
| 4 | Portugal | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 21 | -19 | 0 |
Pool C
| Rank | Team | Played | Wins | Draws | Losses | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Italy | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 3 |
| 2 | Belarus | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| 3 | Czech Republic | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | -2 | 0 |
| 4 | Portugal | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | -6 | 0 |
EuroHockey Junior Championship II (Women) 2019 - Day 6
Alanya, Turkey
19 Jul 2019 POL v AUT (Pool C) 4 - 3
Fixtures (GMT +3)
19 Jul 2019 11:15 TUR v CZE (Pool C)
19 Jul 2019 15:45 UKR v SCO (Semi Final 1)
19 Jul 2019 18:00 WAL v ITA (Semi Final 2)
20 Jul 2019 09:00 TUR v AUT (Pool C)
20 Jul 2019 11:15 CZE v POL (Pool C)
20 Jul 2019 15:45 Loser Semi Final 1 v Loser Semi Final 2 (3rd/4th Place)
20 Jul 2019 18:00 Winner Semi Final 1 v Winner Semi Final 2 (Final)
Pool Standings
Pool A
| Rank | Team | Played | Wins | Draws | Losses | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ukraine | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 6 | 10 | 9 |
| 2 | Italy | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 4 |
| 3 | Turkey | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 11 | -8 | 3 |
| 4 | Poland | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 8 | -4 | 1 |
Pool B
| Rank | Team | Played | Wins | Draws | Losses | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wales | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 7 |
| 2 | Scotland | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 7 |
| 3 | Czech Republic | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 6 | -4 | 3 |
| 4 | Austria | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 4 | -3 | 0 |
Pool C
| Rank | Team | Played | Wins | Draws | Losses | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Czech Republic | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| 2 | Turkey | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| 3 | Poland | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 3 |
| 4 | Austria | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 6 | -2 | 0 |
EuroHockey Junior Championship III (Men) 2019 - Day 1
Vilnius, Lithuania
18 Jul 2019 WAL v LTU (Pool A) 6 - 1
Fixture (GMT +2)
19 Jul 2019 17:00 UKR v WAL (Pool A)
FIH Match Centre
Irish JAG sides push Germany at Volvo 6 Nations
Ireland’s underage teams face into their penultimate games of the Volvo 6 Nations in Eindhoven with all four teams taking on Belgium on Friday
It follows a number of close-run defeats at the hands of Germany on Wednesday.
On the boys side, Evan Jennings gave the Under-18s a 1-0 lead in the second quarter before the Germans got a controversial equaliser and they moved ahead 2-1 at half-time.
Ireland did have the ball in the net on the hooter but it was deemed after the end of the period. They ended losing 4-1 but not before hitting the post in a competitive second half.
At Under-16 level, it was another well-fought battle. Germany went 1-0 after seven minutes but Ireland were back on terms via a Craig Mackay penalty corner in the second half.
Germany moved back in front in the fourth quarter but Matthew Aughey tied it up at 2-2 with six minutes to go. But two goals in the last three minutes saw the Germans nab the points 4-2.
On the girls side, the Under-16s endured a tough day out with a 10-0 defeat but the Under-18s pushed their illustrious counterparts all the way with Olivia Mullan scoring in a 2-1 defeat.
Girls
Under-18: Ireland 1 (O Mullan) Germany 2
Under-16: Ireland 0 Germany 10
Friday
Under-18: Ireland V Belgium, Eindhoven, 9.40am
Under-16: Ireland V Belgium, Eindhoven, 3pm
Boys
Under-18: Ireland 1 (E Jennings) Germany 4
Under-16: Ireland 2 (M Aughey, C Mackay) Germany 4
Friday
Under-18: Ireland V Belgium, Eindhoven, 11.20am
Under-16: Ireland V Belgium, Eindhoven, 2.40pm
The Hook
Battling England U18 Girls hold hosts to a draw
Action from England U18 Girls at the Six Nations Tournament. Credit gpfoto.ie
England Under-18 Girls battled to a 2-2 draw with hosts the Netherlands in the Six Nations Tournament on Wednesday evening in Eindhoven.
Having led 2-0 shortly after half time, England found themselves under spells of intense pressure from the Dutch outfit, but held on to a draw. While it was an all-round team effort, goalkeeper Zara Rose made some great saves to keep England in the game.
“The girls were really gutted not to win the game,” said Head Coach Sarah Kelleher. “But actually it’s a great result for us and a good feeling to have. They played really well and can be proud of their performance.
“To hold on to a draw was an important step for them because the Dutch had us under a lot of pressure.”
England took an early lead when, after being awarded a penalty corner shortly after the push back, Kitty Chapple found the net.
The Netherlands stepped up their pressure, but England held on and shortly after the third quarter had started they doubled their lead.
The ball came into the D and a reverse stick shot from Darcy Bourne was lifted off a Dutch stick to waist height, from where Martha Taylor blasted it high into the net.
England continued to be a threat and had chances to make it three-nil, but instead it was the hosts who were next to score with a field goal on 42 minutes followed by a penalty corner two minutes later.
England found themselves under pressure with a yellow card and an injury leaving them short-handed, but they dug in and held on for the win.
Germany awaits England in their next match on Friday, starting at 1.20pm UK time.
England U18 Girls 2 (1)
Netherlands U18 Girls 2 (0)
England Hockey Board Media release
Dragons roar in opening day of 2019 CTM Premier Hockey League
The opening day of the 2019 and fourth edition of South Africa's CTM Premier Hockey League saw the defending champions the Drakensberg Dragons Roar, the Maropeng Cavemen spark, the Mapungubwe Mambas sizzle, the Madikwe Rangers hunt, and the Wineland Wings break a four-season curse. The 2019 Premier Hockey League is back and we re delighted.
There is often a sense of trepidation in the opening fixture of a tournament and many may have expected something similar in the first fixture of this year’s tournament between the Golden Gate Gladiators and the Mapungubwe Mambas. Many would have been wrong. Neville Rothman’s charges came out with fire in their bellies but had to wait until the 23rd minute before Tumi Ramphele opened the scoring. Jacque van Tonder pressured the Mambas defence, effected a turn over and crossed for Ramphele to slide in a superb finish.
Things got better for the Gladiators as on the stroke of half-time as Sam Mvimbi converted a penalty stroke for the youngsters. The Mambas, who have won their last two encounters against the Gladiators pulled one back through their own stroke by Greg Last setting up a tense finish. They pulled level on the whistle of the third chukka when Luthando Jonas turned home a goal bound effort by Owen Mvimbi. Although the Mambas tested Taine Bird in goals for the Gladiators regularly, they could not break through and the opening game would be decided by a shootout.
Luthando Jonas, Mustahpa Cassiem and Ross Goncalves all finished for the Mambas as they claimed the opening victory of the 2019 tournament.
The women’s tournament started with a tighter affair as 2017 winners the Orange River Rafters took on the Wineland Wings. The two teams had met three times previously and in all three encounters both teams got on the scoresheet. They would continue that tradition, but to the delight of Ryan Pillay and the Wineland Wings another tradition would disappear!
The Wings were looking fantastic creating a host of opportunities with Jade Mayne central to everything right that the Wings were doing. Jessica Lardant was also a prominent figure while the Orange River Rafters were looking to soak up pressure and launch counters through retired former national skipper Sulette Damons. Stephanie Botha opened the scoring with a fine tomahawk strike for the Wings before Damons showed a moment of quick thinking to fire home the equaliser. The result meant we had our second shootout of the day, something the Wineland Wings would not have wanted. In the three previous season they had competed in nine shootouts winning zero.
It looked like that may continue after early shootout goals for Ongi Mali and Donna Small, but the wings surged back with Robyn Johnson, Tarryn Glasby and Cailynn den Bakker. Stephanie Botha then came forth and confirmed the victory with a coolness that would make Chuck Norris proud and to end the longest streak in Premier Hockey League history.
The Maropeng Cavemen and Garden Route Gazelles played off for the fifth time with the three previous encounters ending in draws. The game came to life in the third quarter after a dour first half. Cameron Mackay showed his poacher like ability in the 34th minute to net his sixth career PHL goal. The Cavemen were then pegged back by nationally capped Dan Sibbald who turned home after great work from the wing. Parity had barely been restored when Spencer Botes fired home a bullet finish to regain the lead for Cavemen who hung on to remain unbeaten in normal time against the Gazelles over four seasons.
The young Cavemen will be chuffed with that opening day victory and impressed with the performance of Duncan Fischer in for Rassie Pieterse, while Mark Chong was superb for the two-time winners.
The women’s final game of the day was a repeat of the 2019 and 2017 finals with Madikwe Rangers and Blyde River Bunters locking horns. The score has ended 1-0 to the Bunters in the three most recent meetings between the two teams, with the Bunters holding a 4-1-0 Head-to-Head advantage ahead of the game.
With the game being limited to many half-chances throughout it felt like another game where the odd goal would decide it. And that’s exactly what happened. With three minutes remaining the Rangers won the penalty corner and Antoinette Louw fired a drag flick past Phumelela Mbande with a venom that gave Pietie Coetzee flashbacks. Sandile Bosman, making his debut as a coach, was delighted with the victory as the team held on for the points.
The final match of the day was a repeat of the 2018 final with the Drakensberg Dragons taking on the Addo Elephants, two-time silver medallists. The Dragons were looking to make a statement to join the Cavemen as teams to defend the trophy and they did just that with a goal in each quarter on their way to a bonus point win.
They opened the scoring when man of the match Richard Pautz finished from some good work from Bili Ntuli. The goal by Pautz moved him into a tie for second in the all-time Premier Hockey League goal scorers alongside Julian Hykes and Ricky West. He then moved into second outright alone when he brilliantly deflected from a Jethro Eustice penalty corner to make it 2-0. Pierre Botma made it three after a brilliant feint one way and squaring the ball by Amkelwa Letuka. Botma fired in his second on the night a few minutes into the fourth quarter at a time when three players were off the field with yellow cards.
Cheslyn Gie’s Elephants managed to pull a goal back through sheer will and strength from Sinoxolo Mbekeni. Unfortunately, it was only a consolation goal and its back to the drawing board for the Addo Elephants.
CTM Premier Hockey League – 18 July Results
(M) – Golden Gate Gladiators (1) 2-2* (3) Mapungubwe Mambas
(W) – Orange River Rafters (3) 1-1* (4) Wineland Wings
(M) – Maropeng Cavemen 2-1 Garden Route Gazelles
(W) – Blyde River Bunters 0-1 Madikwe Rangers
(M) – Addo Elephants 1-4 Drakensberg Dragons
CTM Premier Hockey League – 19 July Fixtures
08:00 – (W) – Namaqualand Daisies vs. St. Lucia Lakers
10:00 – (M) – Golden Gate Gladiators vs. Addo Elephants
12:00 – (W) – Orange River Rafters vs. Madikwe Rangers
14:00 – (M) – Maropeng Cavemen vs. Mapungubwe Mambas
16:00 – (W) – Blyde River Bunters vs. Wineland Wings
SA Hockey Association media release
New era for Euro Hockey League takes shape with EHL Men KO16 draw
Right click and View image for a bigger picture
The new era of the world’s best club hockey competition, the Euro Hockey League, is beginning to take shape with the draw for the EHL Men KO16 taking place this morning in Barcelona.
The first step on the road to the Alain Danet Trophy sees the competition move to a fully knock-out format with 16 clubs from 11 different countries contesting the KO16 at the Pau Negre Stadium from October 4 to 6, 2019.
They will battle it out through the KO16 and KO8 rounds, hoping to win one of the coveted tickets to the FINAL8 which will take place next Easter in tandem with the newly introduced EHL Women’s FINAL8 event.
In the draw, conducted by European Hockey Federation President Marijke Fleuren and EHL Board Member Jorge Alcover, eight enticing match-ups were confirmed.
In the top quarter of the draw, 2018/19 bronze winners Mannheimer HC were pitted against French side CA Montrouge. The winner of that game will come up against either 2011 champions HGC or English newcomers Hampstead & Westminster.
The second quarter features a potential firecracker between England’s Surbiton and Spanish kingpins Real Club de Polo who are looking to build on their FINAL4 appearance last season.
Whoever advances from that tie will face either the ever-present Russian side Dinamo Kazan – contesting their 13th season of the EHL – or French champs Saint Germain.
The next section of the draw is headed up by 2016 EHL winners SV Kampong who will be favourites against Belarussian winners HC Minsk.
The victor from their game will play 2018 FINAL4 side Herakles from Belgium or Austria’s leading side, SV Arminen.
The bottom quarter of the draw sees a Celtic battle between Scotland and Ireland’s top sides, Grange and Three Rock Rovers. They are battling for the right to challenge either 2017 EHL winners Rot-Weiss Koln or Belgian new boys Beerschot.
The KO16 games will take place on October 4 and 5 with the KO8 games being played on October 6. The KO16 losing sides will play classification matches on October 5 and 6 on the “second pitch” at the Pau Negre complex in Barcelona’s Olympic quarter.
The KO8 winners will join Germany’s Uhlenhorst Mulheim, Belgium’s Royal Leopold, the Netherlands HC Bloemendaal and Spain’s Club Egara in the FINAL8 next Easter.
The finalised match schedule and ticket information will be confirmed in the coming week following discussions with the EHL’s stakeholders and potential broadcast partners.
EHL Men KO16 draw:
Mannheimer HC (GER) v CA Montrouge (FRA)
HGC (NED) v Hampstead & Westminster (ENG)
Dinamo Kazan (RUS) v Saint Germain (FRA)
Surbiton (ENG) v Real Club de Polo (ESP)
SV Kampong (NED) v HC Minsk (BLR)
Herakles (BEL) v SV Arminen (AUT)
Grange (SCO) v Three Rock Rovers (IRL)
Rot-Weiss Koln (GER) v Beerschot (BEL)
Byes to FINAL8: Uhlenhorst Mulheim (GER), Royal Leopold (BEL), HC Bloemendaal (NED), Club Egara (ESP)
Euro Hockey League media release
Three Rock learn EHL draw; Ireland back on indoor stage; Mullan in the Money
Three Rock Rovers will face Scottish opposition in the EHL; Ireland's men have been handed a Euro indoor spot; Katie Mullan to be player-coach at Ballymoney
TRR’s Mitch Darling tackles Junior FC’s Oriol Salvador. Pic: Frank Uijlenbroek / World Sport Pics
Three Rock Rovers were handed a favourable draw in the men’s Euro Hockey League as they bid to become the first Irish club to win a knock-out game in the competition.
They missed the sides from the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium and Spain for the KO16 game next October and will play Scotland’s Grange in Barcelona.
“Look we may have avoided a “big gun” but with the restructuring of the EHL going straight into the KO16 there is no easy game!” Jody Hosking said.
“Grange have EHL experience and to win the EuroHockey Trophy in 2018 is an incredible achievement. We have played them before, I’d be interested to see how many players from both teams are still playing, because it can’t be that many!
“Either way, we will be training as hard as possible expecting a really tough and close game and it should be exciting. We are looking forward to it!”
Win and they will face the victors between Royal Beerschot and 2017 champions Rot-Weiss Koln. Rovers will have to cope without the services of Jamie Carr, Luke Madeley and Daragh Walsh who have all taken up professional contracts in Belgium with KHC Leuven.
Some or all of that trio could be in the mix for the return of the Irish men’s international indoor team who had their place confirmed in the 2020 European Championship III.
Ireland had been on a reserve list for the men’s competition but the withdrawal of Bulgaria, Georgia and Cyprus has opened the door for them to take part for the first time since the 1980s.
The tournament will take place in Santander next January with Spain, Slovenia, Scotland and Wales the opponents.
Ireland’s women are bound for Bratislava where Slovakia, Slovenia, Portugal, Spain and Denmark are the other sides taking part.
Katie Mullan has become the latest Irish women’s international to go back to her roots as the Green Army skipper will take up a player-coach role with Ballymoney this season.
Katie Mullan in action for Ballymoney in 2011. Pic: Adrian Boehm
Mullan was part of the Club an der Alster side that won the German championship last season and there was an offer on the table to extend her time in Hamburg.
Mullan will not be available to line out on the field for Money until after the qualifiers are complete, however, with international test matches planned for September and October.
She will work alongside Richard Fairman and Luke Witherow and said of the decision to rejoin her schoolgirl club: “The club has always shown me unwavering support so this is a brilliant opportunity for me to give back to my home club. Whilst there is a wealth of experience in this team I hope to share some of my game knowledge with this team.”
Anna O’Flanagan is another to have returned from abroad and she has taken up a player-assistant coach role with Muckross having gone to school at Muckross Park.
Zoe Wilson – like Mullan – will be in a player-coach position at Randalstown where she learned the game, moving from Belfast Harlequins. Both are foregoing top tier hockey to play in the Ulster Premier League.
Men’s Indoor Championship III – Santander (ESP), Pabellón Deportivo de la Universidad de Cantabria – 17-19 January 2020
One Pool: Scotland/Wales/Slovenia/Spain/Ireland
Women’s Indoor Championship III – Bratislava (SVK), Dom športu Bratislava – 24-26 January 2020
One Pool: Slovakia/Slovenia/Portugal/Spain/Ireland/Denmark
The Hook
Katie Mullan to take up player-coach role with hockey club Ballymoney
Three Rock Rovers get favourable draw in men’s Euro Hockey League
Stephen Findlater
Ireland’s Katie Mullan: she was part of the Club an der Alster side that won the German championship last season. Photograph: Bryan Keane/Inpho
Katie Mullan has become the latest Irish women’s international to go back to her roots as the Ireland skipper will take up a player-coach role with Ballymoney this season.
Mullan was part of the Club an der Alster side that won the German championship last season, and there was an offer on the table to extend her time in Hamburg. However, the new centralised women’s programme for the lead up to the Olympic qualifiers in early November means a local base is more favourable.
Mullan will not be available to line out on the field for Money until after the qualifiers are complete, however, with international Test matches planned for September and October.
She will work alongside Richard Fairman and Luke Witherow, and said of the decision to rejoin her schoolgirl club: “The club has always shown me unwavering support so this is a brilliant opportunity for me to give back to my home club. Whilst there is a wealth of experience in this team I hope to share some of my game knowledge with this team.”
Anna O’Flanagan is another to have returned from abroad, and she has taken up a player-assistant coach role with Muckross having gone to school at Muckross Park.
Zoe Wilson – like Mullan – will be in a player-coach position at Randalstown where she learned the game, moving from Belfast Harlequins. Both are foregoing top-tier hockey to play in the Ulster Premier League.
Big guns
Elsewhere, Three Rock Rovers were handed a favourable draw in the men’s Euro Hockey League as they bid to become the first Irish club to win a knock-out game in the prestigious competition.
They missed all the big guns for the KO16 game next October, and will play Scotland’s Grange in Barcelona. Rovers will have to cope without the services of Jamie Carr, Luke Madeley and Daragh Walsh, who have all taken up professional contracts in Belgium with KHC Leuven.
Some or all of that trio could be in the mix for the return of the Irish international indoor team who had their place confirmed in the 2020 European Championship III.
Ireland had been on a reserve list for the men’s competition, but the withdrawal of Bulgaria has opened the door for them to take part for the first time since the 1980s.
The tournament will take place in Santander next January, with Spain, Slovenia, Scotland and Wales the opponents.
Ireland’s women are bound for Bratislava in Slovakia, where Slovakia, Slovenia, Portugal, Spain and Denmark are the other sides taking part.
The Irish Times
Pakistan's Noor Khan National Hockey Championship from 23rd
ISLAMABAD - The 65th Air Marshal (R) Muhammad Noor Khan National Hockey Championship 2019 will commence at Abdul Sattar Edhi Hockey Stadium, Karachi from July 23, in which 20 teams will be seen in action.
Talking to The Nation from Karachi, Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) President Brig (R) Khalid Sajjad Khokhar said: “Total 20 teams will be in action during the championship, which are divided into four groups. Five matches will be played daily while the quarterfinals will be played on August 1. August 2 will be rest day while the semifinals and grand final will be held on August 4 (Sunday).
“We will decide about the cash prizes and other incentives in next couple of days, as we are expecting sizable sponsorship from the private sector. We are trying to conduct the tournament in a befitting manner. We have appointed Olympian Abdul Hanif Khan as tournament director as PHF is organising the championship,” he added.
“Long standing dispute of Karachi Hockey Association (KHA) has been amicably resolved after a long meeting with Provincial Minister Saeed Ghani as Syed Junaid Ai Shah is appointed as President of KHA and Haider Hussian secretary. Abu Zarr is the treasurer and Muhammad Asif associate secretary
“KHA is given six persons representation in the PHF General Council from Karachi instead of four in the past, which include Junaid Ali Shah, Haider Hussian, Kamran Ashraf, Shahid Ali Khan, Asif Ahmed Khan and Mubahsir Mukhtar. A
ll the six districts are made functional in Karachi. We have successfully negotiated with Olympians forum. I have met with Manzoor Junior and others and they all assured of working for the betterment and revival of Pakistan hockey. I also met with CM Sindh and also stakeholders and took them into confidence,” Khokhar concluded.
The Nation
KLHA to hireItalian De Guio as youth coach
PETALING JAYA: Kuala Lumpur Hockey Association (KLHA) are set to hire Italian international Marta de Guio to strengthen their coaching department.
KLHA president Datuk Seri Megat Shahriman Zaharudin said De Guio would work as their youth coach for six months, taking care of the Under-8 and Under-16 programmes.
Megat said De Guio, who has made 84 appearances for Italy, would work together with the local coaches.
“We want the team to experience the European style hockey from the grassroot level. This is one of our initiatives to provide our young players the needed exposure,” said Megat.
“We’ve offered her the job but she has two weeks to decide.
“If there results are good, we will extend her contract to another six months.
“We should take the opportunity to use De Guio’s expertise. We’ll not disregard the local coaches but all will work together.
Meanwhile, De Guio said she was keen to share her knowledge.
“There are talented and skilful players here but their standard can be further improved,” she said.
The Star of Malaysia
New projects to develop Hockey ID (Intellectual Disability) in Asia
A range of partners in Asia are working hard to bring Hockey ID (intellectual disability) to the wider community through projects launched in Pakistan and Malaysia to deliver top quality coaching and competitive opportunities for students with special needs.
Known as Hockey ID, the aim is to develop a number of training camps and then bring students together for regular tournaments. Hockey ID has been invited to be part of the Special Olympics Asia Pacific (SOAP) Regional Games in Jakarta in 2021 as a demonstration sport and 6 nations are needed for this tournament.
In Pakistan, excitement surrounding the Hockey ID project is high. An initial camp of approximately 25 students is already running in Karachi, working with Habib Public School who provide the facilities. Habib School has an impressive hockey tradition as national team players Sohail Abbas, Hassan Sardar and Qamar Ibrahim are all former students.
While the Karachi camp is looking to expand its numbers, National Director of Special Olympics Pakistan, Daniyal Alvi is delighted that there are also moves to start a second centre in Peshawar, with a coach in place already.
Alvi is also delighted that the International Hockey Federation (FIH) and Asian Hockey Federation (AHF) is supporting the project by providing equipment such as sticks, balls and goalkeeping equipment.
Malaysia was the first nation in Asia to start to deliver Hockey ID, its development driven by the positive energy emanating from a wide range of organisations. Special Olympics Malaysia were very proactive throughout the process, doing much of the groundwork and engaging with all stakeholders, including the Perak Royal Family. This is a case of stakeholders seeing the big picture and coming together to provide an inclusive hockey environment.
In a push to offer top quality hockey coaching and the chance to participate in an exciting competitive environment, the Asian Hockey Federation, Special Olympics Asia Pacific (SOAP), the State Education Department of Perak and the Majlis Sukan Negara (National Sports Council) of Perak have joined forces to create a programme which offers hockey to students from the Clifford School in Kuala Kangsar.
The initial Hockey ID project, which came into being in April of this year, provides 33 students, aged 15-18, with the chance to receive regular hockey training sessions culminating in a tournament in September.
The coaching is provided by qualified hockey coaches and teachers who specialise in teaching students with special needs.
Other partners joining with the Clifford School Kuala Kangsar in delivering this project are the Education District Office of Kuala Kangsar and the AHF-Raja Ashman Hockey Academy in Perak.
The training sessions and the tournament will all take place at the Universiti Sultan Azlan Shah in Kuala Kansar.
Funding for the project has been provided by Special Olympics Asia Pacific (SOAP) and extra fund-raising efforts are being organised to cover the cost of providing suitable turf shoes for all the students. Again Asian Hockey Federation provided sticks and kit for the group.
A second Hockey ID programme in Kuala Lumpur will start this month [July], with a tournament being planned for November.
These are just two areas where Hockey (ID) is taking off and becoming an established part of a National Associations hockey offering. Norman Hughes is FIH ParaHockey (ID) Sports Director and he is delighted with the direction of travel. “In a very short time period Asian Hockey and our partners Special Olympics Asia Pacific have energised nations to grow Hockey (ID). Our challenge now is to use these best practice examples and spread Hockey (ID) across many more Asian hockey nations”, he said. Adding, “I am sure that if we continue to work closely with our partners in SOAP we have a good chance of growing Hockey (ID) and really developing Hockey4All . Hockey can show it can offer so much to society and how teamwork and friendship enriches lives.”
FIH site
Why the 2019 hockey rules are umpire friendly
By David Ellcock
Are you ready for the new season? PIC: SIMON PARKER /ENGLAND HOCKEY
In my last column I looked at two of the biggest changes to the Rules of Hockey in their 2019 edition. This time I’ll review the other, no less important, changes.
Rule 13.2(f), relating to attacking free hits in the 23m area, has been somewhat simplified. Under the revised rule, if a defender is inside the circle but within 5m of an attacking free hit that is taken as a quick self-pass, they can shadow inside the circle but cannot interfere until the ball has travelled 5m. This is exactly as per the 2017 rules. What has changed is that if the free hit is NOT taken quickly and the defenders have time to move 5m away, they must do so.
What does this mean for umpires? Despite a lot of initial, worried, discussion, it’s actually pretty simple to manage. If you have time to shout “5m please!”, then shout it and be sure to enforce it. Otherwise, let the play continue and penalise any defender who was within 5m of the hit and engages before the ball has travelled 5m.
Next up are two changes relating to defenders wearing face masks at PCs. Under previous versions of the rules, umpires had to be strict about making sure a defender wearing a mask removed it before taking a quick free hit when a PC broke down.
This resulted in frustration for players, as opportunities to break were lost while masks were removed. The guidance to rule 4.2 now states, at paragraph (e), that a defender may wear their face mask for a PC which includes “the immediate taking of a free hit awarded after a penalty corner when passing the ball to another player”. This makes the umpire’s job much simpler and removes something that previously led to unwanted interventions. However, it’s important to note that this only relates to a defender passing the ball from a free hit – they are still not allowed to self-pass while wearing a mask.
The second face mask-related change states (at 12.4) that if the ball hits a mask, or any other piece a defender’s equipment, laying in the circle and that prevents a probable goal, umpires can give a penalty stroke, which is a welcome clarification.
The next change takes us back to the 2009 Rule Book and allows defensive free hits in the circle to be taken anywhere inside the circle OR up to 15m from the end line, in line with where the offence occurred. It must be remembered that this relates to defensive free hits only. 15m re-starts must still be taken in line with where the ball crossed the back-line.
In a change that seems to balance out the rules relating to offences during the taking of a PC, if an attacker breaks into the circle early before an injection, the injector must now go to halfway. This may be tricky to explain at first, but players will soon adapt.
The definition of an “offence” has been clarified and now states that it must be “against an opponent.” This means that umpires should no longer penalise players who lift a ball dangerously towards a team mate. Not that they should have been doing so anyway…
The final change of note is that there is no longer anything to stop a GK propelling the ball with their gauntlets, as the prohibition on their using parts of their body other than their kickers and leg guards to do so has been removed
There are a few other changes around terminology and language, that will be of interest to fellow rules geeks, but will have very little impact on the playing of the game so I’ve left them out of this round up.
In my opinion, the changes to the 2019 Rules – quarters aside – will generally make things easier for umpires and reduce one or two areas of unnecessary conflict with players.
Don’t miss our Euro preview! Subscribe by Aug 25 to receive your copy!
The Hockey Paper
What is the difference between field hockey sticks?
By The Hockey Paper
There are four different levels of field hockey sticks players can choose from. Each level is made for a different player’s skills. Purchasing the wrong field hockey stick can be a problem. If you get the wrong stick, you may not be able to play to the level you are capable of. In addition, the wrong field hockey stick can prevent you from developing as a player. Teams are gearing up for a number of major field hockey competitions this year. Fans can follow all of the action using the Coral promo code and wager on the teams they support at the next big field hockey event.
Knowing the difference between field hockey sticks can help you become a better field hockey player. By purchasing the right stick, you can develop, grow, and improve your game on the pitch.
Beginner field hockey sticks
As the name indicates, these field hockey sticks are for those players just learning the game. Players can build their basic skills using these entry level sticks.
Beginner field hockey sticks enable players to improve their stick handling and technical skills. Beginner sticks lack power and players won’t be able to blast balls down the pitch or past goalkeepers with pace.
Many beginner sticks are made of mulberry or hickory wood. The construction makes them lightweight, sturdy, and easy to maneuver when using.
Intermediate field hockey sticks
Intermediate, also known as competitive field hockey sticks, give players a little more power than the beginner sticks. Players of varying skill levels can use intermediate sticks as they allow for greater ball control.
Like beginner sticks, an intermediate stick will give you the chance to develop your ball control. Ball control is the chief skill players work on at a young age and intermediate sticks continue the learning phases for controlling passes, dribbling, and making accurate passes.
Players with over one to two years of experience should graduate to intermediate level field hockey sticks. They are also recommended for players between the ages of 10 and 13 as the game becomes more competitive.
Advanced field hockey sticks
Advanced sticks, sometimes called expert sticks, blend control and power into one. Coaches and instructors will expect teenage field hockey players with over two years of experience to be playing with an advanced field hockey stick.
These sticks are flexible and the use of composite fiberglass give them a forgiving nature when playing the ball.
The combination of control and power offered by advanced field hockey sticks allows players to continue their development.
Elite field hockey sticks
Elite level sticks are used by professional, international, and Olympic field hockey athletes. Compared to the other types of field hockey sticks, elite sticks evolve more often due to technology advancements.
Elite sticks are constructed with 70% or more carbon making them lightweight. Power is the name of the game when it comes to elite sticks. The ability to produce powerful shots is maximized through the design of elite field hockey sticks.
The Hockey Paper