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News for 16 June 2017

All the news for Friday 16 June 2017


Argentina, Netherlands, England & India triumph on Day 1



London, England: The men’s Hero Hockey World League Semi-Final competition got underway at the London’s Lee Valley Hockey & Tennis Centre on Thursday (15 June), with Olympic champions Argentina, European champions the Netherlands, host nation England and Asian giants India all claiming victories.

The opening fixture of the event was a closer than expected Pool A contest between Korea (FIH Hero World Ranking: 12) and Rio 2016 gold medallists and world number ones Argentina. The Koreans gave an excellent showing of themselves in the opening stages but fell behind against the Olympic champions thanks to a trademark penalty corner rocket from Gonzalo Peillat, who sent an unstoppable effort inside the right post.

To their great credit, Korea battled hard and forced an equaliser at the start of the fourth quarter, with Argentine goalkeeper Juan Vivaldi sending an attempted clearance onto a Korean stick before Lee Namyong pass the ball into an empty net. As he so often does, Peillat made a winning contribution in the 53rd minute when he guided a low penalty corner effort between the legs of Korea goalkeeper Hong Doopyo to give Los Leones a narrow but deserved 2-1 victory.

Home favourites England (WR: 7) were also winners on the first day of Pool A action, battling to a 2-0 win against a well organized, defensively resilient China (18). England scored two goals in the 11th minute thanks to Barry Middleton’s open play effort and a penalty stroke from Mark Gleghorne, but excellent defensive work from the China team denied the host nation a third. England’s victory was deserved, but China’s performance provided evidence that they might well spring some surprises here in London.

In Pool B, India (WR: 6) claimed an opening day victory over Scotland (WR: 23), but they were given a real test by the Blue Sticks before eventually recording a 4-1 triumph. Scotland took a shock lead in the 6th minute of the match when team captain Chris Grassick pounced from close range. It was an advantage that thy would hold until a third quarter in which India scored four times without reply, with Ramandeep Singh netting twice before an Akashdeep Singh deflection and Harmanpreet Singh penalty corner killed off any hopes of an upset.

Despite the defeat, Scotland Head Coach Derek Forsyth certainly felt that there were plenty of positives to take away from the contest. “We got off to a great start and played really well throughout the first quarter, certainly defensively. At half time we discussed being better on the ball and trying to cause a few new problems for India. Unfortunately we got off to a bad start in the third quarter, and got punished. We know where we need to improve, and we will, and our aim is to improve with each performance throughout the tournament.”

The Netherlands (WR: 4) and Pakistan (WR: 13) were also in action on the opening day in Pool B, with the mighty Dutch proving too strong for their opponents to win 4-0. Thierry Brinkman was in the right place at the right time to give The Netherlands the lead after just six minutes, with Mirco Pruijser doubling the advantage four minutes before half time. Penalty corner ace Mink van der Weerden made it 3-0 in the third quarter with a sensational drag-flick into the top right corner before Robbert Kemperman completed the scoring 11 minutes from the end of the contest.

“Four-zero against Pakistan is a really good start for us as they are a difficult side to play against”, said Theirry Brinkman – who scored within sixty seconds of his introduction as a 5th minute substitute. I think it was only my second touch of the game, but it was a great pass from Kemperman and I was lucky enough to get a good trap before smashing it into the goal.” 

The action continues on Friday when Pakistan and Canada go head to head in a Pool B contest at 1800 GMT, with Argentina facing Pool A opponents Malaysia at 2000.

The top four finishers in London will qualify for the eight nation Odisha Hockey World League Final in Bhubaneswar, India, although there is a small caveat to this. If India, the host nation of the Final, do not finish in the top four then only the top three teams in London will qualify. They will be joined by the top three finishers from the Semi-Final competition in Johannesburg, South Africa, plus the highest ranked fourth place finisher from the two Semi-Final events.

When it comes to qualification for the Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup Bhubaneswar 2018, there are five automatic berths available here in London, although this will increase depending on the outcomes of the upcoming Continental Championships, which are also World Cup qualification events.

FIH site



Argentina, India start World Hockey League with victories



LONDON - Ramandeep Singh scored twice as India thrashed Scotland 4-1 to start their campaign at the Hockey World League (HWL) Semi-Final on a rousing note in London on Thursday.

In a Pool A match, Argentina edged out South Korea 2-1. The experienced Gonzalo Peillat converted a penalty corner in 26th minute to give Argentina lead. South Korea leveled through a beautiful field goal from Lee Namyong in the 46th minute. But Gonzalo again converted a penalty corner in 53rd minute to earn victory for his side.

Ramandeep (31st, 34th minutes) scored the field goals just after half-time to give India the upper hand in the Pool B match. Striker Akashdeep Singh scored another field goal in the 40th minute before Harmanpreet Singh (42nd) powered in a penalty corner to drive home the advantage. Scotland captain Chris Grassic gave his team the lead in the seventh minute to put India under early pressure. The first quarter belonged to underdogs Scotland who displayed good attacking skills to put India on the backfoot. They held on to the ball possession for a greater part of the first quarter, keeping the Indians in the hunt.

While Scottish goalkeeper Thomas Alexander was impressive with his saves, it was skipper Grassick who got an early lead for his team with a splendid deflection that beat Indian custodian Vikas Dahiya. It was a baseline pass by Kenny Bain picked up by Grassick perfectly to stun the Indians. Both teams slowed down the pace just a little bit in the second quarter. India played cautiously, rotating the ball only to make well-calculated entries into the striking circle. India's marquee midfielder Sardar Singh was in the centre of action with some impressive dribbling, trying to make space in the circle.

But the Indian forwards were kept from equalising by a determined Alexander who continued to impress with his saves. He padded away Akashdeep Singh's shot on goal in the 25th minute. The 10-minute break at half-time was put to good use by India's chief coach Roelant Oltmans who brought about strategic changes to create opportunities in the circle.

It worked like wonder with forward Ramandeep Singh finding a breakthrough almost immediately after the restart. He struck a cracker of a goal with a reverse hit from the top of the circle, beating defender Willie Marshall to equalise. He struck again in the 34th minute when fellow forward S V Sunil produced an assist from the baseline. A perfect deflection by Ramandeep earned India a much-needed 2-1 lead.

In the 40th minute, it was India skipper Manpreet Singh who set up a goal for Akashdeep, who timed his run to perfection to receive the pass and deflect it past Alexander. In the 42nd minute, a clever-thinking Sunil appealed for video referral that saw India win their first penalty of the match.

India's young dragflick sensation Harmanpreet Singh made no mistake with a brilliant flick, picking up the ball from injector Sardar Singh, to send the ball like a bolt to the top corner of the post. India did well in the final quarter to defend their lead, denying any opportunity for the Scottish players to score their second goal. India's young goalkeeper Akash Chikte too held his nerve to ensure India walked away with a 4-1 win.

The Nation



Netherlands outclass Pakistan 4-0



On the opening day of the Hockey World League Semifinal Round at London’s Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Pakistan went down to Netherlands 4-0.

Ranked fourth in the world, Netherlands are the top side in this pool.

And they showed that against the 13th ranked Pakistan.

The Dutch played at a relentless pace and scored a goal in each quarter.

They completely dominated the first 15 minutes. In the 6th minute, a left side foray resulted in an attempt on the goal and off the rebound, Thierry Brinkman, son of legendary Jacques Brinkman, double Olympics and World Cup gold medallist, put the ball in the cage.

Pakistan began the second quarter in a spectacular fashion and created three chances in the first five minutes.

A Dilber attempt came off the post. The game evened out; up and down stuff was seen. However, the Netherlands doubled the advantage in the 25th minute. Micro Pruijser standing close to the goal availed a wonderful diagonal pass from the left side.

The green shirts again enjoyed a good spell at the start of the third quarter. First Ali Shan and then skipper Haseem couldn't make use of chances. Later, the Netherlands wrested the initiative and their sustained aggression caused unforced errors by the Pakistan defence. They had three penalty corners in a quick succession. The last of which was converted in the 42nd minute when Mink van der Weerden's strong flick on the fifth PC  found the top of the net.

The Dutch also had the better of the exchanges in the last 15 minutes. After wasting their sixth PC, a delightful one touch move was finished well by Robert Kemperman to complete the tally.

Scorers:
Thierry Brinkman, Mirco Pruijser, Mink van der Weerden & Rob Kemperman

Pakistan's second match is against Canada

Day's Other Matches:

Argentina scrapes past  South Korea 2-1

Olympic champions Argentina had to dig deep to overcome the fighting Koreans.

It was their super star Gonzalo Peillat, world's most fearsome penalty corner striker, who saw them through. Peillat put the South Americans ahead in the 26th minute.

It stayed 1-0 at half time.

Korea's equaliser came in the 46th minute through Lee Namyong's field goal.

Peillat converted another PC in the 53rd minute for Argentina's winning goal.

Scorers:
Argentina 2: Gonzalo Pelliat 2 (PC)
Korea 1: Lee Namyong

India overwhelms Scotland 4-1

Scots gave the Indians a scare; going 1-0 up in only the 6th minute. Skipper Chris Grassick scored in open play.

India had the better of play in the remaining period of the first half. They made circle penetrations and had chances but the goal eluded them and Scotland's lead remained intact when the hooter sounded.

The third quarter saw India completely dominating the proceedings. They scored four goals in a spell of 12 minutes. Ramandeep found the net twice. First, he found the far corner of the net  with a superb backhander from the top left of the circle. A few minutes later, he availed an excellent cut back from the goal line standing in front of the goal.

An excellent ball from captain Manpreet Singh into the circle saw nimble footed Akashdeep make it 3-1 with a sublime reverse flick.

Fourth goal arrived via India's only  penalty corner of the day. Harmanpreet Singh's high and angular flick  was unstoppable.

India slowed things down in the last quarter and mainly controlled the game with measured passes.

Scorers:
India 4: Ramandeep Singh 2, Akashdeep SIngh, Harmanpreet Singh (PC)

England Sails Past China 2-0

When England went two goals up in the first 11 minutes, it seemed China would be run over.

But the Asians recovered well. Their superb fitness helped them match the mighty English team for most of the time and there was no further score in the match

Scorers:
Barry Middleton and Gleghorne (penalty stroke)

PHF Media release



Smooth start for India

s2h team

A firm reverse shot of Ramandeep Singh that catapulted the ball into the second post past strong looking goalie Thomas Alexander within a minute from the second half, helped change the complexion of the game for India against Scotland from one of struggle to suzerainty in their London opener. India built on his athleticism to romp home 4-1 win over 23-rd placed Scotland, who defied ranking to rankle India with a 1-0 lead at half time.

Scotland surprised India in the sixth minute with an electric deflection from a cross by captain Chris Grassic, but the first stunning reverse shot goal by Ramandeep Singh changed the tide (1-1). Ramandeep Singh himself set the turf on flame with a short distance ground push off SV Sunil to give India lead within three minutes from his first one (2-1).

The third quarter was again lively when captain Manpreet Singh's strong forehand cross into the circle from left 25 yard areas, was faced face to face by Akashdeep Singh, who on the volley deflected past Alexander (3-1) in the 40th minute. It was beauty of a goal, great stuff.

India kept up the momentum, and with alert forwards troubled the stunned Scots endlessly, and got the dividends shortly later. Even as Scotland just heaved a sigh of relief with a good clearance from the circle, but India went for referral for foot.

On this brilliant referral, India got its first penalty corner of which Harmapreet Singh struck the left top roof (4-1) in the 42nd minute to stamp the last nail on the Scotland coffin.

The third quarter that produced all India's four goals was followed by patient Indian play in the next.

Captain Chris Grassick did the unbelievable for his Scotland team with an opportunistic goal against run of play to stun the Indians int he eight minute itself. Akashdeep Singh and Ramandeep Singh got amble chances to neutralize the early lead in the second quarter, but the rival goalie, 27 year old Alexander Thomas came out with excellent stops to deny them, consistantly.

Indian defender Surender Kumar earned a penalty corner four minutes after conceding the goal, but it did not survive rival's referral.

The neutral umpire saw Indian foot and ordered for freehit.

The first half saw excellent defence by Scot whereas India dominated the ball possession, and had better exchange of attacks.

After that, Scotland crumbled after Ramandeep's heroism.

Stick2Hockey.com



Slow starters India thump Scotland


Ramandeep Singh (C) celebrates with teammates after scoring against Scotland in London on Thursday. FIH

India conceded a surprise early goal but made a fine comeback by pumping in four quick goals to beat minnows Scotland 4-1 in their opening match of Hockey World League Semifinal here today.

Scotland captain Chris Grassick struck in the sixth minute to stun the Indians.

Trailing till halftime, India recovered and scored four times in the third quarter — through Ramandeep Singh (31st and 34th minutes), Akashdeep Singh (40th) and Harmanpreet Singh (42nd) — to run away with full points.

While the Scottish goalkeeper Thomas Alexander was impressive with his saves at the start, Grassick’s splendid deflection beat Vikas Dahiya to stun India.

The halftime break worked wonders as Ramandeep struck a cracker of a goal with a reverse hit from the top of the circle to equalise. He struck again, deflecting in forward SV Sunil’s pass from the baseline. Skipper Manpreet Singh set up Akashdeep, who timed his run to perfection to receive the pass and deflect it in. Within no time, Harmanpreet made it 4-1 with a blistering drag-flick into the top corner.

"At halftime I told them a few things and they understood the message. I asked them to change a few things and they did. It took a little while to open the Scottish wall and we were not able to do that in the first 30 minutes. They were hurrying themselves." — Roelant Oltmans, India Coach

India play world No. 11 Canada on Saturday

The Tribune



India rallies to beat Scotland

Scores four times in the third quarter after being 1-0 down in London


Two-goal hero: Ramandeep Singh celebrates one of his two strikes. 

India conceded an early goal, but made a fine comeback by pumping in four quick goals to defeat Scotland 4-1 in its opening match of the Hockey World League (HWL) Semifinals here on Thursday.

Scotland captain Chris Grassick scored in the sixth minute to stun India, which trailed 1-0 till the end of the first two quarters.

India, however, recovered and scored four times in the third quarter to run away with full points in the Pool-B match. Ramandeep Singh (31st and 34th minutes), Akashdeep Singh (40th), and Harmanpreet Singh (42nd) were the scorers for India.

The first quarter belonged to Scotland, which displayed good attacking skills. Grassick got an early lead for his team with a splendid deflection that beat Vikas Dahiya to the post.

Sardar Singh was in the thick of things with some impressive dribbling, trying to make space in the circle. But India was denied the equaliser by a determined Alexander, who continued to impress with his saves.

Ramandeep got a breakthrough in the 31st minute, scoring a cracker of a goal with a reverse hit from the top of the circle. He struck again in the 34th minute with forward S.V. Sunil’s assist from the baseline.

In the 40th minute, skipper Manpreet Singh set up a goal for Akashdeep, who timed his run to perfection to receive the pass and deflect it past Alexander.

In the 42nd, Sunil appealed for a video referral that saw India win its first penalty corner. Drag flicker Harmanpreet Singh made no mistake with a brilliant effort, picking up the ball from Sardar and sending it into the top corner of the post.

The result: Scotland 1 (Chris Grassick 6) lost to India 4 (Ramandeep Singh 31, 34, Akashdeep Singh 40, Harmanpreet Singh 42).

The Hindu



Scotland give India a run for their money but lose opening match of World League Semi-Finals


Photo: FiH/Getty

Scotland were beaten 4-1 by India in a game that saw the Scots take the lead early doors, and hold their own against one of the best teams in the world. All of India’s goals came in the third quarter.

It was a lightning start to the match and Scotland snatched an early goal - Chris Grassick scoring in his first game back after being out 11 months injured. It was a great return for the captain who has worked tirelessly to recover from a serious cruciate ligament injury.

The goal came from a slick break up the right, which found Kenny Bain against the side-line. There was a lovely piece of skill by Bain before he fired the ball into the D for Grassick, who finished at the far post.

The Scots looked solid and comfortable following the goal. Then India, in a moment of real quality, surged a dangerous move down the right into the Scotland D only to be denied by a great diving save by Tommy Alexander, to keep the score 1-0 to Scotland.

Then it looked as if Scotland would have to face a penalty corner when one was awarded to India, but the decision was overturned after going to the video umpire.

Scotland were content to defend strongly and allow India to knock the ball around, without leaving any openings. Suddenly a quick pass into the D, met by a diving effort by Ramandeep Singh, prompted a brilliant save by Alexander to deny India an equaliser at the end of the first quarter.

Into the second quarter and India continued to slide passes around the Scotland D but struggled to open up the rear-guard. Then when they did fashion a shot on goal, Alexander again met it with a top stop to keep Scotland 1-0 in the lead.

Akashdeep Singh probably should have scored as half time beckoned, the Scots were opened up and Akashdeep arrived at the far post but missed with the goal gaping.

It was a disciplined performance by Scotland and they nearly finished the first half with a two-goal lead. Gavin Byers snatched the ball in India’s half and tried to feed Alan Forsyth in the D, but the pass was behind him and India survived.


Photo: FiH/Getty

The second half got underway and India equalised early doors. The first was a reverse stick rocket across goal by Ramandeep Singh, which left Alexander with no chance. 1-1.

Before long it was 2-1 as India turned it on in the second half. A speedy move down the right and Ramandeep got to the ball ahead of the defender to score. Scotland were digging deep to stay in the match - the game had turned in three minutes.

Scotland, however, continued to battle into the game. A good break forward by Tim Atkins forced a card, but the Scots were unable to capitalise while India were down to ten men.

Then came a quality finish by Akashdeep to make it 3-1 for India with five minutes left of the third quarter.

With moments remaining of the third quarter India was awarded a penalty corner. Harmanpreet Singh picked out the top left corner with a superb finish to make it 4-1. Alexander had absolutely no chance in the Scotland goal.

At the start of the fourth quarter a good run by Lee Morton into the India D was defended well to keep Scotland at bay.

Scotland continued to search for a goal and came close when a swift attack by the Blue Sticks saw a perfect delivery by Atkins into the D, but Alan Forsyth couldn't connect.

Scotland men’s Head Coach Derek Forsyth said, “We got off to a great start and played really well throughout the first quarter, certainly defensively. At half time we discussed being better on the ball and trying to cause a few new problems for India. Unfortunately we got off to a bad start in the third quarter, and got punished. We know where we need to improve, and we will, and our aim is to improve with each performance throughout the tournament.”

Scottish Hockey Union media release



Ramandeep, Akashdeep and Harmanpreet score for India

by Dil Bahra


Ramandeep scoring first of his two goals. Photo: Yan Huckendubler

Two goals in three minutes by Ramandeep Singh at the start of the third period  ensured that India made a winning 4 – 1 start at the Hero Hockey World League semi-Final match against Scotland at Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre, London yesterday.

Scotland had taken the lead through Chris Grassick in the sixth minute following their first attack on the Indian goal.

India came back strongly after half time. Ramandeep scored the first of his two goals with a reverse stick shot from the top of the circle and followed up with his second two minutes later. Akashdeep Singh added the third six minutes and Harmanpreet Singh scored from India’s only penalty corner. All four of India’s goals were scored in the third period.

India’s team which was led by Manpreet Singh  included ten Sikh players.

India Team: Harmanpreet Singh; Akash Chikte (G/K); Kothajit Khadangbam; Surender Kumar; Manpreet Singh (Capt); Sardar Singh; Mandeep Singh; Sumit; Vikas Dahiya (G/K); Talwinder Singh; Harjeet Singh; Pardeep Mor; Sunil Sowmarpet; Satbir Singh; Akashdeep Singh; Jasjit Singh Kular; Chinglensana Kangujam; Ramandeep Singh.

Sikhs in Hockey



Roelant Oltmans credits half-time changes for come-from-behind win


File image of Roelant Oltmans. AFP

London: India rallied from one goal down to beat minnows Scotland 4-1 in their opening match of the Hockey World League Semi-Finals on Thursday and their head coach Roelant Oltmans attributed the win to the changes made after the half-time.

"At half-time I told them a few things and they understood the message. I am not aggressive, from my point of view, the key is to improve and I asked them to change a few things and they did," Oltmans said after the match.

"It took a little while to open the Scottish wall and we were not able to do that in the first 30 minutes. They were hurrying themselves," he added.

Speaking about the only goal of Scotland scored in the sixth minute, Oltmans said, "It came out of nothing. It was a long ball and the defenders did not defend as they should have. It was a good assist and their forward (Grassick) hit it straight into the corner. But I was not worried. I have never been afraid in this game, there were still 54 minutes."

Ramandeep Singh struck with a reverse hit from the top of the circle in the 31st minute and three minutes later, he converted a pass from S V Sunil to give India a 2-1 lead.

Akashdeep Singh (40th) and Harmanpreet Singh (42nd) then took the game away from Scotland to give full points to India.

India gave some other players chance to play in the final quarter. Asked about it, Oltmans said, "I also wanted to give Jasjit and Sumit a chance. They flew in this morning and I wanted them to get over the jet lag. Like Dahiya, they all need experience also."

Jasjit Kular and Sumit got a chance in the final quarter, as did the second goalkeeper Akash Chitke, who replaced Dahiya.

Firstpost



Stats Speak: India keeps slate clean against Scotland

By B.G.Joshi (Sehore-Bhopal, India)

Stunned by 6th minute goal by Captain Chris Grassick, India came back in 3rd quarter by pumping in 4 goals. India keeps all wins records over minnows Scotland (World ranking 23).Till date India had played versus 60 teams in international hockey and have no loss record against 37 teams includes Scotland. India won all 6 matches against Scotland, details are:

Year

Venue

Tournament

Score

1978

London

Intl. Test

3-2

2001

Dhaka

Prime Minister’s Gold Cup

5-1

2001

Milton Keynes

Castrol  International

4-2

2010

New Delhi

C’wealth Games Hockey

4-0

2014

Glasgow

C’wealth Games Hockey

6-2

2017

London

HWL-Round 3

4-1

 Fieldhockey.com



India must learn from lapses against Scotland with tougher battles to follow

Sundeep Misra


India celebrate scoring against Scotland. Twitter/ @HockeyIndia

When Kenny Bain sprinted down the right flank and with a deft turn made Kothajit Singh feel like a bumbling teenager, one thought it would be a highlight in Scotland’s play against India in the Pool B opener of the Hockey World League Semi-finals stage.

It didn’t end there. Bain showed the temerity of striding into the Indian striking circle, sweetly time a perfect cross which two defenders and the Indian goalkeeper Vikas Dahiya could only see streak past them onto the waiting stick of the Scottish captain Chris Grassick. The placement was perfect. Scotland to the shock of many led 1-0 in the 6th minute. By the end of the 1st quarter with Scotland holding a vice like grip on the proceedings, a sickening familiar pattern was emerging. India not only had started on the wrong foot. They were making tough work of a team they honestly, with due respect to Scotland, should have killed in the first two quarters.

Rattled at the back, in two minds while clearing balls or passing up front, Scotland sensed the nervousness of a team that was ranked 17 places in front of them; India is at six with Scotland on 23. The gap in terms of numbers was yawning. But on the pitch, Scotland played like a top six team. India did all they could and they did more; exactly the wrong thing at that stage. Instead of holding the ball and making the Scots come to them, they went for the Scots and when a lower ranked team is a goal up, they play with fire and a surety that pleasantly surprises not only their fans but also the coach in the dug-out Derek Forsyth.

The Scots coach got the team together after the 1st quarter and ensured that errors were few and reliance on the counter-attack more. Indian coach Roelant Oltmans would later say that India played into the hands of the Scots. But in a match with four quarters, you not only get breathing space, but enough breaks for the coach to change tactics and show the team where they were going wrong. Scotland had two chances to increase the tally but the defence though shaky managed to keep India alive. Ramandeep Singh, Akashdeep Singh and Talwinder Singh had chances but Scottish goalkeeper Alexander - no Greek King - definitely showed his maturity. India’s best chance came in the second quarter. Akashdeep picked up a Ramandeep pass and went past two before releasing a shot that had goal written all over it. Alexander out of nowhere deflected it off his gloves. Scotland were surviving. India were like a pack of herd trying to get out of the wrong pen they had found themselves in.

To the relief of India, the break after the 2nd quarter gave the Indians the time to rethink. Vikas Dahiya had been replaced and Akash Chikte was brought in. The goal that went past Dahiya could have happened to anybody. But Oltmans didn’t want to take chances. Later, he would say, “I will play Dahiya again. It’s not his fault. The defence was also responsible. Goals happen to goalkeepers too.”

A minute into the 3rd quarter saw Ramandeep trap a cross on the left side of the Scottish striking circle. With a defender on his right side, Ramandeep turned the ball over and with a brutal reverse hit from the top of the circle beat Alexander in goal. It was a stunner that broke the Scottish resistance. Three minutes later, in the 34th minute, SV Sunil threaded his way in from the right flank and crossed. Ramandeep deflected it in. India now led 2-1 with two goals in four minutes. “I was very happy with the goals because it came of team work,” said Ramandeep. Scotland now defended in numbers. India had stretched the Scots across the pitch releasing space. In the 40th minute, a terrific cross from Indian captain Manpreet Singh sped in and Akashdeep deflected it in for the third goal. India now had the Scots by the scruff of their neck and were threatening to over-run them. In the 42nd minute, India earned their first penalty corner and Harmanpreet Singh fired in a powerful flick. At 4-1, Scotland needed a miracle to try and stop the Indians.

Ramandeep Singh said something very interesting after the match. “A tight defence makes you win tournaments while goals scored from forwards make you win matches.” Manpreet echoed the same sentiments. “The first quarter we were under pressure,” said the Indian captain. “It does happen and we did try and get the equalizer. But as the 2nd quarter finished, we kind of got desperate and made more mistakes.”

Indian coach Oltmans was upset with the Indian defence for allowing the Scots to score the opening goal. “It came out of nothing,” said Oltmans. “I have to admit that the Indian defence was relaxed and too reluctant to go and close the zones down. But we will learn from here and keeping playing to the patterns that we have trained for.”

With a day off for the Indian team on Friday, the upcoming matches are tough; against Canada and then Pakistan. And such a dip in form in two quarters cannot be repeated. “The first two quarters were difficult,” says Manpreet. “Defensive structures do win matches. But it was good to get those goals.” The best thing about winning against Scotland was that the forwards raised their level and scored goals. It’s a matter of belief that India despite giving territorial advantage to the Scots fought back to take away the initiative. Speaking on the next two matches, Manpreet said, “There is no pressure against Canada or Pakistan. We need to win matches if we want to advance in the tournament.”

Mandeep Singh would be disappointed that he didn’t get onto the scoring sheets. In the first two quarters, he did have some sharpness of movement but then faded away to come back in the 4th quarter. But on some days, strikers do take an off. Coaches and players love that blips in a tournament come early than later. Against Scotland, hopefully, India would have ironed out the flaws and strengthened their minds for the tougher battles ahead.

Firstpost



Self-doubting India can dazzle; frustrate opponents with grit

Sundeep Misra


File photo of the Indian hockey team. Image courtesy: Hockey India via Twitter

Grappling with issues that are more ‘entrenched in the mind’ than the inherent talent and skill, the Indian hockey team will open its Hockey World League Semi-finals campaign against Scotland at the Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre in London. It was at this venue that India achieved both an agonising low and a soul-lifting high.

In the 2012 London Olympics, India finished 12th — last among the participating nations. Then at the 2016 FIH Champions Trophy, they picked up a silver; arguably their highest podium finish since the 1980 Moscow Olympics where the national team won a gold. National coach Roelant Oltmans has already said that in 2017 and 2018 he expects the Indian hockey team to make a mark on the world stage once again by breaking into the top four. In other words, consistency has to be the calling card for the national team that surely aims to be on the podium, both at the World Hockey League final (December, 2017) and then at the World Cup finals (December, 2018), both hosted by the state government of Odisha in Bhubaneshwar.

On the face of it, Scotland doesn’t seem to be much of a challenge but it’s in their part of the world that they usually come good. However, hockey statisticians would readily point to India’s all-win record against Scotland. BG Joshi, hockey statistician, says that India has played five times against the Scots, winning all of them and scoring 22 goals in the process. In their last encounter at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games in 2014, India won 6-2. Numbers don’t lie. But neither do they touch the psychological pulse of a team correctly.

In the recent Sultan Azlan Shah Hockey Tournament, Great Britain (GB) won the trophy beating top seeds Australia in the final. And Alan Forsyth, the Scot playing for GB who starred with four goals in the tournament, will try and make an early impression in the tournament against India. Scotland knows that a good result against India will open the pool up, giving them a psychological advantage against teams like Canada and Pakistan. Gordon McIntyre, the midfielder, has played for Scotland 75 times and five times for GB. An admirer of Andy Murray, his tenacious play in the midfield should bother the Indian defence. Chris Grassick is the third Scot to have played for Britain, and was in the squad that played the 2016 Rio Olympics. He has played 91 times for Scotland and 19 for GB, scoring four goals for the latter, and will lead the team against India.

India turned up in London after playing a Three-Nation Invitation in Dusseldorf. They beat Belgium 3-2 and lost 1-2 while against Germany they drew 2-2 and then lost the last match 0-2. Training matches are good in bringing back the focus before a team embarks on a competition where results matter, which in turn then lifts the world ranking. India, at the this stage, apart from reaching the podium, needs good results as a top-four world ranking also helps them get a better pool at the World League Final and the 2018 World Cup finals.

In India’s Pool B, the other teams are Netherlands (4), Canada (10), Pakistan (13) and Scotland (23). The Dutch are the highest-ranked and along with Pakistan, in the overall tally of matches, the Indians have a losing record against them. Never before, in the last three decades of international hockey have teams been so even, at least the ones in the top eight. England, after the Rio collapse, are finding their feet and many do hope that it might be an India-England final. But as said, earlier, many of India’s best and worst results have come from fissures in their mind, rather than the lack of artistry in their wrists or the power in their penalty corner flicks.

Without their goalkeeper and captain, P Sreejesh, who is healing an injury sustained in the Azlan Shah, India will be under tremendous pressure at the back. But it’s a great opportunity for Akash Chikte and Vikas Dahiya to lay a claim to being the second-best goalkeeper in the country. Chikte, though, should fancy himself as being the under-study to Sreejesh. In the 2016 Asian Champions Trophy, Chikte played the final against Pakistan when Sreejesh had an injury. India won 3-2 with Chikte making some brilliant saves in the 3rd quarter when Pakistan were pushing India back into their own territory.

Rupinder Pal Singh's unavailability due to a pulled hamstring is a setback since he is a player on the rise and someone who was coming of age with his speed and accuracy in penalty corners. S Uthappa’s exit due to a family emergency will create an issue in the rolling substitution but India with a decent set of forwards should be able to cope. Uthappa has been replaced with Sumit, a core member of the 2016 Junior World Cup winning team but also a player who showed class and maturity at the recent Azlan Shah. His ball skills and vision that creates corridors of play even in tightly-bound defences is a reason to feel excited about the youngster. The Indian coach does gush about Sumit. “I agree he is very exciting but needs that experience to find his feet at the senior level,” says Oltmans. “I know he played very well at the Azlan and looking forward to the Tokyo Olympics, he is one of the players we have a lot of hope from.”

Rupinder’s replacement is Jasjit Singh Kular, who is a part of the 33-member core group that trained in SAI Bengaluru. With 46 international matches against his name, Kular should use this opportunity and increase his tally of five goals as a penalty corner flicker. Losing two key players is not a setback for Oltmans anymore. “With a core group who have been working together since 2017, February year, we have several options and I don't see this as a setback for us at all.” Oltmans does agree that Rupinder is an important player in the structure that he is looking to create before the Finals in December. “But injuries are a part of the sport and we have to cope with it.”

But Oltmans will be keenly watching the poaching skills of Ramandeep Singh, Mandeep Singh, Talwinder Singh, SV Sunil and Akashdeep Singh. This is the set of forwards that should be playing the next two years looking to be a part of the team flying to Tokyo for the 2020 Olympics. And as Oltmans said, after the loss to Malaysia in the Azlan Shah that deprived India of playing the final, “Goals are needed from the forwards and if India wants to raise itself onto the podium, the forwards will have to deliver.”

Mandeep had a hat-trick against Japan in the Azlan and for almost four years has been the 'Kid on the Block'. It’s time those stats of 28 goals in 67 matches increase to proclaim the fact that he is ready to be on that road where former Indian greats have walked. Mandeep and Ramandeep are the pure strikers with Akashdeep creating the chances as the inside forward while Sunil’s sprint takes care of the defence and keeps them rattled.

It’s that release inside the opposition striking circle from Sunil that gets to be so crucial when defenders swarm around Indian forwards, and even an inch of space can be the difference between scoring and missing. If one speaks of Mandeep as a player whose time has come to deliver, then stronger words need to be used for Ramandeep who can shrug off the tag of an Oltmans favourite should he rise to form and sustain it. Thus making into the team has not always depended on his prowess in front of goal.

Oltmans also leans on stats to explain his view point on goals and forwards. “I don’t care who scores,” he says. “Just score those three goals.” And then he explains further. “In terms of stats, the team that scores three goals wins 90 percent of the matches.”

It’s been a treacherous ride since the high of the 1960s, 1970s and to some extent even the 1980s. Strategies, tactics do stand out. Stats can be impressive when looked at in totality. But matches are sometimes won in stand-out moments, in those seconds of inspirational skills and moves that can lift a team to the podium and make them believe in themselves. Hopefully, India can dazzle with skills and frustrate opponents with grit.

Firstpost



England start World Cup campaign with a win


Mark Gleghorne v China MHWL

England got their Hero Hockey World League campaign underway in the best possible fashion as they eased past China in front of a home crowd. With a World Cup spot at stake, England were in search of an positive performance to start their tournament and they duly delivered.

The squad featured many members of the Great Britain side that won the Azlan Shah Cup back in April and they bristled with confidence throughout the game against a compact Chinese side.

But two breaches of their opponent’s defence in the 11th minute was all they needed, Barry Middleton - making his 380th international appearance - scoring the first before winning a penalty stroke that Mark Gleghorne duly converted seconds later.

With the game set under a dazzling east London sunset, the opening exchanges were fairly cautious as both sides looked to settle into the game and develop a rhythm.

The game’s first clear chance then fell to China in the seventh minute as Wenlong E narrowly failed to nudge home a low driven cross at the back post.

That sparked the hosts into life and they took the lead just four minutes later as Barry Middleton tucked the ball home following a clever pass by Sam Ward.

Just seconds later, and with the raucous fans still cheering the first goal, England doubled their lead as Gleghorne dispatched a penalty stroke high above Ming Cheng after Fenghui Lu fouled Middleton in the area.

Aside from a Gleghorne shot that flashed over the bar following a skillful run, that was the end of the action for the first half with Bobby Crutchley’s side content taking a two-goal lead into the break.

Gleghorne and Middleton were again at the heart of the action in the second half as England pushed to further their lead as they forced Cheng into an impressive double save in the 39th minute.

Cheng was called into action again twice more, firstly to deny Gleghorne from a penalty corner before stopping a Liam Sanford shot with his chest while at the other end George Pinner remained a spectator as England closed out the game comfortably.

The supporters remained in good voice throughout and we look forward to hearing even more of them throughout the rest of the tournament.

Moment's silence held before England game

Following the tragic fire at Grenfell Tower in London on Wednesday, England Hockey held a moment’s silence before England’s game against China this evening, 8pm.

England Hockey and the International Hockey Federation (FIH) wish to pay their respects to all those affected by the tragedy.

England and China’s players also wore black armbands as a further mark of respect.

England 2 (2)
Barry Middleton, 11 (FG)
Mark Gleghorne, 11 (PS)

China 0 (0)

England: George Pinner (GK), Henry Weir, Brendan Creed, Michael Hoare, Liam Sanford, Ollie Willars, Ian Sloan (C), David Ames, Adam Dixon, David Goodfield, Barry Middleton, Harry Martin, David Condon, Phil Roper (C), Sam Ward, Mark Gleghorne, Chris Griffiths
Unused: Harry Gibson (GK)

England are next in action on Saturday 17 June against Malaysia at 14.00. Tickets are available to purchase here.

England Hockey Board Media release



Malaysia must be wary of Argentine penalty corner specialist in opener

by Aftar Singh


Not good enough: South Korea’s Lee Nam-yong (right) managed to score an equaliser against Argentina in the 46th minute during the World Hockey League Semi-Finals Group A match in London yesterday. Argentina won 2-1.

KUALA LUMPUR: The last phase of Malaysia’s road to next year’s hockey World Cup begins in London today.

Malaysia will start their Group A campaign in the World Hockey League Semi-Finals against world No. 1 Argentina at the Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre.

The other teams in the group are South Korea, England and China.

Argentina have already got their campaign off to a winning start – edging South Korea 2-1 yesterday.

And, judging from the Argentines’ performance yesterday, Malaysia will have to be wary of their penalty corner specialist – Gonzalo Peillat.

The 24-year-old defender scored both the goals in their win over South Korea.

Peillat gave Argentina the lead off their third penalty corner in the 26th minute when his powerful low flick sailed past goalkeeper Hong Doop-yo.

Argentina played a fast-paced attacking game to dominate the match right from the start and created many chances. South Korea can thank goalkeeper Doop-yo for keeping the slick Argentines at bay.

As Argentina kept wasting their chances, the Koreans managed to equalise in the 46th minute when Lee Nam-yong collected a poor clearance by goalkeeper Vivaldi Juan to slam home.

Seven minutes later, Peillat scored the winning goal off their fourth penalty corner.

National coach Stephen van Huizen, who was at the stadium watching the Argentina-South Korea match, admitted that Peillat would pose a danger to them.

“He scored two of the four penalty corners they earned. So, we’ll have to watch out for his powerful flicks,” said Stephen.

“The Argentina players are not happy with today’s result because they missed a number of sitters.

“They will definitely want to bounce back and play much better against us. So, we have to be ready for them.

“I hope my players can settle down fast and play well.”

Malaysia last played against Argentina in the Champions Challenge I in South Africa in 2011 and lost 5-2 in a group match.

The teams in Group B are Holland, India, Pakistan, Canada and Scotland.

The Star of Malaysia



Canadian men enter World League Semi-Final with lofty goals and perspective

Shaheed Devji


PHOTO: Canada’s men during the National Anthem at the 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil (By Yan Huckendubler)

It is hard to believe that is has been two years since Canada’s men’s field hockey team pulled off a stunning defeat of 7th ranked New Zealand at the 2015 World League Semi-Final in Argentina.

The dramatic quarterfinal shootout win sent the Canadian men to the 2016 Olympic Games and began what has been a whirlwind 24 months.

It was also the beginning of a transformation in the Canadian men that comes to a head at the next World League Semi-Final in London this week.

“Obviously playing in the Olympics gives you perspective,” says defender Gordon Johnston who was a part of both teams and is with Canada’s men in London. “I think that a lot of the guys have developed since that last World League tournament.”

And it is that tournament that also has given the Canadians belief that they can compete with the best teams in the World.

The top-four finish at the World League Semi-Final in Argentina, followed by an appearance at the World League Final in India and culminated with participation in the 2016 Olympic Games, where Canada tied 6th ranked India.

“We can definitely take a lot of experience from that tournament,” Johnston says about the team’s performance in 2015. “I thought we played well as a team and performed against some of the top teams in the World. If we can take that experience and compete really well at the coming World League, then we have a good shot.”

Entering the London World League Semi-Final as the 5th ranked team and 11th in the world, the Canadians certainly have a shot at finishing in the top five and earning a World Cup spot.

And while that is the goal, for a team that team that has already tasted success in the from of qualification, it is not the only goal.

“We want to challenge ourselves and finish the best we can and win against teams that are at or above us in the World Ranking and put us in a good position to not only take that World Cup spot but also maybe finish higher than our ranking at the tournament.”

Canada open the 2017 World League Semi-Final in London on Friday against Pakistan at 10:00am PT/1:00pm ET.

Field Hockey Canada media release



World League Semi-Final: What To Watch

Shaheed Devji


PHOTO: Canada celebrates a goal against 6th ranked India at the 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil (By Yan Huckendubler)

The 2017 Men’s Hockey World League Semi-Final gets going today in London, and Canada’s men take to the field for their first game against Pakistan on Friday.

With World Cup qualification and the chance to move on to the World League Final on the line, there is a lot to watch.

The End Result

First and foremost, it’s about the results in London.

2018 World Cup qualification will be awarded to the Top 5 finishers at the World League Semi-Final, so placement is key.

Canada’s men will be looking to place as high as possible in the pool stage to draw a favourable opponent in the quarterfinal.

A win the in the quarterfinal would mean a guaranteed top-four finish and guaranteed World Cup qualification and a spot at the World League Final.

A quarterfinal loss means Canada would have to playoff for the coveted 5th spot and World Cup qualification.

With so much on the line, every game is important.

Book-Ends

Each game in pool play carries with it a different storyline and implication, but the first and last are the most crucial for Canada’s men.

Two wins would like result in a 3rd place finish after pool play, meaning avoid the top seed in the crossover quarterfinal, and the best opportunities for wins come against the two teams ranked below Canada in Pool B: Pakistan and Scotland.

The Canadians open the tournament on Friday, June 16th against 13th ranked Pakistan. And while Canada is two spots ahead in the World Rankings, currently sitting at 11th, Pakistan will not be an easy opponent.

Canada and Pakistan last faced each other at the 2016 Azlan Shah Cup in Malaysia, where the two teams met twice – the second of which was in the 5th place match – and in both matches, Pakistan had the edge by a score of 3-1.

Canada’s men will have likely targeted the final pool stage match on June 20th against 23rd ranked Scotland as another opportunity to pick up a win and improve placing before the quarterfinal.

But in the Scots, Canada draws the team that the most (4 spots) when the last World Rankings were released.

The last time Canada and Scotland met in a tournament of note was at the 2013 World League Round 2 in France, where Canada come out on top by a score of 5-3 on goals from Keegan Pereira, Mark Pearson, Gordon Johnston, and Matthew Guest.

Also of note is Canada’s tilt with 6th ranked India. The two teams last did battle at the 2016 Olympic Games in August and Canada shocked the world by picking up a 2-2 draw thanks to a two-goal performance from Canadian captain Scott Tupper.

Canada will likely have a strong belief that it can once again take points from India, this time in London.

Pan Am Cup Preview?

While Canada will be hoping to avoid drawing Pool A’s top seed in a quarterfinal matchup, that doesn’t mean that there is not a chance that the Canadian men meet Pan American rival and World No. 1, Argentina, in London.

And if the two Pan Am powerhouses do meet, it would likely be a preview of what is to come at some point during the Pan Am Cup in Lancaster, Pennsylvania this August.

It’s safe to say the two teams know each other well, having met in two of the last four Pan American Cup finals, and the last eleven straight Pan Am Games finals.

The Argies are the reigning Olympic Champions and knowing their continental foes well will give Canada the belief that they will be able to upset Argentina if the opportunity arises.

Milestones

In Canada’s first match of the World League Semi-Final against Pakistan on Friday, midfielder John Smythe will be playing in his 50th senior international match for Canada.

Fifty games is the first big milestone in terms of games played on the international circuit, and for Smythe it is even more meaningful as his battle with Crohn’s disease once had him questioning whether he would even play one game for Canada.

When Canada faces India in Game 2 on June 17th, Gabriel Ho-Garciaa will play in his 100th match for Canada.

The 24 year-old native of Burnaby, British Columbia has already competed in an Olympic Games (2016) and Pan American Games (2015).

Field Hockey Canada media release



The top 10 players to watch in London



London is playing host to one of the most exciting hockey events of the year, the Hockey World League Semi-Finals. This super-charged event is not just the chance for nations who have worked their way through the earlier rounds to pit their skills against the top teams in the world, it is also a chance for teams to secure their place at the 2018 World Cup which, along with the Olympic Games, is hockey’s biggest prize.

So who are the players to watch? Here is our guide to some of the stars who you can expect to shine brightly in London.

Argentina is a team that is packed full of talent and many well-known names. Expect Gonzalo Peillat to be on top form when it comes to rocketing in penalty corner shots and Lucas Vila to be in the mix in midfield, over-turning possession and creating chances, but the young player to watch is Maico Casella. The midfielder, who is making his debut for Los Leones senior side was a star in the Junior Pan American Cup, winning both player of the tournament and top scorer. He then went on to play an incisive role as Argentina captain in the Junior World Cup, showing his ability to create and score goals as well as lead his team.



Canada is a team that is packed full of experience. On 251 and 216 caps respectively, Scott Tupper and Mark Pearson have been the backbone of this team for years and were pivotal in Canada’s successful Hockey World League campaign in 2015. But the player that is on form at present and cracking goals in at will is Gordon Johnston. Coming off the back of a successful test series against France, Johnston is a player who can create shooting space for himself but also has the vision to send a killer pass if that is the better option.



China has a young squad that is learning with every match but no player is learning how to be a presence on the international stage faster than Du Talake. At the previous Hockey World League Round Two event in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Du Talake was named player of the tournament after he showed pace, skill and an unerring eye for goal.



England has a new look team with six players on less than 10 caps and only the ever-green Barry Middleton and stalwart Adam Dixon on more than 100 caps. But this is a side that is brimming with talent as the recent test series against South Africa and Germany showed and no-one epitomises the new, confident and attacking approach more than goal-scoring machine Sam Ward. The forward has scored nine England goals so far (and a further 13 for Great Britain) and he will be looking to lead the attack on home territory.



India is a team that has been building for a while now and at the heart of the new-look team is Harmanpreet Singh. The drag flick sensation is one of a number of players in the India side who are enjoying success on the international stage and have been moving steadily up the rankings. Discipline and patience – two qualities that the team lacked in recent years – have been steadily improving and, combined with their redoubtable skill, makes India a dangerous opponent.



Korea’s Lee Namyong is a prolific goalscorer, who finished in the goalscoring top four in the 2015 HWL Semi-Finals in Bueno Aires. Korea came seventh in that event, which made Lee Namyong’s success more remarkable. He is also Korea’s most experienced player, with more than 250 caps to his name.



Malaysia is a team packed full of talent, including Faizal Saari, Fitri Saari and the inspirational captain Sukri Mutalib. However, the player that has been the back bone of the team and one that strikes fear into defenders when he ventures near the circle is sharp-shooter Razie Rahim. Lightening quick, silky skills and an uncanny ability to find the spaces, Rahim promises to be a live-wire in London.



Netherlands is a side that is always expected to be among the medals at major events and the team coming to London is certainly capable of delivering. There are some star names on the team sheet but the quiet danger man in front of goal is Mirco Pruijser. The tall Dutchman drifts into spaces and leaves defenders chasing shadows.



Pakistan stalwart Muhammad Irfan name-checked Muhammad Rizwan as a player to watch in London, and the young defender could find himself playing a major role as Pakistan seeks to re-establish itself among the top teams in the world. Certainly, in their recent successful test series against New Zealand, the 25-year-old defender was at the heart of the action and displayed all the tenacity and calm needed to become a world-class player.



Scotland, as the lowest-ranked team in London, will need all the pugnacious skill and goal-scoring ability that its long-serving forward Alan Forsyth can bring to London. Forsyth has been playing for English premier side Wimbledon and has enjoyed a fantastic season in the domestic league and in the EuroHockey League KO16. He was also Scotland’s top scorer and second in the overall table at HWL Round Two, so the Blue Sticks will be looking to Forsyth to lead from the front.



FIH site



FIH agrees broadcast partnerships to provide truly global coverage


Broadcast partners will show hockey in every single nation across the world this year Photo: FIH/Getty

Hockey will be shown in every single country by broadcasters across the world after the International Hockey Federation (FIH) agreed a number of partnerships with key media outlets.

Following the announcement of BT Sport and DAZN earlier this month, FIH confirmed today that ESPN Player, CBC Sports, TV Tokyo and TVP join over 20 other broadcasters, including FIH Official Media Partner Star Sports, will show the upcoming Hockey World League Semi-Finals.

Under the agreement with FIH, ESPN Player subscribers across EMEA, including more than 50 European countries such as France, Italy, Spain, Norway and Portugal, will be able to watch more than 350 hours of live and on-demand hockey coverage.

Under the agreement ESPN Player will stream more than 130 games from the Hockey World League Semi Finals, which take place in London, Brussels and Johannesburg, starting on Thursday 15 June  and running until Sunday 23 July 2017.

In addition, the men and women’s Hockey World League Finals (44 games) will be available in November and December 2017 while ESPN and FIH will continue to explore more opportunities for future events.

Speaking about this, Charly Classen, Vice President and General Manager, ESPN EMEA said: “We are thrilled to work with FIH to bring the world’s best hockey action to sports fans in dozens of countries. The exclusive agreement for ESPN Player to broadcast the Hockey World League Semi-Finals and the Finals is a great start to our partnership with FIH, and we are excited about working with them closely in the future.”

In Canada, CBC Sports will live-stream every game from the Semi-Final in London, England at cbcsports.ca and on the CBC Sports app over the next couple of weeks, providing more than 65 hours of free access to all Canadians without the need for a subscription.

Japan’s TV Tokyo has committed to showing every match featuring their men’s and women’s teams at the Hockey World League Semi-Finals in Johannesburg, South Africa, whilst Poland’s TVP will show all of their women’s matches from there. For nations without broadcast partners, the Olympic Channel will stream all of the matches from the upcoming Hockey World League Semi-Finals.

About these latest deals, Andrew Oram, FIH TV and Broadcast Director, said: “To partner with some of the world’s biggest broadcasters is a huge step for hockey. Having their backing will take coverage of our sport to the next level - into new territories, giving fans greater access to world-class hockey action. We look forward to working closely with all our broadcast partners to promote our sport throughout several huge international hockey events over the coming years. They will be key to helping us achieve our 10-year Hockey Revolution strategy’s main aim of making hockey a global game that inspires the next generation.”

Greg Stremlaw, Executive Director of CBC Sports and General Manager, Olympics, said the following with regard to the Canadian partnership: “As Canada’s home to the best in high-performance sport at the national and international level, we are excited to be working with FIH to provide our audiences coverage of world-class hockey. This partnership underscores our commitment to providing a platform that showcases Canada’s athletes and teams to the widest possible audience and we look forward to bringing the Semi-Final to Canadians over the next few weeks.”

In relation to the Polish partnership, Marek Szkolnikowski, Head of TVP Sport, said: “We are very happy to have acquired the rights to women’s World League Semi-Final with the Polish national team participating. We hope that it’s the beginning of a fruitful cooperation between Polish Television and FIH.”

Where to watch your favourite teams and players at the Men's Hero Hockey World League Semi-Final in London.

Use the table below to find out how to watch your favourite players and teams from your country or region.

 COUNTRY BROADCASTER
Participating nations coverage details
Australia Fox Sports
Argentina ESPN Sur
Belgium Telenet, RTBF
Canada CBC Sports
China Olympic Channel
Chile                                                                                                                                                       Canal del Deporte Olympico
Egypt OSN
England BT Sport
France ESPN Player
Germany DAZN
India Star Sports
Ireland BT Sport
Italy ESPN Player
Japan TV Tokyo
Korea Olympic Channel
Malaysia Astro
Netherlands NOS, Ziggo
New Zealand Sky TV
Pakistan PTV
Poland TVP
Scotland BT Sport
South Africa SuperSport
Spain ESPN Player
USA ESPN
Non-participating nations coverage details
Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe SuperSport
Maldives, Nepal, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka Star Sports
Algeria, Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, South Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Yemen, West Bank, Gaza Strip, Palestine, Western Sahara, Chad, Djibouti, Somalia OSN
Austria, Switzerland, Luxembourg DAZN
Wales BT Sport

The list may change depending on broadcast deals agreed.

FIH site



Green Army Beat Olympic Bronze Medallists Germany



Ireland produced a superb win over Germany, courtesy of Katie Mullan’s winner two minutes from time to beat the 2016 Olympic bronze medalists in Berlin.

The team’s captain touched in Hannah Matthews’ raking pass in the 58th minute to give Graham Shaw’s side the perfect start to the Four Nations Invitational event.

It capped a fine performance for the Irish side, one in which goalkeeper Ayeisha McFerran made several key stops while Zoe Wilson and Roisin Upton impressed in the centre of defence.

The result will also bolster confidence ahead of a re-match in July against the Germans in World League Round 3 in the group stages, a tournament in Johannesburg where the 2018 World Cup tickets will be decided.

After a low-key first quarter, the game opened out in the second period. Marie Mavers fired the warning shot for Ireland with McFerran saving well at her feet.

On the counter a minute later, Ireland went ahead in classy fashion. Sinead Loughran turned over the ball on halfway and exploited the space to push forward before slipping a pass to Anna O’Flanagan.

The striker squared up the last defender, using the back-pedaling pace against her to open up a scoring opportunity and then smashed home from the top of the D.

Germany had a trio of chances before the break but nothing overly clear-cut and McFerran’s cool head saw her guide away the chances, holding the 1-0 lead into the break.

The hosts did continue to have slightly the edge from general play but Ireland were countering perfectly. Lena Tice’s diagonal ball located Nikki Evans who won a penalty corner and the another but those chances slipped by.

Jana Teschke, meanwhile, got her side back on terms from a clever set-piece move on the three-quarter hooter, making it 1-1 with 15 minutes to go.

The Germans had a second disallowed from their fifth corner while Franziska Hauke clipped the bar from another chance. But Ireland rode out that phase and looked the more likely winner down the final stretch as Deirdre Duke twice drew the best from Julia Ciupka in the closing five minutes.


Katie Mullan scored a late winner for Ireland. Photo: The Hook

Then came Mullan’s glorious winner and Ireland had their first ever win over Germany.

“Obviously we are very happy with the result,” coach Graham Shaw said afterwards. “We created some very nice goalscoring opportunities which is pleasing.

“We need to work on managing their phases better as we conceded a few soft circle entries. We will look at the video and try make improvements in these areas. We will look to recover well and look forward to playing China tomorrow.”

That game against China, the world number eight side, is at 4pm in Berlin.

Ireland 2 (O'Flanagan, Mullan)
Germany 1 ( Teschke)

Ireland: A McFerran, K Mullan, S McCay, L Tice, G Pinder, C Watkins, N Daly, H Matthews, A O’Flanagan, Z Wilson, D Duke

Subs: N Evans, E Beatty, S Loughran, R Upton, L Colvin, A Meeke, G O’Flanagan

Germany: J Ciupka, N Lorenz, B Wenzel, C Stapenhorst, J Muller-Wieldand, N Heyn, J Teschke, F Hauke, C Pieper, M Mavers, N Notman

Subs: E Grave, E Martin Pelegrina, M Hayn, C Nobis, H Granitzki, V Huse

Berlin Four Nations (all Irish time)
Thursday: Germany 1 (J Teschke) Ireland 2 (A O’Flanagan, K Mullan); Korea 1 China 1
Friday, June 16: China v Ireland, 4pm
Sunday, June 18: Ireland v Korea, 11am

The senior women’s team aren’t the only squad in action, the U21 women’s side will face Scotland in 3 matches this weekend in Queens University Belfast.

Match 1: Friday 16th at 7:30pm
Match 2: Saturday 17th at 2pm
Match 3: Sunday 18th at 10:30am

Irish Hockey Association media release



Men’s World League Semi-Final team announced

Team of 18 to head to South Africa

Holly MacNeil



The national men’s hockey team that will travel to Johannesburg, South Africa to take part in the World League Semi-Final has been announced.

A team of 18 athletes will head over to South Africa to take part in the competition which acts not only as the qualifier for the World League Final that will be held in India this December, but also for the 2018 World Cup that will be also be held in India in November next year.

Returning to the team for the first time in 2017 are Aran Zalewski and Daniel Beale who have both been over in Europe competing in the Dutch League for the first half of the year. Kookaburras captain Mark Knowles will make a comeback to the team having missed the Azlan Shah Cup with a stress injury to his foot; while Tristan White also returns for the first time this year.

Kookaburras head coach Colin Batch said: “We’re pleased to have some of our experienced athletes return to the side for the first time in 2017. The return of these players will bolster the strength of our play across the midfield and defence.

“Ultimately the team we have selected, we hope will not only help us to qualify for the 2018 World Cup, but will also give us an indication of how the team copes when we have different players coming into the mix as we test new playing lines.”

In addition to the 18 athletes travelling for the World League Semi-Finals, Ben Craig and Tom Wickham will travel to Johannesburg with the team to take part in a series of practice matches with the group prior to the main competition.

The Kookaburras will depart for Johannesburg on Monday, 3 July.

The full team playing in the World League Semi-Final includes:
Athlete (Hometown, State)
Kiran Arunasalam (Doncaster East, VIC)
Daniel Beale (Brisbane, QLD)
Andrew Charter (Canberra, ACT)
Tom Craig (Lane Cove, NSW)
Matt Dawson (Killarney Vale, NSW)
Jeremy Edwards (Hobart, TAS)
Jeremy Hayward (Darwin, NT)
Aaron Kleinschmidt (Melbourne, VIC)
Mark Knowles (Rockhampton, QLD)
Tyler Lovell (Perth, WA)
Trent Mitton (Perth, WA)
Eddie Ockenden (Hobart, TAS)
Josh Pollard (Melbourne, VIC)
Matt Swann (Mackay, QLD)
Jake Whetton (Brisbane, QLD)
Tristan White (Wollongong, NSW)
Dylan Wotherspoon (Murwillumbah, NSW) *plays for QLD
Aran Zalewski (Margaret River, WA)

Hockey Australia media release



Samiullah hails ‘Hockey Pro League’

KARACHI: Pakistan’s former captain Olympian Samiullah has welcomed FIH’s decision to introduce “Hockey Pro League” from January 2019 and said it would promote hockey in the world.

The new league will see top nine teams from around the world play each other, home and away, every year — a total of 144 games.

The fixtures will take place in national stadiums from January to June.

FIH has informed PHF that Pakistan (ranked 13th) are among the nine selected teams.

The other teams are Argentina, Australia, Belgium, England/Great Britain, Germany, India, the Netherlands and New Zealand.

However, Pakistan’s ‘Home Matches’ will be played in Scotland.

Scottish Hockey Union has agreed to host Pakistan’s home matches in Glasgow.

Samiullah said that the decision would increase the popularity of the game in the world.

He hoped that its coverage on electronic media would enhance the attraction of the game.

He said that Hockey Pro League would benefit Pakistan as foreign teams who have been refusing to come to Pakistan for bilateral series would play against Pakistan in Scotland.

With a large Pakistani community in Scotland, the stadium is expected to be packed with passionate supporters whenever the Green-sticks are in action.

Samiullah, who was dubbed as the Flying Horse in his heyday, said that weak nations in hockey such as Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Thailand and Afghanistan should also be accommodated so that this beautiful game could further spread.

Meanwhile, talking about the World Cup qualifiers in England, he said that the matches would be tough and Pakistan’s management must not be lazy at any moment because all teams in the event, especially in Pakistan’s pool, are tough.  Pakistan should go in all matches with proper strategy. The Netherlands and India are among the toughest teams, he added.

He pointed out that Pakistan’s performance in the recent times has not been very good. “It was, kind of, average. So the management should be alert and attentive. The players should be mentally tough. And the management should give them a plan for each opposition,” he said.

The News International



Player Bans, New Rules Set to Bite As National Hockey League Returns

By Makhtum Muziransa

Kampala — Ugandan National Hockey League (NHL) men's champions Wananchi will have to negotiate their title defence without the services of reigning MVP (Most Valuable Player) Innocent Mbabali and team manager Eugene Swinnerstone Miheso.

A disciplinary hearing that sat on May 19 and June 2 found Miheso culpable of physically abusing Kampala Hockey Club (KHC) Stallions defender Brian Okodi during the Easter Tournament of April 14-16 in Lugogo.

"This being a Level Two offence under the FIH (International Hockey Federation) Code of Conduct it has been decided that you will serve a three months suspension effective June 9 to September 9," read a statement signed by Uganda Hockey Association (UHA) general secretary Phillip Wafula on June 4.

In the statement, Miheso who combined with Derrick Akuwa to beat Okodi is expected to "keep away from any hockey activities or come near any facilities under the auspices of UHA and its affiliates during this period or face an even heavier punishment."

Akuwa had, according to Wananchi chairman Joshua Opolot, travelled out of town at the time he was required to face the disciplinary committee but is expected to appear today with Weatherhead striker Vincent Kasasa.

Okodi and his coach Bernard Bwire received cautions for dangerous play against Baguma and hostility towards Mbabali, who had crossed to the KHC camp to calm matters during the incident, respectively.

Kasasa who also coached St. Mary's College Kisubi during Easter is accused of using rude and abusive language towards the table judges then and was told in the letter not to take part in any hockey activities till he appears before the committee but he played in the June 9-11 Weatherhead Open.

New law

Meanwhile, another law barring players from taking part in more than one national league simultaneously has been endorsed. Wananchi are the first to succumb to it after Mbabali appearing twice for Kenyan side United States International University (USIU).

"It is unfortunate that we could lose both Akuwa and Mbabali but we shall cope," Opolot said.

Wananchi last season accused KHC of using players taking part in the Kenya Premier League but the accusations have taken another turn this term with a high placed official in the club claiming; "those KHC players use different names in both leagues."

Coach Bwire denied the allegations and stressed that; "Bramwel (Lijoodi) was in Kampala the entire time he played the league here and did not even represent Butali at ACCC (Africa Cup of Club Champions in January.

"Webo (Samuel Wakhisi)'s contract with Mvita had expired and only Allan Malit played a tournament in Kenya - that was the inter-university tournament in Mombasa."

Hockey Fixtures

Saturday

M: KHC Stallions v Weatherhead

W: KHC Swans v Wananchi

Sunday

W: Weatherhead v Rhino,

M: Rockets v Simba,

AllAfrica.com



Artemis extends support for Scottish Hockey



Following the success of both Scotland’s men’s and women’s squads in reaching the World League Semi-Finals, Scottish Hockey is pleased to announce that Artemis has extended its support for Scottish Hockey.

Artemis is a major supporter of Scottish Hockey and has been a Men’s shirt sponsor since 2015, and will now also feature as shirt sponsor for the Scotland women’s national team.

Both squads are in with a shout of qualifying for the Hockey World Cup when they step up to face some of the top hockey nations in the world at the World League Semi-Finals.

Scotland men are competing in London aiming to make the World Cup for the first time, and will go toe-to-toe with India, The Netherlands, Pakistan and Canada for places in the latter stages of the tournament.



Scotland women will face The Netherlands, China, Italy and Korea when they compete in Brussels for quarter final places.

Scottish Hockey CEO, David Sweetman, said, “I’m thrilled that Artemis has invested further in Scottish Hockey. It’s a very exciting time for hockey in Scotland, and our national teams are doing a great job of flying the flag for Scotland in international competitions.”

Scottish Hockey Union media release



Graham’s the Family Dairy Score Scottish Hockey Sponsorship



Scottish Hockey is delighted to announce Graham’s The Family Dairy as skorts sponsor of the Scotland Women’s Hockey team, and as Scottish Hockey’s official dairy partner.

As part of the partnership, the Graham’s logo will feature on the Scotland Women’s Hockey team’s skorts, and the dairy will also gift the players a selection of products throughout the year from Graham’s award winning range, including their Gold Smooth milk, Protein 22, cheese, quark and cream - keeping the team in peak condition, on and off the pitch.



The announcement comes just as the Scotland women’s squad prepares to compete at the World League Semi-Final in Brussels for a chance to play in the Hockey World Cup. Scotland will step out to play their opening encounter against World number 1 ranked the Netherlands, before facing China, Italy, and Korea in Pool A for quarter final places.

Then in August the Scots will compete at the Rabo EuroHockey Championships 2017 in Amsterdam against the top European nations in hockey.

This new partnership for Graham’s is in addition to their sponsorship of Scottish Ballet, currently in its second year, both of which demonstrate the dairy’s support for Scottish sports and culture whilst helping promote the benefits of dairy for a healthy, active lifestyle.

To launch the partnership, the Scotland Women’s Hockey team took a break from training to top up their energy with pots of Graham’s Protein 22, the award-winning protein packed product from the Graham’s range.



Carol Graham, Marketing Director at Graham’s The Family Dairy said: “Being healthy and active is hugely important to the Grahams family and, as hockey fans ourselves, we’re delighted to support the Scottish Women’s Hockey team.  As a family business, we’re always looking for ways to support local talent and partner with organisations that embody the values of our business, so this is an exciting partnership for us. We wish the team the best of luck in Brussels and look forward to an exciting year ahead!”

David Sweetman, Chief Executive Officer at Scottish Hockey, said: “Hockey is such a physically demanding sport, so the health and well-being of our players is so imperative. Dairy forms an important part of the nutritious and balanced diet of the Scotland Women’s Hockey team and we’re excited to work together with Graham’s the Family Dairy to help keep the team in peak condition in 2017.”



Scottish Hockey Union media release



Field Hockey Canada mourns the loss of pioneers Ansari, Kular, and Chohan

Kori Sidaway



The Canadian field hockey community is mourning the loss of three individuals who had a profound impact on the sport and its athletes. Field hockey pioneers Jassi Jagjit Kular, Az Ansar, and Olympian Shami Chohan, have sadly passed away.

Field Hockey Canada honours their contributions to the sport and community. Jassi, Az and Shami are all remembered as mentors and pioneers who played invaluable roles in Canadian field hockey history.

Az Ansari

Az Ansari is remembered as a pioneering figure for North Shore and British Columbia field hockey.

Az seemed to always be involved in field hockey in one capacity or another. He helped start up the Jokers Field Hockey Club early on, but arguably his greatest influence was as one of the founders of the West Vancouver Field Hockey Club (WFHC) in 1972.

The WFHC Junior Boys Program Az created saw many of its participants like Ian Bird, Paul Wettlaufer, Mike Mahood and Peter Milkovich to go on to play in multiple World Cups and Olympics for Canada.

In 1987, Az and Nick Milkovich prepared drawings for a clubhouse at Hugo Ray. The clubhouse stands today as the only full service clubhouse for field hockey in Canada.

Az also started the Junior Girls Program when he and Victor Warren (1964 Canadian Olympian in field hockey, and former Canadian Field Hockey Association President) wanted their daughters to play the game.

Az completed his term as WVFHC President in 1976, but through his work, he touched many with his love of the game, something mentee Peter Milkovich sees as his real gift.

“He was passionate about seeing kids in sport and particularly field hockey,” Milkovich explains. “For me, he was my skills mentor, and his guidance, passion and leadership created players who continue to give back to the game.” Az sadly passed away Saturday June 10th, 2017.

Jassi Jagjit Kular

To many, “Jesse” is remembered as an old school gentleman with a positive outlook, who always had a joke on hand. He was quite the fixture on the Canadian hockey scene, running businesses in both B.C. and in Ontario.

According to PTC News, Kular moved to Canada from Kenya. He represented his home country at the Olympics in Mexico in 1988, Munich in 1972, and Montreal in 1976. He also played in the 1971 and 1973 World Cups, representing Kenya.

He moved to Canada in 1973 and ended up working for the Quebec and Ontario Hockey Federations, and managing Canada’s National Team in 1992.

Canadian Men’s National Team forward Devohn Teixeira remembers Jassi as a coach, and as a Legend “who taught me about the game of hockey.”

Jassi regretfully passed away Sunday June 11th, 2017. His family is holding a visitation in Brampton, Ontario, Monday June 19th from 7-9pm. The following day, Tuesday, June 20th, Jassi’s funeral service and cremation will be held 11am-2pm. A prayer service will be held later that afternoon at 3:00, with food to follow at the Brampton Crematorium & Visitation Centre.

Shami Chohan

Shami Chohan was another one of the greats. And although he passed away a month ago (Friday, April 28th, 2017), his influence in the field hockey community is still felt today.

Shami was a player, coach and umpire for the B.C. Field Hockey Association as well as Club President for the India Field Hockey Club. But most of all, he was a mentor, who is remembered as an ambassador for field hockey in so many capacities.

Friend Ian Baggot affectionately remembers Chohan “for always frowning and shaking a kindly index finger at any transgressor of poor sportsmanship, something he would not condone.” Baggott adds, “there cannot be many of us who did not come under that surly frown at some point in our hockey games.”

Jassi Jagjit Kular, Az Ansari, and Shami Chohan will be sorrowfully missed by their families, friends and the Canadian field hockey community. But their legacies will live on.

Field Hockey Canada media release

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