News for 17 September 2018
All the news for Monday 17 September 2018
Hockeyroos Beaten By Hosts In Four Nations Decider
Ben Somerford
The Hockeyroos have suffered defeat in the Four Nations Final going down 2-1 to Japan who came from behind in Ibaraki on Sunday afternoon.
Renee Taylor had put Australia ahead in the third minute in stand-in captain Jane Claxton’s 150th game but Japan responded before quarter-time through Miyu Suzuki.
Mai Toriyama deflected home from Naho Ichitani’s pass for what proved to be the match winner despite a frenetic finish from the visitors.
The result ends Australia's campaign on a disappointing note after winning all three round robin matches.
Australia are next in action in the Champions Trophy in China in November.
Hockeyroos coach Paul Gaudoin: "I thought we got into it towards the end of the first half. It shows how important penalty corners are."
Earlier, Taylor opened the scoring in the third minute with a diving deflection from Claxton’s incisive pass.
Japan responded from a penalty corner when Naho Ichitani’s slider was deflected past goalkeeper Ash Wells by a desperate Toriyama.
The hosts took the lead when Naho Ichitani dispossessed Georgina Morgan, jinked inside the shooting circle and chipped for Toriyama to convert at the far post.
Australia almost levelled right on half-time when Taylor creatively deflected Edwina Bone’s drive into the D.
Morgan also came close in the 30th minute with a drag flick which went marginally wide.
After a series of half-chances for the Hockeyroos, Japan almost got a third when a diving Akiho Imao was denied by Wells in the third quarter.
Chasing an equaliser in the last 15, Bone again caused chaos inside the D with a driven cross, but Japan goalkeeper Akio Tanaka pushed it away, before Grace Stewart flashed a 58th minute shot wide in the final real chance.
Japan 2 (Suzuki 10', Toriyama 22')
Australia 1 (Taylor 3')
Hockey Australia media release
Japan’s Cherry Blossoms beat Australia to Four Nations hockey title
By The Hockey Paper
Japan’s form continued in 4 Nations event PIC: Hockey Australia
Japan’s memorable 2018 continued in fine style on Sunday as they won the Four Nations Final with another higher-ranking upset, this time a 2-1 victory over Australia in Ibaraki.
Renee Taylor had put world No 3 Australia ahead in the third minute, in stand-in captain Jane Claxton’s 150th game, but Japan responded before quarter-time through Miyu Suzuki.
Mai Toriyama deflected home from Naho Ichitani’s pass for what proved to be the match winner as Australia attempted to force a shoot-out.
Japan, the world No 14, will now head to the year-ending Champions Trophy in buoyant mood after their recent Asian Games victory.
Meanwhile, Hockeyroos coach Paul Gaudoin said: “I thought we got into it towards the end of the first half. It shows how important penalty corners are.”
Chasing an equaliser in the last 15, Bone again caused chaos inside the D with a driven cross, but Japan goalkeeper Akio Tanaka pushed it away, before Grace Stewart flashed a 58th minute shot wide in the final real chance.
Korea beat USA for third place.
The Hockey Paper
Two Goals in a Minute Puts Korea Past USWNT in Bronze Medal Game of Sompo Cup Four Nations Women’s Ibaraki International Tournament
Image Courtesy of Japan Hockey Association/Shigeki Sato
OSAKA, Japan - In the bronze medal game of the Sompo Cup Four Nations Women’s Ibaraki International Tournament in Osaka, Japan, the U.S. Women’s National Team met FIH Hero World Ranked No. 10 Korea. Having played each other in the opening match of the tournament, both sides knew it was going to be a 60-minute battle from the start. USA got on the board first in the second quarter, but Korea responded with two goals in a minute in the final frame to take the game 2-1.
“We played good teams and were able to take valuable lessons into our next training phase,” said Kathleen Sharkey (Moosic, Pa.), USWNT Captain. “There were some key moments of growth, but we need to take these moments and apply them across 60 minutes.”
USA started the first quarter putting possession deep in their attacking end, provided by a high press. Korea quickly worked momentum the other way but was halted by USA’s defense. The red, white and blue continued to be tested and it took until the 3rd minute before a determined Korea side pulled USA goalkeeper Jess Jecko (Sauquoit, N.Y.) off the line to make a save. Korea continued to maintain control for another 3 minutes, threatening with a few more chances but USA packed it in. USA got their first look on goal in the 8th minute when Caitlin Van Sickle (Wilmington, Del.) fed Anna Dessoye (Mountain Top, Pa.) in the midfield who got through traffic and dumped it ahead to Sharkey. She was met by Korea goalkeeper Youbin Choi, shutting down the attempt. Off that play, Korea quickly transitioned downfield, getting in their attacking circle where Jecko was there to make the clear. Dessoye was issued a green card in the 12th minute but that didn’t stop USA from getting a few more scoring opportunities. The final look came when Tara Vittese (Cherry Hill, N.J.) weaved into the circle, beat two defenders but was stopped before being able to get a shot off as the first quarter finished scoreless.
One minute into the second period, Jeongihn Kim earned Korea their first penalty corner. The attempt was sent back to the inserter whose flick was deflected wide of the goal. Upon the restart, Jill Funk (Lancaster, Pa.) took possession and worked it up field. She sent it across to Nicole Woods (Beverly, Mass.) who got into the circle and sent a backhand toward the goal that was saved by Choi. Catherine Caro (Martinsville, N.J.) followed up on the rebound earning USA a penalty corner. Off the top, Ali Froede’s (Burke, Va.) sweep was saved by Choi as the rebound fell to Funk, who tried to backhand it but was unsuccessful. Korea instantly worked it the other way and earned a penalty corner which Alyssa Manley (Lititz, Pa.) read and redirected wide. Both sides had a few good looks in their circle, but it was in the 27th minute when a solid defensive play by Van Sickle fueled an offensive run. Funk gained control up ahead, and with speed, worked it to Laura Hurff (Newark, Del.) who in a give-and-go combination got it back to Funk. Funk got into the circle, beat Choi and backhanded it in to give USA a 1-0 lead.
The third quarter started with possession being shared between both teams. To break the stillness, USA used collective defense by Funk and Sharkey to strip defender Yurim Lee inside the attacking 25 yards. Sharkey worked it into the circle and got a backhand shot off that went over the goal. Korea was on the hunt for the equalizer but was unable to work it upfield without being met by USA’s poised defense. Back-and-forth play occurred for a 5-minute period before a close chance came for USA when Carissa Vittese (Cherry Hill, N.J.) threaded the ball cross field to Dessoye. She dribbled into the circle and with space got a shot off that sailed over the goal. With two minutes remaining in the quarter, Korea’s Yun Kyoung Cho had a textbook reception in the circle and off the back foot got a shot that went wide. This continued control for Korea as they worked it to the right baseline earning themselves a penalty corner. Off the second award, the ball was miss trapped but Korea stuck with it and Y. Lee’s backhand was tipped over the end line. Back the other way, USA responded with a penalty corner of their own but the straight shot by Sharkey was saved by Korea goalkeeper Sanga Lee to finish the quarter.
Korea picked up the tempo at the start of the fourth quarter as they continued to search for the tying goal. This raise flustered USA for a period before they coordinated some positive movement forward. In the 49th minute, Korea’s Hawa In was issued a green card but that didn’t limit their offensive threat, producing a close scoring opportunity that was denied by USA goalkeeper Kealsie Robles. USA transitioned play the other way producing a few circle penetrations that finished with Caro taking a shot off her backfoot that went wide. Possession was shared for a bit before in the 55th minute a long ball from captain Eunji Cho got to In who sent it toward the goalmouth where in traffic Eunji Kim finished to tie the game. A determined Korea earned a penalty corner a minute later and Y. Lee netted the drag and go-ahead goal past Robles to make the game 1-2. USA did not let up and with two minutes remaining Funk received a deep ball and spun around her defender but was met by S. Lee who came far out of goal to make the stop. The remaining minutes saw Korea wisely work and hold possession in their attacking corners to mechanically run down the clock. With a minute left, a long ball from Froede found Sharkey in the circle who planted it on Y. Lee’s foot for a last chance penalty corner for USA. Sharkey’s straight shot went wide of the goal as USA was unable to convert as the score stood.
In the gold medal game, No. 3 Australia met host nation No. 14 Japan. Striking early, Australia scored in the 3rd minute but not before Japan responded with two of their own in the first and second quarters to win the game 2-1 and take the Sompo Cup title.
USFHA media release
Kookaburras Warm Up For DIHO With Argentina Win
Ben Somerford
The Kookaburras have warmed up for the Darwin International Hockey Open (DIHO) with a 1-0 victory over world number two Argentina at Marrara Hockey Centre on Sunday.
Darwin product Jeremy Hayward scored the game’s only goal with a powerful drive in the third period after his initial drag flick was blocked.
The result in the one-off Test match provides a great boost for the Kookaburras ahead of the opening DIHO matches on Tuesday.
Australia also blooded trio Josh Simmonds, Jack Welch and Jacob Anderson who made their international debuts.
The hosts will face Malaysia from 7pm (local time) on Tuesday, preceded by Argentina versus Japan from 5:15pm.
The Kookaburras, who arrived in Darwin on Wednesday, started well with a series of penalty corners which had Hayward testing Argentina goalkeeper Juan Vivaldi.
Simmonds tried his luck from a penalty corner, before Argentine captain Pedro Ibarra shot wide after swooping on an errant pass.
Few chances were created in the second with returning forward Kieran Govers forcing a clever save from Vivaldi from an angle.
Hayward fired home the winner two minutes after the long interval, lashing home well at the second attempt.
The NT defender forced another save high from Vivaldi from a penalty corner, before Anderson shot wide with a half-chance.
Argentina forward Maico Casella flicked a deflection wide, while Matias Paredes fizzed a shot off target too as the visitors pushed for a leveller which never arrived.
Australia 1 (Hayward 32’)
Argentina 0
Hockey Australia media release
IOC wins title in style by blanking Railways
Drag-flickers prove critics wrong with an excellent display
K. Keerthivasan
Triumphant: The IOC team celebrates after beating Railways in the final. Photo Credit: M. Vedhan
Of all the criticisms thrown at the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) team in the MCC-Murugappa Gold Cup 92nd all-India hockey tournament, one statistic stood out like a sore thumb. It was its poor penalty corner conversion rate with drag-flickers like Olympian V.R. Raghunath and a promising Gurjinder Singh in its ranks.
On Sunday, IOC proved everyone wrong with a majestic performance to blank Indian Railways 4-0 in the final, with two of those coming off penalty corners (it had three in all).
Taken by surprise
IOC took Railways completely by surprise in the manner in which it scored off the corners.
First, off a push from Talwinder, Raghunath used the curve of his stick to hold the ball, turn it around and pass to Gurjinder, who found the top of the roof with a fierce drag-flick.
With Roshan Minz scoring earlier with a backhander, Railways was already down by two goals. And not even 20 minutes was over in the first half.
Stupefied
The third, again off a penalty corner, left Railways stupefied. Talwinder’s push from the backline saw Raghunath pass it back to Talwinder, who pushed it home in a sitting posture.
It was one variation that IOC hadn’t used much in the run-up to the final. The match was as good as over then.
IOC put pressure with repeated raids on both flanks right from the start. International Affan Yousuf, on the left, made maximum inroads into the Railways camp.
Railways changed its goalkeeper midway, bringing in Amrit Pal Singh for Mujahid Khan. However, that didn’t change the 2016 champion’s fortunes.
Credit to IOC as it didn’t allow Railways, an explosive team with an equally effective frontline, to settle down. There wasn’t many incisive moves by the Railways that troubled IOC’s ’keeper.
Deepak Thakur, IOC’s head coach, said his strategy was to score goals at the earliest and put Railways under pressure as it was not used to rallying from behind.
“They are used to being in a comfort zone in this tournament. We put them under pressure and they crumbled,” he said.
Praise from coach
Thakur praised Gurjinder and said that the drag flicker could be a replacement for Rupinder Pal Singh in times to come.
“My boys showed character by coming back when they were down.”
IOC was richer by ₹5 lakh while Railways received ₹2.5 lakh.
M.A. Alagappan, former chairman, Murugappa Group, was the chief guest.
The results (final): IOC 4 (Roshan Minz 14, Gurjinder Singh 18, Talwinder Singh 21, Bharat Chikara 52) bt Indian Railways 0.
The Hindu
Leopold get up and running as they shoot down White Star
©: Frank Uijlenbroek / World Sport Pics
Royal Leopold finally got their Belgian league season up and running with a comprehensive 6-0 win over White Star, their first three-pointer of the campaign.
Goals came from Alexis Lemaire , Tanguy Zimmer, Manu Brunet, Kane Russel and two from Tom Degroote, giving coach Robin Geens something to smile about.
"After two poor performances, we made a good comeback," the coach said. “We have, each time, delivered a good first quarter performance in each half and I'm happy with the reaction from my players. We now have two games left before playing the EHL and we want to go to Barcelona with some peace of mind."
Elsewhere, Tom Boon scored five times in a 5-3 win for Racing Club de Bruxelles over Oree while Victor Charlet completed a late comeback for the Waterloo Ducks as they beat La Gantoise 4-3, scoring twice in the last 11 minutes to turn things around.
Dragons won 5-2 against Braxgata. Star men Florent van Aubel and Felix Denayer got them up and running before Brax were on the board through Olivier Bierkens.
But further goals from van Aubel, Henri Raes and Dominic Uher stretched the lead out to 5-1 before Loick Luypaert got a consolation goal.
Beerschot nabbed a 4-3 win over Antwerp while Daring beat Herakles 4-3, also, in their meeting.
Euro Hockey League media release
Mannheim and Rot Weiss edge away from the pack in Germany
©: Dirk Markgraf
Gonzalo Peillat’s 14th minute penalty corner fired Mannheimer HC to a fifth win from six games in the Bundesliga as they beat Nuremburg HTC 1-0 on the road.
Despite the win, coach Michael McCann said his side had “a little bit of luck” as he admitted Nuremburg had plenty of the game but could not take their chances.
As it was, Peillat scored from his only penalty corner chance while the host club let five of them slip by.
On Friday evening, Rot-Weiss Koln held off the challenge of Dusseldorf HC with Tom Grambusch’s corner in the 51st minute making the difference. Marco Miltkau had netted early on before Linnart Schmitz equalised in the 37th minute.
For Andre Henning, he said it was “not a high-class game” from his charges but they continue with a perfect record in the competition with six wins from six.
"We started very strong until the 1-0. After that, we became more impatient and had too many turnovers, especially in the second and third quarter.
“Although we had more possession and territory but hardly any clear opportunities – which was also due to the good defence of Dusseldorf.
“The concession of the goal came at just the right time because it had the effect of waking us up. In the last quarter, the boys were back at full pace and had chances every minute until Tom used his corner.”
The top two moved a couple of extra points clear at the top at this early stage with Polo Club drawing 2-2 with Club an der Alster whuole Harvestehuder THC tied 3-3 with UHC Hamburg in their derby game.
On Sunday, Uhlenhorst Mulheim won the Rhein-Ruhr derby with Crefelder 3-1, coming from a goal down to score three times in an 11-minute spell in the second half with Malte Hellwig on the mark twice.
Euro Hockey League media release
Grove start Scottish league with strong win over Watsonians
Grove Menzieshill started their Scottish league campaign with a 4-2 win at Watsonians, beginning their reign as national champions in great fashion.
International striker Cameron Golden struck 17 minutes in for the only goal of the first half. Watsonians levelled early in the second half but further efforts from Aidan McQuade, Albert Rowling and Guy Rowson set them on course for victory.
They followed up with a comfortable 11-0 win over Stirling University in the Scottish National Cup on Sunday with Rowling scoring four times and two each from McQuade and Christopher Moon.
Grange – who are a couple of weeks away from their EHL return – were unable to continue their early winning run after being held to a 1-1 draw by Clydesdale at Titwood. After a goalless first half a cross from Frank Ryan was deflected into the net by Dylan Bean for the opener. However, with ten minutes to go the home side equalised with a pierce reverse stick shot by Struan Walker.
Western Wildcats demonstrated that they could be a real force this season with a 2-1 win over Kelburne in the men`s National League 1 game of the day at Auchenhowie.
Euro Hockey League media release
Mixed fortunes for title challengers in Scottish National League 1
It is very early doors in the National League 1 campaign but there were mixed fortunes for the title challengers in both the men`s and women`s competitions.
Western Wildcats demonstrated that they could be a real force this season with a 2-1 win over Kelburne in the men`s National League 1 game of the day at Auchenhowie.
Delighted with the victory, but Wildcats` coach Harry Dunlop was pulling his hair out at the number of chances his side created and yet they only triumphed by a single goal in the end.
However, the man-of-the-match was not a Wildcat but Kelburne keeper Rory Kerr who produced a string of spectacular saves to further Dunlop`s frustration.
The first half was littered with the chances to the home side falling to Andrew McConnell, Hamish Galt and Rob Harwood, and in addition the Wildcats spurned four penalty corner opportunities, and yet it was scoreless at the interval.
The second half seemed to be taking a similar course as Adam McKenzie failed to find the net at another three set piece opportunities. The breakthrough finally came at another penalty corner when McConnell`s shot was stopped illegally on the line and Harwood dispatched his spot effort past Kerr.
Further chances came and went before the Wildcats finally added a second, Fraser Moran`s shot was saved on the line and McConnell followed up to fire the ball home.
In the final minute Adam Bain scored from a set piece to give the Paisley side a consolation.
Grove Menzieshill started their campaign with a 4-2 win at Watsonians. Scotland striker Cameron Golden was twice on target while the other goals came from Aidan McQuade and Albert Rowling.
Grange failed to continue their early winning run after being held to a 1-1 draw by Clydesdale at Titwood. After a goalless first half a cross from Frank Ryan was deflected into the net by Dylan Bean for the opener. However, with ten minutes to go the home side equalised with a pierce reverse stick shot by Struan Walker.
Edinburgh University were the top scorers of the day after beating Gordonians 7-0 in the north east. There were two goals each for Nathan Leggett, Sam Robertson and Kevin Wong, with Ian Moodie getting the other.
Hillhead collected their first victory of the season with a tight 3-2 score over Uddingston. The visitors were ahead at the interval through Brad Hughes. The score advanced to 2-2 in the second half, Andrew Black and a Callum Duke deflection scored for Hillhead while Hughes found the net again for the Lanarkshire side. However, Hillhead`s winner came from Adam Carmichael from close range.
Edinburgh University women – Photo by Andy Lovat
In the women National League 1 the clash between Dundee Wanderers and champions Edinburgh University ended goalless. It was a good result for Wanderers considering they were without Emily Dark and Charlotte Watson who were at a Great Britain training camp.
The champions might have stolen the points in the second half with two efforts cannoning off the post, but it was a share of the spoils in the end.
It was also a draw between Grove Menzieshill and Watsdonians, Lucy Lanigan put the Edinburgh side ahead after ten minutes and they continued to dominate for the rest of the first half.
The Taysiders came more into the game after the interval and Katie Robertson levelled with a penalty corner strike that went in off a defender.
Clydesdale Western had no such issues with a 5-0 win over Grange, Zara Mason (2), Emma McGregor, Anna Logan and Naomi Harkness were on target.
A hat-trick by Alex Stuart was the highlight of Wildcats` 6-2 victory over GHK, Kate Holmes (2) and Erin Stevens also scored.
Scottish Hockey Union media release
2018 Ford NHL Sunday game recap
Men's Games
Bayleys Midlands vs Canterbury
The first game on the men’s schedule for Sunday saw the undefeated Canterbury men coming up against a Bayleys Midlands side who were looking for a bounce back performance after their last outing against Tiger Turf North Harbour. Midlands and Canterbury had a close encounter that ended with a 3-2 win to Canterbury. Canterbury started the game strong and managed to get themselves a 3-0 lead thanks to goals from Joshua Pollard, Trent Summers and Richard Bain. Bayleys Midlands then fought hard to get themselves back into the game thanks to a drag flick goal to Mark Weber and in the last minutes of the games a field goal to Maks Wyndham-Smith. The win puts Canterbury firmly at the top of the table heading into a rest day on Monday.
John Turkington Forestry Central vs Auckland
Two teams met in what was shaping up to be a must win for both teams. John Turkington Forestry Central got a confidence boosting win the day previous against Southern and were looking to improve on that performance. Central took an early lead through a Jason Peel goal. Auckland managed to equalise just before the half time break through a Jacob Smith goal. Auckland managed to break the deadlock after a penalty corner break down where Arun Panchia jumped on a loose ball and found the back of the net. Jacob Smith then managed to put two more chances away to complete the hat-trick and seal the win for the Auckland boys.
Women's Games
Mark Cromie Holden Northland vs Canterbury
It was an early start for the Mark Cromie Holden Northland vs. Canterbury matchup with the teams taking to the turf at 10:30am. Both these teams were coming off morale boosting wins from the previous day and were looking to take this into today’s game. Northland struck early with a goal in the 3rd minute of the game to Tina Taseka. The score remained the same until the 44th minute when Canterbury struck back through a Margot Willis field goal. Northland then managed to hit the front again thanks to a Gabrielle Smith field goal. Canterbury then managed to equalise on the hooter with a goal to Jordy Grant. Northland managed to get a 4-3 win in the shootout after it went to a sudden death shootout which saw Ella Gunson convert her shootout to seal the win.
John Turkington Forestry Central vs Southern
John Turkington Forestry Central was looking for a bounce back performance after going down the previous day in a tough match against the Bayleys Midlands women. Young Kaitlin Cotter was looking to keep her impressive goal scoring streak going into this game. This was a tightly fought battle where both teams had a number of opportunities to break the deadlock. Eventually Central scored in the 51st minute with a goal to Sulette Damons. The win moves Central firmly inside the top 3 and leaves the Southern woman still searching for their first win of the week.
Auckland vs Ricoh Capital
After having tough games the previous day both teams were looking to get their campaigns going with a good win today. Ricoh Capital took an early lead in the game with a Sara Cooper field goal. Auckland then continued to apply pressure and eventually managed to score two quick goals in the 30th and 33rd minute to Ghalesha Singh and Tyler Lench. Capital then converted a pc goal to Estelle Macadre and that’s where the score stayed sending the game into a shoot out. Capital then clinically converted everyone of their shootouts and took the shootout win and the much needed 2 competition points.
Bayleys Midlands vs Tiger Turf North Harbour
Undefeated Bayleys Midlands and Tiger Turf North Harbour met in what was shaping up as a battle between two highly skilled teams looking to continue their great starts to their 2018 Ford NHL campaign. The game was an arm wrestle through the first half and both teams went into the shed looking to break the deadlock in the second half. North Harbour managed to absorb a lot of pressure and scored 3 goals in quick succession. Holly Pearson got the first two in the 39th and 43rd minute and then Kirsten Pearce sealed the victory with North Harbour’s third and final goal.
Finals to be livestreamed
The Women's K Cup and the Men's Challenge Shield Final, along with the respective bronze medal games will be livestreamed simultaneously on the Hockey New Zealand Facebook page and in full high definition on the Black Sticks Youtube channel.
Click here for the 2018 Ford NHL Women’s draw, results and standings.
Click here for the 2018 Ford NHL Men’s draw, results and standings.
Click here for the 2018 Ford NHL Media Pack and Accreditation.
Click here for the 2018 Ford NHL Team Lists.
The 2018 Ford National Hockey League is proudly supported by Ford, Educare, Vantage, Trillian Trust, NZCT, Wellington City Council and Wellington Hockey.
Hockey New Zealand Media release
UOE bag maximum points in city tour
Relentless Gladiators recover to beat Nakuru
By Elizabeth Mburugu
Strathmore's Gilly Okumu. (Jenipher Wachie, Standard)
Juma’s goal seconds to the final whistle condemns visitors to eighth loss.
Former Kenya Hockey Union (KHU) men’s Premier League champions Strathmore University Gladiators yesterday bounced back from their 2-0 loss to Wazalendo to beat Nakuru 2-1 at City Park.
The loss reduced relegation-threatened Nakuru’s chances of escaping demotion to the lower tier.
With seconds to the final whistle and the match set to end in a 1-1 stalemate, Edgar Juma scored a goal giving the 2016 winners the much-needed victory.
However, after efforts to get the goal revoked failed to bear fruit, Nakuru players walked off the pitch in protest.
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A dejected Nakuru coach Anthony Agesa criticised the umpires for gifting their opponents victory, saying contrary to the rules of the game, the ball was scored using limbs and not the hockey stick.
“I am angered by the umpires' decision to uphold the second goal. According to the rules, it was supposed to be a foul and perhaps we could have held to share the points," said Agesa.
"It's unfortunate we have to suffer the consequences of that decision."
Strathmore captain Festus Onyango successfully converted a penalty corner in the 11th minute to give the students 1-0 lead.
Nakuru intensified their hunt for an equaliser in the second quarter but their efforts were thwarted by a vigil Gladiators defence.
John Rioba finally got it right leveling the scores in the 51st minute. However, Edgar Juma slotted the winner in the 59th minute as Nakuru protested the goal, which led to the abandonment of the match before the final whistle.
In the men’s national league title hunt, newcomers University of Eldoret (UOE) crowned their city tour with a resounding 2-0 win over Thika Rovers.
The Eldoret-based students began their weekend on a high with a 2-1 win over Wazalendo Youth on Saturday.
First half goals from Kelvin Wambua and Miller Mbiti were enough to give the students their fourth victory of the season.
Wambua gave UOE the lead seconds into the break of the first quarter with Mbiti making it 2-0 in the 18th minute.
Wazalendo Youth fought hard to salvage the game but unrelenting UOE defended well as they protected their lead to the final whistle.
In women’s Super League, Multimedia University (MMU) shared the spoils with Wolverines following a 1-1 draw.
The Standard Online
Sultan of Johor Cup: Hockey India names 24 players for junior men's national camp
Hockey India name 24-member squad for national camp
Hockey India name 24-member squad for national camp , Hockey India Twitter
Hockey India on Sunday named a 24-member core probables for a junior men's national coaching camp, to be held in Bengaluru from September 17, ahead of the Sultan of Johor Cup.
The players will train under coach Jude Felix till October 4, as they prepare for the upcoming 8th Sultan of Johor Cup, slated to begin from October 6-13 in Johor Bahru, Malaysia.
Eight members from the Indian junior men's team that won the bronze medal at the last edition of the Sultan of Johor Cup including Pankaj Rajak, Suman Beck, Harmanjit Singh, Mandeep Mor have been selected for the camp.
The camp also includes several new faces who have received their first call-up to the junior national camp.
Coach Jude Felix has watched all the 24 players closely before giving them a call-up to the camp and the former Indian captain believes that it is crucial to train the upcoming crop of players well.
"We have selected these campers focusing on creating a team which can represent the senior team in the coming years. It is important for us to condition these players in a way that they help the country in becoming one of the best teams in the world," Felix said.
"Our focus will be on setting up a strong structured team, and understanding the right mix of 18 players who can help our team in producing our best performance at the 8th Sultan of Johor Cup in Malaysia," he added.
The coach also said special emphasis was given on improving skills, fitness and speed along with mental conditioning.National Campers:
Goalkeepers: Pankaj Kumar Rajak, Kamalbir Singh | Defenders: Suman Beck, Mohd Faraz, Somjeet, Mandeep Mor, Parampreet Singh, Prince, Varinder Singh,Lugun Cyril | Midfielders: Gregory Xess, Yashdeep Siwach, Harmanjit Singh, Vishnu Kant Singh, Gopi Kumar Sonkar, Vishal Antil, Haspreet Singh | Forwards: Gursahabjit Singh, Amandeep Singh, Abhilash Stalin, Abhishek, H Mani Singh, Prabhjot Singh, Shilanand Lakra.
Daily News & Analysis
My life in hockey: Craig Keegan, former England women’s assistant coach
Craig Keegan was part of golden Rio squad (PIC: England Hockey)
As he returns to club hockey as coach to Belper Ladies, The Hockey Paper speaks to gold medal-winning former assistant coach, Craig Keegan, on his journey to the top
I Played Aussie Rules Football up until aged 13 and then I got injured. I took to hockey like a duck to water and got into the Tasmanian team a year later through to the seniors.
I never did crack the national team and so I travelled to the UK in my mid-twenties. This was in 1994 and I didn’t bring my hockey kit, but a friend was coaching in Bedford and so I played four games in the East Premier Division and scored a hatful of goals.
Graham Griffiths, of Beeston HC, phoned me up and I signed for six months of hockey for the club and six months in Hobart; it was a social, friendly and an “extremely competitive” environment at that time.
I saw myself as someone who was a player and coach. Winning was the outcome; I led by example and through the quality of play. However in my desire to be successful I did cross the line on occasion and spent a bit of time in the sin bin in my career. But I played on the edge of intensity!
There’s a lot of banter which goes on the pitch in the UK, which is not there in Australia. Being an Aussie, I copped my share and I took much more than I gave out.
At the same time, I did my teacher training at Trent College up until 2008 before a position of head coach at the National Performance Centre. I really enjoyed seeing the technical aspects of players coming through up until London 2012.
There was a buzz about the GB girls following their bronze in London. It was unusual for me to come in with a transition and a new coach. We had some good results, medals in every tournament. Our world ranking didn’t drop and it wasn’t until 2014 where things went badly wrong.
Yet it was interesting to have a year of relative success and to then bomb out of a World Cup; the group dynamics had changed and there was a lack of leadership.
I enjoyed working with Jason Lee (then head coach). He was a smart guy and I learned a lot. But it just didn’t work with the group of players he had. With two years until Rio, Danny [Kerry] was definitely the right choice.
We had an interesting balance. We had leadership responsibilities and spreading the load meant we had a different voice from time to time. That became a very healthy environment. Karen Brown led on defensive corners, I led on attacking corners, while Danny led on the shoot outs.
I was responsible for scouting six and Karen five of the other nations. Having the three of us with an opinion in different areas was crucial and it didn’t rely on one or two players. The Rio experience was where we worked best, while the interaction and communication in team meetings were exceptionally good.
Time went by so quick and from the moment we beat Australia in the group stages, there was calm in the group.
People say it’s easy when you’re winning, actually to get to that point you have to manage all levels of stress. We never really felt it, it just rolled with momentum. That was the key and us having an understanding of it.
I’ve done some talks and presentations since our Olympic gold and it’s nice to be recognised as part of that great GB women’s team. You aspire to those heights and you never go into a programme thinking that will be the outcome. But it will always be a special time for me.
Craig Keegan now heads up Performance Sport at University of Derby
The Hockey Paper
Seoul Glow - The Story Behind Britain's First Olympic Hockey Gold By Rod Gilmour
1 October 2018 marks 30 years since Great Britain's Seoul win
Seoul Glow tells the story of the Great Britain men’s hockey team who won gold at the 1988 Seoul Olympics.
Little to the team’s knowledge, the final caught the British public’s imagination as they beat rivals West Germany in the gold-medal match. After Sean Kerly’s semi-final heroics and Imran Sherwani’s double in the final, BBC commentator Barry Davies uttered the now infamous line: “Where were the Germans? But, frankly, who cares?”
Victory for a team of amateurs, who had either quit their jobs or taken holiday to play in Seoul, propelled the team to celebratory heights on their return to British shores; it was GB’s first hockey gold in the post-War era and followed an eight-year plan for a major title. The story also reveals how the team was inspirationally led by the late Roger Self, the manager who gelled his players into Olympic title holders. The story of Self's 'no nonsense' approach is also told exclusively for the first time.
Read Seoul Glow and you will discover:
- Why the Great Britain men's hockey gold will be remembered as one of the great team performances in British sporting history
- How a group of part-time amateurs were moulded into a world-beating force through the extraordinary coaching methods of the late Roger Self
- The remarkable methods instilled by Roger Self, referred to as hockey's own Sir Alex Ferguson
- Why the golden success of 1988 is more than just Sean Kerly, Imran Sherwani and the immortal line, 'And where were the Germans? But, frankly, who cares?'
- What happened when Roger Self took training sessions, players were whacked and tempers flared
- What happened after Seoul for the 16 players: depression, reflection but a united bond thanks to Roger Self
- Why the heroic 1988 Olympic gold win over West Germany 'didn't make anyone a success in life, but made us as people'.
Rod Gilmour co-authored James Willstrop’s Shot and a Ghost: a year in the brutal world of professional squash, which was nominated for the William Hill Sports Book of the Year in 2012. It was the first self-published book to be put up for the award. He has covered Olympic sports for the national newspapers since 2008 and co-founded The Hockey Paper in 2016.
Hardcover: 224 pages Publisher: Pitch Publishing Ltd (31 August 2018)
ISBN-10: 1785314319 ISBN-13: 978-1785314315 RRP: £19.99
Buy it from Amazon
Buy it on Kindle
Pitch Publishing media release
Ajit Pal looks forward to movie on World Cup win
‘Chak De! India’s success resulted in viewing sport as a field to be explored’
Nandakumar Marar
Champions: Members of the 1975 World Cup-winning team — Onkar Singh, Ashok Kumar, Michael Kindo, H.J.S. Chimni, P.E. Kaliah, B.P. Govinda, Ajit Pal Singh, Aslam Sher Khan, Harcharan Singh, Varinder Singh, V.J. Philips, Ashok Diwan and Leslie Fernandez — at a felicitation function in New Delhi in 2014. Photo Credit: S. Subramanium
Hockey-themed movies are in fashion, with scripts ranging from women’s hockey (Chak De! India), incident from an Indian international’s life (Soorma) and India at the Olympic Games (Gold).
From pre-independence days, the game has had a deep emotional connect with Indians.
Ajit Pal Singh, honoured with the Padma Shri after leading India to victory at the 1975 hockey World Cup, observed: “The film industry picks topics that sell. Chak De! India’s success resulted in film-makers viewing sport as a field to be explored.
He is planning to watch Gold, released last month, after hearing about the movie from former teammates.
“Chak De and Soorma I have seen. Chak De was the first hockey movie to be made and was appreciated. I enjoyed it, because it was team-oriented, about the efforts of a coach to develop a squad.
“Soorma deals with self-motivation, like the movie on Milkha Singh (Bhaag Milkha Bhaag),” he said in a chat with The Hindu.
Interestingly, the nation’s only hockey World Cup win in 1975 at Kuala Lumpur, is unexplored territory for the film industry.
“No concrete proposals have come up,” he said.
Asked if remembers any incident worthy of adaptation into a movie, or characters in his team, the captain replied: “There is nothing bigger than winning (the World Cup). Victory is everything, nothing beyond that for me.”
Ajit Pal was in the city recently for a hockey promo connected with the 2018 World Cup, to be held in Bhubaneshwar in November.
He agreed that a hockey movie-based on a World Cup won 43 years ago, can attract an audience.
“There will be people curious about a World Cup movie, maybe producers from our generation. The audience will be a younger generation, curious about a piece of hockey history.”
Hockey players were celebrities then, especially the 1975 batch. Victory parades started after touchdown in Chennai.
The film industry in Bombay (Mumbai) welcomed the band of champions in its own style.
“The film fraternity invited us for a friendly match… film stars versus hockey stars at the Bombay Hockey Association ground,” he revealed.
“Raj Kapoor, Dara Singh, Vinod Khanna, Navin Nischol... you name it, all were present.”
For the movie industry, proud of its ability to recreate scenes from a colourful past, Indian hockey’s only World Cup victory may be a gold mine of memories for spin-offs.
The Hindu
Leinster U-16s and Ulster U-18s snatch interpro titles on thrilling final day
Leinster’s Under-16s and Ulster’s Under-18s won their respective final matches at the boys interprovincials in Cork to land the crown in dramatic fashion.
Both were trailing going into those final games but produced the results when it mattered, capping a high quality weekend of hockey.
At Under-16 level, the junior blues were in a tricky situation on Friday morning in the tournament opener as Munster skipper Mark Collins and Jonathan Spillane had the hosts 2-1 up at half-time.
But second half goals from Ben McTiernan and Callum Hewat – nailing a drag-flick – swung the game Leinster’s way. Munster also took the lead against Ulster in the second game of Friday with Karl Smyth netting from the top of the circle four minutes in.
They ran out of steam, however, and Ulster had a 2-1 lead by half-time stretched out a 5-1 win by the end with Eddie Rowe and Matthew Aughey grabbing a brace each.
The northern province backed up that win on Saturday morning with a 1-1 draw with Leinster with Rowe and Ben Stewart trading first half goals. For this year, a bonus point is on offer via a shoot-out following draws and Ulster duly took the opportunity with a 4-1 win.
Leinster followed up with a 1-0 win on Saturday afternoon, Conor Walsh netting against Munster, moving them into an overnight lead on seven points with Ulster on five overnight but with a game extra to be played.
The red hands duly went back in front with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Munster, Sam Anderson scoring the only goal. It set up a thrilling final game with Leinster needing a win over Ulster who already had a game in their Sunday legs.
The blues got off to a flyer with Rex Dunlop scoring in the first 10 minutes from play and Daniel Wann finishing off a counter-attack move for a 2-0 lead.
Patrick Rose halved the deficit from a corner before the break and Ulster threw everything forward in the second half, taking off their goalkeeper for the last five minutes, but Leinster held on for a 2-1 win and the victory.
At Under-18 level, Ulster produced a stunning 4-0 win in the final game of the competition, landing a title that looked to be destined for Leinster after day two.
It was the first loss they had suffered over the course of the weekend. Munster and Leinster drew in the tournament opener 0-0 with the southern side getting the bonus point.
Ulster followed up with a 7-1 win with Troy Chambers scoring a hat trick on Friday afternoon and the sharp-shooter continued his hot form with a run and dink from the baseline for the opening goal against Leinster on Saturday morning.
Josh Greaney levelled and Sam Walker put Leinster in front before Evan Jennings made the game safe in the second half for an important win.
Simon Lowry’s side backed that up with a 2-1 win over Munster with Greaney and Adam Walker scoring for Leinster, moving them on to seven points with Ulster on three.
It meant they needed to win both of their Sunday games to have any chance of overhauling Leinster and they got that pursuit off to a good start with three first half goals against Munster on Sunday morning – Johnny Lynch, Oliver Kidd and Stewart Wylie earning a 3-0 win.
Like the Under-16s, it set up a final game decider with Ulster requiring a win while a draw could have made for a fascinating scenario of a shoot-out possibly swinging things.
A scoreless first half kept things very much in the balance before Kidd put Ulster on course for the result they craved. With eight minutes to go, he struck again with Leinster taking off their goalkeeper almost instantly.
It did not work out, however, as Wylie nicked in twice in the last two minutes to spin out a 4-0 result to win back the interpro title.
Boys interprovincial tournaments (all at Garryduff)
Friday, September 14
Under-16: Munster 2 (M Collins, J Spillane) Leinster 3 (D Wann, B McTiernan, C Hewat); Munster 1 (K Smyth) Ulster 5 (M Aughey 2, E Rowe 2, C Curry)
Under-18: Munster 0 Leinster 0, Munster win bonus point shoot-out 3-0; Munster 1 (D Coffey) Ulster 7 (T Chambers 3, S Wylie 2, O Kidd, H Scott)
Saturday, September 15
Under-16: Leinster 1 (B Stewart) Ulster 1 (E Rowe), Ulster win shoot-out 4-1; Leinster 1 (C Walsh) Munster 0
Under-18: Leinster 3 (J Greaney, S Walker, E Jennings) Ulster 1 (T Chambers); Leinster 2 (J Greaney, A Walker) Munster 1 (D Coffey)
Sunday, September 16
Under-16: Ulster 1 (S Anderson) Munster 0; Ulster 1 (P Rose) Leinster 2 (D Wann, R Dunlop)
Under-18: Ulster 3 (J Lynch, O Kidd, S Wylie) Munster 0; Ulster 4 (O Kidd 2, S Wylie 2) Leinster 0
Final standings:
Under-16: 1. Leinster 10pts (+4) 2. Ulster 8pts (+4) 3. Munster 0pts (-8)
Under-18: 1. Ulster 9pts (+10) 2. Leinster 7pts (0) 3. Munster 2pts (-10)
The Hook
Meily's first career goal pushes Penn field hockey to win over crosstown foe Drexel
Quakers also fell to Iowa in weekend split
By Teia Ross
Senior forward Rachel Mirkin scored her third goal of the season to help power Penn field hockey to a win over local rival Drexel on Sunday. Credit: Varun Sudunagunta
Drexel and Penn share claims to University City, bus services, and 33rd Street, but the battle for field hockey superiority was won by the Quakers.
Coming off of a 3-0 loss at No. 16 Iowa (7-1) just two days prior, the Quakers were able to come out with an energetic performance to beat their next-door neighbors 2-1.
The loss to the Hawkeyes, despite the score, was much tighter than the stat sheet indicates. Penn's defense held tough for the majority of the game, allowing all of Iowa's goals in the final 13 minutes.
Although the Quakers (3-3) were outshot 18-5, they showed again they could hang until the very end with ranked opponents. Junior goalie Ava Rosati had a strong performance between the pipes with six saves, but Quakers' offense was not able to match it, however, failing to convert any of the team's six corners.
However, the Red and Blue would shake off the loss in a thriller just two days later.
“For them to fly home after the [Iowa] game, have a hard practice yesterday, and get a W today ... to be able to pull out a win under those circumstances speaks to their resilience,” coach Colleen Fink said.
The Quakers started Sunday's game with a bang, earning a penalty corner from senior Rachel Mirkin's shot in the first minute of play, but ultimately could not find the back of the net.
For much of the first half, play went back and forth between the two teams. But the Dragons (4-3) struck in the 23rd minute, when they took a penalty corner that was initially stopped by the Red and Blue defense. A quick Penn turnover allowed Drexel to regain possession and put the ball past Rosati.
The Quakers fought to overcome the deficit and succeeded in converting on a set play five minutes before the end of the half. A penalty corner from midfielder Lily Clarkson was passed to senior defender Paige Meily, who left it to junior center midfielder Alexa Schneck to send over to the far post, where Mirkin was able to tap the ball in to tie the game.
Just two minutes later, Penn took the lead. Freshman midfielder Madison Jiranek was in the midst of creating a chance on goal before being fouled by a Drexel defender, giving the Quakers a penalty stroke. Meily stepped up to the line to take the shot and neatly put away the first goal of her career to put Penn up 2-1.
Although without any goals, the second half of the game belonged to the Quakers, who maintained the momentum from their two goals late in the first half. Rosati’s two saves in the second half ensured a Quaker victory, despite Drexel pulling its goalie for an extra player with a few minutes to play.
“I think today was a good step in the right direction in terms of our offensive structure and our finishing,” Fink said. “I think the elephant in the room right now — well, it’s not an elephant because it’s been highlighted every time — is our attacking corners and being able to finish. The finishing skill has been the last to come and I think we’re knocking on the door."
This week would be a good time to open that door. On Saturday, September 22, the Quakers will travel to Ithaca to take on Cornell for their first Ivy match of the season. While an Ivy Championship is the more sought-after title, for now, the Quakers can be content being the champions of University City.
The Daily Pennsylvanian
After a redshirt year, Maryland field hockey’s prized 2017 recruit has arrived
By Lila Bromberg
(Photo courtesy of Maryland Athletics)
Last year, Maryland field hockey lost the jewel of its recruiting class before she even got to College Park.
Forward Mayv Clune, the top player in the class of 2017 according to MAX Field Hockey, tore her PCL while playing for the U-19 national team in the spring, leaving her sidelined for the entirety of her freshman season.
The Quakertown, Pennsylvania, native said she used the year off to improve her game and ease the adjustment to Division I field hockey. While she hasn't earned a start yet, Clune has played in each of the Terps' first eight games this season, and she tallied her first goal Saturday against Michigan State.
"I learned a lot over the season not playing," Clune said. "You see a lot tactically. … That's one of the benefits of being able to redshirt, I was able to get a lot more from the game that I wouldn't have if I just played."
One of the most important things Clune learned from the bench was movement. She intently watched interchanges between the forwards on the field, observing how they led off each other with strong connections and communication.
Clune wasn't cleared to start running until December and couldn't play field hockey until June. While she was sidelined, she fine-tuned areas of her game like stick skills and hitting, in addition to observing her teammates.
"We talk a lot with the women about controlling what they can control," coach Missy Meharg said. "Mayv is just a student of the game, so it's not surprising that last year she found a really optimistic way … to be involved."
Clune's persistence paid off in Saturday's 5-1 victory over Michigan State. Following a penalty corner, the redshirt freshman received the ball from defender Nike Lorenz just inside the shooting circle on the right side and flicked it into goal.
Clune, who already had three assists this season, said she's tried to not worry about statistics in her comeback. Still, she was clearly excited about getting her first score in a Maryland uniform.
"For me, it just makes me happy," Clune said. "Being with this team, being able to service the team in any way that I can, getting a goal, getting an assist, or even movement on the field, for me that just makes me happy that I'm actually out here and playing. I couldn't ask for anything more."
While she says she's content just getting minutes, Clune's high school statistics — a program-record 141 career goals at Moravian Academy — and her recruiting pedigree suggest she can reach another level as a Terp.
"She's now just getting used to her speed, her agility. Mayv Clune will always have the technical and tactical awareness in a small area that is world-class. She is a phenomenal player," Meharg said. "She's just getting used to her overall acceleration and deceleration of speed and I think she's gaining ground every opportunity she gets to compete."
The Diamondback