News for 12 May 2011
Thursday, 12 May 2011 09:13 | 
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All the news for Thursday 12 May 2011
CCII - Canada defeated by Italy 2-1
Canada suffered a heart-breaking 2-1 loss to Italy in their final Pool game at the Champions' Challenge II tournament in Vienna.
Italy dominated the play early, earning two Penalty Corners in the first ten minutes. They scored on the second, putting in a rebound after a fine save by Azelia Liu. Italy continued their strong play with another Penalty Corner at 13', forcing another save by the goalkeeper at 15', and shooting wide at 17'.
Gradually, however, Canada began to gain momentum with several chances later in the half, notably a Thea Culley shot that went just wide at 31', along with several long corners before the half ended.
Canada continued their strong play as the second half began, keeping the play in Italy's end. At 43' they had the Italian goalkeeper out of position at the top of the circle but were unable to find the net. At 46' they earned a Penalty Corner. Kate Gillis pulled out to Steph Jameson, back to Gillis whose shot went over the net.
Continuing their fine play, Canada earned another Penalty Corner at 52', this time being rewarded with a hard shot by Steph Jameson which was deflected up into the net off the goalie to tie the score at 1.
Against the run of play, at 61' Italy pounced on a ball at the top of the circle. Their subsequent hard shot into the circle was deflected past Azelia Liu to put Italy ahead 2-1. Canada continued pressure right up to the final whistle. An Italian defender was given a Yellow Card in the final minute and Canada had a number of free hits just outside the circle, but could not find the equalizer.
Canada ends up third in their pool due to goal difference. They now play Belgium on Thursday in the quarter finals. Not the result they were hoping for, but with continued fine play they still have a chance at winning the tournament.
Starting line-up – Azelia Liu, Steph Jameson, Abi Raye, Di Roemer, Dani Hennig, Katie Baker, Tyla Flexman, Krissy Wishart, Kate Gillis, Jess Walkey, Thea Culley.
Substitutes – Sara McManus, Katie Collison, Marian Dickinson, Hannah Haughn, Cailie O'Hara.
Did not play – Sam Smith, Kaitlyn Williams.
Field Hockey Canada media release
Pakistan defeat bitter rivals India
It was not a classic, but Pakistan did enough to defeat arch-rivals India 3-1 at the Azlan Shah Cup tournament in Ipoh tonight.
The win gave Pakistan nine points from five matches and they moved ahead of India in the standings.
It was all Pakistan in the second half as India was hardly in the game despite taking the lead at halftime. And had the Pakistani forwards been sharper, India would have been handed a much heavier defeat.
India thought they had taken the lead in the 14th minute off their first penalty corner. Dhananjay Mahadik took the shot and it was saved by Imran Shah in the Pakistan goal. The rebound fell to Shivendra Singh who sent in a thunderous shot into goal.
Umpire Roderick Wijsmuller from Holland signaled for goal but was immediately surrounded by the Pakistani players who claimed that they were impeded when rushing for the rebound.
After consulting fellow umpire Martin Madden of Great Britain, the goal was disallowed by Wijsmuller and none of the Indian players protested, perhaps aware of the infringement.
But India were not to be denied as Rupinder Pal Singh made the second penalty corner count by sending a flick high into the Pakistani net in the 21st minute, giving India a 1-0 lead and taking his personal tally in the tournament to six goals.
Pakistan came close twice within the space of a minute upon resumption. First it was Rehan Butt who saw his shot saved by Indian custodian Adrian S’Souza. And in the next minute Shakeel Abbasi sent his scoop over the bar with only Adrian to beat.
However the equalizer eventually came in the 49th minute as Fareed Ahmad worked his way into the semi circle from the left, relayed the ball to Muhd Umar Bhutta who had his back to the Indian goal but took a shot on the turn to score.
And when Pakistan were awarded a penalty corner in the 56th minute, no thanks to Rupinder Pal who failed to stop the ball and hit its foot, there was anticipation in the stands that Sohail Abbas will score.
But up stepped skipper Muhammad Imran who sent a waist high drag flick sailing into goal to put Pakistan 2-1 ahead.
India were shattered and in the next minute conceded another penalty corner, which Sohail dispatched to put them 3-1 ahead.
It was Pakistan who finished the match stronger and despite forcing two more penalty corners, they failed to add to their advantage.
Official Sultan Azlan Shah Cup site
Australia surge to the top
Australia defeated South Korea 4-2 in the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup match to move to the top of the standings.
With the win, the Aussies have 10 points and move above Great Britain who did not see action today.
Though the scoreline looked impressive, the Aussies had to struggle to keep up with the Koreans who showed tremendous resilience despite chasing the match for long spells.
Australia took the lead in the 8th minute via Timothy Deavin. And they doubled the advantage in the 12th minute when Mark Paterson scored.
Korea reduced the deficit through a goal by You Hyo Sik in the 15th minute and should have leveled the scores had not Andrew Charter in the Australian goal pulled off a spectacular save from Yoon Sung Hoon in the 27th minute.
And Australia took full advantage of the reprieve by scoring the third via Glenn Turner in the 34th minute for Australia to go into halftime 3-1 ahead.
The Koreans were undeterred and came out fast off the blocks in the second half. And they reduced the deficit to 2-3 in the 39th minute through Hyun Hye Sung who sent the ball through Charter’s pads.
Australia would have scored their fourth had it not been for the quick reflexes of Korean keeper Lee Myung Ho in the 59th minute as he stopped the penalty corner attempt of Christoper Ciriello.
Though the rebound fell to Ciriello, Lee got up fast to deny him and the third attempt was made by Paterson saw Lee pulling off another fine save.
Paterson made it safe for Australia, scoring the fourth goal in the three minutes from time.
Official Sultan Azlan Shah Cup site
Heartbreak for Malaysia
Malaysia conceded a goal in the final 17 seconds of the match against New Zealand and it has virtually killed off their chance of achieving the top for target in the Azlan Shah Cup.
It was indeed a bitter pill for the Malaysian team who looked good enough to get a draw.
New Zealand was on the offensive right from the first whistle and made several forays into the semi circle but could not get a shot on target.
Malaysia nearly scored in the 8th minute when the ball fell to Mohd Azammi Abadi but he sent his shot wide.
The Kiwis came close on two occasions after that, first through Nicholas Wilson in the 12th minute and a minute later through Shay Neal, both were denied by Roslan Jamaluddin in the Malaysian goal.
New Zealand broke the deadlock when they were awarded a penalty corner in the 16th minute. The shot on goal by Andrew Hayward was neatly deflected past Roslan by Nicholas Wilson.
Malaysia showed lack of urgency and was playing at a rather slow pace. But off a fine move by Tengku Ahmad Tajuddin in the 30th minute, the ball was laid up for Mohd Izzat Mohd Rahim, whose shot sailed past Stephen Graham in goal.
New Zealand earned two penalty corners in the 40th and 46th minutes but failed to find the net.
Shay Neal worked himself into the semi circle and sent in a cross at the far post in the 48th minute but Nicholas Wilson sent his attempt inches wide.
The constant Kiwi pressure finally paid dividends in the 57th minute when Hugo Inglis made a square pass to Stephen Jenness who deflected past Roslan with four other Malaysian defenders just rooted.
Malaysia found the equalizer off their first penalty corner in the 68th minute when Faisal Saari’s drag flick sailed into the Kiwi goal.
Then came the killer blow as Izzat conceded an unnecessary corner and Steven Edwards finished off the penalty corner to give the Kiwis the three valuable points.
Official Sultan Azlan Shah Cup site
India loses out to Pakistan in Sultan Azlan Shah
S. Thyagarajan
India, after leading 1-0 at half-time, became too defensive in the second to lose to Pakistan 1-3. AFP
The spectacular victory sequence that India constructed since the last World Cup in New Delhi was shattered when Pakistan inflicted a 3-1 defeat on Wednesday in the Azlan Shah hockey tournament here. India led 1-0 at half-time.
It was not a classic tie by any stretch of imagination but close enough to create pulsating moments that an India-Pakistan encounter generates without fail.
Over-elaboration and needless accent on defending the goal secured midway in the first half caused India's downfall.
Almost throughout the first half, India had the upper hand. There were neat passes from the mid-field, where Vikas Pillay played a leading role with Vikram Pillay, and the deep defenders, Mahadik and Rupinder were perfectly placed.
Exciting sequence
An exciting sequence arose early on when Shivendra slammed in the ball from a penalty corner sequence that prompted the Dutch umpire, Roderick Wijsmueller to signal a goal. But on a protest from the Pakistanis that an infringement had taken place when the ball bounced off the umpire consulted his colleague, Martin Madden and reversed the decision.
India still held the territorial advantage and took the lead through a withering penalty corner hit by Rupinderpal Singh, giving him his sixth goal in the competition. His second effort close on half-time was neatly saved by goalkeeper Imran Shah. However, the match transformed in the second half. The Indian defenders were slow to meet the thrust of the Pakistani attack. If the strategy was to hold on to the lead, it backfired completely.
Progressively, the bite in the Pakistani attack became sharper as the Indian defenders struggled to keep the raids of Abbasi, Rehan and Fareed under check.
Midway through came the equaliser off a splendid effort from Fareed, who dodged the defenders delectably to help Umar Butta beat Adrian all ends up.
That triggered a Pakistani resurgence, generating penalty corners in quick succession. Muhammad Imran produced a stunner for the lead and this was followed by a powerful flick by veteran Sohail Abbas to put the issue beyond doubt.
There were a few feeble attempts by India to get back into the groove but the frontline, where Chandi, Shivendra and even Roshan Minz failed repeatedly, could do precious little to reverse the trend. The two penalty corners that India forced in the final minute did not help matters in any way.
Aussies on top
Overcoming intense resistance in patches, the Aussies managed to obtain full points against Korea to move to the top of the table with 10 points.
There was a palpable hint of aggression in the Korean attack. Though the Aussies established a comfortable 2-0 lead within 10 minutes from the start, the defenders had to face immense pressure from the Koreans who netted through You Hyo Sik with a delicate deflection.
Pepped up by this the Koreans stepped up the pace only to concede another goal when Glenn Turner capped the effort of Kiel Brown and Jason Wilson. An early goal by Hyun Hye Sung heightened tension with Korea forcing three penalty corners but the defenders held on gamely.
In the last quarter the Aussies wrested the initiative and increased the lead when Mark Patterson struck off a cross from Wilson.
Agony for Malaysia
Malaysia tumbled to its fourth successive defeat conceding the match-winner to New Zealand — the Kiwis' first win in four matches — 17 seconds before the hooter. The agony for the home team continued as nothing worked well for it.
The Kiwis, struggling to find their rhythm in the searing afternoon heat, managed to call the shots and held the lead right through.
Six penalty corners against just one by the local team (67th minute) was an indication of the trend of the contest.
Hugo Iglis was the prominent performer for New Zealand, which earned him the Man-of-the-Match award. The Kiwis have four points in as many encounters while the home team is yet to open its account.
The results:
New Zealand 3 (Nicolas Wilson, Stephen Jenness, Collier Benjamin) bt Malaysia 2 (Rahim Iazzat, Faisal Saari).
Australia 4 (Timothy Deavin, Mark Patterson 2, Glenn Tuner) bt Korea 2 (You Hyo Sik, Hyun Hye Sung).
Pakistan 3 (Umar Butta, Muhammad Imran, Sohail Abbas) bt India 1 (Rupinderpal Singh).
Thursday's matches: Australia v Great Britain (1.35 p.m.); India v New Zealand (3.35 p.m.); Korea v Malaysia (5.35 p.m.).
The Hindu
Pak breaks the Jinx, beats India 3-1
s2h team
Despite India leading at half time, it caved in in the second half, helping Pakistan to break the jink of not losing to India in the last five encounters.
India took the lead when Rupinder scored his sixth goal in grand style off India’s first penalty corner, and warded off a few challenges to safeguard the lead at lemon time.
The game after the lemon time was totally different. Pakistan made the Indians dance to their tunes, India was in fact lucky to get away with 1-3 score.
Within two minutes they scored two goals, first from Imran Md. and the second from Sohail off successive penalty corners.
India got two penalty corners in the dying minutes, but could not make use of.
Had India maintained the rhythm it showed in the first half, it would not have had to face the fate as it had ultimately, today.
"We have been losing to India for long, almost a year, so it is good we succeeded today, said victorious captain Imran Mohammad, whose goal in fact changed the face of the contest today. It was his conversion in the 56th minutes that gave the Pakistan the lead, setting the tune for Sohail to consolidate the gains in the next minute in the next penalty corner.
Rupinder Pal converted India's first penalty corner in the 22nd minute.
In the second half, potential lad Umar Bhutta scored from close range, that equlized the score, and energized the Pakistan to press the gear up.
Indian defence was in shambles in the second half, midfield was almost not functioning, Indian losing possession easily.
Pakistan also brought Shakeel Abbasi to the front from the midfield, Rehan slightly improved his positioning, leaving Zubair, Haseem and Bhutta to do the needful.
Stick2Hockey.com
Pakistan breeze past India at Sultan Azlan Shah Cup
Pakistan's Muhammad Umar Bhutta, left, celebrates after scoring a goal against India. -AP Photo
KARACHI: Pakistan put up an impressive performance to come out on top and ease past India 3-1 in their heated clash in the Azlan Shah Cup at the Azlan Shah stadium in Ipoh, Malaysia.
Pakistan, who had lost their last two matches against Great Britain and Australia needed at least a draw to remain in the tournament while India also needed a good result. However, goals from Umar Bhutta, Mohammad Imran and Sohail Abbas made sure that Pakistan stayed in the tournament as strong contenders for the semi-final.
After a slow paced start, India were awarded a penalty corner from which their goal scored by Shivendra was disallowed. The second penalty corner through which India grabbed the lead came in the 21st minute and Rupinder Pal Singh was the scorer.
Pakistan got their first penalty corner in the 25th minute which was sent wide on the right side of goal by Sohail Abbas.
Maintaining the tempo of the match, India earned another penalty corner which was saved by Imran to deny Rupinder Pal Singh a chance to build on India’s lead.
At half time, India led 1-0.
Things changed in the second half when Pakistan forced India to take a back seat and scored the three goals. Rehan Butt missed a chance to equalize in the 38th minute and soon after, Shakeel Abbasi sent a shot over the post.
In the 49th minute, Pakistan converted their dominance on the field into an equalizer through Umar Bhutta. In the 55th minute, Rupinder Pal Singh conceded a penalty upon which Pakistan capitalized and grabbed the lead through Mohammad Imran.
Another penalty corner let Pakistan solidify their lead over India as Sohail Abbas scored, making the score 3-1 in Pakistan’s favour.
In the dying minutes of the match, India and Pakistan were both given penalty corners which did not result in any goal.
In the day’s other two matches, New Zealand defeated hosts Malaysia while Australia eased past South Korea.
AFP reports that World Champions Australia took a step closer on Wednesday to their target of winning the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup after a well-crafted 4-2 victory over joint holders South Korea.
The Australians lead the standings with 10 points, ahead of Great Britain, close behind on nine points.
Australian coach Ric Charlesworth said his team’s performance was still rusty despite the win.
“There are moments where they played very well. This was in the first half where we took our chances well. The second-half performance was very poor. But we have sealed the points, and the real test will be on Thursday,” Charlesworth said.
Australia will meet Great Britain, who are on two rest days, on Thursday.
The Australians dominated the first half against South Korea, taking a 3-1 lead.
Timothy Deavin scored just after eight minutes from a field effort, followed by Mark Paterson in the 12th minute and Glenn Turner in the 34th minute.
The Koreans, who still sit on four points after four matches, reduced the deficit in the 15th minute through You Hyo-sik but rarely raised their game in the first half.
In the second half, they pulled a goal back in the 39th minute through Hyun Hya-sung, also from a field attempt.
But despite the Koreans pushing hard for the equaliser, the Australians slotted another goal in the 63rd minute through Paterson for a convincing win.
The result leaves South Korea with only a slim chance of repeating last year’s feat of making the final unless Australia and Great Britain show a dramatic collapse in form.
In the earlier game, New Zealand bagged a last-minute 3-2 win over hapless hosts Malaysia to give the Kiwis their first victory at the tournament.
The hard-earned win puts New Zealand on four points and coach Shane McLeod said he hoped it would give his side vital impetus for tough games against India and old rivals Australia in the final two matches.
“We have turned the corner with this win and now will try and win more matches. It is the only way to finish high up. Overall we played better and I feel we earned the win,” he said.
The Kiwis took the lead twice, but fellow tournament strugglers Malaysia equalised each time.
However, a last counterattack earned New Zealand a penalty corner and Steven Edwards scored with 30 seconds left on the clock to give his team full points.
Before that, New Zealand scored goals through Nicholas Wilson in the 16th minute and Stephen Jenness in the 57th minute.
Malaysia’s first-half goal in the 30th minute came from Mohamed Izzat Rahim. Their second was in the 68th minute through Faizal Saari.
Malaysia are yet to score a single point.
Dawn
Pakistan see off India, Australia march on
IPOH: Asian champions Pakistan came from behind to destroy rivals and joint-holders India 3-1 with a masterly second-half performance on Wednesday in the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup. Earlier, World Champions Australia proved they are the team to beat with a well-crafted 4-2 victory over South Korea, who claimed the title last year with India when the final was washed out. The Indians were the better side in the first-half and deservedly took a 1-0 lead before Pakistan found their rhythm in the second period to score three goals and collect full points. Jubilant Pakistan team manager K. M. Junaid said: “The second-half made all the difference. We went at them all the way. At the same time, we did not allow them to play their game and kept them pinned down.
“What also helped is that we kept our emotions in check for the game.”A resurgent Pakistan now have nine points and are third in the table behind leaders Australia, who have ten points, and Great Britain, also on nine. India gained an initial advantage through a Rupinderpal Singh penalty corner in the 22nd minute. He is the current top scorer in Malaysia with six goals, all from penalty corners. But Pakistan roared back thanks to Muhammad Zubair in the 49th minute, and then Muhammad Imran netted the second off a penalty corner in the 55th minute to put his side ahead. Sohail Abbas sealed an emotional victory against the old rivals two minutes later.
Australian coach Ric Charlesworth said his team’s performance was still rusty despite the win over South Korea. Australia meet Great Britain on Thursday for a mouthwatering top-of-the-table showdown. The Australians dominated the first-half, taking a 3-1 lead. Timothy Deavin scored just after eight minutes from a field effort, followed by Mark Paterson in the 12th minute and Glenn Turner in the 34th minute. The Koreans, who still sit on four points after four matches, reduced the deficit in the 15th minute through You Hyo-Sik but rarely raised their game in the first-half.
In the second, they pulled a goal back in the 39th minute through Hyun Hya-Sung, also from a field attempt. But despite the Koreans pushing hard for the equaliser, the Australians slotted another goal in the 63rd minute through Paterson for a convincing win. Meanwhile, New Zealand bagged a last-minute 3-2 win over hapless hosts Malaysia to give the Kiwis their first victory at the tournament. The hard-earned win puts New Zealand on four points and coach Shane McLeod said he hoped it would give his side vital impetus for tough games against India and old rivals Australia in the final two matches.
The Daily Times
India’s title hopes crash with 1-3 loss to Pak
Defending champion India's hopes of retaining the Azlan Shah Cup hockey title virtually ended today as they suffered an embarrassing 1-3 defeat against arch-rivals Pakistan in a high-voltage match here.
India squandered the lead gained through drag-flicker Rupinder Pal Singh in the 23rd minute as Pakistan rallied with penalty corner goals from captain Muhammad Imran and Sohail Abbas in successive minutes midway through the second session.
India enjoyed an edge in the first half but lost the plot after change of ends with Asian Games gold-medallist Pakistan turning the tide in their favour by dominating the entire second session. Arjun Halappa-led side were unlucky as the referee disallowed a goal early in the match. They also wasted a few open chances in the first session which could have changed the complexion of the game.
The loss also snapped India's four-match winning streak against Pakistan since last year.
With the loss today, India, outright winners in 2009 and joint champions with South Korea in 2010, slipped to the fourth spot in the round-robin league standings with seven points from five matches. Pakistan moved up to the third place with nine points in five games.
World champions Australia are leading the standings after their 4-2 victory over South Korea today to secure to 10 points in four matches, while Britain are second on nine points from four outings.
India have one match remaining -- against New Zealand tomorrow, in the round robin league.
Each side play six matches in the seven-team competition. The top two sides in the standings after the round-robin league will play in the summit clash on May 15. India had the first shy at the Pakistan goal in the eight minute when Vikas Pillay moved forward on the left flank and sent a diagonal cross to which Mandeep Antil failed to connect in the goalmouth.
The Indians almost took the lead in the 14th minute on their first penalty corner but as Dhananjay Mahadik's shot was blocked by the goalkeeper, but Shivendra Singh sent a stinging reverse from the top of the circle to hit into the boards. Dutch umpire Roderick Wijsmuller first signaled for a goal, but changed the decision after Pakistan team protested for an obstruction.
Gurvinder Singh Chandi missed a sitter in the 20th minute when he failed to push in S V Sunil's pass into an open goal, but penalty corner shooter Rupinder Singh put India ahead in the 23rd minute by sending a deft drag-flick into the cage.
The Tribune
Pakistan dish out 3-1 hammering to India
Asian champions Pakistan came from behind to destroy rivals and joint-holders India 3-1 with a masterly second-half performance on Wednesday in the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup. Earlier, World Champions Australia proved they are the team to beat with a well-crafted 4-2 victory over South Korea, who claimed the title last year with India when the final was washed out.
The Indians were the better side in the first-half and deservedly took a 1-0 lead through Rupinder Pal Singh in the 22nd minute before Pakistan found their rhythm in the second period to score three goals through Muhammad Zubair (49’), Muhammad Imran (55’) and finally Sohail Abbas (57’) and collected full points.
A resurgent Pakistan now have nine points and are third in the table behind leaders Australia, who have ten points, and Great Britain, also on nine.
Pakistan team manager K. M. Junaid said: “The second-half made all the difference. We went at them all the way.”
Hindustan Times
We had a horrible second half
"We had a good first half and it told on the board also, we led Pakistan them. However, we lost the game in the second half. I can even say we played a horrible second half".
These are words of Arjun shortly after India lost to Pakistan in their fifth match of the ongoing Sultan Azlan Shah Cup.
India played reasonably well in the first half, but was totally outplayed by the speedy Pakistanis in the second half.
It was sheer luck that India did not concede many goals, leaving the contest look decent. However, Arjun congrdulated the winners, and said, "They played better".
Stick2Hockey.com
Kookaburras top table after solid win over Korea 4-2
The Kookaburras defeated Korea 4-2 in their fourth Sultan Azlan Shah Cup match to move to the top of the standings.
The Kookaburras solid run of form now finds them sitting atop of the points table, 1 point ahead of Great Britain.
The Kookaburras had to fight hard for the win with the Koreans showing tremendous resilience and fight. The fast paced match was a good test for the guys leading into the top of the table clash with Great Britain tonight.
The Kookaburras took the lead in the 8th minute through Timothy Deavin. They doubled the advantage in the 12th minute when Mark Paterson scored.
Korea reduced the deficit through a goal by You Hyo Sik in the 15th minute and should have leveled the scores had Kookaburra goalkeeper Andrew Charter not pulled off a spectacular save from Yoon Sung Hoon in the 27th minute.
The Kookaburras took full advantage of the reprieve by scoring the third through Glenn Turner in the 34th minute, giving the Kookabuarras a 3-1 lead at half time.
The Koreans were undeterred and came out fast off the blocks in the second half and reduced the deficit to 2-3 in the 39th minute through Hyun Hye Sung who sent the ball through Charter’s pads.
The Kookaburras nearly scored their fourth had it not been for the quick reflexes of Korean keeper Lee Myung Ho in the 59th minute as he stopped the penalty corner attempt of Christoper Ciriello.
Paterson ended the Koreans hopes of an late equalizer with a second goal at the 67th minute mark, giving the Kookaburras a safe 4-2 lead with 3 minutes remaining.
The Kookaburras take on Great Britain tonight Thursday 12 May at 6.05pm.
Follow the match updates on twitter @azlancup.
Kookaburras 4 Korea 2 (3-1 half time)
Goals – Aus Deavin 8m FG, Aus Paterson 12m FG/67m FG, Kor You Hyo 15m FG, Aus Turner 34m FG, Kor Hyun Hye 39m FG.
POINTS TABLE
Hockey Australia media release
Australia show their class
Jugjet Singh
AUSTRALIA stamped their dominance in the Azlan Shah Cup when they beat a fighting South Korea 4-2 to top the standings in Ipoh yesterday.
The match was not an easy one, as the Koreans were determined to stop the Australians but their inexperience let them down.
Australia took the lead in the 8th minute off Timothy Deavin and they doubled their advantage in the 12th minute through Mark Paterson.
Korea reduced the deficit when You Hyo Sik scored in the 15th minute and should have leveled the scores had not Andrew Charter in the Australian goal pulled off a spectacular save from Yoon Sung Hoon in the 27th minute.
However, Australia inserted their dominance by scoring the third goal off Glenn Turner in the 34th minute for a 3-1 lead.
Korea were back in the match when Hyun Hye Sung who sent the ball between Charter's pads in the 39th minute to narrow the gap, but Mark
Paterson scored the fourth three minutes from time to seal three points.
In another match, Pakistan came back from a goal down to beat India 3-1.
Rupinder Singh gave India a big boost by scoring off a penalty in the 23rd minute, his sixth of the tournament, but India could not control the match even with the lead.
Umar Bhutta scored the equaliser in the 49th minute, while skipper Muhamamd Imran sent a powerful drag-flick crashing into the net in the 56th minute penalty corner.
Pakistan, inspired by their skipper's goal, won another penalty corner one minute after the re-start and this time, penalty corner world record holder Sohai Abbas made no mistake with his trademark drag-attempt.
New Straits Times
Australia easily defeat South Korea despite being a team of two halves
IPOH: World champions Australia showed their class to take over the lead in the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup hockey tournament when they defeated South Korea 4-2 here yesterday.
The win took the Australians to 10 points after four matches. Britain, who did not play yesterday, remained on nine points. Both teams will meet today and the winners will seal a place in the final.
The Australians gave a mixed performance against the Koreans, playing superbly in the first half and were a bit too casual in the next 35 minutes.
Eight minutes into the match Timothy Deavin gave them the lead with a field goal. Mark Patersen was on target four minutes later before South Korean pulled a goal back through You Hyo-sik in the 15th minute.
And one minute before half time, Glen Turner slotted home from close range to give Australia a 3-1 lead.
The Koreans were more enterprising in the second half and reduced the deficit with a field goal by Hyun Hya-sung in the 39th minute.
The Australians stood firm and against the run of play, Patersen scored his second goal to give Australia a convincing win.
“We played well in one half and poorly in the other. We are just not there yet with our play and we will have to improve,” admitted Australia coach Ric Charlesworth.
“The big test for us is still to come, which will be tomorrow. We will play against Britain with hardly 24 hours of rest and they come into the match after a two-day break. It will be a good way to see how my players shape up for this match.”
The Koreans, who remain on four points, play against Malaysia today.
Pakistan defeated India 3-1 to stay in contention for a place in the final.
They fell behind to a Rupinderpal Singh penalty corner goal in the 22nd minute as India dominated the first half.
But in the second half, Pakistan change their game plan and kept constant pressure on India. They were rewarded with a goal by Mohamed Zubair in the 49th minute before Mohamed Imran and Sohail Abbas converted penalty corners in the 55th and 57th minute respectively to give Pakistan full points.
Pakistan will wrap up their round-robin fixtures against Malaysia on Saturday but their chances to make the final will very much depend on how Australia and Britain fare in their remaining matches.
The Star of Malaysia
Australia closer to Shah Cup
World champions Australia took a step closer on Wednesday to their target of winning the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup after a well-crafted 4-2 victory over joint holders South Korea.
Ipoh, Malaysia – World champions Australia took a step closer on Wednesday to their target of winning the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup after a well-crafted 4-2 victory over joint holders South Korea.
The Australians lead the standings with 10 points, with Great Britain on nine.
Australia coach Ric Charlesworth said his team's performance was still rusty despite the win.
“There are moments where they played very well. This was in the first half where we took our chances well. The second-half performance was very poor. But we have sealed the points, and the real test will be on Thursday,” Charlesworth said.
Australia will meet Great Britain, who are on two rest days, on Thursday.
The Australians dominated the first half against South Korea, taking a 3-1 lead.
Timothy Deavin scored just after eight minutes from a field effort, followed by Mark Paterson in the 12th minute and Glenn Turner in the 34th minute.
The Koreans, who still sit on four points after four matches, reduced the deficit in the 15th minute through You Hyo-sik but rarely raised their game in the first half.
In the second half, they pulled a goal back in the 39th minute through Hyun Hya-sung, also from a field attempt.
But despite the Koreans pushing hard for the equaliser, the Australians slotted another goal in the 63rd minute through Paterson for a convincing win.
The result leaves South Korea with only a slim chance of repeating last year's feat of making the final unless Australia and Great Britain show a dramatic collapse in form.
In the earlier game, New Zealand bagged a last-minute 3-2 win over hapless hosts Malaysia to give the Kiwis their first victory at the tournament.
The hard-earned win puts New Zealand on four points and coach Shane McLeod said he hoped it would give his side vital impetus for tough games against India and old rivals Australia in the final two matches.
“We have turned the corner with this win and now will try and win more matches. It is the only way to finish high up. Overall we played better and I feel we earned the win,” he said.
The Kiwis took the lead twice, but fellow tournament strugglers Malaysia equalised each time.
However, a last counterattack earned New Zealand a penalty corner and Steven Edwards scored with 30 seconds left on the clock to give his team full points.
Before that, New Zealand scored goals through Nicholas Wilson in the 16th minute and Stephen Jenness in the 57th minute.
Malaysia's first-half goal in the 30th minute came from Mohamed Izzat Rahim. Their second was in the 68th minute through Faizal Saari.
Malaysia are yet to score a single point.
Independent Online
Young Black Sticks beat malaysia 3-2 with dramatic last-minute winner
North Harbour’s twenty-five year-old centre-midfielder Steve Edwards grabbed a dramatic last-minute winner to earn the young Black Sticks Men’s team a 3-2 victory over hosts Malaysia in their fourth match at the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in Ipoh, Malaysia last night.
Edwards turned in an excellent performance in the heart of the midfield, but the victory also proved a welcome present for Capital defender Blair Tarrant who put in another fine display on his twenty-first birthday. His former Otago Boys High School team-mate Hugo Inglis was also in good form up front and was awarded the Man of the Match award for his efforts.
Capital’s Blair Hilton had the opening chance of the game in the third minute when he fired a half-chance over the crossbar and, in the very hot and humid conditions, the Black Sticks dominated the opening fifteen minutes, creating several chances with Nick Wilson and Marcus Child also going close with half-chances. In the sixteenth minute, they were rewarded and took the lead getting their first penalty corner of the game. Midland’s Andy Hayward cleverly switched his corner and North Harbour’s Nick Wilson was on hand to neatly deflect the ball high into the net for his 31st international goal.
Despite creating several half chances, the Black Sticks could not add to their 1-0 lead and Malaysia levelled the scores at 1-1 against the run of play in the 30th minute when A Jalil weaved his way along the baseline and pulled the ball across the face of the goal to Mohammed Rahim who fired an unstoppable shot low into the corner of the net.
The Black Sticks went back in front in the 57th minute when strikers Blair Hilton and Hugo Inglis exchanged passes in the circle before Inglis sent the ball hard across the face of the goal for Capital’s Stephen Jenness to deflect the ball into the net and put the Black Sticks 2-1 up. The Black Sticks still pushed forward and penalty corner expert Andy Hayward saw two efforts well saved by Malaysia’s goalkeeper Roslan Jamaluddin.
With only two minutes remaining, Malaysia punished the Black Sticks when they equalised in the 68th minute from a penalty corner flick by Faizal Saari. It looked like the Black Sticks would rue its many missed chances, but, in a dramatic finale that silenced the partisan crowd, the Black Sticks won a penalty corner in the last minute.
Andy Hayward’s shot was blocked by the runner-out but the ball fell to Steve Edwards who demonstrated tight stick skills to beat two defenders and then dive full-length to reverse-stick the ball into the net from the narrowest of angles. It was a goal of individual brilliance worthy of settling any match. It was heart-breaking for the home crowd who had seen their team fight back to seemingly salvage a draw but they had not counted on the relentless commitment of the young Black Sticks team to fight to the end.
Black Sticks coach Shane McLeod was delighted with the victory. “We showed great courage today. We never gave up and fought to the final whistle. Although we were wasteful with our finishing at times, I was pleased that we continued to create chances throughout the match. This young side continues to grow.”
The Black Sticks play joint defending champions India in a crucial match tonight (1805 Malaysia time), looking to secure three points to give them a chance of making the medal rounds of the competition. On Saturday 14 May the Black Sticks play world and Commonwealth champions Australia at 2005 (Malaysia time) with the classification matches taking place on Sunday 15 May.
Hockey New Zealand Media release
Last-gasp win for Black Sticks against Malaysia
The New Zealand men's hockey team have broken their duck in spectacular fashion at the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in Malaysia tonight, a last-gasp goal from a penalty corner earning them a 3-2 win against the hosts.
New Zealand's chances of a breakthrough win at the tournament looked to have been dashed when Faizal Saari equalised from a penalty corner four minutes from fulltime.
But a winner from Steven Edwards with time up, also from a penalty corner, has sealed the points for the youthful looking New Zealand team, their first win from four matches.
Coming off losses to Britain and Pakistan, and a draw with South Korea, the pressure was on New Zealand against a team which they have dominated in recent times.
They started brilliantly, controlling possession before Nick Wilson converted from their first penalty corner to open the scoring in the 15th minute.
But the New Zealanders lost their initiative leading up to halftime and the hosts capitalised 5min before the interval when Izzat Rahim powered in a reverse stick shot from the top of the circle.
Stephen Jenness edged the New Zealanders ahead with 13min remaining when he tapped in after some neat work from Hugo Inglis, before the fireworks kicked off in the final stages.
Saari slapped the ball home from a penalty corner but New Zealand pressed in the dying seconds and were rewarded when Malaysia failed to clear from a penalty corner and the ball fell to Edwards, who was free on the right and slipped in the winner.
The result extended Malaysia's poor recent run against New Zealand, having won just one of their 11 meetings during the past two years.
The going now gets much tougher for New Zealand, who are missing seven senior players - Ryan Archibald, Phil Burrows, Shea McAleese, Simon Child, Blair Hopping, Brad Shaw, and Richard Petherick - through injury or personal commitments.
Their next match is against India tomorrow with their final group fixture against Australia on Saturday. Classification matches are on Sunday.
Results:
New Zealand 3 (Nick Wilson, Stephen Jenness, Steven Edwards)
Malaysia 2 (Izzat Rahim, Faizal Saari).
Halftime: 1-1.
Stuff
Toothless display seals Malaysia's fate
Jugjet Singh
Malaysia’s Mohd Sharun Nabil Abdul (left) fails to stop New Zealand’s Arun Panchia in their match yesterday. New Zealand won 3-2. — Picture by L. Manimaran
MALAYSIA dished out another pathetic performance as they stuck to their 35-second syndrome plot and lost 3-2 to New Zealand in the Azlan Shah Cup in Ipoh yesterday.
The defeat, their fourth in as many matches, have almost doomed them to finishing last in the seven-team tournament. It was another inconsistent performance as the hosts only had four shots on goal and one penalty corner to show after 70 minutes. New Zealand took the lead in the 16th minute off a penalty corner set-piece when Nicolas Wilson deflected home from the penalty spot.
Malaysia came back into the picture when Izzat Rahim's powerful strike in the 30th minute whizzed past the New Zealand keeper.
Stephen Jenness gave the Kiwis the lead again when he scored a field goal in the 57th minute but with two minutes remaining Malaysia won their only penalty corner of the match and Faizal Shaari delivered.
And just as the match was heading for a draw, goal-scorer Izzat turned from hero to zero when he made a deliberate clearance at the goal-line and the umpire awarded New Zealand a penalty corner.
Only 35 seconds remained when Izzat made the blunder, and Steven Edwards punished Malaysia with a well placed shot for full points.
"This (losing in the final seconds of the match) has been going on for almost a decade, and I don't have any answers for it," said frustrated Malaysian coach Tai Beng Hai.
"However, we played well against Australia, 35 minutes against India, and also for one half against Britain. But if one does not play consistently at international level, one will be surely punished.
"I'm building a team for the Olympic Qualifiers and we will work on the weaknesses identified here. So, give the boys a chance to pick themselves up."
The losing-in-the-last minute syndrome was first noticed in the Sydney 2000 Olympics and since then Malaysia have lost numerous matches because of last minute lapses.
At the Azlan Shah Cup, this is the second time Malaysia have lost a match in the last 35 seconds. The first was against World No 1 Australia.
With the match at 1-1 and heading for a draw, the Aussies won a penalty corner in the last 35 seconds and scored the winner.
New Straits Times
Malaysians go down to Kiwis after conceding last-minute goal
By S. RAMAGURU
Strecthed: Malaysia’s Faizal Saari attempting to stop New Zealand’s Nicolas Haig during their Sultan Azlan Shah Cup match in Ipoh Wednesday. — SAIFUL BAHRI / The Star
IPOH: It happened again. Malaysia conceded a penalty corner goal to New Zealand with 30 seconds remaining on the clock to lose 2-3 in a Sultan Azlan Shah Cup hockey tournament match here yesterday.
Malaysia needed a win to have a chance to feature in the placing matches on Sunday at the Sultan Azlan Shah Stadium but a soft goal in each half and the last-minute strike by the Kiwis put paid to their hopes.
In the first half, the players were running into each other. They also did not play cohesively in the second half but kept pace with the Kiwis until the fatal last minute.
Malaysians have two matches to play against South Korea and Pakistan to avoid last place and sitting out the final day’s action but on the evidence of this, they are unlikely to make it.
Goalkeeper Roslan Jamaluddin certainly had his hands full in the early stages of the match against New Zealand.
He stopped no fewer than four shots but in the 16th minute he was helpless against the Kiwis’ second penalty corner and Nicholas Wilson made the conversion.
Malaysia managed to pull a goal back in the 30th minute with Mohamed Izzat Rahim scoring his first goal for the national senior team.
In the second half, the Kiwis dominated play and regained the lead in the 57th minute with a field goal by Stephen Jenness.
But as the game looked lost for Malaysia, they earned a penalty corner in the 68th minute and it was converted by Faizal Saari.
The match appeared headed for a draw but as usual, the Malaysians fumbled in dealing with a last attack from the Kiwis. They conceded the penalty corner and Steven Edward snatch the winner for New Zealand.
Malaysia protested against the award of the penalty corner to New Zealand but Australian umpire Stephen Lewi stood firm with his decision.
“We played well in patches and were not sharp enough with some of the chances we had,” said Malaysia coach Tai Beng Hai.
“We knew it would be tough and overall the play was just not good enough to get a win. I do not want to comment on the penalty corner goal conceded but we seemed to have developed a tendency to let in such goals at the tailend of a match.”
New Zealand coach Shane Mcleod was relieved that they managed to turn the corner and was looking forward to winning their last two round-robin matches against India and Australia.
“It was a good result for us. We had the better chances than Malaysia,” he said.
“A decision like the last-minute penalty corner happens in matches. We have also been on the receiving end of such a decision. So we know how it feels to lose a match that way.”
Malaysia: Roslan Jamaluddin, Mohamed Marhan Jalil, Azlan Misron, Faizal Saari, Mohamed Shahrun Nabil, Nabil Fiqri Mohamed Nor, Mohamed Razie Rahim, Mohamed Shukri Mutalib, Hafifihafiz Hanafi, Baljit Singh, Tengku Ahmad Tajuddin.
Substitutes: Mohamed Izzat Rahim, Mohamed Azammi Adabi, Mohamed Firhan Ashaari, Kelvinder Singh, Izwan Firdaus.
New Zealand: Stephen Graham, Nicholas Haig, Dean Couzins, Blair Hilton, Blair Tarrant, Shay Neal, Arun Panchia, Matt L’huiller, Benjamin Collier, Steven Edward, Nicholas Wilson.
Substitutes: David Green, Andrew Hayward, Marcus Child, Stephen Jenness, Hugo Inglis.
The Star of Malaysia
FIH showers tournaments on India, eyes Brazil
NEW DELHI: The International Hockey Federation (FIH) has awarded India several elite events, including an IPL cricket-style professional league, and pledged to raise the game's profile in soccer-dominated Brazil.
FIH president Leandro Negre said on Wednesday that India had shown its organisational skills with the successful 2010 men's World Cup in Delhi, convincing the world governing body to allocate new tournaments to a country that won eight Olympic gold medals before their spectacular and prolonged slump.
"We have a long-term commitment to host major events here. Three to four years back, we identified India as a key country and we are here to allocate five top events to the country," Negre told reporters.
Apart from the men's Champions Trophy in December, India will host men's and women's Olympic qualifiers in 2012, men's and women's junior World Cups and World League Finals in 2013 and the women's Champions Trophy in 2014.
The FIH is also working with Hockey India to start a professional league, modelled to some extent on the highly successful Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket competition, possibly from 2012, Negre said.
FIH officials declared Hockey India as the sole recognised federation to run the game in the country and warned players not to compete in a rebel league backed by the Indian Hockey Federation, which forfeited FIH recognition in 2008.
Negre said Pakistan would receive a wild card to participate in this year's Champions Trophy in Delhi.
The FIH also announced 'Project Brazil', which aims to raise the game's profile in the South American country.
"Brazil is a major sporting nation, one of the bigger economies which will host the 2016 Olympic Games. Hockey is not particularly strong there to be honest," FIH chief executive Kelly Fairweather said.
The Times of India
FIH carves out roadmap for India alongside HI
The international hockey federation (FIH) is all set to revive the flagging fortune of the discipline in the country through ‘Project India’. In coordination with Hockey India (HI), the international body has chalked out a wide-ranging strategy involving a series of FIH-run competitions beginning with the men’s Champions Trophy this year.
The FIH chief, Leandro Negre, made it clear that HI is the sole national body it recognises and the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) is not in their scheme of things.
“FIH is working with HI and not with IHF,” said Negre. Along with FIH chief executive, Kelly Fairweather, Negre also met HI officials and sports minister, Ajay Maken.
The international events, said Negre, will give the Indian team a chance to rub shoulders with the best in the business. Explaining the multi-dimensional benefits of hosting major competitions, Negre said, “It will be a great opportunity for the national team to compete with global teams.”
The FIH chief continued, “The four-year package is very lucrative in terms of fundraising as well as for the promotion of the game. Top players from across the globe will be seen in action and certainly, the big names of world hockey will inspire younger generations.”
A professional league and an international club competition are among the other proposed events that FIH is keen to start in the country. “We are working on the right timeline to conduct the events. With all the nations focussed on the 2012 London Games, holding a mega event like a pro league needs to be slotted suitably in the calendar,” said the FIH chief.
Despite the lack of infrastructure and the national body’s not-so-efficient administration, the FIH didn’t seem worried. Negre said that FIH officials are working on that aspect to ensure a successful pro-league materialising.
“Promoting hockey in India is FIH’s global development plan. Therefore, plans proposed for India aim at taking the game to the next level,” he said. International events apart, youth development and academies at the school level would be FIH’s main focus in the country. “We want to make hockey popular among India’s youth,” he said.
Hindustan Times
FIH to launch ‘Project Chak De'
Principal Correspondent
The International Hockey Federation (FIH) has announced its intention to make India a hub of hockey activities.
Unveiling its plan of reviving its erstwhile Project India, now called ‘FIH Project Chak De,' the FIH has charted out the major features of the initiative.
Under the project, the FIH promised five important tournaments to be held in India in the next three years, establishment of invitation places for the country in elite events like the Champions Trophy and other televised tournaments, creation of a professional Indian league, administrative and international coaching support to assist Hockey India and support to schools and academies.
Addressing a press conference here on Wednesday, FIH President Leandro Negre and Chief Executive Kelly Fairweather — encouraged by the success of the World Cup and Commonwealth Games last year — committed a few more events to India apart from those already allotted.
The major competitions, including the ones already scheduled, are the Champions Trophy (December 3-11), men and women's Olympic qualifiers (February 15-26, 2012), men and women's junior World Cups (2013), a new event in World League Finals (2013) and women's Champions Trophy (2014). The FIH indicated that it could also assign a few more tournaments.
City-based league
Following the pattern of the popular cricket showpiece, the Indian Premier League (IPL), the FIH will start a city-based club league in India.
The winner of the league will join seven other sides from around the globe in the World League Finals. It is likely to be organised in the early part of 2013.
“From 2013, the professional league and the World club championships will be held every year,” said Mr. Negre.
Apart from the money-spinning exercise, the FIH also stressed the development at the grassroots level and advocated greater investment in youth and infrastructure.
“Project Chak De represents a first-of-its-kind evolution in our strategic plan and offers unparalleled commitment from FIH to the development of hockey in India.
“In partnership with our national association, Hockey India, we aim to stimulate a renaissance in hockey, which is still defined in India's constitution as its National Sport,” said Mr. Negre.
Meanwhile, the FIH said that it would streamline its own governance, improve the quality and presentation of its events and create a complementary and short format of the game.
The Hindu
FIH unveils Project Chak De for India
NEW DELHI: International Hockey Federation (FIH) is now banking on the two magical words - Chak De - to promote hockey in India and at the same time fill up its coffers. An FIH initiative 'Project Chak De' -- which has been inspired by the Bollywood blockbuster Chak De India! -- has lined up several major international events for India and is also offering the national team wildcards for prestigious events.
The project, aimed at tapping the vast potential of the Indian market following a hugely successful World Cup, is a "long-term commitment" from FIH to host major international events from 2011 to 2014. They include the men's Champions Trophy (2011), men's and women's Olympics qualifiers (Feb 2012), men's and women's junior World Cups (2013), men's World League Finals (2013) and women's Champions Trophy (2014).
"Hockey is the national game of India and and so we want to make it the game's hub for the next few years. We know that there is a big gap between cricket and hockey in this country and we want to bridge that gap" FIH president Leandro Negre said.
"The idea behind the name for the project came from FIH's marketing manager Steven Morris. Its aim is to capture the passion the Indians have for their national game," said FIH CEO Kelly Fairweather.
Negre said that the game's governing body is in talks with Hockey India (HI) to promote a professional Indian league. He showed no interest in a similar league proposed by the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF). "FIH will only work with Hockey India which is the only body to run the game in India. It has been recognised by both FIH and the International Olympic Committee," Negre said.
Fairweather added that it was up to the national federation (HI in this case) to decide what to do if any player decides to play in IHF's proposed league.
Talking about the maiden World League Finals, Negre said the event, which will pit countries against each other before they play the final round in India, will help countries qualify for the World Cup. He also said that this year's Champions Trophy, to be held between December 3 to 11, could be held in two cities in the country.
The Times of India
HI has to deal with players appearing in World Series Hockey: FIH
NEW DELHI: International Hockey Federation (FIH) on Wednesday said it is up to Hockey India (HI) to deal with the players appearing in the World Series Hockey (WSH), promoted by the de-recognised Indian Hockey Federation (IHF).
"FIH do not recognise IHF. We will always work with Hockey India. There can be only one professional league in India and it has to be sanctioned by FIH," said FIH president Leandro Negre.
"The professional league has to be properly timed. We have to spare a window in our international calendar so that top players of the world can participate. It can only begin after London 2012 and January-February is a good time to have it.
"We are studying various concepts to make it a truly professional and successful league that will be an annual event," said Negre, who was in New Delhi along with other FIH officials to discuss long-term development plans for India.
Several top Indian players have already signed up for the WSH that is slated for later this year.
FIH chief executive Kelly Fairweather said players will have to choose between playing for the national team or a "local league" like WSH since the calendar is packed this year.
"There are so many engagements for teams this season with Champions Trophy, Champions Challenge and then the Olympic qualifiers. Where is the time to play in another league. Next year we have the London Olympics. The players would not like to jeoparidse their international careers.
"We have procedures laid down for FIH-sanctioned events. For any player participating in any other league it is for the national federations to decide. We do not want to stop the development of the game. The players also have to make the choice whether they want to play for the country or any local league," he said.
FIH has intimated all national federations not to participate in an "unsanctioned" event to prohibit participation of players.
The Times of India
FIH mulling IPL-style professional league in India from 2013
NEW DELHI: Inspired by the huge success of IPL, the International Hockey Federation (FIH) is mulling on launching a franchise-based professional league in India in collaboration with Hockey India from 2013.
With the success of last year's World Cup and the Commonwealth Games, the world body also initiated a "FIH Project Chake De" in India, which will witness the country playing host to five major international hockey events from 2011 to 2014.
India have been given hosting rights of the Champions Trophy (December 3-11), men's and women's Olympic Qualifiers (February 12-26, 2012), men's and women's World Junior World Cups in 2013, men's World League Finals in 2013 and the women's Champions Trophy in 2014.
"We will be holding a World Club Championships in 2013 which will be an annual event," FIH president Leandro Negre told reporters.
"Together with Hockey India, the FIH will organise a professional league in India and the champions of that league will participate in the World Club Championships," he said.
Negre, however, clarified that the proposed professional league is still under discussion and the FIH was working very closely with all its member associations in creating an international window for the event.
"The timing is important and it has to be between January and February. It will be held only after the London Olympics. But we need to find a window (for the tournament), a good moment of the year," the FIH chief insisted.
"From 2013, the professional league and the World Club Championships will be held every year. In the coming four years, India will be the hub of world hockey."
The FIH is also set to organise a new event - World League from next year, the finals of which will be held in India in 2013.
"We have recently changed out competition structure. In 2012 we are going to start a World League," Negre said.
According to proposed FIH plans, approximately 58 men's and 50 women's international teams will first play in regional qualifiers to earn a place in the eight-team World League Finals to be held in India in 2013.
The proposed World League could be a qualifying event for the future World Cups and Olympics.
Indian Hockey Federation, which is not being recognised by the FIH, and Indian television company Nimbus had already announced a multi-million-dollar World Series of Hockey (WSH) to start in November or December this year.
But Negre reiterated that FIH does not recognise any unauthorised tournaments and will work only with HI for the development of the game in India.
"FIH will always work with HI in India. HI is the sole democratically elected body to run hockey in India. We don't recognise IHF. For us IHF is a thing of the past," Negre said.
Negre also said that he was deeply hurt by some reports that FIH was only interested in earning money from India.
"I was very upset when I read reports that FIH is taking profits out of India but this not true. It is a personal investment of FIH because we need strong teams like India and Pakistan back among top teams," he said.
FIH chief executive officer Kelly Fairweather, meanwhile, said that unlike IPL, there will be a specified window for the proposed professional league of India in the world body's tournament calendar.
"There will be a 6-week window for the professional league because we don't want a clash of dates with other tournaments. We are in talks with all our national federations and players and all seemed excited about the tournament," he said.
He, however, said that all the modalities about the professional league will be finalised in FIH's executive board meeting next month in Montreux, Switzerland.
"We are looking at the concept in detail. We need to develop timeline and milestones so that when we launch this tournament it turns out to be a big success," Fairweather said.
Asked whether the FIH's plan was too ambitious, the CEO said, "We have to be ambitious. Today, we are not ready but in a year's time we will be ready.
"Our intention is to work closely with HI in this process. We don't have any intention to stumble upon any long-drawn legal battle. We need to work step by step."
The Times of India
Field hockey takes inspiration from Indian Premier League
NEW DELHI: Field hockey’s world governing body on Wednesday unveiled plans to start a franchise-based league competition in India on the lines of the successful Indian Premier League cricket. It is a key part of moves by the International Hockey Federation (FIH) to boost the profile of the sport worldwide, with India, where the game is popular, acting as “the hub”. “We will organise a professional league in India and the champions of that league will participate in the World Club Championships,” Leandro Negre, president of the FIH, told reporters.
Negre said the FIH was working closely with all member associations to be able to find a window for the high-profile event in the international calendar. “The timing is important. It will be held only after the London Olympics (in 2012). We need to find a window for the tournament, a good moment of the year,” the FIH chief said. The IPL revolutionised cricket when it burst onto the scene in 2008 with a high-octane blend of international star players, scantily clad cheerleaders and Bollywood glamour. Using the short Twenty20 form of the game, IPL matches are usually three-hour events packed with music, delirious crowds and countless television advertisements.
Negre praised India’s hosting of the Commonwealth Games last year and said the country would soon become the “hub of world hockey.” India will host the hockey Champions Trophy in December, men’s and women’s Olympic qualifiers in February 2012 and the Junior World Cup in 2013, among a host of other events. Negre also said the FIH will kick-start a new event next year – the World League, the final of which will be held in India in 2013.
The Daily Times
Viren Rasquinha welcomes Aga Khan revival
The revival of the all-India Aga Khan hockey tournament is a step in the right direction for the game, according to former Indian skipper Viren Rasquinha. The Indian Hockey Federation has deemed the tournament as ‘unauthorised’ but Rasquinha believes that the hockey players should not suffer because of the feud between the two bodies.
The Bombay Gymkhana are dealing with the FIH-recognised Hockey India and the clubs president Ashok Rao said, “We do not want to indulge in politics. As a club we just want to organise the tournament. Since HI is recognised by the international federation and selects the Indian team, we decided to deal with them.”
Rasquinha believes that the clubs association with the HI was the reason for IHF deeming the tournament unauthorised. “Something like this is bound to happen. Whichever body the club goes with, the other is likely to take step like this,” he said.
Rasquinha also expressed his surprise that Air India are not going to participate. “There is a difference between the grass and the astroturf but players not being able to switch between the two surfaces, is a complete myth. I have grown up playing on grass as have most of the Indian players so they should not have a problem.” Rasquinha also does not consider playing the game on grass a step backward. “There are very few hockey tournaments in the city. I would rather play on grass than not play at all.”
DNA
TBSS fired up
Ajitpal Singh
TBSS’ Muhd Syabariq Shamsuri takes a shot at goal in their match against MSSPP-USM in the Junior Hockey League Division Two final on Sunday. TBSS won 4-1.
DIVISION Two champions Tunku Besar Secondary School (TBSS) will be gunning to upset the form book when they take on Bandar Penawar Sports School (BPSS)-Thunderbolts in tomorrow's Junior Hockey League quarter-finals.
TBSS are hoping to continue their winning momentum following an impressive 4-1 victory over MSSP-USM in last weekend's Division Two final to claim their first ever title of the tournament.
It will be their second outing in the main tier quarter-final stage since losing to Tenaga Nasional Berhad in 2005. TBSS manager M. Vivekananda said his players were fired-up to turn the tables on BPSS-Thunderbolts.
"We did not come this far just to make up the numbers. We will fight till the very end. BPSS, however, are favourites as they have experience on their side," said Vivekananda.
TBSS are built around players whose average age is 17. The Tampin side have scored 36 goals, with 25 of them coming from the trio of Muhd Irsyaduddin Abu Yazizi, Muhd Syabariq Shamsuri and Muhd Ikwan Ishak.
Their opponents will need to step up a gear to avoid an embarrassment.
"Irsyaduddin, Syabariq and Ikwan are our outstanding players. But the others have also contributed significantly this season," Vivekananda added. The winners will face either Bukit Jalil Sports School (BJSS) or BPSS Juniors in the semi-finals.
"Our boys are scoring a lot of goals through field attempts but lacking in terms of earning penalty corners. We need to work on that," said Vivekananda.
New Straits Times
UniKL striker has no plans to follow father Sarjit’s footsteps
By AFTAR SINGH
Manraj Singh: Wants to be a pilot instead of a hockey star.
KUALA LUMPUR: Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL) forward Manraj Singh does not want to follow in the footsteps of his father to have an illustrious career as a national hockey player.
The son of former national skipper Sarjit Singh wants to be a pilot.
The 18-year-old Manraj said that it was natural that he took up hockey because his father, who was regarded as one of the top centre-half players in Asia in the 80s, was into the sport.
“However, I cannot become a great player like my dad. He is a utility player, who can play in any position,” he said.
Sarjit was also the coach of the Malaysian team for the 2005 Junior World Cup Finals in Rotterdam and two years later, he took charge of the national senior team until 2008.
“My ambition is not to become a national hockey player. I want to fulfil my childhood dream to be a pilot and will study hard to achieve it,” said Manraj.
He was called up to join the 2013 Project squad last month but he only attended training for two days.
“I stop attending training as I know that the other players in the squad are much better than me. I prefer to concentrate on my studies,” said Manraj.
“I am not too happy with my performance in the MJHL (Malaysian Junior Hockey League) as I only managed to score one goal in nine Division One matches.
Manraj started to feature in the MJHL in 2009 for Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) before joining UniKL last year.
UniKL bagged the Division One title last month and they will play against Division Two runners-up MSS Penang-USM in a quarter-final match tomorrow at the Ministry of Education Turf.
Manraj said that they should have no problem getting the better of the Penang side to take a step closer to winning the overall title as well.
“I also hope to score against the Penang team. Our mission is to bag the double by retaining the overall title,” he said.
The semi-finals will be played on Sunday and the final is slated for May 21.
The Star of Malaysia
Singapore, Police pull out from Razak Cup tourney
KUALA LUMPUR: Singapore and Police have withdrawn from the MHF-100Plus Razak Cup hockey tournament.
The 49th edition of the national tournament enters a new era with the introduction of a five-zone qualifying competition, which begins on May 27 and ends on July 3.
The Malaysian Hockey Federation (MHF) secretary, Maninderjit Singh, said that Singapore pulled out of the South Zone tournament because their players were preparing for the Under-18 Asia Cup, which they would host from June 18-26.
“Their withdrawal leaves three teams in the South Zone competition – Johor, Malacca and Negri Sembilan,” he said.
Maninderjit added that Police were unable assemble a team for the East Zone competition featuring Pahang, Terengganu and Kelantan.
The zone competitions will now have a total of 18 teams, including Labuan and the Project 2017 squad.
Labuan will feature in the West Zone with Sabah, Sarawak and Brunei. The Project squad, who are the national Under-16 team, will play in Central Zone comprising Perak, Selangor and Division One defending champions Kuala Lumpur.
North Zone will have Perlis, Kedah, Penang and the Armed Forces.
The top two teams of the five zones will qualify for Division One while the bottom two teams will play in Division Two. The final round of the tournament will be played at the Bukit Serendit Hockey Stadium in Malacca from July 21-30.
Meanwhile, Negri Sembilan HA will hold a one-day trial on Sunday beginning at 5pm at the Seremban II Hockey Stadium to pick a team for the tournament. For more information, contact the NSHA secretary P. Tamilselvan at 019-3650303.
The Star of Malaysia
American University hosts Women’s National Championship
Ashley Meunier
COLORADO SPRINGS, C.O. – The 2011 US Senior Women’s National Championship will be held at American University in Washington, D.C., May 20-27. The top field hockey athletes in the United States, including collegiate all-stars, current National Team members and members of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Team will compete for a highly coveted spot on the National Team roster and the opportunity to represent the United States on the world’s biggest stage, the Pan American and Olympic Games. This one week showcase event is the only opportunity for athletes to gain selection to the National Team.
“In looking for a quality playing surface in a central location on the East Coast and the ability to work closely with Steve Jennings, Head Field Hockey Coach at American University (AU), hosting the Women’s National Championship at AU is an appropriate venue for an event of this stature,” said Lee Bodimeade, Head Coach.
Athletes attending the Women’s National Championship will play in six matches, including the finals. USA Field Hockey’s National Coaching staff will be evaluating athlete performances throughout the week and selecting a handful of the most elite to fill the Women’s National and Development Squad rosters.
With the 2012 London Olympic Games one year away and Olympic dreams on the line, competition is guaranteed to be first class and fierce. Emotions will run high as names of the athletes selected to represent the USA National Team will be announced following the championship match on Friday, May 27. Some will celebrate and be elated with joy and excitement, while others will lament over their chance of not making the 2011-2012 National Squad.
“These are the most elite athletes in the country,” said Bodimeade. “They will be assessed to continue on towards participation in the Olympic Games. We are seeking the highest quality athletes to represent the USA National Team and bring Olympic success to USA Field Hockey.”
Following the Women’s National Championships, select athletes will be invited to the Central Training Program at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, CA. The Central Training Program is a full-time residency program focused on preparing the team to compete at the highest international level. The program provides athletes with an environment that is conducive to elite level training and offers access to state-of-the-art strength and conditioning facilities, medical support and nutritional services. The atmosphere promotes international, Pan Am and Olympic success.
Competition for the Women’s National Championship will begin on Friday, May 20 and will conclude with the finals on Friday, May 27. Matches will be played at 2:30pm, 4:15pm and 6:00pm local EST. Sunday, May 22 and Wednesday, May 25 are designated rest days.
Admission is free and open to the public. All matches will be played on Jacobs Field on the Campus of American University, 4400 Massachusetts Ave., NW, Washington, D.C. 20016. Click here for a printable campus map. Click here for a printable parking map.
The designated University parking lot will be Nebraska Avenue, located on Nebraska Avenue between New Mexico and Massachusetts Avenue. Please note that all University parking regulations will be in effect. Vehicles parking in University lots, Monday-Friday between 8:00am and 5:00pm, are required to use the pay-as-you-go meters located in the front of the lot ($1.50/hr).
The schedule is as follows with all times listed in local EST. Event news and results will be posted to the website daily.
Friday, May 20
2:30pm South vs California
4:15pm PA vs Mid Atlantic
6:00pm NJ vs New England
Saturday, May 21
2:30pm Mid Atlantic vs California
4:15pm NJ vs South
6:00pm New England vs PA
Monday, May 23
2:30pm PA vs NJ
4:15pm California vs New England
6:00pm South vs Mid Atlantic
Tuesday, May 24
2:30pm New England vs South
4:15pm Mid Atlantic vs NJ
6:00pm California vs PA
Thursday, May 26
2:30pm Mid Atlantic vs New England
4:15pm South vs PA
6:00pm NJ vs California
Friday, May 27
2:30pm 5 vs 6
4:15pm 3 vs 4
6:00pm FINAL
USFHA media release
U18 Girls and Boys Scottish Cup & Plate Finals
The U18 Scottish Cup and Plate Finals take place at Peffermill on Sunday 15 May, with six boys’ teams and four girls’ teams vying for the trophies on offer at the National Hockey Academy in Edinburgh.
In the girls’ U18 Scottish Cup competition Watsonians HC defeated Inverleith HC to set up a semi-final against St.George’s School, who defeated Strathallan High School to reach the last four of the cup. Meanwhile, in the second semi-final CALA Edinburgh HC, who advanced to the latter stages courtesy of a fantastic win over Perthshire HC, will meet Clydesdale HC who were afforded a bye from the previous round as a result of Kelburne unfulfilling the fixture.
In the Boys’ U18 Scottish Plate Final, CALA Edinburgh and Perthshire HC will play-off to determine the 2011 winners. Following a round robin competition including Western Wildcats, Grove Menzieshill and Bon Accord, two aforementioned sides topped the standings, with CALA Edinburgh looking likely favourites, but don’t rule out the Perth side in a one-off match to determine the winners.
Meanwhile, the U18 Scottish Cup finals have reached the semi-final stage in the boys’ competition. In the first semi-final, Clydesdale HC, winners over Strathallan High School in the previous round, and Watsonians HC meet on pitch one to determine who progresses to the final, whilst on pitch two, Aberdeen Grammar School’s conquerors Dundee Wanderers find themselves up against opposition from the Granite City again in the form of Gordonians, as they go head-to-head in the second semi-final. The losing teams will advance to a 3rd/4th place play-off.
Looking forward to the weekend, Steven Percy, Youth Development Officer, said, “The U18 cup and plate competitions are now down to the semi-final and final stages, so we’re set for some exciting and competitive hockey on Sunday. I wish all the teams competing this weekend the very best of luck and hopefully we’ll see some great matches being played.”
For more information about the U18 Scottish Cups, please see the Youth Competitions page.
Match Schedule:
10.00 U18 Scottish Plate Final (Boys), CALA Edinburgh HC vs. Perthshire HC, Pitch 1.
11.30 U18 Scottish Cup Semi-Final (Boys), Clydesdale HC vs. Watsonians HC, Pitch 1.
11.30 U18 Scottish Cup Semi-Final (Boys), Dundee Wanderers vs. Gordonians, Pitch2.
13.00 U18 Scottish Cup Semi-Final (Girls), Watsonians HC vs. St.George’s School. Pitch 1.
13.00 U18 Scottish Cup Semi-Final (Girls), CALA Edinburgh HC vs. Clydesdale, Pitch 2.
14.30 U18 Scottish Cup 3rd/4th Play-Off (Boys), Pitch 2.
14.45 U18 Scottish Cup Final (Boys), Pitch 1.
16.15 U18 Scottish Cup Final (Girls), Pitch 1.
Location:
Peffermill Playing Fields
42 Peffermill Road
Edinburgh
EH16 5LL
Scottish Hockey Union media release
Retiring keeper takes law into her own hands
JONATHAN MILLMOW
LAW BECKONS: Retiring New Zealand Hockey player Beth Jurgeleit. MICHAEL BRADLEY
A law degree normally takes four years but when you play for the Black Sticks it takes three times that.
Wellington hockey goalkeeper Beth Jurgeleit hung up her various pads yesterday, bringing to an end an international career that seemed to get better with every one of her 105 games between the sticks.
Away goes the hockey gear and out come the study books so Jurgeleit can finish the final year of a law degree that began in 2000 and has been on the backburner since 2005.
Retiring 14 months out from the London Olympics raised some eyebrows, but Jurgeleit had been thinking that way since last year's Commonwealth Games gold medal match against Australia.
"It was a tough one, so I took my time to make sure I made the right call," Jurgeleit said.
"I really want to finish my university degree and start work so I'm happy with my decision."
Jurgeleit, 30, departs the international stage happy. Her last game will live long in the memory, a loss on strokes to Australia in the Commonwealth Games final.
She is not the type to blow her own trumpet but believes she got smarter as she got older.
"Winning two Champions Challenge tournaments was fantastic and finishing with a silver medal [New Delhi] was great as well.
"Strokes is always such a disappointing way to lose because you have come close but ... beating England in the semi was special.
"I'm happy with my career."
She enjoyed reflecting on her career yesterday. She was fulsome in her praise of Hugh Biss and Chris Leslie, the former her goalkeeping coach from age 14 to 24 and the latter her coach at Wellington for several seasons and assistant coach of the Black Sticks.
Jurgeleit found it hard to split Suzie Muirhead (nee Pearce) and Lizzy Igasan as the best player she played with. "Suzie was an amazing player when I was coming through and Lizzy was a great player at the back, especially when you are the goalkeeper."
She enjoyed the friendship of former team-mates Niniwa Roberts and Kate Mahon and describes her best moment as her debut against Argentina at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens.
While she is cold turkey on hockey for now, Jurgeleit would like to finish her career with one last season for Wellington in the national league. It won't be this year, however, because it is study time.
Since 2007, Jurgeleit has been working part-time for Auckland litigation practice LeeSalmonLong and she is "pretty keen to stay with them in a grown-up job".
Dominion Post
Adam to marry a fan!
Known for his performance in hockey tournaments, Adam Sinclair, the Indian hockey star player has been on cloud nine since he got engaged to his sweetheart Vyshali Nair.
Currently in Coimbatore, Adam excitedly says, “It all started with the ‘Classmates’ notebooks. Vyshali saw my picture on the cover of the notebook and thought I am really cute. Later she did some ‘research’ and figured out that ‘the cute boy’ is a hockey player and even began following the sport.”
Twenty-old-year old Vyshali, a final-year student at Women’s Christian College, was ecstatic when the ‘man of her dreams’ proposed to her.
A gushing Adam says, “I’ve known her for three years now. What started off as friendship through Orkut has turned into the most beautiful part of my life.”
So how did the ‘big moment’ come about? Adam says, “I was in Bhopal for a tournament and I decided to propose to her. Before the match, I called her and proposed and it was a fairytale-come-true for both of us when she accepted.”
Being a sports personality, Adam didn’t have time to ‘look for a girl’ but says, “I knew that if I meet the right girl nothing would stop me from spending the rest of my life with her.”
Adam recalls fondly, “I still remember Vyshali’s first ‘live’ hockey match. I was playing. The first goal I scored was a dedication to her. It was a wonderful moment!”
Asked what he likes best about Vyshali, he says, “Being the wife or girlfriend of a sportsperson is no piece of cake. There’ll be fans, there’ll be lot of travel and to deal with all this, the spouse or partner has to extremely understanding. In that sense, Vyshali is perfect!” He adds, “I have a short fuse too and she is ultra calm and composed so it’s a good balance!”
So when is the ‘big’ day? The hot hunk says, “We have not zeroed in on the dates for the wedding but it’ll be either this December or January 2012.”
And with this commitment, Adam is clear about his future plans.
He says, “Till now hockey was my priority but since I am engaged and getting married, my wife will take first priority but the focus and dedication to the sport is never going to change,” he says before hitting the field to practise for his upcoming tournament in Bombay.
Deccan Chronicle
Indian journalist victim of theft
The chairman of the AIPS Hockey Commission Sandeep Nakai lost some USD2,500 worth of equipment when his hotel room was broken into last night.
Sandeep lost a laptop and a SLR camera in the break in that occurred when he stepped out for dinner and realised his loss upon return at around 10pm.
"The CCTV shows someone going into my room at 8.00pm and walking out a few minutes later with a bag.The laptop was lying on the table but the camera was in my suitcase which was locked. It was pried open and even the camera cables were stolen." said Sandeep who was disappointed with the level of security in the hotel.
"I lodged a police report and the investigating officer showed me and the hotel staff how easy it was to break into my room. The laptop contains my years of work and my thesis that is due next month."
Sandeep has lodged a police report and is hoping that whoever took the laptop will return it as the contents are of immense value to him.
Official Sultan Azlan Shah Cup site