Welcome to the Fieldhockey.com Archives

All the news for Saturday 19 October 2019

2019 Sultan of Johor Cup - Day 7
Johor Bahru (MAS)

Results

18 Oct 2019     GBR v IND (RR)     3 - 3
18 Oct 2019    MAS v JPN (RR)     3 - 2
18 Oct 2019    AUS v NZL (RR)     1 - 3

Fixtures (GMT +8)

19 Oct 2019 15:40     NZL v AUS (5/6th Placing) (Click here to watch the LIVE stream)
19 Oct 2019 18:10     MAS v JPN (3/4th Placing) (Click here to watch the LIVE stream)
19 Oct 2019 20:40     IND v GBR (Final) (Click here to watch the LIVE stream)

Final Pool standings

FIH Match Centre

India draw sees U21s into Sultan of Johor Cup final



Great Britain’s U21s booked their place in Saturday’s Sultan of Johor Cup final with a dramatic 3-3 draw with India, who they will face again in tomorrow’s gold medal match.

Though GB had led for the majority of the match, a four-goal frenzy in the closing quarter saw India go 3-2 up before Matthew Ramshaw’s last minute drag flick secured a draw to see the team advance to the final.

Despite seeing a low scoring opening half, there was action aplenty at both ends of the field as both sides looked to avoid going behind.

India earned the first penalty corner of the match with three minutes left of the opening quarter, the initial attempt being well stopped by Oliver Payne’s boot before the follow up effort was dragged wide.

Having been brought on at the break, James Mazarelo was quickly called into action and did superbly well to prevent India from taking the lead from a 1 v 1 situation, with an excellent save keeping the scores level.

Great Britain created a dangerous opportunity of their own as the quarter advanced but were unable to make the most of it with the final shot coming off the backstick.

The team took the lead through a sublime drag flick from Ioan Wall which powered underneath the goalkeeper to put GB ahead.

Mazarelo made another sensational save moments before half-time as he blocked Shilanand Lakra’s deflection from close range to preserve the lead.

Immediately after the break, Jon Bleby’s side doubled their advantage, Andrew McConnell producing a fantastic finish with his back to goal as he swept the ball past the ‘keeper on the reverse stick.

India looked to reply immediately and came close from a penalty corner but again found Payne in goal, GB then countering and nearly finding a third only for Daniel West’s attempt to go just wide.

As the final quarter got underway, India clawed one back with Lakra getting on the end of a splitting pass into the circle to put their side back in contention.

The team put two more in the back of the net shortly after as Mandeep Mor’s attempt found the target from a penalty corner to restore parity before Nand Sharda Tiwari converted a penalty stroke to give India a 3-2 lead with very little time remaining.

However, Great Britain were able to come back, Ramshaw’s brilliant drag flick finding the back of the net in the final minute to book a rematch against India in Saturday’s 12:40pm BST final.

Great Britain 3 (1)
Wall (27’, FG)
McConnell (32’, FG)
Ramshaw (59’, FG)

India 3 (0)
Lakra (48’, FG)
Mor (51’, PC)
Tiwari (57’, FG)

Starting XI: Payne (GK), Nurse, Oates, Griffiths, Ramshaw, West, Park, Wall, Williamson, Buckle, Rushmere
Subs: Mazarelo (GK), Stanley, Russell, Golden, Bhuhi, MacKenzie, McConnell

Great Britain Hockey media release

Before final clash, India-Britain play out 3-3 draw


In a cagey first quarter, India controlled the pace of the game and was at the forefront of most attacks but unable to breach the Britain defence in the final third.   -  PTI

The Indian junior men’s hockey team and Britain played out an entertaining 3-3 draw in their final round robin match of the 9th Sultan of Johor Cup here on Friday.

In a cagey first quarter, India controlled the pace of the game and was at the forefront of most attacks but unable to breach the Britain defence in the final third.

It won the first penalty corner of the game in the 11th minute. From the injection the ball fell to Dinachandra Singh whose shot on goal was parried by Oliver Payne. The two teams went into the break locked at 0-0.

India picked up pace in the second quarter and slowly started asserting themselves more in the midfield. The first clear opportunity fell to Gursahibjit Singh, released by a superb pass from Sudeep Chirmako. Gursahibjit’s shot though was dragged wide.

Soon after, Payne was called into action once again, this time when Sanjay went through one-on-one with the goalkeeper, who did enough to thwart the attempt.

India slowly turned the screw and chances fell in bursts with Sanjay dragging another PC wide before Britain finally got their first chance of the game. It came off a PC in the 27th minute, Ioan Wall’s dragflick giving them the first goal of the game.

India hit back almost immediately and if was not for Payne’s brilliance they would have had the equaliser via Shilanand Lakra. His reflex save though meant that India went into half-time trailing 1-0.

Britain were quicker off the blocks in the third quarter, and doubled their advantage in the 23nd minute via an Andrew McConnell goal.

Almost from the restart India won a PC. Mandeep Mor’s subsequent dragflick was saved by Payne and from the rebound Dilpreet’s reverse was cleared off the line by their defence. Despite India’s multiple circle penetrations and constant attack a goal eluded them. The teams went into the final break with Britain leading 2-0.

With its backs against the wall, urgency came into India’s play and right from the push back they wrested control of the game. Three minutes in, Mor grabbed possession on the right and directed a superb pass to find Shilanand Lakra inside the circle. Lakra’s superb touch and finish brought the margin down to one.

With momentum on its side, India pushed for the equaliser and soon it had one. Off a succession of PCs, each of which put Britain under more pressure, Mandeep Mor finally breached the rushers to score the equaliser in the 51st minute.

Britain knew it needed just a draw to qualify for the final but India were in no mood to drop the intensity.

In the 57th minute India was awarded a stroke, after Dilpreet was brought down illegally in the circle. Sharda Nand Tiwari made no mistake from the spot to give India the lead. With India now happy to defend, it was Britain’s turn to look for the equaliser, and with virtually the last action of the game. From a PC won in the 59th minute, Matthew Renshaw scored ensuring a rematch in the final.

The final will be played on Saturday.

Sportstar

Malaysia in fight for third spot in SoJC


Malaysia will play in the third-fourth classification match today after they edged Japan 3-2 in the Sultan of Johor Cup yesterday. - NSTP/HAIRUL ANUAR RAHIM.

MALAYSIA will play in the third-fourth classification match today after they edged Japan 3-2 in the Sultan of Johor Cup yesterday.

After taking the lead off Zainudin Mohamed in the fifth minute, Malaysian players dozed off and allowed Japan to bounce back and score through Sota Ukai (8th) and Ryuji Tamekuni (12th).

Amirul Hamizan Azhar saved the blushes when he equalised in the 42nd minute before hammering in a reverse stick winner in the 50th.

In an earlier match, defending champions Britain and India drew 3-3 to finish 10 points each and advance to today’s final.

Last year, Britain edged India 3-2 to win the title.

“We are confident of lifting the title as the players play better in back-to-back matches. The title will be won by consistency, and I believe we have what it takes to overcome last year’s disappointment,” said India coach B.J. Kariappa.


NSTP/HAIRUL ANUAR RAHIM.

Britain coach Jon Bleby said: “I want my boys to enjoy the final while giving their best.

“We have a young team with all, except two players, eligible to play next year. The experience of playing in a final is priceless and I believe we need to plan a good strategy to overcome India.”

Britain’s goals were scored by Ioan Wall (27th), Andrew McConnell (32nd) and Matthew Ramshaw (59th).

Shilanand Lakra (48th), Mandeep Mor (51st) and Sharda Nand Tiwari (57th) replied for India.

RESULTS — Britain 3 India 3, Malaysia 3 Japan 2, Australia 1 New Zealand 3.

Today

Final: India v Britain,

Third-fourth: Malaysia v Japan,

Fifth-Sixth: New Zealand v Australia.

New Straits Times

New Zealand beat Australia at Sultan of Johor cup



The New Zealand U21 side have beaten Australia 3-1 in the Sultan of Johor Cup in their final pool match. New Zealand were composed on attack and made sure to make the most of the scoring opportunities. The win wasn’t enough to move the kiwis above Japan and into the bronze medal match. The two sides will meet tomorrow for the 5th and 6th placing match.

New Zealand played a great game against Japan in their previous match but ultimately fell to a well-drilled Japanese penalty corner. Lining up for their final match of the pool stage, New Zealand took on Australia knowing that a four-goal win would be enough to move them into the bronze medal match at the Sultan of Johor.

New Zealand were looking composed to start the match and went close on a great baseline drive by Charl Ulrich, thankfully for Australia, the ball across bounced over the New Zealand stick stopping the attack. Australia responded by applying a lot of pressure on the kiwi defence, they threw wave after wave of attack at the New Zealand side, New Zealand’s defence was solid and cut out every attack thrown at them. After one quarter the two sides remained tied at 0-0

The second quarter started at a slower pace as the Australian side went into a half-court and allowed the New Zealand side to play the ball back and around. New Zealand’s patience was rewarded when some great play by the New Zealand side resulted in a great cross ball across the circle that Maks Wyndham-Smith slammed into the goal. Australia then went close on several occasions; New Zealand goalkeeper Louis Beckert was in outstanding form and denied the Australians on several occasions. New Zealand would head into the half time sheds with a narrow 1-0 lead.

New Zealand scored their second goal only moments into the third quarter when a duffed overhead found its way onto the end of Tim Neild’s stick, Neild then ran into the circle for an uncontested forehand shot. New Zealand had their third goal with a ripper of a flick for Charl Ulrich who put it into the Australian net.

New Zealand went into the final quarter knowing that a further two goals in the match would see them through to the bronze medal match against Malaysia. Zander Fraser had the first good scoring chance for New Zealand in the fourth quarter, Fraser’s shot went just wide of the goal. Desperate to find the two needed goals the kiwis pulled their goalkeeper and created several opportunities, however it was a little too late as they couldn’t break through the Australian defensive line. Australia scored one at the final hooter as they drag flicked the ball into the open goal.

New Zealand 3 (Maks Wyndham-Smith 23 min, Tim Neild 31 min, Charl Ulrich 33 min)
Australia 1 (Patrick Coates 60 min)

Hockey New Zealand Media release

History calls for tenacious Ireland



Continuing our series of video interviews with the teams that will participate in the upcoming FIH Hockey Olympic qualifiers, Ireland (FIH World Ranking: 8) captain Kate Mullan looks ahead to her team’s all-important two-match clash with Canada (WR:15), with a place at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 on the line. The crucial matches will take place at Energia Park, Ireland on 2/3 November 2019. The first match starts at 19:00 local time, the second match starts at 19:10 local time. A transcription of the interview can be found below.

The FIH Hockey Olympic qualifiers will be taking place very soon. How is your team preparing for these hugely important matches?

Kate Mullan: We’ve had numerous training camps since the European championships to prepare and, more recently, we have had some great test games against teams from Europe and Asia.

What can the fans expect to see from your team in the FIH Hockey Olympic qualifiers?

Kate Mullan: They will see a tenacious, hard-working group of girls that are close-knit and will fight for every ball together.

What are your thoughts about your opponent, Canada, in the FIH Hockey Olympic qualifiers and how is your squad feeling about these matches?

Kate Mullan: We know Canada are a good team, we have a huge amount of respect for them. They are fighting for their first Olympics (since 1992), like us and we will be prepared to match them.

Finally, what would qualifying for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 mean to you and your team?

Kate Mullan: It would mean absolutely everything. That ticket for Tokyo has been our dream since day one and it is all we have ever wanted. It would mean the world to us to get that.

Each qualifier consists of two back-to-back matches which will be played in the same venue. The winners of these FIH Hockey Olympic qualifiers will qualify for the 2020 Olympic hockey tournaments which will be staged in Japan’s capital city from 25 July to 7 August next year and involve 12 Men’s and 12 Women’s teams.

#Tokyo2020
#RoadToTokyo
#GiftOfHockey

FIH site

Indian teams for hockey Olympic Qualifiers announced

Birendra Lakra and Kothajit Singh were axed from the Indian men's hockey team squad for the Olympic Qualifiers against Russia on November 1-2.

Uthra Ganesan


The men's team for the FIH Olympic Qualifiers against Russia.   -  Biswaranjan Rout

Rupinder Pal Singh is back into the national reckoning after impressing the coaches during the recent Europe tour and has been named in the 18-member squad for the Hockey Olympic Qualifiers.

The Indian men’s and women’s squads for the competition were announced on Friday with Rupinder making the cut. Birendra Lakra and Kothajit Singh from the 20-member side that toured Europe for a five-match series have been dropped from the final squad.

“We have chosen a well balanced side with a number of good flexible options. We now need to focus on strategies against Russia, and ensure we are at our best when we step onto the field on 1st and 2nd November,” chief coach Graham Reid said on the team composition.

Rupinder’s inclusion takes the number of penalty corner experts in the side to four, in addition to Varun Kumar, Harmapreet Singh and Amit Rohidas. With the team’s conversion rate steadily being disappointing in recent times, the team would be hoping Rupinder’s experience would help it get better against World No. 22 Russia. India last faced Russia in the Hockey Series Finals in June at home.


India's women's hockey team for the Olympic Qualifiers against USA.   -  Biswaranjan Rout
 
The women’s squad, however, remains the same as the one that toured England for its preparatory matches. While the men remained undefeated on their tour, the Indian women lost just one game to the reigning Olympic champion and coach Sjoerd Marijne expressed confidence in his players maintaining the consistency against USA, currently 13th in the world.

“We have retained the 18-member team from our preparatory tour of England. We have a good balance of players and, keeping in mind our objective of qualifying for the Tokyo Olympics 2020, I feel it is important to stay in the rhythm with the same players who performed well on the preparatory tour. We now focus on making sure that we leave no stone unturned when we take on USA,” Marijne said.

Both teams would play two back-to-games with the winner on aggregate points booking a ticket for Tokyo.

Indian Men's Hockey Team:
P.R. Sreejesh, Krishan Bahadur Pathak, Harmanpreet Singh, Varun Kumar, Surender Kumar, Gurinder Singh, Rupinder Pal Singh, Amit Rohidas, Manpreet Singh (Captain), Nilakanta Sharma, Hardik Singh, Vivek Sagar Prasad, Lalit Kumar Upadhyay, S.V. Sunil (Vice-Captain), Mandeep Singh, Akashdeep Singh, Ramandeep Singh, Simranjeet Singh

Indian Women's Hockey Team:
Savita (Vice-Captain), Rajani Etimarpu, Deep Grace Ekka, Gurjit Kaur, Reena Khokhar, Salima Tete, Sushila Chanu Pukhrambam, Nikki Pradhan, Monika, Neha Goyal, Lilima Minz, Namita Toppo, Rani Rampal(Captain),  Vandana Katariya, Navneet Kaur, Lalremsiami, Navjot Kaur, Sharmila Devi

Sportstar

Captain Rani Rampal says India physically at par with any other side in women's hockey, improvement has been 'unbelievable'


File image of India's Rani Rampal. Hockey India

Bhubaneswar: Ahead of the FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers, Indian women's hockey captain Rani Rampal said they have improved a lot over the last two-three years and physically, they can compete with any team in the world.

"The improvement in the team in the last two-three years has been unbelievable. Fitness-wise our team is very fit and we do not feel that we lack in fitness when compared to other teams. I think we can compete with any team in the world physically," Rampal told reporter on Friday.

India women, who are world No 9, will compete against world No 13 USA in the qualifiers. Rampal said ranking does not matter for them and they will stick to their game plan.

"The rankings do not really matter much because hockey has changed a lot and any team can beat anyone. Especially, in the last Olympics as we have seen that England, who are ranked lower, won the Olympics," she said.

"Of course, they (USA) are ranked below us but these matches will not be easy because they are also coming trained. We just want to play according to our plan and our focus will be on ourselves. All that matters is what we are doing and not what the US is doing," Rampal added.

Rampal said that the crowd at the Kalinga Stadium has been very passionate about hockey and it will be an advantage for them.

"We are going to play at the Kalinga Stadium for the first time and we have seen many men's events here. We have seen that people here are very passionate about hockey. I think it will be an advantage for us and we will get energy from the crowd," she said.

India will take on the USA on 1 and 2 November at the Kalinga Hockey Stadium in Bhubaneswar.

Firstpost

Goalkeeper Adrian is unfazed despite getting the chop

By AFTAR SINGH



KUALA LUMPUR: Goalkeeper Adrian Andy Albert (pic) has been dropped from the Malaysia hockey squad for the Olympic qualifier playoff matches against Britain in London on Nov 2 and 3, but the youngster is taking the decision in his stride.

Although disappointed, the 22-year-old is grateful for the opportunity to train together with the other experienced players during centralised training.

“I will continue to fight for a place in the national team next year,” said Adrian.

The Sabahan is the only player out of the 21 in training left out by national coach Roelant Oltmans.

Oltmans has opted for their vastly experienced S. Kumar and Mohd Zaimi Mat Deris as keepers for the playoffs.

The team will head for Amsterdam to play two matches against club sides – HOC Gazellen-Combinatie and HC Bloemendaal on Oct 26 and 27 as part of their preparation to acclimatise with the chilly conditions in London.

The Dutch coach will continue to keep Adrian in the national team but has released him to train with the national indoor team for the SEA Games in the Philippines from Nov 30-Dec 11.

Adrian knows he did not make the team due to lack of international exposure.

“I only have three international caps which I earned in the Test matches against European teams in July,” said Adrian, who was called up for national training in June as a replacement for injured keeper Mohd Hairi Abdul Rahman.

“I know that it will take more time before I can earn a regular place in the national team but I’ll keep trying.”

Adrian, who has played for Sabah in the indoor hockey event at the National Under-16 in Bukit Jalil in 2013, said he would go all out to win the SEA Games berth.

“I’ve to do better than two other goalkeepers Mohd Khairul (Afendy Kamaruzaman) and Mohd Hazrul (Faiz Ahmad Sobri) to win the selection for the SEA Games,” he said.

“Both the keepers represented Malaysia in indoor hockey at the last SEA Games and the Indoor Asia Cup (in Chonburi, Thailand in July). They are indeed experienced but I’ll be out to challenge them,” added Adrian.

The Star of Malaysia

Four teams, four dreams: It's winner takes all in the race to Tokyo

Canada men & women, Chile women, USA women

Sarah Juggins


Scott Tupper (CAN), Kate Wright (CAN), Kathleen Sharkey (USA), Camila Caram (CHI)   

In two weeks’ time the world will know which 12 men’s and women’s teams will be competing for Olympic glory in Tokyo. Some teams – hosts Japan, plus the winners of the continental championships – know their fate already. In fact, both Japanese teams sealed their places twice, by winning the Asian continental championships and as host nation.

From PAHF, Argentina men and women will be in Tokyo after they won the men’s and women’s Pan American Games hockey competition but up to another four PAHF teams could be joining them depending on the results of the continental qualifiers.

The FIH Olympic Qualifiers are a winner-takes-all, two match competition with a place at the Olympic Games the prize. The 28 teams taking part – 14 men’s teams and 14 women’s teams – are all either winners or runners up in the FIH Series Finals or they are among the top ranked teams in the world who participated in the FIH Pro League.

From PAHF, USA women, Canada men and women, and Chile women are all in the mix, and will be playing for their Olympic places over the final weekend in October or the first weekend in November.

The draw for the matches was done according to position in the rankings and the place the team finished in the FIH Series Finals. As a result, both Canada men and women find themselves up against the Irish.

For Canada men this is a good draw. The Irish men were in the ascendency two years ago. A bronze medal at the 2015 EuroHockey Championships, a rise to ninth in the FIH World Rankings and a first appearance at the Olympics in 108 years when they qualified for Rio 2016, all demonstrated the enormous will to win of the Green Machine.

The past few months however have seen the Ireland team’s star fade. Talismanic goalkeeper David Harte, who has twice been voted FIH Goalkeeper of the Year, has been struck by injury and the team has suffered as a result. They were favourites to win their FIH Series Final event in France, but the team finished second after the host nation struck a rich vein of form and beat them 3-1 in the final. That result means Ireland have to travel to play Canada in Vancouver, which is always going to be a tough ask.

Ireland forward Shane O’Donoghue said of the forthcoming matches against Canada: “People will expect a battle between Canada and ourselves. We are two evenly-matched teams, there is no question about it. We are ready for it but no doubt Canada are as well. You will see a lot of belief in our game. It is a winner-take-all couple of games so we will go in all guns blazing, full of energy, full of belief and full of Irish fighting spirit, as we always have.”

O’Donoghue also admitted that morale in the Ireland camp has been low as the team has failed to live up to high expectations in the wake of their winning ways from 2015-2017. But, he added, a good test series against France has restored some of the team’s confidence ahead of the crucial trip to Canada.

For Canada, the past month has been spent working on fine tuning the performances that saw the team win their FIH Series Final against Malaysia. Head Coach Paul Bundy is hoping his players will feed off the energy from the crowd. “We have an Olympic legacy, he said, and can’t wait to take this opportunity to continue it.”

Speaking to the FIH, veteran striker Scott Tupper said he was expecting an atmosphere akin to some of the top European club sides. “The crowds will be right tight to the pitch, so they are almost right beside you as you take a sideline free hit. It will make for a great atmosphere.”

Both Canada and Ireland competed at the 2016 Olympic Games and both sides will be looking to make back-to-back appearances on the biggest hockey stage.

For Canada women, the two Olympic Qualifier matches will offer an opportunity to make their first Olympic appearance since 1992, when they finished in seventh place. For Ireland, this would be a debut appearance. Ireland’s first place finish in their FIH Series Finals event means they play host to Canada but the Wolf Pack will not see this as a disadvantage, this is a team that travels well.

Since the start of 2018, the Canadian team has poured everything into securing a place in Tokyo. For the past two seasons, all members of the Canadian women’s team have been playing in the Belgium and Dutch club leagues. This has enabled them to get regular high-quality matches and be in one smaller geographical area so that national training camps can be held with relative ease.

It has not been a move lightly taken however. By playing their hockey in Europe, the Canadian athletes have had to leave family, friends behind and, in many cases, careers on hold. Kate Wright, captain of the Canada side, says that winning a place at the Olympics has been the driving force behind this level of sacrifice: “We are so excited for the opportunity to compete and qualify for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020. We have a group of very dedicated, resilient and hardworking athletes and we are ready for the challenge. This will mean so much to us and for the future of Canadian field hockey.”

The multi-capped forward says she is expecting the games will be tight as the two teams know each other well. “Ireland is an extremely competitive side and one that we really respect,” she says. “They have achieved some amazing results recently, including a second-place finish at the World Cup last year. We have had the opportunity to travel to Dublin a handful of times and know how supportive their home crowd can be. We are hoping that our friends and family from Canada will be able to make the trip to cheer us on.”

Another national team that has been on its travels to prepare for the biggest two matches of its international history is Chile. The South American side has the chance to become the biggest giant-slayers in the game as they take on the reigning Olympic champions Great Britain.

Chile travel to Great Britain where they will face the team ranked fifth in the world at the Lee Valley Hockey Stadium, a venue that is fast becoming renowned for its packed and vociferous crowds. But Great Britain have the weight of expectation heavily on their shoulders and, with a relatively new squad and a run of poor results behind them, the result is very much in the balance.

Great Britain goalkeeper Maddie Hinch, twice the FIH Goalkeeper of the Year, has already uttered caution against underestimating the team ranked 18th in the world. “Chile are not a team we necessarily know that well, but we have to respect them. They are going to come here very ready. They will be looking at it as, you know, two games and they are on a plane to Tokyo, so they have got a lot to play for.”

Chile captain Camila Caram says that getting the ticket to Tokyo would be a dream come true for her and her team mates but this is a team that is developing apace and with every international competition, the squad is adding to its experience and knowledge. The Diablas are now in a period of intensive training and will arrive in the UK a week ahead of their matches to acclimatise.

“We are trying to be the surprise team in these FIH Qualifiers,” says Caram. “So we are hoping to play our best and try to beat Great Britain. We have been working on our penalty-corners so watch out for them. Great Britain is, of course, a very tough team. We have played only once against them, that was a friendly match. And of course, they are the Olympic champions so it is going to be a really good game and a tough game for us but we will play our way and take it step by step.”

The fourth side to represent PAHF at the Olympic Qualifiers is USA, who face an incredibly tough battle to make their fourth consecutive appearance at an Olympic Games. The past two years have been difficult for head coach Janneke Schopman and her players. They have slid down the rankings to 13th and a poor FIH Pro League season saw them finish in bottom place. They face an Indian side that is brimful of confidence at the moment as they have surged up the rankings to ninth place.

Add to that the fact that the two matches will play in the cauldron of the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar and it is clear to see USA has a fight on its hands. India’s captain, Rani, says: “The women’s hockey team has been growing, and in the last couple of months we have won so many tournaments. Recently we won the Tokyo Olympic test event. That gives us lots of confidence and we will carry forward that confidence into the Olympic qualifiers in Bhubaneswar.

“We played USA in the London World Cup [in 2018] and we played a 1-1 draw. But since then our team has improved a lot in structured hockey and in a physical way, so we will try to execute what we have [learned] in the last couple of years. We cannot beat them easily because every team wants to fight for every second to be in the Olympics.”

USA captain Kat Sharkey is staying cool ahead of her team’s travels to India, insisting that the squad is focusing only on the things they can control. “We are training hard; we have been refining our technical skills and our tactics. The stakes in these games are very high and we are just focusing on the controllables. We will be prepared in every way possible to give ourselves the best chance. The Olympics is the ultimate for any athlete in our sport and we will do everything in our power to make sure we are in Tokyo next year.”

The two-match schedule for the Olympic Qualifiers are set out below. All times are local times.

27 October, 14:00 & 28 October 14:00
Canada men v Ireland men - Rutledge Field, Vancouver, Canada.

2 November 19:00 & 3 November 19:10
Ireland women v Canada women – Energia Park, Dublin, Ireland

2 November 14:00 & 3 November 12:00
Great Britain women v Chile women - Lee Valley Hockey Stadium, London, England

1 November 18:00 & 2 November 18:00
India women v USA women - Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar, India.

Pan American Hockey Federation media release

Malaysia can win bid to host women's World Cup in 2023

By Jugjet Singh

MALAYSIA will be up against Belgium and India in their bid to host the men’s World Cup in 2022.

However, it would be much tougher for the Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) to win the women’s bid as four other countries are also in the race.

For the preferred time window on July 1-17 2022, the International Hockey Federation (FIH) have received bids from Germany, Spain and Spain-Netherlands (joint bid) for the women’s World Cup.

Malaysia and New Zealand have put in their bids to host the women’s World Cup on Jan 13-29 in 2023.

MHC have also placed a bid to host the men’s World Cup on July 1-17 in 2022, together with Belgium while India want it on Jan 13-29 in 2023.

FIH chief executive Thierry Weil said: ‘It’s great to see interest from so many national associations to host our quadrennial flagship events. This is encouraging for the growth of our sport.’

An FIH task force will meet on Nov 6 to examine all bids and make a recommendation to their executive board.

The board will announce the winning bids for both events on Nov 8 in Lausanne.

National women’s coach K. Dharmaraj is optimistic Malaysia will land the bid.

‘The facilities in Bukit Jalil are among the best in the world, and if the FIH take into consideration to develop hockey in this region, I believe Malaysia will get the hosting rights.’

New Straits Times

SA Men’s Indoor Hockey squad named for Switzerland Series



The South African Hockey Association has today announced the South African Men’s Indoor Hockey side that will take on Switzerland in a 6 match test series in Durban and Cape Town in November. We are also pleased to share that the team will be backed by Tops at SPAR for the Switzerland Series.

It’s the first taste of international indoor hockey for the South African Men since the FIH Indoor Hockey World Cup in February last year where the team finished 11th. Its also the start of the cycle that will see the team compete in the African Qualifier in a quest to qualify for the next edition of the Indoor World Cup.

The team selected features 22 players that will play at various times against Switzerland and includes just Jarryd Jones, Jethro Eustice, Justin Domleo and Rusten Abrahams from the World Cup Squad. Keagan Robinson, who was ruled out of the World Cup, is the only other player in the squad with International caps.

The team will remarkably include two sets of brothers with outdoor centurion Jonty Robinson joining his brother Keagan, while 2019 Player of the Indoor IPT Dayan Cassiem is joined by 2019 Young player of the Indoor IPT Mustapaha Cassiem.

In goals it will be an interesting battle between Sizwe Mtembu, Cameron Goodwin and Anton van Loggerenberg. The team will also feature some incredibly exciting youngsters including Aiden Tun, Chad Futcher and Marvin Simons from Southern Gauteng.

Convenor of selectors Alistair Fredericks was pleased with the exciting young squad that has been selected:

“We selected the players that impressed at the Indoor IPT in February and we are delighted about the depth of talent we have in our indoor structures. The players are being rewarded for their good form and we look forward to seeing them back on the indoor hockey court again!”

SA Men’s Squad

SA Hockey Association media release

SPAR South Africa squads named for three test series



The SPAR South Africa Indoor Hockey squad has been named for the next three indoor hockey test series. The team is on a massive high following their superb run of form over the past 24 months and will get to test themselves against Switzerland and Ireland at home before heading to Poland in January.

The South Africans will be excited for the challenge against Switzerland after they were triumphant in Switzerland in January, winning the five-match series 3-1. The Swiss themselves will be eager to bounce back and show why they are ranked 7th in the World, while preparing for the European Cup in February next year. Ireland, who are new to the Indoor Hockey circuit and benefitting from the launch of Pro Series Indoor in the country, will travel to South Africa for the second series of the summer before SPAR South Africa trade in the sun for the snow and fly to Poland for a series against the World number 6.

In selecting the squad convenor of selectors Greg White

“I am very happy with the selection camp and we are so pleased with the opportunities for a team to play against quality international opposition. We are obviously going to do our best to win these series, but our focus is on the African Qualifier next year and getting to the next Indoor Hockey World Cup. I also think the fact that countries like Switzerland and Ireland are coming to the country is a testament to the programme we are running!”

The squad selected for the three series is a largely experienced squad with 50-capped players Kara Botes, Amy Greaves, Jess O’Connor and Cindy Hack all included. The team also sees Jess Lardant recalled after missing the SPAR Indoor Series against Zimbabwe and Botswana, while Kayla de Waal has earned the opportunity to get her first test cap.

SPAR South Africa Squad

SA Hockey Association media release

Red letter day for Corinthian with second ever Irish Senior Cup semi to savour


Sara Quill lines up a shot against Banbridge last week. Pic: Adrian Boehm

Almost exactly two years ago to the day, Corinthian were unceremoniously bundled out of the women’s Irish Senior Cup by Pegasus 12-0 in the first round.

That was during the early days of coach Ralph Billings’ tenure as coach. On Saturday, the reds are looking to show the huge strides they have taken since he took on the role.

The Whitechurch club face the same opposition– the reigning national champions – in the semi-final of the cup (3pm, St Columba’s College) in this front-loaded season.

Corinthian have only been on this stage once before back in 2004, losing to Hermes after extra-time, marking this out as one of the biggest games in their history.

Nicola Miller (nee Jolley) provides a link to that team – she is manager of the side having played in the semi 15 years ago and the club, as one of the best in Dublin to raise a home crowd, are looking forward to making an event of it.

“Everybody loves an underdog story, don’t they?” Billings said ahead of the tie, knowing his Leinster league side are the outsiders.

But his side has won all four of their games this season to date and look to be a contender for promotion from EY Hockey League Division 2.

They have also drawn belief from coaching sessions from Olympian Peter Caruth and Colin Stewart – the Irish World Cup assistant coach – this term.

The past decade has seen the club act as a nursery for young talents to develop – with numerous Junior Jacqui Potter Cup final appearances – only to see their brightest stars move on at adult level.

They have managed to retain a good crop in recent times, though, and it has made a big boost in pushing for Leinster laurels last season.

“EY1 champions versus a team who spent the majority of the last 10 years fighting off relegation from Leinster Division 1. It’s a big challenge indeed,” Billings says of facing Pegasus again.


Corinthian coach Ralph Billings. Pic: Adrian Boehm

“Our main goal is to compete well and show how much we have narrowed the gap. It means a lot to everyone involved; it’s a big day and we’re all very proud to have reached this stage.”

Youth international Milly Lynch is available after an ankle injury but midfielder Amber Kinlan is out with a fractured elbow.

For Pegasus, Pamela Glass made yet another return from retirement in last week’s quarter-final 5-1 win over UCC. The Ulster side will be without Shirley McCay while Steph Quinn and Kate McConnell are on maternity leave this season.

It was an exciting day, too, for the Belfast club who found out they would meet Spain’s Club de Campo in the inaugural season of EHL Women next Easter.

The other side of the Senior Cup draw sees UCD host Loreto at Belfield in a high quality match-up which could yield lots of goals. Between, their prior rounds have combined for 30 goals with the student’s 7-4 against Catholic Institute and Loreto’s 5-3 against Railway among some fairly spectacular results.

Ireland’s women completed their Olympic qualifiers challenge match series with a 1-0 defeat to Korea in Abbotstown last night.

In addition to Wednesday’s 4-2 loss to Belgium, it was an inauspicious start, results-wise, to life at their new training base which was formally opened earlier in the week by Minister Shane Ross.

“We would have hoped for better results,” captain Katie Mullan told the Belfast Telegraph. “But it’s been an invaluable exercise as we were playing on an identical surface to the one we will encounter at the qualifiers in Donnybrook.”

Jungeun Seo scored a 15th minute penalty corner to decide the tie with Ireland showing good energy in the closing quarter but often forced the ball at key moments.

In Leinster, there are three games on the agenda this weekend. Trinity will aim to extend their perfect start to the season when they go to Naas; Rathgar and North Kildare will be battling for their first points of the season at The High School, while Monkstown face Genesis in a DLR derby.

Women’s fixtures (Saturday unless stated)

Irish Senior Cup – Semi-Finals: Corinthian v Pegasus, Whitechurch Park, 3pm; UCD v Loreto, Belfield, 2.50pm

Leinster Division 1: Monkstown v Genesis, Rathdown, 2.45pm; Naas v Trinity, Caragh Road, 2pm; Rathgar v North Kildare, The High School, 12.30pm

Munster Division 1

Saturday: Bandon v Belvedere, Bandon GS, 12.30pm; Cork C of I v UCC, Garryduff, 12.30pm; Waterford v Limerick, Newtown, 12.30pm

Sunday: Bandon v UCC, Bandon GS, 2pm; Waterford v Cork C of I, Newtown, 3pm

Irish Hockey Challenge – Round 1: Greenfields v Clonakilty, Dangan, 2.20pm; YMCA v Galway, Wesley College, 2pm

Women’s international test match (Thursday): Ireland 2 (H Matthews, A O’Flanagan) Belgium 4 (S vanden Borre 2, A Gerniers, J Boon)

The Hook

Sailors scent Cup success as Telkom miss out

By AGNES MAKHANDIA

With champions Telkom missing, a new winner will be crowned in this year's Shaban Yusuf Memorial Hockey Festival event that gets underway on Saturday at the Mombasa Sports Club, Mombasa County.

Telkom failed to meet deadline for registration for the two-day event that has attracted 28 teams.

The annual event has previously celebrated hockey legend and a former Boabab Hockey Club sponsor, the late Agnelo De Souza (Sana) but this time they are celebrating another legend in the frame of Yusuf.

In total, 19 men’s teams and nine ladies teams will battle for top honours.

In the women’s category, Amira Sailors who finished second last year, will be hoping to take advantage of Telkom's absence to go all the way and win the title. They take on University of Nairobi and DFG Wolverines on Saturday before they battle hosts Mombasa Sports Club in Pool B.

CRUNCH TIE

However, Strathmore University and United States International University of Africa, who are in pool ‘A’ alongside Daystar University, Nakuru Royals and Technical University Kenya will highlight Saturday’s matches.

The two sides have a date next Saturday in the Kenya Hockey Union Women’s premier League match.

Strathmore coach Meshack Senge said the tie is a perfect build up ahead of next weekend’s clash.

“Definitely it will be an interesting match to look out for but generally we just want to see if our system will work. There after we will build on that ahead of the league match,” said Senge who double up as the national men’s team.

POLICE CHASE CUP SUCCESS

In the men’s category, Kenya Police will hope to put aside their stuttering season in the league when they line up against Black Tankers.

The law enforcers are drawn in Pool B alongside Strathmore University, Warrior and Kenya College of Accountancy University and will be seeking to reclaim the trophy they last won in 2016.

Champions USIU-A headline Pool C that also has Greensharks, Wazalendo and MSC. USIU open their title defence against MSC before they lock horns with Sharks.

Parkroad are in Pool A with Sailors, Kilifi Hockey Club, Mombasa West and University of Nairobi (UoN) as pool D features Coast Simba, St Charles Lwanga, Daystar University and Mvita.

Daily Nation

No. 2 Maryland field hockey’s 10-game win streak snapped with 1-0 loss to No. 9 Michigan

David Suggs


Linda Cobano pushes the ball forward during Maryland field hockey’s 2-1 win over No. 18 Rutgers in Piscataway, New Jersey on Sept. 28, 2019. (Julia Nikhinson/The Diamondback)

Maryland field hockey forward Madison Maguire stood a couple feet outside the goalmouth with the ball on her stick, Michigan goalkeeper Anna Spieker out of position and Maryland down a goal.

It was a position that Maguire has found herself in plenty of times. And with eight goals to her name this season, it’s a position from where coach Missy Meharg would expect the senior to rattle the cage.

But Maguire hesitated, lifting the ball above Spieker and harmlessly over the crossbar.

This moment was indicative of a team that, for all its quality, couldn’t find its attacking edge in the brisk Ann Arbor, Michigan conditions. And ultimately, it cost the Terps, who suffered their first defeat in Big Ten play and had their 10-game win streak snapped, falling 1-0 to the Wolverines on Friday.

With Michigan and Maryland ranking Nos. 1 and 2 in the NCAA, respectively, in goals conceded per game, Friday’s game set up to be a test for both squads — one in which each would struggle to craft opportunities in its opposition’s final third.

And after one quarter, that feeling held strong, with neither side recording a shot. While the quarter was filled with moments of individual brilliance, both teams were clearly hesitant to get forward.

The game opened up in the second, though, with the Wolverines earning a penalty stroke after a rash challenge from goalkeeper Noelle Frost. But midfielder/forward Meg Dowthwaite’s subsequent effort whistled wide, keeping the scoreline even.

One minute later, Maryland created its best chance of the first half, earning a penalty corner. Midfielder Nathalie Fiechter wasn’t able to direct her shot on target, and while defender Hannah Bond eventually reeled in the rebound, she failed to create anything noteworthy, with her shot/cross going wide.

As the quarter raced on, it seemed like Maryland would be the ones to break the deadlock, especially after recording four shots in the first three minutes.

But it was the Wolverines who opened the scoring late in the second frame. Midfielder/defender Guadalupe Fernandez Lacort danced around Maryland’s backline, eventually reaching the baseline before flashing a shot past Frost to break Maryland’s spirits going into halftime.

The Terps hoped to draw even in the third frame. However, Michigan — buoyed by its go-ahead goal — began to exert more influence in the attacking third, constricting the Maryland attack without creating loads of chances for itself.

Coach Missy Meharg’s squad struggled to break through the Wolverines’ midfield and front line, with the Terps only real opportunity coming from a quick counterattack.

Midfielder Brooke DeBerdine streaked down the field after a decent passage of play for the Terps, bearing down on goal before having her attempt matched by Spieker. Her rebound fell for forward Madison Maguire, who was unable to keep her shot down, keeping Maryland’s disadvantage at 1-0.

The final frame represented kitchen-sink time for the Terps, who entered the fourth quarter with a mere two shots on goal. And Maryland — with attacking threats that had up to that point flamed out in underwhelming fashion — began to string together solid possessions. There was Fiechter’s penalty corner effort. Maguire’s shot dribbled just wide. And forward Emma DeBerdine and midfielder Linda Cobano had shots that Spieker dealt with confidently.

But, just as had been the case through the first three quarters, the Terps were unable to find a spark in front of Michigan’s goal. Even with an extra attacker, Meharg’s squad couldn’t get the ball out of its own half, and when the final buzzer sounded, it was the Wolverines who joyously rushed their netminder.

Meanwhile, the Terps are left wondering what went wrong, and how to rectify their mistakes to close out their season.

The Diamondback

No. 7 Virginia field hockey tops No. 4 Duke in overtime thriller


Virginia Athletics virginia field hockey

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The No. 7 Virginia field hockey team (11-3, 2-2 ACC) picked up its second top-10 win in eight days, downing No. 4 Duke (10-4, 1-3 ACC) in overtime, 3-2, on Friday (Oct. 18) at Turf Field.
 
Senior back Anzel Viljoen (Matamata, New Zealand) tied the game with 1:02 remaining to force overtime. Sophomore back Amber Ezechiels (Niew Vennep, Netherlands) scored the game-winner 1:26 into the extra period.

HOW IT HAPPENED

After a scoreless first half, Duke scored first with Olivia Sahaydak netting a goal 7:05 into the third quarter. The Blue Devils had a prime scoring opportunity at the end of the third quarter when they were awarded a penalty corner right at the buzzer. Duke took three shots off the corner, with redshirt junior goalie Lauren Hausheer (West Windsor, N.J.) saving one and the defense blocking two other attempts to keep it a one-goal game. The Cavaliers knotted things up 1:35 into the fourth quarter with freshman Cato Geusgens (Wassenaar, Netherlands) scoring off a penalty corner. Four minutes later, Sahaydak took another shot on goal, with that attempt stopped by a defensive save off the foot of a Virginia defender, giving Duke a penalty stroke. Haley Schleicher converted the attempt to put Duke ahead, 2-1. The Cavaliers pulled their goalie with just over three minutes remaining in regulation. UVA made the most of their extra attacker by getting a penalty corner with 1:11 remaining. Junior midfielder Rachel Robinson (Mount Joy, Pa.) took the initial shot, which was saved by Duke's goalie, Sammi Steele, but Viljoen lifted the rebound into the upper corner of the net to tie the game. In overtime, the Cavaliers had first possession and were awarded a penalty corner 1:17 into the extra period. Geusgens' initial shot from the top of the circle was saved by Steele, but Ezechiels, who had been the injector for the corner, slid over and smacked the rebound into the cage to give the Cavaliers the victory.

FROM HEAD COACH MICHELE MADISON

"Cardiac Cavs! We beat a really good team today in Duke. This was a chess match between both teams. We both kept changing strategies on how to attack. In the end, I just told them 'Go to goal! We need to get the ball in the circle'. And they did. In the fourth quarter, we pulled the goalie and I told Peyton (Tollaksen) to get up there and we were able to get a positive result. The team executed under pressure, which is critical at this time of the season. Our bench was alive. Everyone was into it. They were focused on a strong start. They didn't let the goal get them down. They just kept grinning and grinding."

NCAA

Iowa hat trick humbles IU field hockey

By Aiden Kantner


Senior Andi Jackson passes the ball during IU’s win over Ball State on Sept. 8 at the IU Field Hockey Complex. The IU field hockey team lost to No. 6 Iowa Friday night. Sam House

The potent Iowa offense, spearheaded by junior forward Maddy Murphy’s hat trick, was too much for the IU defense, as the team lost 6-1.

IU returned to Bloomington to close out its home schedule against No. 6 Iowa on Friday. The Hawkeyes came into the match ranked second in the Big Ten with a 4-1 record in the conference. Their only loss came at the hands of No. 2 Maryland, the top team in the Big Ten.

Murphy was the leading scorer for Iowa coming into the match, and she now has nine goals on the season for the Hawkeyes, good for third in the Big Ten.

Freshman Sofie Stribos, sophomore Anthe Nijziel and senior Katie Birch also scored goals for Iowa in its largest conference win of the season. Iowa moves to 5-1 in the conference with Northwestern and Michigan left on the schedule.

Sophomore goalkeeper Shelby Querry made her third straight start for IU and the first home start of her career. This was despite the usual starter, junior Sachi Ananias, returning from a head injury that had kept her out for the Hoosiers’ two-game East Coast trip last weekend.

Ananias dressed for the game against Iowa, but Querry got the nod.

“We trust Shelby to do her thing,” IU head coach Kayla Bashore said. “We plan on evaluating both of them during the last few weeks and going with the one that gives us the best chance to compete and win.”

Despite the scoreline, Querry made her presence known early and often, taking multiple Hawkeyes down throughout the game with athletic, sliding saves to prevent the Iowa offense from getting off more shots than it already did.

“I thought she did well given the circumstances,” Bashore said.

In the midst of the blowout, freshman forward Victoria Hill found the back of the net for her first career goal as a Hoosier.

“Tori is a big part of the vision for the team going forward,” Bashore said. “I’m happy for her. She’s been hunting that first one for a while now. It’s definitely a moment to build off of for her.”

This was the Hoosiers seventh straight loss. The team’s last win dates back to a meeting in East Lansing, Michigan, on Sept. 20 where it took down Michigan State 4-2, thanks in large part to Hailey Couch’s own hat trick.

IU travels to Athens, Ohio, to take on Ohio University to begin its final road trip of the season. The Hoosiers have three regular season games left and one more opportunity for a conference win when they travel to Evanston, Illinois, on Nov. 1 to take on Northwestern.

The Wildcats sit at third in the Big Ten, and the Hoosiers are slotted eighth. As of right now, IU is set for a rematch with Michigan State in the first round of the Big Ten tournament Nov. 7.

Bashore said she isn’t looking too far ahead.

“Obviously we are looking forward at the tournament, but the team’s focus has to be Ohio,” Bashore said. “Let’s get it going and talk about the tournament when we get there.”

Indiana Daily Student