News for 27 January 2023
All the news for Friday 27 January 2023
FIH Odisha Hockey Men's World Cup 2023 Bhubaneswar - Rourkela - 27 January
Bhubaneswar - Rourkela, India
All times GMT +5:30
Rourkela
26 Jan 2023 11:30 RSA v MAS (9th - 16th) 6 - 3
26 Jan 2023 14:00 WAL v FRA (9th - 16th) 2 - 2 ( SO 2/4 - 1/5)
26 Jan 2023 16:30 CHI v ARG (9th - 16th) 0 - 8
26 Jan 2023 19:00 JPN v IND (9th - 16th) 0 - 8
Bhubaneswar
27 Jan 2023 16:30 AUS v GER (SF)
27 Jan 2023 19:00 BEL v NED (SF)
Rourkela
28 Jan 2023 11:30 MAS v JPN (13th - 16th)
28 Jan 2023 14:00 CHI v FRA (13th - 16th)
28 Jan 2023 16:30 ARG v WAL (9th - 12th)
28 Jan 2023 19:00 RSA v IND (9th - 12th)
Pool Standings
FIH Match Centre
Wales stun France as South Africa, Argentina and India register comfortable wins 
The 9-12 and 13-16 classification matches are set as South Africa, Wales, Argentina and India register wins in the first round of classification matches to head into the 9-12 playoff matches while losses for Malaysia, France, Chile and Japan see them go to the 13-16 playoff matches. All classification matches will take place on 28 January at the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium in Rourkela. 
SA men’s hockey team wins first World Cup play-off match
SA Team celebrating a win against Malaysia.Image: @SA Hockey Association Twitter
South Africa’s men’s hockey team wins its first game at this year’s World Cup in India. The Proteas beat Malaysia by six goals to three in a play-off match for 9th to 16th place.
Error-ridden Speedy Tigers drubbed by South Africa
By Jugjet Singh 
- Pic credit FIH
BHUBANESWAR: The Speedy Tigers lost their fangs and claws when they were humiliated 6-3 by Nations Cup champions South Africa in their Hockey World Cup classification match in Rourkela today.
Ruined by emotions, Malaysia fail to play 'normal game' in loss to South Africa
By Jugjet Singh
South African players celebrate after scoring against Malaysia in their classification match at the Hockey World Cup in Rourkela today. - Pic credit FIH
KUALA LUMPUR: Coach Arul Selvaraj said emotions took over the Speedy Tigers in the first two quarters, as they tried too hard to win instead of playing their normal composed game.
Speedy Tigers to face Japan in fight for 13th spot
By Jugjet Singh
Speedy Tigers will face Japan at the Birsa Munda Stadium in Rourkela on Saturday.
BHUBANESWAR: Malaysia will have a day's rest before regrouping to play their final Hockey World Cup match against Japan at the Birsa Munda Stadium in Rourkela on Saturday.
Wales make history with first men’s Hockey World Cup win
Wales scored a fine World Cup victory over France PIC: WorldSportPics
Bhubaneswar — Wales qualified for a first Hockey World Cup via a shoot-out. Then they went one better to record an historic first victory after Toby Reynolds-Cotterill proved the hero with three superb saves to deny France in Rourkela. Victory also assured Wales of finishing above their world ranking.
Wales beat France in shootout to secure first win
By Tom Brown
Wales won a match at the Hockey World Cup for the first time with a tense shootout victory over France.
Massive victories for India, Argentina in hockey World Cup
ROURKELA: Hosts India and Argentina recorded thumping victories in the first round of classification matches of the FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup here at the Birsa Munda International Hockey Stadium on Thursday.
Indian Men's Hockey Team beat Japan 8-0
Abhishek and Harmanpreet Singh score double goals in the team's successful outing; hosts will next play against South Africa on 28th January for 9th to 12th placing 
Rourkela: Indian Men's Hockey Team beat Japan 8-0 in the 9th to 16th placing match here in the FIH Odisha Hockey Men's World Cup 2023 Bhubaneswar-Rourkela on Thursday in the spectacular Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium. Goals were scored by Mandeep Singh (33'), Abhishek (36', 44'), Vivek Sagar Prasad (40'), Harmanpreet Singh (46'), Manpreet Singh (59') and sukhjeet Singh (60') while the Indian goalkeepers PR Sreejesh and Krishan Pathak ensured they kept a clean slate.
India records its biggest World Cup victory , 8-0 over Japan
India posted its biggest world cup victory –8-0 — today against the Asian Games champions Japan at Birsa Munda International Hockey Stadium in the 9th to 16th place play off. For the team that failed in its quest to enter the quarterfinal, and thus made the hockey loving nation sad, by losing the cross over to New Zealand, this comes as both relief and consolation. The goal fest must have satiated the full stands the Rourkela saw today.
India thrashes Japan 8-0, eyes ninth-place finish
India defeated Japan 8-0 in the 9-16 classification match to give an expectant 20,000 crowd at the Birsa Munda International Stadium a celebratory night.
Aashin Prasad
India’s Harmanpreet Singh in action against Japan. | Photo Credit: PTI
There were no big celebrations from skipper Harmanpreet Singh after he scored from a penalty corner. It was the fifth goal of an 8-0 rout over Japan in the qualification playoff game and his first penalty corner conversion of the World Cup with a goalkeeper manning the posts. He could only shake his head in relief. But Harmanpreet and his men were able to give an expectant 20,000 crowd at the Birsa Munda International Stadium a celebratory night.
Almost a year since his debut, Abhishek scores brace in World Cup
Abhishek's brace against Japan in the Hockey World Cup earned him the 'Player of the Match' award.
Abhishek
India defeated Japan in their 9-16th classification match at the ongoing Hockey Men's World Cup 2023 in an 8-0 win. One man shone brightly on the day who had made his national team debut just a year back.
‘Was important to play well for our pride today’ - India coach Graham Reid after win over Japan
Hockey World Cup: Graham Reid’s India beat Japan 8-0 in the classification round.
Aashin Prasad
FILE PHOTO: Indian hockey team coach Graham Reid on the press conference. | Photo Credit: BISWARANJAN ROUT
India head coach Graham Reid said the team has had a tough three days in the aftermath of the World Cup exit in the crossovers last weekend. India put behind the disappointment to beat Japan 8-0 in the classification round here on Thursday.
After Hockey World Cup 2023 debacle, Graham Reid says his contract will be reviewed
Graham Reid was blamed by some hockey legends for India's exit from World Cup 2023.
India men's hockey team coach Graham Reid. Image: Hockey India
Rourkela: Under-pressure Indian men’s hockey team head coach Graham Reid’s contract, which runs till 2024 Paris Olympics, could be under review at the end of the ongoing World Cup after the hosts made a shock exit from the showpiece before the quarterfinal stage.
Indian hockey coaches’ - past and present - calls for sports psychologist left unanswered
While India has improved with its goalscoring in the final quarter of matches – 56 goals – since the Tokyo Olympics, it has found itself faltering in decisive moments, time and again.
Aashin Prasad
FILE PHOTO: Indian players Akakshdeep Singh (left) and Hardik Singh sit in the goal post before leaving the stadium after the loss in the crossover match against New Zealand in Bhubaneswar. | Photo Credit: BISWARANJAN ROUT
In the aftermath of the surprise World Cup exit in the crossover stage last week, India head coach Graham Reid felt it was time for the team to work with a mental conditioning coach. “I think following this, we will try and work out how to get a mental coach involved. We need to do something different perhaps,” said last Sunday.
We will ask coach, senior players why the hunger to win was missing: Hockey India president Dilip Tirkey
Jaspreet Sahni
Hockey India president Dilip Tirkey (TOI Photo)
BHUBANESWAR: India's title hopes at the Hockey World Cup ended in an anti-climax. For a second consecutive World Cup at home, the team failed to live up to its expectations and will now finish outside of the top eight.
Eddie Ockenden exclusive: No letting up for Australia’s captain on cusp of history at 2023 FIH Hockey World Cup
Over 400 caps into his international career, Aussie skipper Eddie Ockenden isn’t slowing down. Just two more victories in India will see him win his third world title and bring Australia level with Pakistan for the most World Cup victories in history. Read his exclusive interview with Olympics.com below.
By Sean McAlister
Eddie Ockenden being interviewed by Olympics.com
Few people in sport have experienced what Australia captain Eddie Ockenden has in his career on the hockey pitch.
Australia lead top four in world in semi-final blockbusters
Colin Batch talks to his team after edging Spain PIC: WorldSportPics/Frank Uijlenbroek
Bhubaneswar — They needed a late equaliser against Argentina in the pool stages and fought back deliciously to thwart Spain in the last eight. Despite these difficult moments, would anyone expect anything less than Australia lining up to compete for a place in their fifth final in six World Cups?
The Ripple Effect?
Ashley Morrison
Sunday 22nd January 2023 may well go down in hockey as Black Sunday.
Why England’s Hockey World Cup script has much to savour in defeat
ODISHA OUTTAKES: Analysing England's World Cup defeat to Germany in the aftermath of defeat
By Rod Gilmour
Umpire asks for calm during England and Germany thriller PIC: WorldSportPics/Frank Uijlenbroek
Bhubaneswar — There’s a scene in All the President’s Men, the classic investigative journalism film centred on the Watergate scandal 40 years ago, where Rob Redford, who plays Washington Post reporter Bob Woodward, meets his Deep Throat source at an underground carpark. Footsteps echo in the cavernous space in the early hours, Deep Throat lighting a match to wafting cigarette smoke to signal his whereabouts.
Indian Women's Hockey Team go down 1-3 to Netherlands in their second friendly tie
Salima Tete (50') scores India's lone goal
Cape Town The Indian Women's Hockey Team lost to Netherlands 1-3 in their second friendly tie against the World No.1 side Netherlands here in the picturesque Cape Town on Thursday. India's lone goal came from Salima Tete in the 50th minute.
Indian women’s hockey team goes down 1-3 to Netherlands
File Photo: India had lost the first friendly to the Dutch by the same margin. | Photo Credit: Getty Images/Clive Mason
Salima Tete scored the only goal for India in the 50th minute as it went down to world No.1 Netherlands 1-3 in its second friendly hockey tie at the picturesque Cape Town on Thursday.
2023 Australian Indoor Championships come to a close
The curtain has come down on the 2023 Hockey Australia Indoor Championships in Brisbane following a successful 23 days of competition across five age categories.
Top sides contest Scottish Indoor Finals
The indoor season has come down to the wire at the GALA FINALS DAY at Perth on Saturday. And the top sides are there head to head for the championship and a place in Europe next season.
National juniors set to compete against the big boys' in Malaysia Hockey League
By Aftar Singh
National juniors team manager I. Vickneswaran (left) is hoping the competition will give his squad the matches they need to prepare for the Junior World Cup which will be held in Malaysia (Dec 5-16). -NSTP file pic
KUALA LUMPUR: The national junior squad will be among eight teams that will feature in the Malaysia Hockey League (MHL) which begins on Feb 9.
Don't Miss Walking Hockey at 2023 Sunshine Showcase
KISSIMMEE, Fla. - USA Field Hockey is excited to highlight Walking Hockey at the 2023 Sunshine Showcase, presented by Team IP! With approximately 240 teams attending this year's event at the ESPN Wide World of Sports at Walt Disney World Resort, thousands of athletes, coaches, umpires, parents and families are invited to get into the game of their own: Walking Hockey!