News 11 January 2014
All the news for Saturday 11 January 2014
Australia win while Argentina cruise to victory in Pool B at the Hero HWL
Argentina supplied the biggest surprise of the day
Jacob Whetton celebrates his winning goal. (Photo: FIH / Grant Treeby)
Australia secured a last minute winner and Argentina pulled off a shock victory over the Netherlands in the opening two games of the inaugural Hockey World League. Jacob Whetton secured Australia all three points in the opening match of the Hero Hockey World League Final in Delhi.
Despite the tenacity of Belgium who fought back twice, the Kookaburras emerged with a 3-2 win. The winning goal was scored with two minutes remaining on the clock. Whetton, selected as Hero Man of the Match, said: "We played well for most of the game but we were a bit scrappy in places. I think we were pumped up and containing that is something we must work on."
It took up to the 32nd minute until the spectators in the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium saw the first penalty corner. Kieran Govers (33’) skilfully scored the opening goal of the Hero Hockey World League.
However, it took Belgium less than one minute to equalise through a shot from a wide angle by Tom Boon (34’).
Despite Lammer’s warning to his team not to give away possession, the Red Lions ran into another Aussie counter-attack which led to their third penalty corner. It was again Govers (48’) taking the shot and scoring.
Belgium raised the speed of the game, eventually equalising again thanks to Thomas Briels (53’). After two penalty corners in quick succession had failed for Belgium, Kookaburra Whetton (69’) scored the winner with less than two minutes remaining on the clock.
Meanwhile, in the other Pool B game, 11th ranked Argentina beat one of the pre-tournament favourites, the Netherlands 5-2.
Argentine intent was signalled when they took the lead in just the second minute of the game through a penalty corner, which top scorer Gonzalo Peillat slotted away. “This was a very important goal. I’m happy that we scored two drag-flick goals today”, Peillat says.
The Netherlands responded immediately with an equally well-taken penalty corner from penalty corner specialist Mink van der Weerden (5') but just three minutes later Argentina reclaimed the lead with a diving conversion by Facundo Callioni (8').
The remainder of the first half was quiet in comparison, with both sides taking a cagey approach. And these defensive tactics continued for the first 15 minutes of the second half. It was the Netherlands who broke the deadlock in the second half when Seve van Ass (50') levelled for the Netherlands.
Six minutes later and Los Leones re-gained their advantage when first Pedro Ibarra (56') shot home from open play and then Guido Barriedes (60') scored a beautifully-taken goal following sustained Argentine pressure.
FIH site
Germany hit super 6 and England took all the points at the Hero HWL
New Zealand and India suffer defeats in Pool B openers
Germany striker Thilo Stralkowski scored twice against New Zealand (Photo: FH / Frank Uijlenbroek)
A convincing 6-1 victory over New Zealand and a promise from coach Markus Weise that "we still want to improve" demonstrates the uncompromising approach that Germany is adopting towards this inaugural tournament. Meanwhile England broke the hearts of the Indian spectators by beating the host team 2-0.
Alex Shaw summed up the Black Stick's feelings: "Days like this are hard. Germany took all their chances and we didn't. We knew it was going to be tough, but they played very well."
Meanwhile, the Hero Man of the Match winner and one of the goal scorers, Tobias Hauke, said: "We didn't know how good we were going to be today. This is the first time this year we have had a chance to play together."
Germany’s Christopher Wesley scored the opening goal with less than 20 seconds played, but the Blacksticks were not rocked at all and equalised through a penalty corner goal from Kane Russell (5’).
This time Germany provided an immediate answer thanks to Thilo Stralkowski (11’) netting from Germany’s first penalty corner. Gradually the Olympic champions took control of the match and Florian Fuchs (31’), FIH Young Player of the Year 2012, deflected a penalty corner flick from Martin Häner to extend the German lead to 3-1.
The second half saw Germany becoming the dominant side. In a five-minute spell Germany extended their lead by a further three goals. Stralkowski (44’) added another penalty corner goal, one minute later Tobias Hauke (45’) scored from open play to make it 5-1, then Jan-Philipp Rabente (48’) put his name on the score sheet.
Throughout the match, the Blacksticks tried to play expansive and open hockey but just found their opponents too strong on the day.
In the second Pool A match, a noisy crowd urged the home crowd to victory over England, but despite some inventive work by the midfield, India were unable to turn better possession percentages into goals.
Adam Dixon was the England hero as he scored twice from penalty corners and picked up the Hero Man of the Match award. India were aggrieved to have a goal disallowed following a video referral in the 58th minute.
In the press conference following the match, India coach Terry Walsh said he was relatively pleased with his team’s performance. "I was particularly pleased with some elements. We were pressing better, we ran incisively and our fitness was equal to England's, but we weren't able to make in-roads into the circle. Our on-field discipline was not as good as it could have been."
In tomorrow's Pool A matches England will face Germany and India will play New Zealand.
FIH site
Argentina stun Netherlands, Australia secure fighting win
NEW DELHI: The opening day of the Hero Hockey World League Final witnessed a major upset as lower-ranked Argentina put up a spirited display to outclass London Olympic silver medallist Netherlands 5-2, while world number two Australia eked out a narrow 3-2 win over Belgium in Pool B at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium, on Friday.
The 11th ranked Argentines signaled their intentions early when they took the lead in just the second minute of the game through a penalty corner conversion by Gonzalo Peillat.
The pre-tournament favourites Netherlands responded immediately with an equally well-converted penalty corner from drag-flick exponent Mink van der Weerden (5th minute).
But three minutes later, Argentina regained their lead with a diving field effort from Facundo Callioni (8th) to go into the breather with their nose ahead.
After the change of ends, both the teams adopted defensive tactics, at least for the first 15 minutes of the second half.
But Netherlands drew parity in the 50th minute through a field goal from Seve van Ass, son of national coach Paul van Ass, who scored with a reverse stick shot from left of the goal.
Six minutes later, Argentina surged ahead once again when Pedro Ibarra (56') converted a penalty corner before Guido Barriedes (60th minute) scored a beautiful field goal to extend the lead of Los Leones.
Argentina added insult to Netherlands' injury when they were awarded a penalty stroke and Juan Ignacio Gilardi (67th) made no mistake to make the scoreline 5-2.
Meanwhile, in the opening match of Pool B, Australia rode on a late field goal from Jacob Whetton to beat Belgium 3-2.
Apart from Whetton, Kieron Govers (33rd, 48th minutes) scored a brace for the Kookaburras.
Tom Boon (33rd) and Thomas Briels (53rd) sounded the board for Begium.
Despite the tenacity of Belgium who fought back twice, the Kookaburras pocketed full three points from the game, courtesy Whetton's goal in the penultimate minute of the match.
The first half started with Australia putting early pressure on the Belgian defence. Even though the Kookaburras controlled the proceedings, they failed to create any meaningful chances.
The sparse crowd at the National Stadium had to wait till the 32nd minute to witness the first penalty corner and Govers skillfully converted the chance to give Australia the lead.
However, Australia's lead barely lasted a few seconds as Boon scored a field goal from the next move to draw parity for Belgium.
Australia regained their lead in the 48th minute when a counter-attack resulted in another penalty corner which was perfectly taken by Govers to score his second goal of the day.
Trailing by a goal, Belgium raised the tempo of the game in search of an equaliser and managed to get it five minutes later through Briels.
Australia kept up the pressure with relentless attacks and secured the winner in the dying moments of the game through Whetton.
The Times of India
Argentina shock the Netherland 5-2
s2h team
New Delhi - Argentina’s giant-killing act began on the opening day of the Hero Hockey World League Final with strong contenders the Netherlands suffering a shock casualty losing 2-5 at the Dhyan Chand Stadium here on Friday. It was match number 2 after Aussies just survived a scare from Belgium winning 3-2 in the opener.
In the second match of the day, a lowly-ranked Argentina (11) proved that they can bring down any team on their day. The Dutch (ranked 3) team should wake up now and get ready for the all-important knock-out stage.
The Argentine team drew first blood in the very second minute with Gonzalo Peillat converting the first short corner but the Orange brigade made it 1-all within three minutes. It was penalty corner specialist Mink van der Weerden who executed a perfectly set-up ball in the 5th minute. But Argentina forged ahead once again in the 8th minute with a field goal from Facundo Callioni, who made a diving deflection.
Thereafter, the game witnessed some mediocre midfield play with occasional sorties yielding no result and the teams changed ends with Argentina leading 2-1.
The Netherlands came back into the game in the second session with a 50th minute field goal with Seve van Ass scoring the equalizer. The son of the national coach Paul van Ass sent in a stinging reverse stick shot that brooked no answer from rival goalie Juan Vivaldi.
However, Argentina shot ahead once again six minutes later converting their third penalty corner by Pedro Ibarra and never looked back.
Thereafter, the Netherlands fight virtually ended with Argentina pumping three more goals. They struck in the 56th and 60th minutes and capped it with a penalty stroke conversion three minutes from time.
It was Pedro Ibarra who made it 3-2 and Guido Barriedes added one more. Juan Ignacio Gilardi converted the stroke to hand out a 5-2 drubbing to the Netherlands.
Stick2Hockey.com
Beating Olympic silver medallists makes us proud: Argentine coach
s2h team
Gonzalo Peillat who scored the first goal for Argentina expressed happiness over his own form in converting the penalty corners. “This was a very important goal. I’m happy that we scored two drag-flick goals today,” he said.
Argentine chief coach Carlos Retegui is a happy man. He was upbeat about his team’s performance: “We want to play more attacking and offensive hockey. We want to improve our style of playing. Beating the Netherlands, who are the Olympic silver medallists makes us really proud.”
Seve van Ass who scored the second goal said his team will focus on the future games. "We will forget this game and focus on the rest of thegames. We have made good steps in recent months so we will be sticking with our style of play. We just have to play better and we are ready for it," he quipped.
He added that the style of play employed by the Netherlands was totally different to that of Argentina, and that was something the team needed to consider more in future encounters.
His sentiments were echoed by the other goal scorer for the Netherlands, Mink van der Weerden. "We were disappointed in our play today, but not shocked by the Argentinian performance. We made the mistake of letting them stifle our play. Then they hit us in the counter attack."
On Saturday Argentina will take on Belgium: “Belgium is the team with the biggest growth over the past few years. This won’t be an easy game,’’ Weerdeen said.
Stick2Hockey.com
Olympic champions make mark early in tournament
Black Sticks Steve Edwards (left) and Kane Russell (far right) playing against Germany at the World League Final in New Delhi this morning. Photo Shilpi Bawi
It was a punishing opening encounter for the Black Sticks Men losing 6-1 to Olympic and European Champions Germany, at the World League Final in New Delhi this morning.
Some good saves from Devon Manchester helped the Kiwis hold the score at 1-2 for the majority of the first half, but the flood gates opened and New Zealand were unable to match the relentless play of the Germans in the second spell.
The encouraging aspect of the game for New Zealand were the opportunities created and the possession being close to equal between the sides. New Zealand had 12 shots on goal compared to Germany’s 18 and were awarded seven penalty corners but were only able to convert the one.
"Days like this are hard. Germany took all their chances and we didn't. We knew it was going to be tough, but they played very well. We need to regroup and talk about what happened, but I think that we will come out tomorrow determined to hold the ball more, get into the circle and take our chances," said Black Stick Alex Shaw.
The match started at breakneck pace as Germany’s Christopher Wesley opened the scoring with less than 20 seconds played. Kane Russell equalised converting a penalty corner, but Germany snatched the lead back when Thilo Stralkowski scored in the 11th minute. New Zealand did well to hold the score at 1-2 until just before half time when Florian Fuchs stretched it to 3-1. In the second half, the Kiwis were put under more pressure with Stralkowski scoring a second penalty corner as well as Tobias Hauke and Jan Philipp Rabente knocking home a field goal.
In the other Pool A game, England beat India 2-0. In Pool B, Argentina upset the Dutch winning 5-2 and Australia edged Belgium 3-2.
The Black Sticks now play India at 3.30am tomorrow (NZ time) before taking on England in their final pool game at 9.30pm (NZ time) on Monday.
All Black Sticks games, plus semis and finals are LIVE on Sky Sport. Click here to see the full schedule. All other games can be streamed live online at www.fih.ch.
RESULTS:
Full time: 1-6 Germany win
Half time: 1-3 Germany led
German goal scorers: Christopher Wesley, Thilo Stralkowski x2, Florian Fuchs, Tobias Hauke, Jan Philipp Rabente
New Zealand goal scorers: Kane Russell
Hockey New Zealand Media release
Germany hit New Zealand for a six in Pool A
s2h team
New Delhi - Olympic champions Germany began their campaign with a bang thrashing New Zealand for a six in their opener in the World Hockey League Final here on Friday.
The Black Sticks were in the game for only ten minutes and after that it was complete domination by the Germans.
In a fast-paced game that showcased German power and speed, the strong contenders scored the fastest goal of the tournament thus far when Christopher Wesley found the target in just 18 seconds. But the equaliser in the 5th minute by Kane Russell following a short corner gave false hopes that the Blacksticks are up to it.
Germany then took only six minutes as they took the lead again through Thilo Stralkowski in the 11 minute and never looked back scoring four more goals for a tennis-like score.
The New Zealand team may have failed to use their chances while German made most of them. If not for the heroics of the Kiwi custodian Devon Manchester, the scoreline would have been worse for the Black Sticks. Already the team is in the process of forgetting the defeat as a bad dream and many are posting confident messages on social media as they look ahead to the match against hosts.
Florian Fuchs (31st min), Stralkowski (44), Tobias Hauke (45) Jan-Philipp Rabente (48’) completed the rout.
Stick2Hockey.com
Germany hammer the Black Sticks 6-1
A convincing 6-1 victory over New Zealand and a promise from coach Markus Weise that "we still want to improve", sent a clear message to the competition of Germany's credentials at the World Hockey League in Delhi this morning (NZT).
Alex Shaw summed up the Black Stick's feelings: "Days like this are hard. Germany took all their chances and we didn't. We knew it was going to be tough, but they played very well."
Germany's Christopher Wesley scored the opening goal with less than 20 seconds played, but the Blacksticks were not rocked and equalised through a penalty corner goal from Kane Russell (5').
Thilo Stralkowski (11') then netted from the Germans' first penalty corner to re-take the lead and gradually the Olympic champions took control of the match, taking a 3-1 lead into halftime after Florian Fuchs (31') put Germany's third past the Blacksticks' net.
The second half saw Germany run rampant. In a five-minute spell they extended their lead by a further three goals. Stralkowski (44') added a penalty corner goal, one minute later Tobias Hauke (45') scored from open play to make it 5-1, then Jan-Philipp Rabente (48') put his name on the score sheet.
Despite a noisy crowd urging the host nation on, India failed to capitalise on possession and opportunities, going down 2-0 to England in the second Pool A match.
In tomorrow's Pool A matches England will face Germany, and India will play New Zealand.
Stuff
NZ men thumped at World League
By David Leggat
New Zealand had a rough start to the men's World League hockey finals, thumped 6-1 by Olympic champions Germany in New Delhi today.
If there was a consolation for the Black Sticks, it was in the number of scoring chances they created.
Germany had 18 shots on goal to New Zealand's 12, but their only success came through Kane Russell from one of the seven penalty corners they received. That evened the scores after Germany had gone in front through Christopher Wesley inside the first half minute.
However, despite sterling work by goalkeeper Devon Manchester, world No 1 Germany put the hammer down.
Further goals came from Thilo Stralkowski, with two, Florian Fuchs, Tobias Hauke and Jan Philipp Rabente.
"Days like this are hard," Black Sticks defender Alex Shaw said.
"Germany too all their chances and we didn't. We knew it was going to be tough, but they played very well."
Seventh-ranked New Zealand play hosts India, who are ranked No 10, in their second pool game early tomorrow. England beat India in the other pool A game 2-0.
In pool B, Australia edged past Belgium 3-2 while Argentina upset the Olympic silver medallists the Netherlands 5-2.
The New Zealand Herald
Whetton strikes late in Kookaburras win over Belgium
Kieran Govers announces return with penalty corner double
A goal from Jake Whetton in the final minute of the Kookaburras’ opening World League Finals match against Belgium earned the Aussie men all three points on day one of the tournament in Delhi.
Kieran Govers announced his return to fitness with two excellent penalty corner strikes to twice put Australia ahead only for Belgium to level almost immediately on each occasion. But the quick thinking Whetton ensured the Kookaburras avenged their previous results against the Belgians, who beat Australia in the opening fixture of the World League Semi-Finals in Rotterdam last June before beating them in a shoot-out in the final of the same tournament.
The bright starting Kookaburras threatened early but it was only in the final few minutes of the first half that the game truly came to life with Govers' low penalty corner goal. The Kookaburras’ delight was short-lived, however, as Tom Boon fired home an equaliser less than 60 seconds later.
Govers' second goal 12 minutes into the second half restored the Aussie advantage but again Belgium fought back, forcing substitute goalkeeper George Bazeley into two good blocks. Moments later Bazeley's goal was breached by Thomas Briels who took advantage of a mistake in the Kookaburras' defence to equalise from close range to make it 2-2.
With the pressure ramping up, Govers played an important defensive role late on as he dived acrobatically to clear a loose ball from in front of the goal line following a Bazeley penalty corner save and it was to prove critical moments later when Jake Whetton stuck to give the Kookaburras victory.
Striding into the circle the Kookaburras’ number 12 went sprawling but was able to apply the deftest of touches on his reverse to lift the ball over the Belgian goalkeeper and spark celebratory scenes on the Australian bench.
Hero Man of the Match Whetton played down his role afterwards, saying, “It’s a team performance. We stuck to our game plan the whole way. It was a little scrappy towards the end but we stuck to our game plan and came away with a good, hard-fought victory in the end.
“There’s no easy game here and we recognise that from World League [round] three against Belgium. It was a great test for us to have them straight up and now a massive test tomorrow against Holland.”
With regular corner taker Chris Ciriello ruled out of the tournament through injury, Kieran Govers explained afterwards how practice paid off for him. “Since Chris Ciriello’s not here I’m the guy that takes them [penalty corners] now,” said Govers. “I’ve been working on them a fair bit so was able to put some in the corners where I wanted to. I’ve been practising pretty hard and it’s been paying off, which is good.”
The Kookaburras take on world number three side and Olympic silver medallists the Netherlands on Saturday. That match gets underway at 9:30pm AEDT / 6:30pm AWST and will be shown live on YouTube.com/fihockey and on delay on ABC 1 later in the evening.
World League Finals, Men
Pool B
New Delhi, India
KOOKABURRAS 3 (1)
Kieran Govers 33,48 (PC,PC)
Jake Whetton 69 (F)
BELGIUM 2 (1)
Tom Boon 33 (F)
Thomas Briels 52 (F)
Kookaburras squad v Belgium
(listed alphabetically by surname)
Name (Hometown) caps/goals
Started
Joel Carroll (Darwin, NT) 91/2
Liam De Young (Brisbane, QLD) 291/34
Tim Deavin (Launceston, TAS) 78/3
Kieran Govers (Wollongong, NSW) 78/36
Mark Knowles (Rockhampton, QLD) 219/17
Tyler Lovell (GK) (Perth, WA) 9/0
Eddie Ockenden (Hobart, TAS) 194/51
Simon Orchard (Maitland, NSW) 135/43
Glenn Turner (Goulburn, NSW) 97/73
Tristan White (Wollongong, NSW) 16/1
Jason Wilson (Kingscliff, QLD) 91/32
Used Substitute
George Bazeley (GK) (Melbourne, VIC) 65/0
Daniel Beale (Brisbane, QLD) 15/4
Kiel Brown (Toowoomba, QLD) 139/4
Nick Budgeon (Hobart, TAS) 9/2
Russell Ford (Eltham, VIC) 138/65
Jake Whetton (Brisbane, QLD) 41/17
Hockey Australia media release
Aussies survive Belgium scare to open account
s2h team
New Delhi: A brilliant field goal late in the match helped strong contenders Australia survive a scare as Jacob Whetton lunged forward and sent a stunning reverse scoop over the head of the Belgian goalkeeper Vincent Vanash to strike the match-winner. Thus Kookaburras logged all three points in the opener of the Hero World Hockey League finals at the Maj. Dhyan Chand Stadium here on Friday afternoon.
After a brace by Kieran Govers, the 68th minute goal put paid to the hopes of Belgium who rallied twice and looked like beating the Aussies once again. Though it was Belgium who had a first look at the rival goal in the very 6th minute, Australia defended well and survived some anxious moments before taking the lead in the 33rd minute when Kieran Govers converted the team’s first short corner and added one more goal in the 48th minute through another set-piece drill.
Though Aussies felt the relief after Govers converted the first goal, the Red Lions drew level immediately in the same minute with a field goal from Tom Boon. It was Thomas Briels who restored parity at 2-2 scoring another field goal for Belgium in the 53rd minutes. But Belgium clearly lost a chance to beat Australia once again after their victory in the league semifinals last year.
The brilliant goal earned Whetton the man of the match award and Rs.25,000 cash.
Receiving the award Jacob Whetton said: ``We played well for most of the game but we were a bit scrappy at times. I think we were pumped and containing that is something we must work on.’’
Australian legend and chief coach Richard Charlesworth said: ``We played well but for a few minutes. Really the score should have been better.’’ But he conceded that Belgium gave them a scare again. ``There is no doubt that Belgium are a good team,’’ he felt.
A visibly disappointed Mark Lammers, the Belgium chief coach, felt that they should have won the match. ``Our boys really played well and dominated the game at some points. This was a good game for a win and not a game for a draw. This is a pity for us,’’ he lamented.
Lammers also felt that keeping possession of the ball is very important as Australians were good in counter attacks.
Belgium missed a good chance especially when they were dominating with better ball possession and also failed to score twice when Australia were reduced to 10 men for a few minutes. ``We had missed sure chances and lost the chance to gain full points today. When you are playing against a team like Australia, you don’t even have a few minutes of a rest,’’ felt Belgian goal scorer Tom Boon.
Australian Kieran Govers, who plays league games in the Netherlands, was talking about Saturday’s match with the Orange team. ``Netherlands are good in turn-overs and we have to watch out re-starts,’’ he said. Australia will take on the Netherlands while Belgium will take on Argentina who beat the Dutch today.
Stick2Hockey.com
Dixon double in Delhi gives England victory
Dan Fox and Adam Dixon celebrate at the Hero Hockey World League Final v India
England’s Hero Hockey World League Final campaign got off to the perfect start today as Adam Dixon scored twice to help his side record a 2-0 victory over hosts India.
Both of Dixon’s efforts came from penalty corners either side of half-time and with a dominant team display England secured the three points to go second in Pool A.
In the other Pool A game of the day, Olympic and European Champions Germany showed their strength, dismissing New Zealand 6-1 to top the group.
The match marked a special occasion for Beeston’s Tim Whiteman as he made his international debut for England.
Speaking after the game England Head Coach Bobby Crutchley said, “I’m pleased with the result tonight and think we deserved to take the three points. Neither side has had much match practice in the run-up to this tournament and I think that showed, but we certainly upped our performance in the second half. We were slightly inconsistent at times, but when we did string the passes together we looked threatening.”
Commenting on debutant Tim Whiteman’s performance, Crutchley added: “Tim played really well tonight and it’s great to see him playing at this level. We’ve always known he is a high quality player, both on the ball and with the decisions he makes and he showed all of that tonight. He’s struggled with injuries in recent years and I’m delighted to see him come through that and get his first cap.”
The beginning of the match was characterised by India going on the offensive to the roar of the home crowd, but England quickly found their footing – the chances on goal then came thick and fast from both sides. India were awarded the first three penalty corners of the game, but they were unable to find the target as England defended well.
In the 28th minute England was awarded a penalty corner. The ball came out to Dan Fox at the top of the circle and it looked to be Carson taking the shot, but a cleverly worked move created the space for the ball to be slipped to Dixon who was waiting to fire it home. India pushed for a late equaliser and there were a few tense moments as they pressed the English circle, but the visitors kept their 1-0 lead going into the break.
England started the second half well and within 10 minutes Dixon was back on the score sheet for his second. Once again it came from a penalty corner, this time courtesy of some lightning reactions from the injector Iain Lewers who moved the ball out of danger to find an unmarked Dixon who pulled the ball across his body and accurately dispatched his shot home to make it 2-0.
Late in the game a penalty corner was given to India and it looked like they had pulled a goal back, but after a video referral it was determined that the ball had never left the circle. The last ten minutes saw more chances for England, including a last-minute penalty corner, but a strong Indian defence stopped them from increasing their lead and it ended 2-0.
Speaking after the game England’s goal scorer Adam Dixon said, “We always knew this was going to be a tough game playing India at home and there’s no better way than to start with a win. I think the whole squad put in a really good performance today and I just happened to be in the right place at the right time. I don’t score many goals so it was nice to be there! I think it’s pretty crucial to get off to the start we did and a performance like that gives us a good base to build from.”
Looking ahead to the next match, Crutchley added, “We know the match against Germany tomorrow will be a tough challenge given the calibre of the team. From our perspective we are looking to continue to build on this performance and there will be a few tweaks ahead of the game, but nothing too significant. The style of play means it will be a very different 70 minutes of hockey.”
England’s next game is in less than 24 hours away as they get ready to face Germany at 12:30 (UK time) tomorrow. The match will be streamed live at www.youtube.com/fihockey.
England 2 (1)
Adam Dixon 28, 45 (PC, PC)
India 0 (0)
England Hockey Board Media release
India starts HWL campaign with a loss to England
Uthra Ganesan
India's Manpreet Singh tries to evade England's Oliver Willars in the Hockey World League match. Photo: R.V. Moorthy
It’s a measure of the decline in the fortunes of Indian hockey that the team, even when playing at home, doesn’t instil much confidence. On Friday, the team started its campaign in the Hockey World league Final at the National Stadium with a 2-0 loss against England.
In the process, India also remained the only team yet to score.
It might be a major tournament for the FIH, but India has nothing to gain from it this time around, except experience and match practice. Unfortunately, the team seemed to have taken the practice bit too seriously. There was a lack of both planning and execution and the players were unorganised.
England got its first goal in the 28th minute through a penalty corner conversion by Adam Dixon and only a combination of some athletic saving from goalkeeper P. R. Sreejesh and bad luck — David Candon’s shots came off the post twice — had denied it till then.
England was fitter, faster and more planned. It made optimum use of the flanks and controlled the pace of the game. Post resumption, the story continued as Dixon added another goal in the 45th minute. Worse, India failed to utilise the few scoring chances and penalty corners it got.
Several Indian players had been struggling to get fit and the lethargy was evident in their game. Even someone like captain Sardar Singh hardly made any impact. There was no cohesion in the attack. Nikkin Thimmaiah, Affan Yousuf, Yuvraj Walmiki were all off-target. On one occasion, Birender Lakra stopped the ball incorrectly during a penalty corner and the resultant goal was cancelled on referral. This was perhaps the best example of coach Terry Walsh’s claim that Indian players need to be educated on the rules.
It wasn’t all negative though. Sreejesh reaffirmed his status as the best in the country with half a dozen saves, including five penalty corners, even when lacking support. Defender Amit Rohidas and midfielder Manpreet Singh, who appeared clueless during the junior World Cup, were back in their elements and had a decent outing. But that was it.
Earlier, Olympic champion Germany made short work of New Zealand to kick off its campaign in the competition with a 6-1 victory.
Highlighting the difference between the two teams, Germany toyed with the opposition. New Zealand goalkeeper Devon Manchester brought about several close saves, else the margin could have been even higher.
In Pool A, Pan-American champion Argentina, the lowest-ranked team in the fray, upset Netherlands 5-2, slamming three goals in 10 minutes. In the opening match of the day, Australia edged past a fighting Belgium 3-2 courtesy a last minute goal by Jacob Whetton.
The results: Pool A: Australia 3 (Kieran Govers 2, Jacob Whetton) beat Belgium 2 (Tom Boon, Thomas Briels); Argentina 5 (Gonzalo Peillat, Facundo Callioni, Pedro Ibarra, Guido Barreiros, Juan Ignacio Gilardi) beat Netherlands 2 (Mink van der Weerden, Seve van Ass).
Pool B: Germany 6 (Thilo Stralkowski 2, Tobias Hauke, Christopher Wesley, Philipp Jan Rabante, Florian Fuchs) beat New Zealand 1 (Kane Russell); England 2 (Adam Dixon 2) beat India 0.
Friday’s matches: Belgium vs Argentina; the Netherlands vs Australia; England vs Germany; New Zealand vs India (8 p.m.).
The Hindu
Inane India lose to efficient England in HWL opener
Biswajyoti Brahma
NEW DELHI: India paid the price for not doing their basics right and lost to England 2-0 in their opening match of the Hero Hockey World League on Friday.
The Indians looked pretty ordinary and elementary mistakes while taking penalty corners made them look even worse. One such mistake cost them a goal, that too at a crucial time.
England were leading 2-0 with just 10 minutes for the final hooter when India fought back and earned their fourth penalty corner. Rupinderpal Singh 'scored' from the penalty corner but the 'goal' was disallowed after the video umpire found out that the player who had received the push had stopped the ball inside the circle before Rupinderpal flicked it home. As per hockey rules, the ball should have been stopped outside the 'D' before the attempt on the goal was made.
India struggled all through the first half as England set the pace, buoyed by the return of two of their top players from an injury layoff - midfielder Ashley Jackson and striker Mark Gleghorne.
The hosts found it hard to test the rival defence but still managed to get back-to-back penalty corners in the 15th minute. Both resulted in nothing.
England forced the Indians to make errors in the defence which resulted in three penalty corners in the space of six minutes. They hit the first one wide while the second one was smartly stopped by PR Sreejesh. But Adam Dixon made the third count, scoring from a variation to put England ahead in the 28th minute.
The loss will have no bearing on India's fortunes in the tournament since the pool matches will only determine who plays whom in the quarterfinals in the eight-team event.
Even if India lose all their matches and finish at the bottom on their pool, they will still play the table toppers of the other pool in the quarterfinals.
Earlier, World No.1 Germany did not let the absence of some of their star players affect their performance as they routed New Zealand 6-1. Germany have came to the tournament without their key striker Christopher Zeller (exams), ace defender Max Muller (injury) and 2012 FIH Player of the Year Moritz Furste (family reasons).
But that had no bearing on the result as the Olympic champions scored three goals in each half to cruise.
The biggest upset of the day came when Argentina, the lowest ranked team in the tournament at No. 11, beat the more fancied Netherlands 5-2. Argentina maintained a 2-1 lead till the 50th minute when the world No. 3 team equalized. But three goals in the last 14 minutes earned Argentina a well-deserved win.
"The result is the outcome of hard work, dedication and collective group effort of the boys. We are here to win against the best and today's start was what we had planned," Argentina's coach Carlos Retegui said.
Belgium fought hard but could not stop Australia from taking home full points in the tournament opener. The Australians took the lead twice but the Belgians bounced back to level the scores. When it looked headed towards a draw, Jacob Whetton spoiled Belgium's party with the winner in the last minute of the match.
Results: England (Adam Dixon 28th, 45th) beat India 2-0, Germany beat New Zealand 6-1, Argentina beat Netherlands 5-2, Australia beat Belgium 3-2.
Today's matches: Belgium vs Argentina 2 pm, Netherlands vs Australia 4 pm, England vs Germany 6 pm, India vs New Zealand 8 pm (Live on Ten Sports)
The Times of India
India lose 0-2 against England in campaign opener
NEW DELHI: India dished out a pathetic performance to go down 0-2 to higher-ranked England and start their campaign on a losing note at the Hero Hockey World League Final, on Friday.
The Indians looked horribly out of sorts as England rode on two goals from Adam Dixon (28th, 45th minute) to pocket full three points from their opening Pool A encounter at the floodlit Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium.
Chief coach Terry Walsh could not have imagined such a horrible performance from his wards in his first international match with the Indian team.
From the onset, the Indians looked rusty and seemed to run out of ideas when the ball was in their possession.
India's attacks lacked teeth and they hardly troubled the England goal barring the two penalty corners they earned in the opening half.
England, on the other hand, were slow to get off the blocks but gained control of the proceedings and looked threatening as the match progressed. They looked far more promising in their moves.
It took India 14 minutes to get their first scoring chance when they earned two back-to-back penalty corners but dragflick exponents VR Raghunath and Rupinderpal Singh failed to cash in on the opportunities.
India were lucky to not concede the lead in the 17th minute when an England attack came off the post.
After the initial hiccups, England started to find their footing in the match and earned three penalty corners in quick succession.
While Ashley Jackson shot wide from the first set piece, India custodian PR Sreejesh denied England the second penalty corner with his quick reflexes.
But soon after, England earned another penalty corner when Kothajit Singh intentionally brought down David Condon just outside the India circle and Adam Dixon scored with a variation to give his side the lead at the break.
England, ranked fourth in the world, started in same vein in the second half and doubled their lead in the 45th minute when an unmarked Dixon scored from close range from his team's fourth penalty corner.
India secured their third penalty corner in the 46th minute but Birendra Lakra failed to stop the push.
India finally managed to find the back of the opposition net in the 59th minute when Rupinderpal converted their fourth penalty corner but the goal was disallowed after English players went for referral complaining that the pushed ball was not stopped on or beyond the edge of the circle.
It turned out to be a nightmarish outing for India as they continued to struggle throughout the entire 70 minutes.
The scoreline could have been 3-0 in favour of England had it not been for Sreejesh who made a brilliant save to deny the Englishman their fifth penalty corner in the dying minutes of the match.
Meanwhile, in the first Pool A match of the day, favourites Germany walloped New Zealand 6-1 to make a perfect start to their campaign in the eight-nation event.
The Germans scored three goals in either side of the break to pocket full three points from the game. Germany scored three goals from penalty corners while the other three came from field efforts.
Thilo Stralkowski (11th, 44th minute) converted two penalty corners while Florian Fuchs (31st) scored the other goal from the set piece.
The other three German goals came from field efforts from Christopher Wesley (1st), Tobias Hauke (45th) and Philipp Jan Rabente (48th).
New Zealand's lone goal was scored by Kane Russell in the fifth minute.
India will next play New Zealand in a must-win match tomorrow, while England will be up against Germany.
The Times of India
England open campaign with creative win over hosts India
By Rod Gilmour
Starting on the right note: England opened World League campaign with 2-o win in Delhi Photo: ADY KERRY
A brace from Adam Dixon helps England's men to 2-0 win over hosts India in the World League Final in New Delhi as Germany encounter looms
Two penalty corner goals from Adam Dixon handed England a fine opening win in the World League Finals in New Delhi tonight.
On a cold evening in the Indian capital, an inventive England capitalised on a host of errors either side of the break as Bobby Crutchley's side dominated in possession and creativity.
India thought they had pulled a penalty corner goal back with 10 minutes left as Rupinder Singh struck low. But England immediately referred to the video referee after the ball failed to leave the D, summing up India's evening in front of a sparse crowd.
Dixon, a runaway man-of-the-match, said: "There is no better way to start the tournament with a win. I don't score many goals so I'm really happy that I was in the right place at the right time.
After a scrappy opening with few chances, England upped the tempo when Ashley Jackson broke free on the left but opted to go for goal with a reverse stick hit which went wide.
India gained back-to-back penalty corners in the 15th minute but George Pinner saved well before Rupinder Singh struck wide. A minute later Simon Mantell broke free in the box but his push shot came agonisingly off the post.
Continuing to press with some incisive passing, England soon earned their first penalty corner but Jackson, looking for his 50th goal, couldn't convert with the dragflick.
India, though, were gifting mistakes and England punished the hosts with their third penalty corner, a well-worked move ending with Adam Dixon's dragflick.
The Beeston skipper secured his brace soon after the break after a creative penalty corner saw Dixon with plenty of space to fire home.
With England's defence looking solid and Tom Carson playing superbly in midfield, Crutchley's side will go into their second match against Olympic and European champions Germany on Saturday full of confidence.
Moreover, they looked in great physical shape as India chased the game in the closing stages.
Australia, Holland, Belgium and Argentina make up the other group.
The Telegraph
Nick Catlin emerges as rising star as England begin key year with India test at Hockey World League
By Rod Gilmour
Central role: Nick Catlin has emerged as a key figure in England's midfield Photo: ADY KERRY
England men's team begin a packed year with a sub-continent test against India, but with high hopes of finishing the year on a high
They may be in a state of transition, while a World Cup medal this summer could be “a stretch”, but England’s midfield is one area that is looking decidedly world-class in the men's game.
So says national coach Bobby Crutchley, as England’s year starts with a bang today in the World Hockey League Finals – a pool fixture against India and their fanatical locals in New Delhi.
Crutchley started his role last February and takes hold of a side desperate to finish 2014 with a medal, the Commonwealth Games looking the most likely bet. England are ranked world No.4 but Crutchley admits that they are currently playing “a bit below that” with squad changes and retirements after the Olympics.
One player who Crutchley wants to propel onto the world stage is Nick Catlin, the 24 year-old Reading midfielder, who has made seamless progress into the senior ranks alongside fellow midfielders Barry Middleton and Ashley Jackson, two of England’s stars.
“What we need with Nick’s ability is for him to become more recognised, to add to the two or three world-class players we already have,” admitted Crutchley.
“He knows it as I have put that pressure on him. But if we could make the likes of Nick into a world-class player then it has a bearing on the fact we are making great strides.
“He’s a highly intelligent bloke [a first in history and a four-year deferral until after Rio 2016 with a City law firm]. He’s a lively character on the pitch and he plays with his heart on the sleeve. We want to maximise his performances and not let him get carried away with his emotions.”
Crutchley’s comments come on the back of Catlin’s performances at the European Championships last summer, where he was the standout player for England.
“It was great to get recognition from Bob,” said Catlin, who played a season in Belgium after the Olympics before returning to Reading, a club he first joined aged 14.
“I was happy with my performance at the Europeans, but I would have been happy if we had medalled.”
Catlin has clearly adapted to life in the senior ranks and relishes the “challenging” high-standards of training at Bisham Abbey. Alongside another rising prospect in midfield, 21-year-old Harry Martin, Catlin also admits that playing consistently with Middleton and Jackson is a ”highly-exciting prospect”.
“It is a major shock to the system when you jump up from the under-21 side into the senior squad,” he said. “I think I am feeling comfortable now and I am looking to be as influential as possible every time I play.
“I had one good tournament and positive words don’t change me. I know that, on form, I can compete with the best players in the world. But there is no added pressure for me, having players like Ashley and Barry around you as role models is very useful.”
England, also in a group alongside Olympic champions Germany and New Zealand, touched down in Delhi on Monday and Crutchley admits that the World League Finals are “a bit of an unknown.”
“We have had a short amount of games together since the Olympics but our job now is to kick on and improve our ranking,” he said.
“Most teams won’t be looking to peak there, especially the Europeans who are involved in domestic competition. Australia always seem to put out a good performance and India will want to do well. The rest will be a bit undercooked.
“It is not the be all and end all ahead of the World Cup. In reality it might be a bit of a stretch to start thinking of competing for medals there. I certainly think that come the Commonwealth Games we should be very much amongst it.”
The Telegraph
We failed to capitalise on our moments: Walsh
NEW DELHI: India looked completely out of sorts against England in their opening match of the Hero Hockey World League Final but chief coach Terry Walsh said the result of the match could have been different had his wards capitalised on their moments in the game.
India dished out a pathetic performance to lose 0-2 to higher-ranked England in their opening match of the HWL Final at the floodlit Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium on Friday.
"We were relatively close. We had opportunities in the first period to change the match. We actually had moments (in the game) where we could have changed the game," Walsh said.
"In fact, I feel we were able to deliver on a few areas. Our physiology was good but we were not that disciplined on the pitch. But it was a productive first step. This group of players has not played together so there will always be difficulty in understanding," he added.
India captain Sardar Singh said the players need to communicate more in their coming matches.
"We were playing with a new strategy. We made small mistakes so we need to communicate more," he said.
England coach Bobby Cruthley, however, feels his side was by far the better team on display on Friday.
"We were pleased with the way we defended. Overall we created better chances. We wanted to score more but probably it was a fair result," he said.
"I am happy that we could restrict their chances."
The Times of India
13 teams confirmed for Hockey Cup
The tournament will be played at the Ugandan National Hockey Stadium in Lugogo.
By David Namunyala
DEFENDING champions Elsharkayya from Egypt will lead the way at the 26th Africa Cup of Club hockey Championship that starts at Lugogo on Saturday.
Elsharkayya arrived early with compatriots Police for battle in the men’s event.
The Africa Hockey Federation organised event coming to Kampala for the first time, will run for one week.
Uganda has entered Wanainchi and Kampala Club in the men’s event. Kampala Club will also have a team in the women’s category that also has Weatherhead.
Wanainchi and Weatherhead qualified for the competition by virtue of having won the men’s and women’s league titles in 2012.
Kampala Club were runners up in each event of that same season.
Uganda Hockey Association (UHA) picked the teams because there was no league last year following a series of disputes last year.
UHA publicity secretary Jackie Namyalo, said the last foreign team is expected in Kampala tomorrow.
“About 13 teams have already confirmed their participation,” Namyalo said.
Ghana’s Trustees men’s and Twende women’s side from Tanzania were due in the country last evening.
Union Bank Sports Club from Nigeria also expressed interest in the competition.
Other teams expected to fight for glory are Sikh Union and Police (Kenya), Golden Sticks (Ghana) in the men’s category.
In the women’s event, there is Orange, Strathmore (Kenya), Ghana Revenue Authority and Heartland Flickers (Nigeria).
Africa Cup for Clubs Hockey Championship
Women
Heartlands (Nigeria) v Twende (Tz) 11am
Orange (Ken) v Weatherhead (Ug) 3pm
Men
Kenya police (Ken) v Union Bank (Nigeria) 1pm
Trustees (Ghana) v Kampala (Ug) 5pm
New Vision
Kenyan clubs begin chase for top African honours
By Ayumba Ayodi
Andrew Onguko (left) trains with Angela Mayaka at City Park Stadium on January 5, 2014 ahead of Africa Hockey Club Championships. PHOTO | MARTIN MUKANGU
Kenyan teams face a moment of reckoning as the Africa Clubs Hockey Championships get under way on Saturday at the Lugogo Stadium in Kampala, Uganda.
Men’s representatives Nairobi Simba and Kenya Police will be seeking to end Kenya’s 16-year wait for an African trophy while women’s champions Telkom Orange are seeking their ninth Cup success.
Kenya’s other flag bearers in the women’s category, Strathmore University, are also eyeing an improved performance after finishing sixth on their continental debut last year. (READ: Telkom, Strathmore ready for African showdown)
SIMBA TO PLAY POLICE
Nairobi Simba and Kenya Police will face off in the competition that has attracted nine teams from five nations, among them defending champions and 10-time winners Sharkia and five-time champions Police (all from Egypt), Union Bank (Nigeria), Trustees and Golden Sticks (Ghana) and hosts Kampala and Wanaichi.
Orange and Strathmore will face off with former champions Heartland Flickers from Nigeria, Ghana’s Revenue Authority, Weatherhead and Kampala from Uganda and Hockey Club Twende from Tanzania.
It will be Nairobi Simba’s first appearance at the event in two decades, while Kenya Police are returning to the scene after their debut in the 2012 edition in Zambia.
Nairobi Simba claimed silver in the 1990 Casablanca edition before finishing fifth in 1994 where their coach/player, legendary Inderjit “Coolly” Matharu, featured as a centre forward.
Kenya Police claimed bronze on their debut in 2012, but did not feature in the 2011 edition owing to inadequate funds.
The defunct Armed Forces is the only Kenyan side to have won the men’s African title in 1998 when they edged out Sharkia 3-1 in the final held in Namibia. The furthest Kenyan men have reached in the recent past was in 2012 when Strathmore lost to Sharkia 2-4 in the final.
Daily Nation
Thunderbolts zap their juniors in first match
By S. Ramaguru
Olak-PKT player, Marwadi Hanimin (left) dribbles past a few KL Sports School Juniors-MSSSWP players in their Div 2 Group B match which the former won 6-0 on Friday.
KUALA UMPUR: SSTMI Juniors must feel like they’ve been struck by a thunderbolt after being bludgeoned 6-1 by their seniors, and defending champions, SSTMI-Thunderbolt in the opening match of Division One in the MHC-Milo-NSC Malaysia Junior Hockey League (MJHL) at the Taman Daya Stadium in Johor Baru on Friday.
Thunderbolt’s goals were scored by Mohd Aminuddin Mohd Zain (13th, 31st), Mohd Amirol Aideed Md Arshad (23rd), Mohd Sufi Ismat (37th), Nik Mohd Aiman Nik Rozemi (39th) and Azril Misron (59th) while SSTMI Juniors got their lone reply through Raja Mohd Izzat Raja Hussin in the 58th minute.
“I’m happy with our overall performance ... but we could have scored more if only our players had more composure in front of goal,” said Thunderbolt coach Wan Mohd Roslan Wan Abdul Rahman.
“Our juniors are a decent side ... whoever takes the game lightly, will pay the price. This was our first game, so there was bound to be some areas for us to work on ... but I am not overly concerned.”
Over at the KL Hockey Stadium in Jalan Pantai, the Division Two matches got off on a controversial note when the Kuala Lumpur Hockey Association (KLHA) did not allow the A-Boards for the title sponsors to be put up.
The Milo boards were conspicuously missing as KLHA, the administrators of the stadium, told the Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) that they needed to seek approval from KL City Hall before they could allow the A-Boards to be put up.
MHC competitions executive Hashim Mohd Yusof said they would sort out the mess next week.
“We will play the matches scheduled this weekend without the boards and will try to seek (City Hall’s) approval on Monday, failing which we will move the matches to the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil,” he said.
On the pitch though, there was plenty of action – with nine matches taking place.
Olak-PKT enjoyed a great start, thrashing KL Sports School Juniors-MSSSWP 6-0.
It, however, took Olak 20 minutes to the floodgates through Mohd Noor Khairul Azri Adnan. Further goals by Mohd Syabariq Shamsuri (32nd), Norhafizi Aris (33rd), Marwadi Hanimin (40th), Noor Khairul (45th) and Maxhana Christi (52nd) completed the rout.
The Star of Malaysia
Anderson's title bid hinge on four tough openers
By S. Ramaguru
KUALA LUMPUR: The first four matches are likely to define Anderson’s season in the MHC-Milo-NSC Malaysia Junior Hockey League (MJHL).
The Perak outfit will travel south to take on Malacca High School in their first Division One match on Saturday before facing a tricky tie against Petaling Jaya Municipal Council (MBPJ) here on Sunday.
Then next week, Anderson will be up against the two sports schools – SSTMI-Thunderbolt and SSTMI Juniors - in Ipoh.
“Actually, our title chances will be made clear by this weekend,” said Anderson coach Mohd Nizam Mohd Badrul.
“These two – Malacca High School and MBPJ – are tough teams. But we have to get past them to make sure we stay in the title mix.”
Nizam admitted that playing the two sports school would be a tricky affair.
“In fact, it was our matches against them that cost us in the title run-in last year,” he said.
“We had beaten SSTMI-Thunderbolt 1-0 and were eyeing a clear run for the league title. Then, we came up against SSTMI Juniors and were well beaten. SSTMI-Thunderbolt then recovered to lift the league title again.
“That was a big disappointment for us. We must learn from that defeat and make sure we do not falter again. I believe that since we have been together for three years, the team will be more matured and able to play much better.”
Anderson will play their fifth match on Jan 25 against KLSS-KLHC and then have a three-week break before their final Division One fixture against Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL) on Feb 16.
Nizam resisted taking a dig at the poor scheduling but said that they would use the three-week break to prepare for the knockout stage “as we are eyeing a top-four finish”.
“Only the top four teams will make the cut for the knockout stage and we hope to be one of the teams,” said Nizam.
The Star of Malaysia
I am excited to play against Yuvraj says younger brother Devraj Walmiki
Tazeen Qureshy
Mumbai lad Devaraj Walmiki is in Bhubaneswar these days, practicing hard day and night for the upcoming Hockey India League. Representing debut team Kalinga Lancers in the second season of Hockey India League (HIL), the young player will have to shoulder major responsibility for his franchisee.
Chatting after the team’s first practice session at Kalinga Stadium, he shares his view on HIL and playing against his elder brother Yuvraj Walmiki.
You debut in the HIL along with your team Kalinga Lancers in the second edition of HIL. What are your impressions about the team?
I am very happy to be part of the Hockey India League. Kalinga Lancers is the 6th team in the league. It is good to be a part of it. Our first match is on 28th and we have begun preparations for it. Hopefully we will perform well.
Your elder brother Yuvraj Walmiki is a part of the Delhi Waveriders team. He even played for them last year. Did you not prefer playing for the Delhi team alongside your brother?
Getting into teams depends entirely upon auction. Of course, it would have been a matter of pride to play alongside my brother. But, it has nothing to do on field. I am in the Kalinga team and my focus is only on it.
You have been training with the junior team for sometime now, but you couldn’t make it to the Junior World Cup held in December. Do you think HIL might be an advantage for you to re-enter the team?
It will be a huge advantage. Playing against the top players and the world stars will be a good lesson for me. Also, Terry Walsh, the national team coach will be training us. It is a great feeling to play under his guidance.
Indian team will be facing England in a few hours from now in the World Hockey League. Yuvraj is in the team after a long time.
I am excited about Yuvraj making it in the team after long. He is back because of his hard work. We all are happy. I wish the team all the best for their match.
When Kalinga Lancers meet Delhi Waveriders, is it going to be a KL vs DW or Devendar vs Yuvraj?
For me it will be Kalinga vs Delhi. Hockey is a team game. I am quite excited to play against him and we will beat them. (smiles)
Stick2Hockey.com
US Womens National Team to train in Chula Vista for first weeks of 2014
U.S. Women’s National Team will relocate to Chula Vista, Cali. from the second week in January as they look for a warm weather training base in the continued build up to the Champions Challenge and World Cup which will take place later in 2014. The U.S. will be joined in California at the beginning of February by the international squads of Great Britain and New Zealand. The six week training block for Team USA will be capped with a series of matches against both teams with each of the three nations intending to play seven test matches. Great Britain is currently World Ranked No. 3 and New Zealand holds the No. 5 position. These two top seeds will provide stern opposition and valuable international test time for U.S. Head Coach Craig Parnham’s developing group of athletes.
Earlier in the year, USA Field Hockey had planned for a 4 Nations Tournament in February at the Home of Hockey in Lancaster, Pa., however, because of tremendous winter weather conditions on the East Coast the field production timeline had to be readjusted. The Women’s National Team will compete in the Champions Challenge in Glasgow, Scotland from April 27th – May 4th. Later the same month Team USA will compete in 13th edition of the Women’s Hockey World Cup in The Hague, Netherlands from May 31st – June 14th. The U.S. has been placed in World Cup Pool B with Argentina, England, Germany, China and South Africa.
Full information for all matches involving USA, Great Britain and New Zealand in California to take place in February 2014 will be made available at www.usafieldhockey.com
USFHA media release
US Mens Indoor Tournament Wrap Up
The US Men’s National Indoor Squad competed during the weekend at the Der Pokal der Messestadt in Leipzig, Germany. The young squad played against several experienced German club teams and as such the tournament served as a strong, but challenging learning experience on their journey of preparation leading up to the Pan American Indoor Cup.
Upon arrival Team USA played a scrimmage against a local German team. The test match was a good opportunity to practice game strategies and get on their feet after several hours of travel.
Team USA kicked off the tournament on Saturday playing three challenging opponents in 40 minute games without half-time breaks. The first game of the day came against Zehlendorfer Wespen of Berlin, the eventual tournament champion. The game was very back and forth, but Zehlendorfer Wespen’s indoor experience prevailed, resulting in a 1-5 loss for Team USA.
Team USA battled their next opponet Osternienburger HC, a German All-Star team that finished third in the tournament. Starting off strong, the game was tied at two-a-piece for the first 25 minutes of the match. In an attempt to generate more of an offensive attack, Team USA pulled the goal keeper and Osternienburger HC managed to repeatedly capitalize on an empty cage. The final score was 14-2 in favor of the German All-Star team.
The final game of the day came against MHV-Auswahl. After a well-played and evenly matched first 15 minutes, MHV-Auswahl pulled out ahead and was a worthy winner by 11-3.
After a night’s rest, Team USA took on ATV Leipzig 1845 for its first game of the day on Sunday. Team USA struck first, followed by ATV Leipzig 1845 taking the lead at 4-1. Team USA fought back to score three unanswered goals and even the game at four-a-piece. ATV Leipzig 1845 netted a goal with two minutes remaining, at which point Team USA pulled the goal keeper in an attempt to even the score. The match ended 6-4 in favor of ATV Leipzig 1845. Despite tournament results, Team USA showed improved growth and development over the course of the matches.
“What is particularly encouraging is the number of strong young players that we managed to expose to the indoor game,” said Head Indoor Coach Andrew Thornton. “Hopefully the players will take a lot from this weekend as we build toward the Pan Am Cup in April and future indoor tournaments.”
USFHA media release
Regional Identification Camp focuses on the "Next Generation"
Canada's Women’s National Program continued the exciting process of identifying potential national team athletes building to the 2016 Junior World Cup and beyond to the 2020 Olympic Games.
An identification camp was held over the holiday break from December 27 to 30 in Guelph, Ontario and focused on junior athletes primarily from Eastern Canada. The 27 athletes at camp represented Ontario, Prince Edward Island and Manitoba. This opportunity was one of two Regional ID Camps planned for across the country, with the second to be held in Vancouver, BC in May 2014, focusing on athletes from Western Canada. All athletes attending will be competing for invitations to a national camp to be held in Vancouver in August 2014.
The Program was lead by WNT Assistant Coach, Robin D’Abreo, who was impressed with the talent on show.
“The opportunity to see our athletes first hand is always invaluable.” stated D’Abreo, who will lead the Junior Program. “I’m excited about the potential of these players and, given a dedication to quality time on task, what they are capable of accomplishing on the international stage. The group is beginning to understand the significance of the opportunity that lies in front of them and the commitment it will take to earn the privilege of one day being called an Olympian.”
Ian Rutledge, Women’s Head Coach and Program Director commented “The East Camp is an important opportunity to continue the identification and development of our next generation of players who have an exciting program ahead of them over the next few years.”
Field Hockey Canada media release