News for 14 April 2016
All the news for Thursday 14 April 2016
Kiwis keep final hopes alive
New Zealand kept their hopes of defending the title alive with a hard fought 2-1 win over India.
The win gives the Kiwis 11 points having completed their pool matches.
India can pip them if they beat hosts Malaysia on Friday.
But Malaysia too can revive their chances depending on the game against Pakistan later tonight.
New Zealand needed to win to keep their hopes alive to play in the final while India could afford a defeat as they still have a match remaining against Malaysia on Friday.
The humid conditions took its toll on the players as it was not free flowing hockey as displayed by these two teams in earlier matches.
New Zealand took the lead in the 28th minute as Kane Russel converted a penalty corner.
It was a welcome relief for the Kiwis to score from the penalty corner as their conversion rate prior to this match was only 6 goals from 36 penalty corners.
Though India tried, they failed to string a decent attack
India found the equaliser in the 36th minute as Mandeep Singh deselect a shot past Kyle Pontifex in the Kiwi goal.
But Nick Wilson was on target in the 41st minute to regain the lead for New Zealand.
India had a chance to go on level terms when they were awarded a penalty corner in the 47th minute. But Pontifex denied Rupinderpal with a superb save.
Another penalty corner was wasted by Hermanpreet Singh and India will have to defeat Malaysia to make the final.
Unofficial Sultan Azlan Shah Cup site
Aussies ease into final
Australia kept their winning run going as they defeated Japan 3-1.
It was a workmanlike performance from the Aussies who had booked a place in Saturday's final with two matches to spare.
The opening 15 minutes saw the Aussies trying to prise open the tight Japanese defence but to no avail.
But in the 17th minute Jamie Dwyer showed why he is still needed by the Aussies as the 37 year old sent in a reverse stick hit that sailed sweetly into goal.
Blake Govers doubled the advantage seconds before the halftime hooter.
Dwyer was on target again in the 36th minute to make it 3-0.
Japan reduced the deficit a minute later as Kentaro Fukuda deflect a penalty corner attempt into goal to make it 3-1.
Despite the easy win, Australia will be scratching their heads and wonder how to improve their penalty corner conversions as they only managed a single goal from the ten attempts against Japan.
Unofficial Sultan Azlan Shah Cup site
Malaysia win but play poorly
Malaysia edged Pakistan 1-0 to set the stage for a battle Royale against India on Friday.
The hosts needed the three points to assure themselves of playing in at least the bronze medal match.
But although they won, the performance was poor to say the least as the team lacked imagination and made errors that were schoolboy of nature.
Malaysia took the lead in the 4th through captain Razie Rahim who converted the first penalty corner.
Though Malaysia had another penalty corner late in second quarter but Shahril Saabah failed to make it count.
Pakistan should have equalised in the 34th minute when Ajaz Ahmad had only keeper Hairi Rahman to beat but failed to score.
And Pakistan then muffed two penalty corners as Malaysia weathered the Pakistans onslaught.
Unofficial Sultan Azlan Shah Cup site
Australia defeat Japan at Azlan Shah
The Kookaburras take their fifth win of the series
Holly MacNeil
It was 50 caps for Australian Jeremy Hayward in the Kookaburras clash against Japan tonight at the 2016 Azlan Shah Cup in Ipoh, Malaysia.
It was a slow start to the game, with Japan keeping their defence tight against the Kookaburras, and no goals scored by either team in the first quarter.
Two minutes into the second quarter and Jamie Dwyer managed to dribble past three Japanese defenders to make a reverse stick, scoring the first goal of the match and getting Australia on the scoreboard.
Right at the 30 minute mark and Blake Govers increased Australia’s lead by slotting a penalty corner in past the Japan defence.
After the Kookaburras missed three penalty corners in close succession at the beginning of the third quarter, Jamie Dwyer turned things around by scoring a field goal, and extending Australia’s lead to 3 – 0.
Japan took their chance to fight back, forcing a penalty corner with a flick from Shota Yamada steered past goalkeeper Andrew Charter and into the net by Kentaro Fukuda.
Japan fought hard in the final quarter of the match, successfully defending five chances at penalty corners from the Kookaburras.
Kookaburra’s Head Coach, Graham Reid said: “It was a disappointing game. We talk about testing ourselves against ourselves, and tonight we had patches which were OK and we held our structure, and parts where we were below par.
“We have the match against Canada coming up on Friday, so we need to pick ourselves up as a build towards Rio.”
The Kookaburras next play Canada on Friday at 6.05pm AWST / 8.05pm AEST.
KOOKABURRAS 3 (2)
Jamie Dwyer 17, 36 (FG, FG)
Blake Govers 30 (PC)
JAPAN 1 (1)
Kentaro Fukuda 37 (PC)
Results & Fixtures, today
NZL 2 – 1 IND
AUS 3 – 1 JPN
PAK 1 - 0 MAS
Kookaburras’ squad v Japan
Started
Andrew Charter (Canberra, ACT) 107/0
Matthew Dawson (Killarney Vale, NSW) 37/6
Jamie Dwyer (Rockhampton, QLD) 356/238
Blake Govers (Wollongong, NSW) 22/19
Fergus Kavanagh (Gerladton, WA) 221/15
Mark Knowles (Rockhampton, QLD) 280/22
Flynn Ogilvie (Wollongong, NSW) 24/10
Simon Orchard (Maitland, NSW) 192/55
Matthew Swann (Mackay, QLD) 131/6
Tristan White (Wollongong, NSW) 71/3
Aran Zalewski (Margaret River, WA) 82/10
Used Substitute
Chris Ciriello (Melbourne, VIC) 182/114
Tom Craig (Lane Cove, NSW) 21/17
Matthew Gohdes (Rockhampton, QLD) 148/48
Jeremy Hayward (Darwin, NT) 50/17
Eddie Ockenden (Hobart, TAS) 267/64
Unused Substitute
Tyler Lovell (Perth, WA) 62/0
Jacob Whetton (Brisbane, QLD) 102/44
Kookaburras’ fixtures
Friday 15 April – Kookaburras vs Canada - 6.05pm AWST / 8.05pm AEST
Saturday 16 April - TBC
Hockey Australia media release
Black Sticks beat India to keep hopes alive
Kane Russell in control. Photo: Megat Firdaus
The Black Sticks Men have beaten India 2-1 to keep their hopes of making the final alive at the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in Malaysia.
New Zealand came into their last game of round robin facing a must-win against the world number seven ranked side, and delivered just what was required.
Kane Russell opened the scoring for the Black Sticks with a penalty corner flick just before halftime while Nick Wilson delivered the game winning field goal in the 41st minute.
The result sees the Kiwis leapfrog India into second place on the tournament standings, as they now sit back and hope for India to either lose or draw their final match against hosts Malaysia on Friday.
If Malaysia win their final two games against India and Pakistan, they are also still a mathematical chance of sneaking into the final against Australia, who sit top of the table with two games still in hand.
Head coach Colin Batch said it was pleasing to put together a solid performance in a game played under blistering 37 degree heat.
“Today was probably the hottest it’s been, and certainly worse than our game yesterday and that shows a lot about our conditioning and being able to cope in very draining conditions,” he said.
“We got the result we needed, so now the pressure goes on the other teams who still have games to play in the race to the final.
“It was nice to play from a goal in front and our ball possession and defence was good enough to play out those final 15 minutes.”
Both sides battled under tough conditions with the heat in first half while scoring chances proved few and far between.
The Black Sticks capitalised on their first penalty corner of the match in the 28th minute when Russell’s strong flick picked up a touch from a defender’s stick and crashed into the goal.
Six minutes into the third quarter India found an equalising goal after Mandeep Singh deflected a hard pass past goalkeeper Kyle Pontifex.
But the Black Sticks fought back and took the lead once more in the 41st minute when a loose ball fell for Wilson who smashed the ball home from close range.
With a bye on the final day of round robin, New Zealand face a three day layoff with other results set to dictate whether they will contest the final or bronze medal match.
BLACK STICKS 2: (Kane Russell, Nick Wilson)
INDIA 1: (Mandeep Singh)
Halftime: Black Sticks 1-0
Hockey New Zealand Media release
Impossible eight...possible bronze
by Jugjet Singh
TO PLAY in the final of the Azlan Shah Cup, Malaysia must beat India by an eight-goal margin in Ipoh Friday.
Its an impossible task for coach Stephen van Huizen's charges, as the last meeting between the two teams in the World League Semifinals in Antwerp, saw India winning 3-2 in the quarter-finals to shut Malaysia out of the Rio de Janeiro Olympics.
However, for India to pip defending champions New Zealand into the final, they only need a win against Malaysia.
"It's almost impossible to play in the final, but we need to win this match against India, and then play them again in the bronze medal match," concurred van Huizen.
A draw will see New Zealand play a repeat final against Australia.
"Like I said before, the Azlan Shah Cup is our first step towards team-rebuilding. The Antwerp 'disaster' has placed us about five years behind other teams and it is pertinent that we start rebuilding in Ipoh for the World League challenge," said van Huizen.
Malaysia only lost one match in Ipoh, 5-1 against Australia, but that too was a close match and the World No 1 only broke free when they went on a three-goal blitzkrieg inside three minutes.
The two draws, 3-3 against New Zealand and 2-2 against Canada, dented Malaysia's hopes of playing in the final.
"Both the draws and defeat were against teams who are preparing for the Olympics and even though we should have collected full points aganst Canada, mistakes crept into the our late game.
"We can't afford this against India tomorrow (today)," said van Huizen.
However, the statistics change for Malaysia if Canada beat Australia in the earlier match, and the hosts lose to India, which will force the national team to play in the fifth-sixth classification.
Razie Rahim is the top-scorer of the fournament with five goals, and Malaysia's penalty corner battery might just be the secret to beat India today.
For the record, Malaysia and India have played 20 matches in 25 editions of the Azlan Shah Cup and India won 13, lost three and drew four.
STANDINGS
P W D L F A Pts
AUSTRALIA 5 5 0 0 18 3 15
N ZEALAND 6 3 2 1 15 10 11
INDIA 5 3 0 2 12 10 9
MALAYSIA 5 2 2 1 11 13 8
CANADA 5 1 2 2 8 10 5
PAKISTAN 5 1 0 4 7 16 3
JAPAN 5 0 0 5 7 16 0
April 14: REST DAY.
April 15: Japan v Pakistan (4pm), Australia v Canada (6pm), Malaysia v India (8.35pm).
April 16: Classifications and Final.
Jugjet's World of Field Hockey
Fitness 1 Pakistan 0
by Jugjet Singh
FITNESS helped Malaysia beat Pakistan 1-0 to keep their hopes of a medal finish alive in the 25th Edition of the Azlan Shah Cup in Ipoh yesterday.
Armed with a single goal scored in the fourth minute, Malaysia stopped every trick the Pakistan team threw at them to have a better chance of playing for the bronze medal.
Malaysia took an early lead off their first penalty corner in the fourth minute, but bungled many sitters after that.
It was Razie Rahim's drive that gave Malaysia some breathing space until the half-time hooter.
Pakistan's best chance to equalise came in the 33rd minute when Ajaz Ahmad found himself alone with goalkeeper Hairi Rahman after a break-away 20 meter sprint.
However, Hairi saved the first attempt, and a follow on attempt from Ajaz to deny Pakistan the equaliser.
Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) technical director Terry Walsh said the national team have completed their Phase One of training, and fitness is now at a higher level.
"As you can see in all the matches so far, the Malaysian team has been playing on high gear and fitness is no longer a problem. This is the first step towards preparing the team for the World League (which is a World Cup qualifier)," said Walsh who is down in Ipoh.
Walsh also feels that even though Malaysia have their own style of play, 'it has not been effective in recent tournaments'.
"The Malaysian style of playing has its own good and bad points, and the next step will be to keep the good and work on eliminating the bad points which have been hindering progress. This will take time, and I believe if we work hard for the next two years there will be results.
"But for comprehensive results, it will take at least 10 years to work from the bottom to the top. This is because the base (youth) is still the weakest point.
"We need to have a strong base, and this will take at least a decade," said Walsh.
STANDINGS
P W D L F A Pts
AUSTRALIA 5 5 0 0 18 3 15
N ZEALAND 6 3 2 1 15 10 11
INDIA 5 3 0 2 12 10 9
MALAYSIA 5 2 2 1 11 13 8
CANADA 5 1 2 2 8 10 5
PAKISTAN 5 1 0 4 7 16 3
JAPAN 5 0 0 5 7 16 0
RESULTS: New Zealand 2 India 1, Australia 3 Japan 1, Malaysia 1 Pakistan 0.
April 14: REST DAY.
April 15: Japan v Pakistan (4pm), Australia v Canada (6pm), Malaysia v India (8.35pm).
April 16: Classifications and Final.
Jugjet's World of Field Hockey
New Zealand beats India but final spot in Azlan Shah Cup not assured yet
India’s Manpreet Singh tries to get past New Zealand’s Arun Panchia during the Azlan Shah Cup in Ipoh. – SAIFUL BAHRI/The Star
IPOH: Defending champions New Zealand completed their Sultan Azlan Shah Cup fixtures by beating India 2-1 – but they are still not assured of a place in the final yet.
The Kiwis will have to wait for the outcome of India’s match against Malaysia on Friday to know their fate.
If India beat Malaysia, then India will meet Australia in the final.
In Wednesday’s match at the Azlan Shah Stadium, the first-half was a cagey affair, with both New Zealand and India struggling to cope with the searing heat.
It took the Black Sticks, as New Zealand are known, 28 minutes to break the deadlock, when Kane Russell’s penalty corner drive was deflected off the stick of Manpreet Singh past goalkeeper Harjot Singh.
India hit back in the 36th minute via another deflection. This time, Talwinder Singh’s shot inside the box was deflected into goal by Mandeep Singh for the equaliser.
Nick Wilson got the winning goal for the Kiwis when he capitalised on a defensive mix-up in India’s box in the 41st minute.
New Zealand coach Colin Batch was happy with his team’s game management and possession.
“In international hockey, possession is important. We allowed them to come back in the third quarter, but we bounced back,” he said.
“Today was a little bit hotter compared to our last match. You can feel that on the ground.”
India coach Roelant Oltmans praised New Zealand for being able to get good results despite playing under searing conditions.
“Respect for New Zealand. They played three consecutive early matches,” he said.
“I’m disappointed with the result, but we had our chances. It was nice to beat Pakistan on Tuesday, but this defeat does not mean that the tournament is over.”
In another match, Australia continued their sterling form in the tournament when they beat bottom-placed Japan 3-1.
Australia got their goals through veteran Jamie Dwyer (17th and 36th minutes) and Blacke Govers (30th) while Japan replied through Kentaro Fukuda (37th).
The Star of Malaysia
Malaysia beat Pakistan at Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in Ipoh
by S.Ramaguru
Malaysia's Razie Rahim (partly hidden) being congratulated by his team mates after scoring the first goal for Malaysia during their Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in Ipoh. SAIFUL BAHRI/The Star
IPOH: Malaysia scored an early goal and then lived dangerously for long periods before edging Pakistan 1-0 in their Sultan Azlan Shah Cup match at the Azlan Shah Stadium.
Skipper Mohd Razie Rahim scored the only goal with a direct flick off their first penalty corner attempt in the third minute.
Mathematically, the Malaysians can still make the final. But, judging by their performance, that’ll be a tall order, indeed.
They have to beat India in their last match on Friday – and by a big margin as well.
For now, a top-four finish is the best they can look at.
The perennial problem of sloppy defending continues to plague Malaysian hockey and never seems to go away.
The last quarter was littered with mistakes and it’s hard to fathom how Pakistan failed to get a goal or two.
Malaysian goalkeeper Hairi Abdul Rahman must take the credit for keeping Pakistan at bay.
The last time Malaysia defeated Pakistan was in the World Hockey League Semi-Final (3-1) in 2013 in Johor Baru.
Only some timely interventions by Hairi and poor finishing by the Pakistanis kept the Malaysia ahead.
The last five minutes was an agonising period for the Malaysians as the Pakistanis launched wave after wave of attacks.
“We played well in patches,” said national coach Stephen van Huizen. “We scored from one penalty corner and maintained the lead.”
He also played down Malaysia’s chances of making the final as “we have to beat India by a huge margin”.
“Let’s just go out and play a good game against India,” he said.
The Star of Malaysia
Black Sticks men edge India to stay in final contention at Sultan Azlan Shah Cup
Clay Wilson
Kane Russell scored the first of the Black Sticks two goals in their win over India at the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup. PHOTOSPORT
The Black Sticks hockey men are in contention to make the final at the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup after a scrappy 2-1 over India in their final pool match.
A Nick Wilson strike late in the third quarter got world No. 8 New Zealand the three points they required in sweltering 37 degree conditions in Ipoh, Malaysia on Wednesday.
Drag-flick exponent Kane Russell had opened the scoring at the Kiwis first penalty corner just before halftime, before the team's were level again when Mandeep Singh put one in six minutes after the break.
Defending champions at the annual tournament, New Zealand's hopes of reaching the title decider against world No. 1 Australia now rest on the seventh-ranked Indians being held to a draw or beaten by hosts Malaysia early on Saturday morning [12.35am NZ time].
After a lacklustre first quarter where possession was evenly shared and neither side looked like creating any clear-cut chances, the tempo of the match lifted in the second stanza.
India won the game's first penalty corner in the 20th minute and Ramandeep Singh's flick was saved by the stick of Black Sticks goalkeeper Devon Manchester.
Eight minutes later New Zealand's set-piece battery was more successful, Russell's low flick clipping the first runner and leaving wrong-footed Indian stopper Harjot Singh with no chance.
Hugo Inglis very nearly doubled the Kiwis' lead early in the third quarter when his diving deflection went wide and not long after later India were back on level terms, the Black Sticks made to pay for losing the ball coming out of defence when Talwinder Singh's shot from the top of the circle was tipped in by a jumping Mandeep.
But it was only another five minutes before New Zealand restored their advantage on the scoreboard, some good build-up play from James Coughlan and Inglis eventually seeing the ball fall to an unmarked Wilson to slam in from close range.
India won two penalty corners in the final quarter as they pressed for an equaliser, but Nic Woods deflected the first one wide on the line and Harmanpreet Singh was wide with the second attempt.
The Black Sticks also created a couple of good chances in the dying stages as they held on to record the same result from the corresponding fixture at this tournament last year.
NZ 2 (Kane Russell 28 (PC), Nick Wilson 41) India 1 (Mandeep Singh 36). Q1: 0-0. Q2: 1-0. Q3: 2-1.
Stuff
Greenshirts succumb to yet another defeat
By Nabil Tahir
Malaysia skipper Rahim scored the only goal of the match as Pakistan succumbed to fourth successive defeat in tournament. PHOTO COURTESY: MALAYSIAN HOCKEY CONFEDERATION
KARACHI: Pakistan hockey team’s nightmare at the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup continued after hosts Malaysia sentenced the Greenshirts to their fourth successive defeat following a 1-0 win at the Azlan Shah Stadium in Ipoh, Malaysia yesterday.
With the loss, any hopes that Pakistan had of finishing with a medal in the tournament evaporated as they now lie sixth in the seven-team tournament with only one win.
Head coach Mohammad Khawaja Junaid rued the team’s missed chances and the inability of the side to handle the pressure. “We had many chances to score during the match but the players were not able to finish, which cost us dearly,” Junaid told The Express Tribune. “We knew that this match was crucial, but we were not able to handle the pressure the hosts applied.”
Malaysia attacked from the word go and were duly rewarded when in the third minute of the game, a quick attack forced Pakistan to concede a penalty corner, which Malaysia skipper Razie Rahim successfully converted.
Following the goal, Pakistan tightened their game and tried to take the attack to their opponents but failed to score despite many attempts in the opposition area.
The aggressive strategy allowed Malaysia to counter, who were awarded two penalty corners in the second and third quarter but, fortunately for Pakistan, failed to convert.
Goalkeeper Butt, meanwhile, blamed his defenders for losing concentration on the penalty corner they conceded from. “The goal we conceded could have been stopped if the defenders put in a little more effort,” Butt told The Express Tribune. “We could have easily scored as well, but I don’t know what happened.”
In other matches, Australia defeated Japan 3-1, while India lost to New Zealand 2-1.
Pakistan will now play their last league match against Japan tomorrow, while Australia will face Canada and hosts Malaysia will take on India.
The Express Tribune
Profligate Pakistan go down to Malaysia, fall out of top-four race
IPOH: Pakistan were made to pay for their missed chances as their hopes of a top-four finish in the round-robin stage and a subsequent bronze medal match at the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup fizzled out following a 1-0 defeat to Malaysia on Wednesday.
The defeat left Pakistan in sixth place on three points from five games, five behind the hosts who occupy fourth spot ahead of their final match against India.
India are third, a point ahead of Malaysia, after they fell to a 2-1 loss against defending champions New Zealand earlier in the day.
New Zealand have played all their six matches and lie second in the table with 11 points, four behind Australia who maintained their perfect record with a 3-1 win over Japan.
While Australia have sealed top spot and a berth in the final, the second spot is up for grabs with New Zealand facing a nervous wait till the last round of matches with India facing Malaysia on Friday.
While India can finish second with a win against the hosts, Malaysia can also qualify for the final with a big win against Sardar Singh’s men.
Malaysia coach Stephen van Huizen, though, was coy about his side’s chances of reaching the final.
“We have to beat India by a huge margin but we should rather concentrate on playing a good game,” he said after the win against Pakistan with his side still in danger of losing fourth place if they lose to India and fifth-placed Canada (five points) beat Australia on the same day.
While the two teams automatically qualify for the final, the third and fourth ranked teams play the bronze medal match after the conclusion of the round-robin competition.
After skipper Mohd Razie Rahim scored the only goal with a direct flick off their first penalty corner attempt in the third minute, Malaysia lived dangerously and hung on dearly to their lead as Pakistan squandered half a dozen chances in the last quarter.
Laying seize on the Malaysian circle in the last 10 minutes, Pakistan could have benefitted from a few defensive errors, but the home team managed to weather out the storm.
Rahim’s mistake in clearing the ball from inside the circle in the 51th minute could have cost Malaysia dear, but he made a desperate lunge to defend and suffered a painful blow on his hand.
Down to 10 players when Izad Jamaluddin was sent off for a deliberate foul, Malaysia should have tried to slow down the game, but they chose to go out looking for another goal and seemed to have played into Pakistan’s hands.
Pakistan, however, failed to capitalise and they will hope for a consolation win against winless Japan on Friday.
Earlier, Australia rode on a double by Jamie Dwyer to overcome Japan while goals from Ken Russell (28th minute) and Nick Wilson (41st) clinched victory for New Zealand against India, whose only goal came from Mandeep Singh in the 36th minute.
Dawn
Poor finishing results in 1-0 defeat for Pakistan against Malaysia
Pakistan suffered their fourth straight defeat at the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup as hosts Malaysia edged off to a 1-0 win over Mohammad Imran’s side on Wednesday.
Malaysia skipper Mohammad Razie Rahim converted a penalty corner on the third minute which proved enough for them.
Later their goalkeeper Hairi Abdul Rahman saved the day for them as Pakistan continuously launched attacks but lacked composure in front of the goal.
Pakistan’s last loss against Malaysia before Wednesday’s defeat came in 2013 at the World Hockey League semi-final.
A day earlier India handed Pakistan a 5-1 defeat and dent their prospects of a podium finish in the tournament.
For Pakistan, the opponents changed but the result was as damning as their previous two losses where they were outdone 4-0 and 5-3 by Australia and New Zealand respectively.
Pakistan are currently placed at the 6th spot on the table and with one more game to play against Japan, they need a dramatic turnaround to ensure a 3rd-4th place bronze medal playoff.
Dawn
Pakistan lose to Malaysia too
IPOH - Malaysia made heavy weather of their crucial tie against Pakistan in the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup hockey tournament in Ipoh. They weathered a torrid last quarter to defend a 3rd minute goal from skipper Razie Rahim. While Malaysia are still mathematically in with a chance of making the final, it looks highly unlikely with the results tonight.
Malaysia will now need to beat India by a massive eight goal margin to make it to the final. India can book their place in the final with a simple win over Malaysia on Thursday. Malaysian coach said that Malaysia does not stand a chance to qualify for the final, even if they beat India on Friday, because of the huge goal difference. “Let’s just play a good game against India,” he added. A draw in that match will see New Zealand qualifying for the finals against Australia.
Even if Malaysia fail in the match against India, they are likely to qualify for at least the third placing match. Their closest rival Canada, are not expected to beat the Aussies in their last preliminary match.
The 1-0 win over Pakistan was Malaysia’s first since the 2013 World League semi-finals in Johor Bahru. Stephan added that the team showed determination to deny Pakistan from scoring an equaliser “At times, there were good plays and bad plays. We scored one penalty corner and maintained the lead,” he said.
Malaysia started off on an impressive note when they took the lead in the third minute of the game. In their first circle penetration, the hosts managed to force an infringement inside the D and earn their first penalty corner.
Skipper Razie Rahim was unchallenged as the Pakistani runners were slow to react. Razie had all the time to slam the ball pass a hapless Imran Butt for his fifth goal of the tournament. Both sides were creating the chances to score but were let down either by their poor finishing or being foiled by the defenders on either end.
Pakistan’s Ahmad Ajaz was given a glorious chance to put his side level in the 33rd minute. He was put through by Mehmood Rashid into the D. With only Malaysian keeper Hairi Abd Rahman to beat, the Pakistani forward bungled his two attempts.
Both sides were also unable to make the penalty corners awarded to them count. Pakistan failed to convert two of their attempts while Malaysia their third in the quarter. The final quarter was all Pakistan. Their players were running themselves down in search of an equaliser. The reigning SAF Games champions were unlucky not to have salvaged at least a draw.
They were presented with numerous chances with the Malaysian defence in tatters but just could not find a way past Hair Abdul Rahman. Hairi was picked as the Man of the Match for playing a sterling role in keeping Malaysia in the game. “We were determined on winning the match and am glad that I played a part in the win. We told ourselves one day before the match that we must beat Pakistan.”
Hairi, 26, who only won his second cap today said he hopes to be fielded against India as first choice keeper Hafizuddin Othman is down with high fever.
Japan restricted favourites Australia to a 3-1 win in their preliminary round match. With Australia having already qualified and Japan occupying the bottom of the table, this match had no bearing on the tournament progress. Australia chose to rest several key players in the starting line-up, and were up against a defensive Japanese outfit.
It took time plenty of probing before being able to prise open the Japanese defence. “We wanted to keep our structure and maintain our formation against them. It was not about scoring but creating the space according to our game plan,” said Australian coach Graham Reid.
Defending champion New Zealand eked out a 2-1 win over India to keep their slim final chances alive. India, whose last appearance in the final was in 2010, can make the final if they beat hosts Malaysia in their final group match on Friday. India had shared the title with Korea in 2010 after the final match was rained out.
New Zealand’s coach Colin Batch said that they had managed their game well today and keeping possession was the key in today’s match. “In international hockey, possession is important. We allowed them to come back in the third quarter but we bounced back. Today was a little bit hotter compared to our last match on Tuesday. You can feel that on the ground,” he commented. But Batch knows that it is going to be a 48 hours of waiting to see whether they can qualify for the final.
“We have completed our games and now it is a wait and see to know our fate in the classification matches. It is not in our hands anymore. But the two days break will allow us to get ready for the match on Saturday,” he added.
STANDINGS
Pos Team Played w D L Points
1 Australia 5 5 0 0 15
2 New Zealand 6 3 2 1 11
3 India 5 3 0 2 9
4 Malaysia 5 2 2 1 8
5 Canada 5 1 2 2 5
6 Pakistan 5 1 0 4 3
7 Japan 5 0 0 5 0
Results
Malaysia 1-0 Pakistan
Australia 3-1 Japan
New Zealand 2-1 India
The Nation
Malaysia hang on to early goal to defeat Pakistan
IPOH (Malaysia): Malaysia posted their first win over Pakistan in three years when they hung on to an early lead to emerge 1-0 victorious in a league fixture of the 25th Sultan Azlan Shah Cup on Wednesday.
Malaysia rode on captain Razie Rahim's fourth-minute penalty corner conversion to register their first victory against Pakistan since they won 3-1 in the World League Semifinals at Johar Baharu (Malaysia).
That victory in the World League play-offs clinched Malaysia's qualification for the 2014 World Cup at the expense of four-time champions Pakistan, who missed their last chance to qualify and failed to make the elite tournament for the first time since its inception.
Malaysia's victory took them to eight points from five fixtures and kept alive their chances to clinch a medal, although yesterday's 2-2 draw against Canada virtually spiked their hopes of qualifying for the final.
The nippy Malaysians outpaced Pakistan, but occasionally invited trouble upon themselves. Overlapping quickly, they left plenty of gaps that provided Pakistan a leeway into the Malaysian circle.
Malaysia's defence hung on dearly to the lead even as Pakistan squandered half a dozen chances in the last quarter.
Laying seize on the Malaysian circle in the last 10 minutes, Pakistan could have benefitted from a few defensive errors, but the home team managed to weather out the storm.
Skipper Rahim's mistake in clearing the ball from inside the circle in the 51th minute could have cost Malaysia dear, but he made a desperate lunge to defend and suffered a painful blow on his hand.
Down to 10 players when Izad Jamaluddin was sent off for a deliberate foul, Malaysia should have tried to slow down the game, but they chose to go out looking for another goal and seemed to have played into Pakistan's hands.
Pakistan, however, failed to capitalise on the chances they created. After five matches, Pakistan have just three points from their victory over Canada.
Meanwhile, world champions Australia extended their winning spree to five successive matches as they prevailed 3-1 over Japan.
Not playing full-press, Australia scored through Jamie Dwyer (17th and 36th minutes) and Blake Govers, but Japan shot back to reduce the margin through a penalty corner conversion by Kentro Fukuda (37th minute).
The Times of India
New Zealand overcome gritty India 1-2
s2h Team
Indian team presented a perfect defence skills but that was not adequate to get a win or draw, went down 1-2 to defending champions New Zealand in their fifth match of the Silver Jubilee Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in Ipoh, Malaysia.
Trailing by 1-2, India waged a grim battle to even out the score but the Kiwi's defence and Pontifex in the cage would have different ideas.
India got two penalty corners but Rupinder Pal and Harmanpreet could not beat Pontifex. Harman's low grounder off India's third and last PC was just anticipated by right diving goalie, who put the stick dot on the goalline to deflect.
Earlier, Rupinder Pal's high drag was twice padded away by the Kiwi's goalie.
On the other hand, Indian defence showed enormous grittiness to ward of numerous well conceived Indian moves.
Jasjit Kular, Rupinder Pal, Manpreet, Surender SIngh put up a good show, often blunting the Kiwi's attack in the nick of time.
Eventless first quarter was followed by somewhat action filled second quarter, in which India and New Zealand land got a penalty corner apiece. While India missed out, the Kiwis Kone Russel struck to the right of goalie Harjot, to post the match's first goal in the 28th minute. Talwinder and Mandeep's combination inside D gave India moments of good fight when the latter turned in a good feed of Talwinder to draw the score 1-1 at 36th minutes. However, Kiwis's second goal stood remainder of time.
Stick2Hockey.com
India lose 1-2 to New Zealand, need a win over Malaysia for final berth
IPOH (Malaysia): India's chances of advancing to the final suffered a blow after they went down 1-2 to defending champions New Zealand in their penultimate round-robin league match of the 25th Azlan Shah Cup hockey tournament on Tuesday.
Goals from Ken Russell (28th minute) and Nick Wilson (41st) clinched victory for defending champions New Zealand, who managed to weather the hot and humid conditions better than the Indians, whose only goal came from Mandeep Singh in the 36th minute.
Wilson's match-winner resulted from a defensive error committed by the Indians as they failed to clear the ball properly in their own striking circle.
New Zealand benefitted from the loose ball in the Indian circle in the 41st minute, when a reverse shot from the goal-line was padded by the Indian goalkeeper and deflected to the middle. Defender Harmanpreet failed to connect in his reflex attempt to push the ball out and Wilson had the easiest task of shooting into the goal for what turned out to be the match-winner for the Black Sticks.
An Indian victory would have put them in the final, while a draw would have still kept them ahead of New Zealand. But the Black Sticks have now moved ahead into the second spot.
India can still ensure a place in the final against Australia if they defeat hosts Malaysia in the last round-robin league match on Friday, while New Zealand will be anxiously waiting to see if they play for the gold medal or the bronze.
Australia are still on top of the standings with 12 points from four successive wins, followed by New Zealand on 11 points from six matches. India have nine points from five matches and their fate will rest on the show against Malaysia on Friday.
India had to change the choice of their goalkeeper even before the match started as Akash Chikte was struck by a ball on his chest and the team management did not want to take any chances. Harjot Singh came on to the pitch from the start.
India earned the first penalty corner in the 20th minute and New Zealand's goalkeeper Devon Manchester brought off a fine save by slapping away a soaring drag-flick from Rupinder Pal Singh.
Ken Russell opened the scoring for New Zealand with a penalty corner conversion in the 28th minute. His low drag flick got deflected into off defender Manpreet Singh's stick into the goal.
Pressing for an equaliser, India were rewarded by an opportunity created by Talwinder Singh's flash shot from the top of the circle. Not having the luxury of too much space, Talwinder managed to send in a fine shot that Mandeep Singh deflected into the goal.
India could have posed a threat to the New Zealand citadel four minutes later when unmarked striker S V Sunil received a high ball on top of the rival circle, but he did not make the opportunity count and sent in a directionless and feeble cross that was cleared without any problem.
Next minute, Wilson put New Zealand in front taking advantage of shoddy defending by the Indians, and that turned out to be the match-winner.
Looking to restore parity, the Indians forced two penalty corners in the second half, but failed to get past the New Zealand custodian, who moved to his right to make the clearance. The sweaty hands did not seem to make the Indian penalty corner shooter's task easy.
In the 52nd minute, Chandana Thimmaiah had a good look at the goal and had only the custodian to beat, but his directionless shot simply did not cause any trouble.
At the other end, the Indian goal survived some anxious moments in the last quarter when New Zealand enjoyed control of the game. The Indian defence, playing deep near the goal-line, watched the ball sail across the goalmouth in the 57th minute.
In a last-gasp effort, India took off the goalkeeper to put in an additional player, but the 69th-minute move also could not help launch a late attack on the New Zealand goal.
The Times of India
India failed to produce the energy of previous games: Oltmans
IPOH (Malaysia): Disappointed with India's performance in the 1-2 loss to New Zealand on Wednesday, team's coach Roelant Oltmans said his side failed to produce the energy it had exhibited so far in the 25th Azlan Shah Cup hockey tournament here.
India suffered a 1-2 defeat at the hands of defending champions New Zealand in their round-robin league encounter, where a victory would have secured them a spot in the title encounter against top-placed Australia.
"I'm obviously disappointed with the loss. We had our chances that we could not convert," Oltmans said.
"The hot and humid conditions took a lot out of the boys and we were not able to get the energy we had shown in our earlier matches," said Oltmans, who praised the rivals for overcoming the conditions better.
"I have a lot of respect for New Zealand, who've played three matches in the afternoon during the past four days," said Oltmans.
The mercury in Ipoh had crossed 37 degrees Celsius, and it was much hotter on the pitch with the heat from the watered turf making the players' task tougher.
"The execution of penalty corners suffered because of the humid conditions. The slippery hands were not able to perform the perfect job," Oltmans said about the two penalty corners in the second half when India went about looking for the equaliser.
An Indian victory today would have secured their position among the top two countries in the round-robin league that will play-off for the title on Saturday.
World champions Australia's all-win record keeps them in the top spot, but New Zealand moved ahead of India in the standings.
New Zealand now have 11 points from their six matches and now await the result of India's last fixture against Malaysia on Friday. If India win that match, they will play in the final on Saturday.
New Zealand's coach Colin Batch said his players showed good signs and the reward was a victory over India.
"I am told that yesterday was hot, and today was hotter. The players only get some relief when the sun goes behind the clouds," said Batch. "Both teams deserve full credit to be able to play a good game."
"In international hockey, you have to possess the ball. We did not do that very well for a period in the second half, but came back strongly to dictate the game in the last quarter," said Batch, whose team is among the four that have qualified for the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
Batch said his players now get two days to recover from the effects of the stamina-sapping conditions before the medal play-offs on Sunday.
"Whether we play in the final or not is out of our hands. We will closely observe the results on Friday," he said.
New Zealand rode on goals form Ken Russell (28th minute) and Nick Wilson (41st) to overcome India, for whom the lone goal came from Mandeep Singh (36th).
The Times of India
Walsh Still Hurt
By Swaroop Swaminathan
Australia’s Terry Walsh, one of the most successful Team India coaches, is a relaxed man these days. The tension is missing and his sound bytes don’t have to be guarded. Here for the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup, Walsh speaks about Indian hockey, his regrets and joy while coaching the national team and various factions. Excerpts...
His time with the Indian national team
I thoroughly enjoyed it, and am privileged to be part of some significant successes. I was very disappointed that it was cut short, but that happens. The processes in India continue to be the same. We tried to alter a few of those, and this (the sacking) is the outcome of that. It had nothing to do with competency or the level at which the team was playing.
On the team’s performances under him
Gold at the Asian Games was a good thing, but in terms of performance, the one where we beat Australia in Australia in November 2014 (India beat the Kookaburras 3-1 to register a first ever bilateral win) was the best thing. Performance-wise, we were playing at a high level. With all due respect to the Asian Games, the level of hockey isn’t world class.
How India has changed since he departed
A lot of things have changed, and only time will tell what will transpire. The hope is players are taken into consideration in the development of the game. The latest bunch have the potential to be one of the top sides to come out of India in modern times. A lot of people don’t necessarily have a high regard for players of today, as compared to the players of yesteryear.
On relationship with successor Roelant Oltmans
Roelant was there 12 months before I came in. He was basically in and around the national programme that was based in New Delhi. That was perfectly fine. What we were able to do is establish some sort of security and consistency. Even though it was only for 12 months, the players had a clear idea about things.
On SAI and Hockey India
There was a turnaround from Dr (Narinder) Batra under the guise of financial issues with USA (Batra had accused Walsh of committing financial misconduct to the tune of $176,000 during his time as Technical Director of USA Field Hockey) when there was no such thing. It’s a well known fact that Sports Authority of India (SAI) and Dr Batra don’t see eye to eye (at least when Walsh was in charge). I just happened to be a piece in the middle. India don’t have an ounce of consistency, but if the ones who run the sport change their ways, getting podium finishes in big events is possible. The federation needs people who understand what needs to be done, rather than just satisfy the whims of the white boys in the house.
The New Indian Express
Great Britain bounce back with Germany win
Helen Richardson Walsh celebrates scoring for GB
Goals from Sophie Bray and Helen Richardson-Walsh were enough to give Great Britain a 2-0 win over Germany in the second test match in Cologne. Both goals came in quick succession just after half time ensuring the visitors left Germany with the series tied at one game apiece.
After the disappointment of yesterday's 3-1 defeat Great Britain came out strongly and created a number of chances in the first period. Germany too had their share of openings but despite concerted efforts from both frontlines, neither Kirsty Mackay nor Yvonne Frank were beaten in the first half.
Right at the start of the second half Danny Kerry's team caught the hosts cold with two goals in the space of two minutes. Helen Richardson-Walsh broke the deadlock in the 32nd minute from open play and then just two minutes later Sophie Bray, a scorer in yesterday's match added to her tally with the second. The strike was Bray's 11th for Great Britain in just 21 appearances, her 25th goal in international hockey overall.
Germany upped their intensity as they searched for a way back into the game late on but the Great Britain defence stood firm, ensuring a clean sheet shared by goalkeepers Mackay and Maddie Hinch, who played half the game each. A 2-0 win in the final match of the series was a source of great satisfaction for Head Coach Danny Kerry. He said afterwards:
"I thought we were good value for our win today. The team got back to basics. We've experimented with some tactics and continue to broaden depth in group. Overall it's been a good trip."
Germany 0 (0)
Great Britain 2 (0)
Helen Richardson-Walsh 32 (FG)
Sophie Bray 34 (FG)
England Hockey Board Media release
English league reaches playoff stages
The English League playoffs hit the turf this weekend with the semi-finals taking place on Saturday and the final on Sunday at Lee Valley.
Reigning champions Wimbledon face the regular season champions Holcombe who, following an unbeaten season, are the favourites for the title.
They feature an array of stars including top scorer Sam Ward, Ashley Jackson, Barry Middleton, George Pinner, Nick Catlin and Iain Lewers and are hoping to secure their first ever title in just their first year in the top division.
Wimbledon won the title last year to represent England in the EHL KO16, putting it up to Amsterdam with the likes of Ian Sloan, Phil Roper, Ali Brogdon and Phil Ball looking to make an impact. Their semi-final is at 11am.
The second semi-final sees Surbiton, second in the regular season, against third finishers Reading. The former are the league’s top scorers, running up 67 goals in their 18 games with Alan Forsyth topping the goalscoring charts.
Reading finished third with Simon Mantell coming back into the fold midway through the season to great effect. Their game is at 1.15pm and promises to be an action-packed weekend.
Euro Hockey League media release
Chasing The Dream with USWNT Athlete Ali Froede
Internationally, it’s common for tikes to be given colorful mini hockey sticks as gifts on the earlier side of single digit birthdays. In the United States, a majority of children pick up the sport in elementary or middle school. Across the board, the sport of field hockey is generally first introduced in the adolescent years, growing with the athletes as they become a few years older, a few inches taller and more experienced.
Ali Froede noticed the norm. In her mind it was just an observation, not an obstacle when Froede first picked up a stick as freshman in high school, years behind in knowledge compared to her teammates.
Seeking out a fall sport to keep her in shape for soccer, the ninth grader was looking to to challenge her agility. As a result, Froede’s P.E. teacher placed a field hockey stick in her hands to play around with during the summer. Froede had picked up what she couldn’t put down. She was attracted to the sport for its all-encompassing aspects of athleticism: speed, strength, endurance and technical ability. What she lacks in history with the sport, she made up for with hustle and hard work. Those two persistent qualities blazed a trail to a Division I college and ultimately to the U.S. Women’s National Team. At Miami University, Froede was awarded with the honor of First-Team All MAC twice and was selected for NFHCA All-West Region Second Team in 2014. A new name to the 2015-16 U.S. Women's National Team roster, the defender comes with a bundle of top-tier college experience on the pitch. And through relentless training and full investment of energy into hockey, Froede turned a dream into a reality by representing the red, white and blue. But it didn’t exactly go to plan.
“It’s definitely been a very exciting couple of months, I’ll tell you that,” said Froede, chuckling. “After college, I didn’t really have any plans of continuing hockey. I actually in the direction of starting nursing school this fall. I submitted all of my applications and was accepted to George Mason University.”
With all of the paperwork complete, the tough prerequisites finished and tests passed, Froede was on her way to nursing. And then fate stepped in like it occasionally tends to do and once again redirected Froede’s course. And then everything changed in a matter a few months. As a result of her talent and skill, too memorable to forget, Froede was pushed to tryout for the national team.
“Once I was in this position, I realized I wasn’t ready to stop playing,” said Froede. “It’s like an inner calling or dream I hadn’t fully been aware of was answered and brought to reality. The experience to play against top talent has really been remarkable.”
Although recruited as an attacker for college, Froede found herself in the backfield. The relocation didn’t dull her itch to score, making her threat on corners for the squad. In her defensive role with Team USA, Froede relishes in another kind of moment.
“Coming up with a big stop, a really good stick tackle or interception, those are my favorite moments that get me really hyped up,” said Froede. “Defensive step-ups are my favorite. You put in so much effort and work into timing out that perfect ball. These moments aren’t handed to you. You create them. Maybe that’s why it’s a really good feeling when it happens.”
Not only is Froede comparatively newer to field hockey than most, but her family is also new to the game. Although the first few months were filled with shock, surprise and pride, Froede parents remained where they always seem to be, by her side.
“In college, they would drive 8 hours from my home in Virginia to Ohio to see me play one game and then turn back around,” said Froede. “They have come to every game I’ve ever played in, even now. Seeing their faces at the end of the match, having their support through this entire journey, it makes it all worth it.”
When she isn’t on the turf, Froede is with her two USWNT teammates turned roommates, Lauren Blazing and Katie Bam. They typically –
“Sorry a dog just escaped from the dog and ruined my train of thought,” said Froede.
Well, yes, they typically go to the dog park with Bam’s pup. Away from her family dogs, Froede likes spotting potential breeds at the park and researching them at home with Bam and Blaze, making notes for her future four-legged friend.
All and all, Froede is settling into this perfectly unplanned life of hers well. With a surprise twist in her plot line, Froede's story is going better than she could have even imagined.
USFHA media release
Hockey India donates Rs 10 lakh in aid of Maharashtra drought victims
NEW DELHI: Expressing concern at the severe drought situation in parts of Maharashtra, Hockey India on Wednesday announced a donation of Rs 10 lakh for the people affected by the calamity.
HI said it's donating Rs 10 lakh to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadanavis in its attempt to offer a helping hand to fight the severe drought in the state.
"The state of Maharashtra is reeling under the worst drought of the century badly affecting farmers. In an attempt to offer a helping hand to the drought affected areas, Hockey India is donating Rs. 10.00 Lakhs to Chief Minister, Shri Devendra Fadanavis," Hockey India said in a release.
"The horrible drought that has struck Marathwada and Vidarbha has left many families in the rural regions in a miserable state. There is not enough drinking water for people living in the region. The farmers in the region have been adversely impacted by the drought that has destroyed the most of the crops," it added.
Expressing his concern at the current situation in Maharashtra, Hockey India Secretary General Mohd. Mushtaque Ahmad said, "This is a heart-wrenching tragedy that has fell upon Maharashtra, we just want to fulfill our responsibility to bring relief to the farmers of the state in every way possible.
"This is the time when everyone should step up and extend full support to our fellow citizens in this calamity. There has been considerable loss to the farmers community, our contribution is a small gesture of support to help them recover."
The Times of India