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All the news for Sunday 10 July 2016

Six-goal first half powers Canadian men past U.S. in third game of Sendoff Series

Shaheed Devji


PHOTO: Canada’s Matthew Sarmento makes his way around U.S. goalkeeper Brandon Karess in a 6-2 win on July 9, 2016 (By Stewart Johnstone)

Canada’s men’s field hockey team loves playing at home. The Rio 2016-bound Canadian team picked up its third straight win on home soil against the United States thanks largely to a high-octane offense in the first half Saturday in West Vancouver.

Canada will be looking to complete the sweep of the 2016 Summer Games Sendoff presented by London Drugs in Sunday’s finale (6:00pm PT/9:00pm ET) at Tamanawis Park in Surrey.

“It was a really good first half in this game,” says Vancouver’s Matthew Sarmento who scored twice in the winning effort. “Game 2 wasn’t too strong for us, so we wanted to build on that.”

Gordon Johnston also had two tallies, while Iain Smythe and Matthew Guest added singles to round out Canada’s scoring in the 6-2 win.

The 15th ranked Canadians – who are headed to the 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil next month – have outscored the 28th ranked Americans (who did not qualify) 16-6 through the first three games of pre-Olympic series. But with the Olympics on the horizon, the scoreline is less important than continued improvement for the Canadians.

“We know we’ve got stiffer competition coming up – no offense to the United States,” Sarmento adds. “When we play teams like Germany and Holland, we know they’re not going to give us as much room or time out there so we really have to make sure we’re hammering down the basics.”

Sarmento’s first quarter goal in the 11th minute was a part of a four-goal first quarter for the home team.

Canada opened the scoring in the 2nd minute when Matthew Guest was able to put one by American keeper Brandon Karess in close.

In the 9th minute, Keegan Pereira and Mark Pearson hooked up to earn a penalty corner and on the ensuring corner, Smythe put in a rebound to give Canada the 2-0 lead within the first ten minutes.

Sarmento’s goal came on a reverse shot and Johnston picked up his first goal on a penalty corner in the final player of the first quarter.

In the second quarter, Canada withstood some American pressure before Johnston added another goal on a corner in the 22nd minutes and only a blink of an eye later, Sarmento picked up his 2nd of the game after a great feed from Sukhi Panesar sent him in alone to score.

“First time playing games in Vancouver, so that in itself is really special,” Sarmento says. “To get two goals was really good as well and there was some good set up from my teammates to make that happen.”

The final game of the series is scheduled for Sunday at 6pm at Tamanawis Park in Surrey.

GAME NOTES:

    Canadian captain Scott Tupper was awarded the London Drugs Man of the Match
    Defender Benjamin Martin played in his 100th international match for Canada
    David Carter played the full match in goal and picked up the win
    Following the match Canada won the exhibition shootout, which required extra shots
    With his two goals on Saturday, Gordon Johnston takes the lead in goals on the series with a total of five

SUMMARY:

Goals – Canada

2′ – Matthew Guest  (FG)
9′ – Iain Smythe
11′ – Matthew Sarmento (FG)
15’+ – Gordon Johnston (PC)
22′ – Gordon Johnston (PC)
22′ – Matthew Sarmento (FG)

Goals – United States

38′ – Amandeep Khokar (FG)
51′ – Paul Singh (FG)

Field Hockey Canada media release

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Dramatic last minute goal earns Scotland a draw against England


Scotland U21 women v England 2016

A dramatic late Amy Costello equaliser gave Scotland U21 women a well-deserved draw against England U21, at the National Hockey Centre in Glasgow. It was the second meeting of three between the two, after an exciting 1-1 draw the previous day.

Scotland got the game underway and were positive from the start. Katie Robertson hammered the ball into D early doors but England defended well. Fran Lonergan was very effective playing long passes from deep, and Millie Brown was causing problems with positive attacking running.

A piece of superb play by the talented Charlotte Watson was almost rewarded with the opening goal; her quick run into the circle was impressive but her final pass was well blocked by an England defender.

England then went on the attack. Some good play by England's Alicia Callard set up Meg Crowson, but her shot zipped just past the post. Then Ali Eadie nearly opened the scoring for Scotland but her shot was denied by a fantastic save from close range.

England were next to come close when Meg Crowson shot from a short corner - her effort flying just wide of the goal.

Scotland’s Ellie Hutcheson threatened when she showed fantastic skills inside the circle but couldn’t get a shot away with England shirts around her. Up the other end of the pitch, a mistake by Kerry-Anne Hastings led to short corner for England. Scotland it defend well, however, and Hastings herself cleared the danger.

Ellie Hutcheson was having a strong impact for Scotland in an attacking sense. With half time approaching she had a shot well saved as Scotland continued to press.

The best chance of the half fell to England just before half time. Some excellent defending by Costello, however, prevented a clear England shot at goal.

HALF TIME Scotland U21 0 England U21 0


Scotland U21 women v England 2016

Scotland again started the second half well. Some brilliant play by Watson was again halted by Brooke Butler, making another great save for England.

Costello was next to drive into the circle, her shot took a deflection off England’s Emily Kilner but ended up wide of the goal. Costello stood out as the game tore on – she displayed tremendous skills and control when play was manic.

Fran Lonergan was next to come close for Scotland. She struck the ball across the goal but nobody was there to finish.

England fashioned a wonderful opportunity through some exceptional play by Lydia MacDonnell. McDonnell went on an amazing run, showing great stick skills, but missed the ball when she swung to shoot. McDonnell deserved a goal for the run.

The game then swung in England’s favour with fifteen minutes left on the clock. Drew Berry was sent to the sin bin and put Scotland down to ten players for ten minutes. Moments later England scored the opening goal. A good run down the left set up Anna Baker who slid forward to knock the ball into the goal at the far post.

Scotland threw everything they had at England for the remainder of the game. An outstanding save by England’s Butler denied Costello of a goal from a short corner. Then another top save from a short corner denied Emily Newlands.

The game looked done and dusted until a short corner was awarded to Scotland with the clock reading zero. It was set up for Costello who smashed it into the bottom corner, prompting bedlam on the bench and in the stands.

It was a dramatic end to another fantastic encounter – 1-1 it finished. The teams meet for the final time tomorrow at 10am at the National Hockey Centre in Glasgow.

FULL TIME Scotland U21 1 England U21 1

Scottish Hockey Union media release

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India open with 3-1 win against Dinamo Stroitel

YEKATARINBURG (Russia): India's junior men's hockey team started its EurAsia Cup campaign with an emphatic 3-1 victory against Dinamo Stroitel.

Despite a quick start to the encounter, neither team looked like breaking the deadlock on Saturday night. India though came closest, with a flurry of penalty corners in the first 15 minutes.

Dinamo's goalkeeper Dryanitsyn Artem kept the effort of the Indian team out of goals. Dinamo had their own PC a few minutes later but failed to score from it. The two teams went into half time goalless.

The match was attended by the Governor of Yekaterinburg and Indian High Commissioner Pankaj Saran.

India came out stronger in the second half and soon enough started exerting their influence on the game. They scored the opener, after a technical foul in the circle led to them being awarded a stroke in the 44th minute. Varun Kumar made no mistake from the spot to give his team the lead.

Simranjeet Singh doubled the lead in the 45th minute, before Vikramjit added a third eight minutes later.

As the game started running away from the host team, they scored a consolation field goal through L Alexander in the 59th minute as India held on strongly to end up 3-1 winners.

The Times of India

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The winners of the Future Heroes Cup are Turkey

 

Team	Minute	Shirt #	Player	Action	Score
Georgia	4	8	RUKHADZE Tamazi	Field Goal	0 – 1
Bulgaria	10	8	BALEV Ventsislav	Field Goal	1 – 1
Bulgaria	11	8	BALEV Ventsislav	Field Goal	2 – 1
Georgia	15	9	DZIDZIGURI Giorgi	Field Goal	2 – 2
Bulgaria	17	2	ALIEV Bilyal	Field Goal	3 – 2
Bulgaria	18	13	MADANSKI Yulhan	Field Goal	4 – 2
Bulgaria	24	3	MITEV Krasimir	Field Goal	5 – 2
Georgia	30	8	RUKHADZE Tamazi	Field Goal	5 – 3

 

 

3rd/4th place CRO v ITA 

 

What a game!!!!! Drama, passion and heartbreaking for the Croatian boys as they saw their lead slip away in the last period. Croatia dominated the opening period with goals from Pravica and Posavec. In the 13th minute Italy are back in the game as Boi deflects home. A team effort ended by Ilinovci put Croatia ahead again. A long strike from Padovani brought the game to 3-2 into the 3rd period. Again Croatia went ahead 4-2  but from then on Italy had the upper hand and struck 4 in a row to win the game 4-7.

 

 

Final: TUR v CZE 4-4 3-1 (SO) 

 

 

Team	Minute	Shirt #	Player	Action	Score
Czech Republic	2	18	SOUKUP Vit	Field Goal	0 – 1
Turkey	3	10	ELAGÖZ Müslüm	Field Goal	1 – 1
Turkey	5	10	ELAGÖZ Müslüm	Penalty Stroke	2 – 1
Turkey	6	6	KESKIN Mazlum	Field Goal	3 – 1
Czech Republic	12	22	VODENKA Tomáš	Field Goal	3 – 2
Czech Republic	16	4	KURZ Filip	Field Goal	3 – 3
Czech Republic	20	15	GERLICKÝ Eduard	Field Goal	3 – 4
Turkey	30	6	KESKIN Mazlum	Field Goal	4 – 4

 

 

 

For updates follow:

 

 

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Italy win EuroHockey5s Future Heroes Cup, Prague

9th July 2016: Today the one pool event finished with a fantastic battle between the 2 top teams and Italy are crowned Champions of #EuroHockey Future Heroes Cup 2016. 

 

Pool C: 

 

CRO v BUL 1-2

 

Both teams had a lot of chances in the first period. The Croatian goalkeeper played really well earlier on in the game padding away any chances coming her way. In the opening minute of the second period Bulgaria scored with a nice run and finish from Getova. Terrific saves from Petkova lead to a break away and a second Bulgarian goal. Croatia pulled one back thanks to Hrupec, and that’s how the game ended.

 

Team	Minute	Shirt #	Player	Action	Score
Bulgaria	20	5	GETOVA Simona	Field Goal	0 – 1
Bulgaria	22	22	DRAGANOVA Nikoleta	Field Goal	0 – 2
Croatia	23	10	HRUPEC Petra	Challenge Goal	1 – 2

 

 

Pool A:

 

TUR v CZE 4-5

 

Brilliant start to this match with chances at both ends. Turkey went ahead in the 4th minute and it took Czech 7 minutes to equalise. Turkey went back in front with a nice finish from Yeter Holubcova and a minute later a long range strike from Navakova put the teams level again. In the 15th and 16th minutes they exchanged goals again. In the last 2 minutes Czech went ahead again and with the score 5-3 a tense couple of minutes and pressure from Turkey produced another goal but it wasn’t enough for Turkey to win. Czech and Italy will now play for the gold medal later today.

 

 

 

	Team	GP	W	D	L	GD	P
1	Italy	2	2	0	0	9	6
2	Czech Republic	2	1	0	1	-1	3
3	Turkey	2	0	0	2	-8	0

 

 Final Ranking Pool C :

 

	Team	GP	W	D	L	GD	P
1	Georgia	2	2	0	0	3	6
2	Bulgaria	2	1	0	1	-1	3
3	Croatia	2	0	0	2	-2	0

Eurohockey media release

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Captain Ritu Rani dropped for Rio

s2h Team

In a shocking development, Indian national women's hockey team coach Neil Hawgood has dropped reigning captain Ritu Rani from the Rio Olympic Squad.

Ritu was bluntly told by him that she is not focussing enough, and that she is not in the final 20 out of which the last 16 players will be selected. On this, she left the camp two days ago.

Once she is told so, she contacted important Hockey India official, who refused to intervene.

Ritu, who led India till recently, and was part of the team that met Indian Prime Minister Narender Modi last week (the fourth July), is crest fallen. She has not spoken to media on her sudden removal, and is obviously making effort to reason out with Hockey India.

Four months ago, Ritu was given annual award by the Hockey India.

Stick2Hockey.com

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Hockey skipper Ritu Rani 'dropped', leaves Olympic camp

Hindol Basu & Swati Gupta

CHANDIGARH/SHAHABAD: Captain of the Indian women's national team and one of the brightest stars from Haryana, Ritu Rani has left the national team's camp for the Rio Games in Bengaluru and returned home.

The final 16-member squad for Rio will be announced by Hockey India (HI) president Narinder Batra on July 12, but a senior member of the side and part of the team management told TOI that Ritu was asked to leave the camp by the coaching staff.

Sources said Ritu was told that she was not performing to expectations and would not be picked in the team. This left her "heart-broken" and she had no option but to return to Shahabad. This has effectively ended her chance of leading India at the Rio Olympics. Ritu recently got engaged to Patiala-based Punjabi singer Harsh Sharma -son of SAI coach and former hockey player Poonam Bala Sharma. Ritu's engagement ceremony took place on July 1. She had decided to get married only after the Rio Olympics.

It is learnt that India's national team chief coach Neil Hawgood was unhappy with Ritu's fitness levels. The Australian also had disciplinary issues with the 24-year-old Ritu. A senior player in the team told TOI that Hawgood was unhappy with the fact that Ritu left the camp to attend her engagement ceremony. The Aussie found this "unprofessional". When Ritu returned to the camp, she was told to go back.

A member of the coaching staff said Ritu's "poor form and attitude" led to her exclusion. "It's correct that Ritu is not in the Olympic team. Her exclusion is solely on two counts -her (poor) performance and her attitude. It was explained to her time and again that she needed to lift her performance but she couldn't do so. The camp is still going on in Bangalore. Ritu left the camp on Thursday," he said.

Meanwhile, Ritu remained incommunicado throughout the day. Even when TOI tried to contact Ritu at her Shahabad residence, her parents said she wasn't home. Expressing his disappointment, Ritu's father Jaipal Singh said, "She never missed a single national camp. She has led the Indian team for almost four years, and it's now - at a crucial juncture -that they find that she is not focused. The camp coordinators should have called us and asked if there was any problem regarding Ritu's attitude. We would have sorted it out. I feel there is no such problem, this is just an excuse to drop her."

Ritu's mother had pain and grief written all over her face. She still can't believe that her daughter has been dropped. "The game was always Ritu's priority. She would skip meals but never skipped practice. At present, she is shattered and saddened."

The parents alleged that Ritu has been dropped due to ongoing politics and "rampant favouritism" in the team. "In March, she was awarded Ajit Pal Singh Midfielder Award by Hockey India. She also went to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi five days back. Her name was recommended for Arjuna Award. Now all of a sudden this news is very strange and fishy."

HI president Narinder Batra downplayed the issue and felt that it was 'immature' on Ritu's part to come back to Shahabad. "It's really immature on part of Ritu because the team is not yet announced. It will be officially announced only on July 12 when I will publicly open the sealed envelope," Batra said.

The Times of India

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Rani dropped from Rio squad, HI boss says no
 
Ritu Rani has returned home after she was asked to leave the camp on Thursday.

Sabi Hussain

New Delhi: “Hockey and Ritu Rani are inseparable. Best wishes to her for the Games,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted on July 4 after meeting the Rio-bound athletes at an official send-off function.

Despite the glowing wishes from the Prime Minister, the Indian women’s hockey captain has been dropped from the 16-member Olympics squad. Interestingly, the hockey squads for the Olympics haven’t been announced yet; Hockey India will announce the names on July 12.

But Rani, according to sources, has already been dropped. The Indian skipper, under whose leadership the women’s team qualified for the Olympics for the first time in 36 years after the 1980 Moscow Games, was left out of the squad owing to her attitude, lack of commitment and poor performance in the past few international tournaments.

It has been learnt that the team’s head coach, Neil Hawgood, wasn’t happy with her; he thought she wasn’t focussed enough and was arrogant in her behaviour with the junior players and support staff. According to an insider, she even had an argument with Hawgood after she was rested during India’s last two series in Australia and England.

“Rani’s focus is not on the game, it’s somewhere else. No one in the team management knew that she got engaged on June 12,” said a team official, who did not want to be named. “She was sent home two or three times in the last six months to get her focus back. She has been playing for India for over a decade, and plays a key role in the midfield. So a lot was expected from her at the Rio, but she failed to improve her attitude and performance.

“Every time she returned to the national camp, her performance remained the same. The coach and the team management want 100 per cent commitment from all players,” the official added.

The 24-year-old has already gone home after being asked to leave the preparatory camp in Bengaluru on Thursday. In her absence, senior player Rani Rampal or Sushila Chanu could be handed the responsibility to lead the team.

When HI president Narinder Batra was asked about the development, he said: “As far as selection is concerned, both the teams would be announced on July 12. The names of the selected players are in a sealed envelope and no one should speculate over it.”

“There is no truth to the news that she has been dropped. If such a thing had happened, the matter would have been brought to my notice. Whether she would be in the squad is something only selectors can tell. The federation will disclose the names on Tuesday,” he added. The Tribune tried to contact Rani but she was unreachable.

The Tribune

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Was only focussed on my game and Rio at the camp: Ritu Rani

Uthra Ganesan

 
The squad announced during the on-going national camp here will be led by experienced campaigner Ritu Rani. Deepika has been named vice-captain of the team.

Experienced player Ritu Rani on Saturday countered the charge of poor form and lack of attitude that led to her being dropped from the squad for the Olympics, claiming she had been totally focussed on working hard for Rio.

Back home after her exclusion, Ritu said she had written to Hockey India and was awaiting a response. “I was not given any reason. I was only told that I was not focussed enough on my game and training and so I would not be included in the team for Rio. I was also told I could leave the camp any time I wanted,” the 24-year old former captain said.

Ritu had been at the helm of the team for a number of years and also led the team at the Hockey World League semifinals in Antwerp last year where the team finished fifth to book an Olympic ticket. “For someone who has been playing for a long time now, blaming focus is not right. I was only focussed on my game and Rio at the camp also,” she added, questioning how she could have lost focus when she was among the fittest in the side.

However, team sources say she had not just been lacking intensity but was also missing training occasionally. She had also allegedly been spending too much time with her fiancé. Ritu got engaged on June 12 and had reportedly been asked to pull herself up during training.

“I have already spoken to the federation and also sent them a mail explaining my side. Let’s see what happens,” she said.

The Hindu

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Injured Birender Lakra to miss Rio 2016 Olympics

Birender Lakra’s exclusion means Surender Kumar is set to be included in the squad along with drag-flicker Harmanpreet Singh.


Birender Lakra was named Hockey India’s player of the year for 2014 and is regarded as one of the most reliable defenders. (Source: Express file)

In a major setback, the Indian hockey team will be travelling to Rio for next month’s Olympics without one of its key defenders Birendra Lakra. It is reliably learnt that Lakra’s name does not feature in the 16-member squad for the Games, which will be officially announced in New Delhi on Tuesday.

Lakra’s exclusion means young defender Surender Kumar is set to be included in the squad along with drag-flicker Harmanpreet Singh, who was named best young player at the Champions Trophy where India recorded its best-ever finish. India are likely to go with three penalty corner specialists, with VR Raghunath and Rupinderpal Singh being the other two. PR Sreejesh will be the only goalkeeper in the 16-member squad.

While there are no other major surprises, Lakra’s absence is likely to hurt India a lot. The 25-year-old suffered a ligament tear in his right knee during Ranchi Rays’ Hockey India League match against Dabang Mumbai in February. An ACL tear, experts say, takes at least four months to recover and Hockey India was hopeful Lakra would get fit in time for the Olympics. He did not play any further part in the HIL and, in March, was operated at Mumbai’s SportsMed facility under sports injury under sports injury expert Dr Anant Joshi. He had to miss the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup and Champions Trophy while spending all his time at the camp in rehab. Lakra was finally back on turf last month and also played in the six-nation tournament that concluded last week but did not look fully fit. Consequently, the selectors and chief coach Roelant Oltmans decided not to risk aggravating his injury and hence has been kept out of the Rio-bound squad.

Lakra, who was named Hockey India’s player of the year for 2014, is regarded as one of the most assured and reliable defenders in the team at the moment. Together with goalkeeper PR Sreejesh, he is responsible to ensure the backline keeps its shape.

Another unique ability he possesses is to launch counter-attacks. Considering he started his career as a forward, Lakra has natural attacking instincts and that reflects in the confidence with which he moves forward. Few Indian players have the ability to turn defence into attack with such ease as Lakra does.

“His performance was monitored closely at the six-nation tournament in Valencia but he did not look very comfortable. So it was decided not to risk him,” a source said.

Indian Express

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Las Leonas and USA enjoy a Pan Am party

Sarah Juggins

There was a distinctly Pan American feel to the party at the end of the women’s Hockey Champions Trophy in London, England.

First, the USA put some unconvincing performances behind them to take the bronze medal in a display of defiant strength and courage against the world number three side Australia; and then Argentina wowed the crowds and the opposition – the Netherlands – with a virtuoso performance to take their seventh title.

The matches panned out very differently. For USA, it was a case of showing its now legendary ability to relentlessly work and turn things around, while the Argentina side took a 2-0 lead against the Dutch which, although the Netherlands clawed one goal back, the reigning champions never looked like conceding.

Speaking after the final, captain of Las Leonas, Carla Rebecchi, who also picked up Best Player and Top Scorer, said : “Today was very different to yesterday [when Argentina lost to Netherlands in the pool match] there is something inside us that make us play better in finals. We know that when we get on the pitch in the final we have to give a little bit more than in other matches. We have to celebrate this victory.”

For Rebecchi, lifting the trophy for the third consecutive time was made all the sweeter because it comes after a fight back from a knee injury sustained last year. With the Rio Olympics just around the corner, the captain and her team couldn’t have laid down the markers any more clearly.

Earlier in the day, the USA had looked to be heading for a thumping when Australia took a 2-0 lead in the first half of the game. However, a  double from Katie Bam sent the game to shoot-out and goalkeeper Jackie Briggs proved herself a hero as she saved all five of the Australian team efforts. This is the first Champions Trophy medal since they won bronze in 1995. They came to the tournament as the lowest ranked team [7th] after they had won the second tier of the competition, the Champions Challenge, in 2014.

Players from both Pan American teams took time to talk about their performance in this tournament and their hopes for Rio.

“It wasn’t a perfect tournament by any means,” said USA’s Katelyn Falgowski after she had received her bronze medal, “but we go into these things believing anyone can be beaten. There is a grit about us, we never back down from the fight and that relentless pressure is hard on anyone.”

It is an attitude that the USA side have been both talking about and demonstrating ever since coach Craig Parnham took over following the 2012 Olympic Games. And this team has a very different feel to it from the USA team that contested the London 2012 Olympics. Falgowski looks back on that experience with a rueful smile: “We had high hopes going to London in 2012, coming out last meant we did a lot of soul searching.”

Melissa Gonzalez, another veteran from the 2012 campaign agrees: “I hate to admit it, “ she laughs, “but Craig Parnham has done a great job. He saw the potential in us. We didn’t hit what we needed to hit in 2012. We kinda just felt a pain that we draw on now. If we feel tired or in pain, we remember that feeling and that gives us grit to train harder, play harder.”

Both players talk about the creativity that Parnham and his team, including the Dutch international Janneke Schopman, encourage. “Craig and Jannie have given the reins to us to create our own culture,” said Falgowski. “So that is something we have arrived at ourselves – the united front, the work ethic – all comes out on the field.

“We bring that whole American dream to the table, but Jannie and Craig have brought a sense of purpose to our work ethic. We used to play the systems no matter what  but now we have the thought to go with it. We have a harnessed creativity that perhaps wasn’t there before. One of Craig’s biggest things is for the coaching to happen on the field. He doesn’t want to coach from the side, he wants us to learn and change and take decisions. He has been building this for the last two years. He put early foundations down for that and we are bringing that to the game now.”

Emily Wold joined the squad after London 2012 but she says that memories of the debacle drive the whole team on. “The 2012 team was not as tight as we are now. We have created this united culture and the team chemistry can go a long way. You don’t want to let your teammates down. It’s a collective whole, not about individuals. But we are still honing that. At this tournament, we began on the back foot, but in the game against Great Britain [USA won 4-1], we just clicked. There was a connectivity right from the warm-up and that hadn’t happened in earlier games.”

It’s a point Falgowski agrees with. “We didn’t come out strong, but overall, this was huge for us. We got a bronze medal among the top teams in the world and going into Rio that feels good.”

For Argentina, the gold medal at the Champions Trophy will give a huge boost to a very young side. This adds to the HWL title they won in December. For both Delfina Merino and Carla Rebecchi, this was an important step in the side’s development, because there is one big difference between Argentina now and Argentina in 2012.

“Lucha was a great player, both on and off the field,” says Merino, as she ponders the gap that Luciana Aymar’s retirement has left. “She left a big space to fill. It is impossible for any player to replace Lucha, but we try to fix that as a team. It has been difficult to build the team back up, but we are building a different team, who will do it a different way.”

Rebecchi agrees: “Of course, in London 2012 we had Luciana in the team. She was the best, but we also had a squad that was older and we had quite a few players with injuries. We had Lucha but quite a lot of injuries; this time, no Lucha but also no injuries, I hope.”

With Argentina currently ranked second in the world and USA seventh, both teams face the spectre of the reigning Olympic Champions in Rio. Argentina might have beaten them on the last two occasions the team met, but the Netherlands are a team with their eye firmly on the biggest prize of all – a third consecutive Olympic gold. Merino thinks Argentina is as close to mounting a challenge as it has ever been. “We are now a team that is very similar to the Dutch. They work hard, they have great skills and tactics, they move the ball well, we do all those things.

“They create space with players so we have to be a bit cleverer when we defend our circle. But we have very open games with them. Sometimes it goes our way, such as today and the HWL Final, sometimes for them.

“We are a very young team, but that is good in many ways as it means we are able to keep growing and learning. We have great forwards who can make things happen, but sometimes we must remember to play more as a team and move the ball more effectively. We are okay, we are in a good way.”

One thing that Las Leonas and the rest of the Pan American region have benefited from has been the rise of USA. Finally, Argentina’s long domination of hockey in the region faces a challenge and that has been good for both sides.

“The rivalry between us and Argentina is good for both of us,” says Falgowski. “If you don’t show up, a team like that will expose you. When we play each other, it brings out the best in both sides. We have to take that intensity to other matches against other opposition. Argentina has challenged us to change our game.”

When they are not playing Argentina, the USA squad is hammering each other at training. Gonzalez and Wold laugh as they describe a training session. “It’s relentless,” says Wold. “We are unbelievably competitive with each other.”

“I’m finding this difficult to admit,” says Gonzalez, “but her team always beats mine.”

The Rio Olympics is the first games to be held in South America and both USA and Argentina will have large numbers of supporters. “When we walk out for our first game, there will be goosebumps and happy tears,” says Falgowski.

Merino smiles as she says: “There is nothing better than looking up into the stands and seeing family and friends there. My father and mother both played hockey and my grandmother played tennis until she was 80. She is 89 now and still comes to matches whenever she can. When you know the crowd is behind you, there is there is nothing like it.”

With the road to Rio getting ever shorter, the excitement across the continent will be hitting fever pitch as the opening match of the women’s competition will be a Pan-Am thriller – Argentina against USA.

Pan American Hockey federation media release

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EHL top-scorer extends deal with Rotterdam


Picture: Koen Suyk

Jeroen Hertzberger has extended his contract with HC Rotterdam as his club “for life” saying he “will never play for another club” on confirmation of his new deal with the club.

Speaking about the extension, he said: “The club has trained me and given the platform to make the most of myself. Still, there is no better place in the top hockey business.

“The next few years I want to help club back to the top three in the Netherlands and Europe. If I ever stop, I'll finish my career at Rotterdam.”

Hertzberger, 30, is the highest goalscorer in EHL history with 35 goals including 18 field goals, 12 penalty corners and five penalty strokes.

The Rotterdam talisman – an ABN AMRO ambassador – is key for his club and club chairman Edwin Brouwers said of his influence: “He is a key player, not just on the field but outside. It makes him a very valuable player in many ways.”

Hertzberger, meanwhile, added that he is “proudto contribute my bit to what the club has become and has achieved so far.

“After the Olympics, we start with a new coach and some new, internationally experienced players to a new season. Three years ago we became champions but the last two seasons we have just missed out on the playoffs. Reaching the final battles is our goal. That's where I want to help.”

Euro Hockey League media release

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Northern United, Dalefield rack up plenty in premier men's hockey

TODD FOSTER


Scott Barnett was one of Hutt's goalscorers in a 4-1 win over Indians as they moved into second place in the premier men's competition. Fairfax NZ

Two double figure wins in the men's competition and a comfortable victory for women's front-runners Eastern Hutt were features of this week's games in Capital premier hockey.

Hutt's second win over Indians moved them into second place with one round to play. They scored early at a penalty corner, then Scott Barnett knocked in a Sunny Schaller pass. After Chris Thomas replied for Indians, Billy Miskimmn scored Hutt's third.

The only scoring in an entertaining second half was a second penalty corner drag-flick to Ollie MacIntyre.

Dalefield made it 27 goals in two weeks with a 17-1 rout of Kaori at Clareville. Karori did score in the first half through Nick Tweed, but generally had no answer to Dalefield's relentless attack. The locals were five up at halftime and the goals kept coming with the best on them Nick Finlayson's finish following a superb team leadup.

Harbour City came from two goals down to snatch a 2-2 draw with Victoria. Vic's Jakob Parrish deflected in an accurate pass from Kevin McCarthy and Kieran Whitmore doubled the lead from a penalty corner, before Harbour pulled one back. Harbour finally grabbed the equaliser when Josh Symonds rifled in a drag flick with time virtually up.

Northern went on a goal-scoring blitz against a depleted Naenae, putting 16 past the shell-shocked Hutt Valley side without reply.  The signs were ominous early as Northern went to a 5-0 lead after half an hour. Robin Smith scored two goals in each half and Zac Hardie four in the second as the Northern front line prospered.

All the women's games were played at Paraparaumu where local side Kapiti gave another good showing before going down 3-2 to Victoria. Vic had won their previous game 4-0 but found themselves a goal down at halftime. The impressive Emma Aitken grabbed a double for Kapiti while Laura Jurgeleit's strike with seven minutes to go allowed Vic to join Indians in fourth place.

Eastern Hutt's fine form continued with an 8-0 romp over understrength Harbour City. Whena Munn and Kat O'Callaghan scored within the first ten minutes and Eastern Hutt did not look back. Munn's second secured the bonus point with 15 minutes left and there were three more strikes, the last a popular one to Sophie Rider.

An upset looked on the cards as Toa scored early against Karori and made much of the running. Karori's fitness was decisive however, as they came back to win 3-1 with Sophie Macadre snatching a double.

Dalefield warmed up for their eagerly awaited clash with Eastern Hutt next week with a sound 5-2 win over Indians. They were out to a 3-0 lead after 10 minutes before Sophie Devine put Indians on the board.  Indians were more competitive after the break but Katherine van Woerkom's second goal put paid to an Indians' comeback.

RESULTS

Men: Victoria 2 (Kieran Whitmore, Jakob Parrish) Harbour City 2 (Luke Cracroft-Wilson, Josh Symonds). HT 2-1.

Hutt 4 (Ollie MacIntyre 2, Scott Barnett, Billy Miskimmin) Indians 1 (Chris Thomas). HT 3-1.

Dalefield 17 (Dane Lett 5, Aaron Oakly 4, Benedict van Woerkom 2, Trent Lett, Tane Workman, Alex Sumenko-Bunkell, Nick Finlayson, Hamish Finlayson, Joe Robertson) Karori 1 (Nick Tweed). HT 6-1.

Northern United 16 (Zac Hardie 4, Robin Smith 4, Steve Crossett 2, Mitchell Scott 2, Dylan Price, Julian Clarke, Phil Arkell, Ethan Kerruish) Naenae 0. HT 5-0.

Points after 13 rounds: Dalefield 42, Hutt 31, Indians 29, Northern United 27, Harbour City 21, Victoria 20, Naenae 3, Karori 0.

Women: Dalefield 5 (Katherine van Woerkom 2, Ana-May Gudsell 2, Brigette Mossman) Indians 2 (Sophie Devine). HT 4-1.

Karori 3 (Sophie Macadre 2, Rosie Bristed) Toa 1 (Bronie Edwards). HT 0-1.

Eastern Hutt 8 (Whena Munn 2, Kat O'Callaghan 2, Alice Trail, Megan Wakefield,  Ani Roberts, Alice Trail) Harbour City 0. HT 3-0.

Victoria 3 (Laura Jurgeliet, Katie Fraser, Kirstie Hilton) Kapiti 2 (Emma Aitken 2). HT 0-1.

Points after 13 rounds: Eastern Hutt 43, Dalefield 40, Harbour City 30, Victoria 15, Indians 15, Karori 11, Toa 8, Kapiti 0. (Karori and Harbour City have played one extra game).

The Dominion Post

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SG hockey competition set to roll

By CROFTON UTUKANA   

The 2016 Solomon Games hockey competition is set to kick off tomorrow at the KGVI hockey ground.

President of the Solomon Islands Hockey Federation (SIHF) Nihal Senevirantne said this year’s competition will be the first ever for Solomon Islands to host such big competition involving all provinces’ since hockey was revived in the country ,’’ he said.

He also confirmed this year’s competition will feature both men and women’s categories from 10 contingents that took part in the current Solomon Games.

He added that the competition will be very interesting and exciting to watch as all teams are vying to be the champions of the first national hockey competition.

The opening match for the 2016 Solomon Games hockey competition will kick off at 9am tomorrow with four women’s matches to be followed by men’s encounters in the afternoon.

The Solomon Star

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Sunday hockey lets Odisha migrants connect with their roots

Navneet Singh


Members of Mayur Club contribute Rs 20 after every session to keep club running. (Arun Sharma/ HT Photo)

The fear of being overrun is always there, given the mushrooming of cricket and football academies in the Capital. But a few enthusiasts from Odisha are keeping the game of hockey alive.

Bonny Minz migrated to Delhi from the tribal region of Sundargarh a decade ago in search of livelihood. He was into part-time jobs to support the family before finding regular employment.

The hardships though didn’t diminish Minz’s desire to spend the weekends playing hockey.

He wields the hockey stick in a DDA park in Mayur Vihar every Sunday, as the Mayur Club, made up of migrants like him, practice in worn-out jerseys with an equally old ball.

Born in early 2000, the club now has over 30 members, and irrespective of the weather, members make it a point to spend Sunday on the playfield.

Minz, 30, who joined the club in 2012, says he wants his four-year-old son to take up hockey. “Due to family problems I had to quit hockey in school. Things are better now. I have enough to support my child,” he says.

Hockey was to be a vehicle for Minz and friends to land a good job. Opportunities through the sports quota are few and their background makes it tougher. Minz may have failed to make it, but he has hope for his son.

“We want to inspire the next generation to take up the game. For some reason, we weren’t able to play top-class hockey. If we pursue the game with passion, it will inspire our youngsters. If two out of ten make it, we would have achieved our goal.”

Though the club runs on meagre resources, the spirit stays strong. A quality hockey stick costs Rs 1000 and equipment for a goalkeeper ranges from Rs 50,000 to Rs 3 lakh.

Pascal Tirkey, one of the founder members, says after every practice session each member contributes R20. “If the need arises, members contribute more,” he adds.

Besides weekend practice, members participate in local tournaments. Minz says they maintain physical fitness despite being busy.

On weekends, the park is full with cricketers and footballers, so there is a tussle for space. “We start early to ensure the cricketers and footballers don’t occupy the space. Sometimes, the practice area is confined to a 40-50 square yard area, but we see it as a challenge.”

Their efforts are not lost on neighbours. One of them, Zubair Durrani, designed and sponsored their kit for an inter-tribal tournament in Shivaji Stadium last week.

The tournament had about 30 teams with prize money of Rs 50000. “It is all about passion and we want to keep it alive,” says Tirkey.

Hindustan Times