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All the news for Friday 2 September 2016

Pakistan Jrs defeat Spain in 3rd test on shoot out

Terrassa, Spain: Pakistan under 21 hockey team won the third and final test against Spain's Junior side on penalty shoot out after 3-3 draw in the regulation time. With this they also won the series 2-1.

Unlike the second test, this time it was Spain who thrice took the lead but  Pakistan came back each time to equalise.
For Pakistan, Mohsin Sabir, Bilal Qadir and Abu bakr scored.

In the shoot out, goal keeper Ali Raza performed heroically to save three of the five Spanish attempts while Pakistan availed all to win the shoot out 5-2.

PHF Media release

Karnataka ambushes PSB, impressive TN holds AI

K. Keerthivasan


Young Tamil Nadu side led twice through strikes from Joshua Bendici Wesley (left) and Hassan Basha, forcing the seasoned Air India side to dig deep. —PHOTO: R. RAGU

Young and vibrant Tamil Nadu and Karnataka outfits produced spirited performances in their respective groups to liven up the proceedings on the opening day of the 90th All-India MCC-Murugappa Gold Cup hockey tournament here on Thursday.

Tamil Nadu held a fancied Air India, which had five former India stars in the starting XI, to a 2-2 draw in a Pool ‘A’ tie while the Karnataka lads displayed character to put it across Punjab & Sind Bank 2-1 in Pool ‘B’.

Though it was a creditable performance from the host, it has a long way to go to beat the top sides. The average age of the team is 24 years, and none of the players is international level yet.

But, on the day, the boys were up to it.

In a first half which was evenly matched, it was Tamil Nadu which opened its account first, through Joshua Bendici Wesley.

Osaf-ur-Rehman then fired in a blistering shot off a pass from Maninderjeet Singh to equalise.

The Tamil Nadu forwards were quick and attacked relentlessly but could not convert several half-chances.

During the few penalty corners it won the team came up short.

Air India came close to scoring midway in the second half. A Gagandeep Singh stroke off a corner was deflected by Aravind at the goal-line.

TN took the lead in the 56th minute after Aravind’s attempt off a corner was padded away by Air India ’keeper Adrian d’Souza, but Hassan Basha latched on to the rebound and flicked it home.

A couple of minutes later, Air India found the equaliser again — a Gagandeep shot off a corner found the top of the roof — thereby dousing TN’s hopes of a victory.

Karnataka’s forwards and midfield worked in near-perfect harmony, giving a seasoned PSB unit the jitters.

Captain Nitin Thimmiah, an India capper, was the fulcrum of the team, marshalling the midfield.

Pradhan Sommanna converted a corner with a perfectly-hit grounder in the 21st minute.

From then on Karnataka completely dominated the show.

Defence held strong even though Sarvanjit Singh and Ramandeep Singh tried their best to unsettle it.

Leading by a goal at half-time was proof enough the Karnataka was in control.

Satbir Singh got a gem of chance to equalise in the second half when he sidestepped a defender, but with only the ’keeper in front, the forward slipped and fell.

However, Sarvanjit Singh levelled scores, PSB looked a different side.

With the Bank-men attacking from both wings, it was Karnataka ’keeper Jagdeep Dayal who shone.

He was remarkable under the bar coming up some lovely saves; the best was when he gloved away a powerful drive from Sukjeet Singh.

Karnataka, however, went on to shut the door on PSB when Nithin worked his way from the left and placed a back-hander nicely into the other side with the ‘keeper Guriqbal Singh watching helplessly.

The results:

Pool ‘A’: Hockey Unit of TN 2 (Joshua Bendici Wesley 17, Hassan Basha 56) drew with Air India 2 (Osaf-Ur-Rehman 30, Gagandeep Singh 58). Pool ‘B’: Karnataka 2 (Pradhan Sommanna 21, Nitin Thimmiah 66) bt Punjab & Sind Bank 1 (Sarvanjit Singh 52).

The Hindu

Murugappa Gold Cup: Air India rally to hold Tamil Nadu

CHENNAI: Air India held Hockey unit of Tamil Nadu 2-2 in the opening game of the 90th all India MCC-Murugappa Gold Cup hockey tournament at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium here on Thursday. The two teams were engaged in a tight contest right from the start. However, it was the hosts who opened the scoring when Joshua Bendici Wesley breached the opposition post with ease in the 17th minute of the first half.

It took Air India 13 minutes to restore parity thanks to a Maninderjeet Singh pass which was deflected into the goal by Osaf-ur-Rehman. Both the teams did try their best to take the lead, but the first half ended at 1-1.

The subsequent period of play saw the teams trade punches at each other. There were a few chances but the scoreline continued to read 1-1. The match picked up pace in the 21st minute of the second half when the home team took the lead via a penalty-corner conversion by Hassan Basha.

In the other match of the day, Karnataka scripted a 2-1 win over Punjab & Sind Bank.

Results: TN drew with Air India 2-2; Karnataka bt Punjab & Sind Bank 2-1

The Times of India

Arul and his men wary of THT den

by Jugjet Singh



DOUBLE champions Terengganu Hockey Team (THT) will be out to make amends when they meet Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL) in the half-way mark of the Premier Division Friday.

THT have had a bad run in the Malaysia Hockey League as after four matches, they only have four points to show.

UniKL also have four points.

"We need to have a good result going into the return-leg, as my players failed to score off the numerous chances they received in the last four matches.

"Our sharpness in the League, in penalty corners and field attempts, has been blunt thus far and I believe we will have a better run tomorrow (today)," said THT coach Sarjit Singh.

UniKL coach Arul Selvaraj likened it as 'going into the lions den'.

"Playing at Batu Buruk (THT's home) is an intimidating task for any team and its like walking into the lion's den as they are a class above us.

"We will have to play smart and not open ourselves at the back as they have players who can punish on counter," said Arul.

UniKL have suffered two successive defeats in the past week, losing 2-1 to Maybank in the League and 2-3 to Tenaga Nasional in the Tan Sri P. Alagendra Cup.

The semi-finals draw for the Alagendra Cup was held yesterday, and THT will square off against Tenaga while Sapura will play SSTMI.

"We need to focus on the UniKL match first and then only the Alagendra Cup on Tuesday. However, Tenaga are no pushovers and I expect another tiring time in the Cup against them," said Sarjit.

In the League THT were held 4-4 by Tenaga.

Sapura are expected to walk into the Alagendra Cup final as they play a Division One outfit.

FRIDAY -- Premier Division: Terengganu HT v UniKL (Batu Buruk, 5.30pm), Tenaga Nasional v Sapura HC (KLHA, 6pm), Maybank v Kuala Lumpur HC (Malacca, 8pm).

ALAGANDRA CUP Semi-finals: Sept 6: Tenaga Nasional v Terengganu HT (KLHA,6pm), SSTMI v Sapura (SSTMI, 6pm).

PREMIER DIVISION

            P  W  D  L  F  A  Pts

SAPURA      4  3  0  1  9  6  9
KLHC        4  2  2  0  10 6  8
MAYBANK     4  2  0  2  8  11 6
THT         4  1  1  2  10 9  4
UNIKL       4  1  1  2  3  6  4
TENAGA      4  0  2  2  9  11 2

Jugjet's World of Field Hockey

Alagendra Cup: THT survive KLHC charge

by Jugjet Singh

TERENGGANU Hockey Team (THT) edged Kuala Lumpur Hockey Club 3-2 in the quarter-finals of the Tan Sri P. Alagendra Cup at the Batu Buruk Stadium in Terengganu Tuesday.

In the other quarters, Tenaga Nasional beat UniKL 3-2, SSTMI beat Politeknik 3-0 in shootout after the game ended 1-1 and Sapura hammered ATM Airod 7-0.

Another open draw would be held on Thursday to pair the semi-finalists.

"We did not do anything different from our previous matches, only that we took the chances much better this time. The game was very close and could have gone either way, as the winner was scored late in the match," said THT coach Sarjit Singh whose side has had a bad run in the League so far.

THT took a 2-0 lead by the 39th minute before KLHC clawed back to level the score. The THT winner was scored by Jang Jung Hyun in the 56th minute off a penalty corner attempt.

As for UniKL, their gallant run was stopped short by a fighting Tenaga.

Failure to defend well cost UniKL a place in the semifinals as they twice came back from a goal down but defensive frailties cost them the match.

And coach Arul Selvaraj was not at all happy with their performance.

"We were poor in defence and missed the presence of Baljit Singh who was injured," said Arul.

"And it was our failure to take chances that put paid our hopes of progressing.

"Overall it was a good performance by the younger players in both teams that showed composure and maturity.

"Though we lost but overall Malaysian hockey won as the match was highly entertaining and the youngsters showed that they can play good Hockey."
In the first round match Tenaga Nasional defeated Uitm- KPT 11-0 while UniKL edged Maybank 1-0.

Jugjet's World of Field Hockey

Capital men lose two Black Sitcks, gain GB international for NHL title defence

LIAM HYSLOP


Black Stick Stephen Jenness is back from Rio to captain the Capital Cobras for their National Hockey League title defence. GETTY IMAGES

The Capital Cobras will be without two of their best players for their National Hockey League defence as Black Sticks Blair Hilton and Jacob Smith take up opportunities to play in Europe.

But the news wasn't all bad ahead of Saturday's opening competition round, with 35-cap Great Britain international Phil Roper making the trip downunder to join their ranks.

He will play alongside current Black Stick Stephen Jenness, as well as Kyle Pontifex and Alex Shaw, who were both unlucky to miss out on a spot at the Rio Olympics.


Englishman Phil Roper will play for Capital this season. GETTY IMAGES

Last year's assistant coach Scott Falconer has swapped roles with Hemant Lala to become head coach due to Lala's commitments with the Black Sticks.

Lala will be back in as an assistant for the campaign, which begins in Christchurch against Canterbury on Saturday before a home match against Central on Sunday.


Anita McLaren will not return to the Capital women's team this season. PHOTOSPORT

Falconer said he didn't feel his side were under pressure as defending champions.

"Last year we didn't expect to win, so I don't see it as pressure, I just see it as going out to try and play well again and see what happens."

The addition of Roper would help offset the loss of the two Black Sticks.

"He's been here for a week and fitted in really well. He's quite versatile and his style of play will be good for the way we want to play so we're looking forward to have him.

"It's a big boost that we've got guys like Stephen and Kyle playing and Alex and Phil, so we're going to be confident, but we're not expecting to just turn up and win the title back."

It was a different story for the women's team, who will be without their Black Sticks Anita McLaren and Kelsey Smith, as well as experienced players Sophie Devine and Kat O'Callaghan, as they look to improve on their seventh-placed finish last year.

But the good news for new coach Jason Hilton, who was assistant coach of the men's team last year, was that the only women's Black Stick to return from Rio for the NHL was Auckland's Liz Thompson, making the competition much more open.

"I had conversations with Anita and Kelsey about playing, but there were some concerns around how they would be able to front up after Rio.

"I talked to [Black Sticks coach] Mark [Hager] about it and he gave them the option, it was a personal decision and both of them said to me that they weren't going to play.

"I know now that they were really keen to play, it was just a bit of a difficulty in terms of the timing of everything as well."

It means that after captain Ani Roberts and goalkeeper Rachel Lilley the oldest member of the squad is 23-year-old Felicity Ready.

"It's a very new start, a lot of new girls," Hilton said.

"I think it's good to bring in a fresh group and we're lucky to get the Dalefield girls who won the Wellington club competition. Some of them were playing for Central, but now they're back playing with us so that's a positive."

With such a wide open competition full of young players, Hilton said it was hard to know which teams would be the strongest.

"I said to the team I thought it would be really difficult to tell from the other teams how we will fit in.

"I've let them set their goals and their basically going game by game. It's always the cliche but we're aware that we are a young group, so the aim is to better last year."

AT A GLANCE

National Hockey League round one and two

Capital women and men v Canterbury women and men, 12pm and 2pm Saturday, Marist Park, Christchurch

Capital women and men v Central women and men, 12pm and 2pm Sunday, National Hockey Stadium, Wellington

Capital Cobras: Pontifex Kyle Pontifex, Daniel Harris, Conor Gilchrist, Benedict van Woerkom, Bradley Read, Harry Miskimmin, Stephen Jenness (c), Dane Lett (c), Steven Crossett, Oliver MacIntyre, Rowan Yeo, Phil Roper, Jared Jones, Ollie Logan , Alex Shaw, Matt Symonds, Martijn van Liemt, Max Ruffell.

Capital women: Katie Fraser, Emma Lewis, Harriet McFetridge, Michael O'Connor, Sophie Rider, Ani Roberts (c), Grace Seeley, Katherine van Woerkom, Esther Chan, Charlotte Eastman, Bronie Edwards, Kelsey Linton, Brigette Mossman, Morgan Percy, Felicity Reidy, Caitlin Proctor.

Stuff

A host of brands unveiled as official PHL team sponsors


PHL team sponsors unveiled

The South African PHL has confirmed its official list of team sponsors for the inaugural event, which gets underway at the Randburg Astro, this Saturday, 3rd September 2016.

Alongside Grays and Tsogo Sun, who are the official technical apparel and hotel partners of SAHA respectively, ten other brands are involved in the inaugural event – as sponsors of individual teams.

“We are delighted by the number of brands that have bought into our vision for this new elite hockey event. The most exciting aspect is the mix of sponsors – FMCG, online property retail, medical and personal grooming brands all feature prominently. It shows the diverse audience that hockey in South Africa attracts and bodes very well for the future.” said Marissa Langeni, CEO of SAHA.

The confirmed list of team sponsors (and the teams they are sponsoring) is as follows:

Women’s Teams:

On Monday it was announced that SuperSport had concluded an exclusive five year deal to broadcast selected matches from the PHL. For the 2016 event, 24 of the 40 PHL games, including all semi-finals and both finals, will be broadcast live across all SuperSport platforms, including television, mobile and online – throughout Sub-Saharan Africa. A further eight PHL games will be streamed exclusively live via the SuperSport website and will be repeated, on a delayed basis, on selected SuperSport broadcast channels.

Thanks to support and investment from the Department of Sport & Recreation, the inaugural PHL event will be hosted at the Randburg Astro, Johannesburg and will consist of both a men’s and women’s league that will run over four weekend’s – from Saturday 3rd September to Sunday 25th September 2016 (inclusive).

The PHL forms a key part of the SAHA high performance pipeline which is aimed at better equipping our national men’s and women’s teams for international competition in future. To this end the PHL will be the very first Hockey League in the world where all the women participating will be paid to play the game.

How the PHL Works:

The inaugural event consists of six men’s teams and six women’s teams, respectively, playing in two gender based competitions. These teams are all franchise teams that are 100% owned by SAHA.

The team identities have been inspired by famous tourist areas in South Africa and are representative of all nine Provinces. In 2016, two of the twelve participating teams will be the SA u21 Men’s and SA u21 Women’s National teams, respectively. This is to prepare our national age group teams for the FIH Junior World Cups which take place later this year. The SA u21 Men’s team will play as the Private Property Golden Gate Gladiators and the SA u21 Women’s team will play as the Lip Ice Namaqualand Daisies.

Event Structure and Format:

The event consists of a league stage and a play-off stage where each team will play each other once in the league stage. This means each team will play five games. At the end of the league stage, the teams who finish fifth and sixth in the log, will have a play-off to determine who places fifth and sixth in league. The top four teams in the log will progress to the semi-finals. The losing semi-finalists will play-off for third and fourth respectively and the winning semi-finalists will progress to the finals of the men’s and women’s competitions.

SAHA Premier Hockey League media release

LFP, British Army triumph in Festival

ANDI THORNHILL


FESTIVAL QUEENS: New Barbados Hockey Festival women’s champions British Army posing with their winning trophy. (Picture by Graham Belle.)

LOOK FA Points (LFP)and the British Army took the men’s and women’s titles, respectively, at the conclusion of the Barbados Hockey Festival which ended at the Usain Bolt Complex Saturday night.

The men’s champions won the war 2-0 but nevertheless knew they were in a battle against the UWI Blackbirds, who had hometown advantage.

Both teams produced purposeful, intense and creative play in all thirds of the artificial surface but only one could lift the title. That was duly achieved by the combined Look Fa Points unit, comprised of several national players, with goals from Neil Franklyn in the eighth minute and Che Warner in the 47th.

Victorious captain Jerome Harewood was upbeat about the triumph but also praised the efforts of the Blackbirds.

Nation News

Weekend College Games

USA Field Hockey highlights some of the top college games in Division I, II and III each week.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1

DI: Central Michigan vs Michigan State | 6 p.m. EST
The game between Central Michigan and Michigan State will be a great game to watch in Division I field hockey. Both teams are coming off of a recent loss so expect this match to be a close one. Not only will this game be close in competition, it will be close in proximity as well. Central Michigan and Michigan State are only a little over an hour apart from each other. This in-state battle could make this game very high energy and exciting to watch.

DII: Franklin Pierce vs Bentley | 7 p.m. EST
The match-up between two Northeast-10 teams will be the season opener for both. Bentley was ranked No. 7 in the Northeast-10 Conference Preseason Coaches’ Poll while Franklin Pierce came in close behind at No. 9. While Bentley’s returning starters are experienced, Franklin Pierce has 10 upperclassman giving them some depth. This conference game will be a fun one to watch and it will be exciting to see how these teams start off their 2016 seasons.

DIII: No. 3 The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) vs Stevens Institution | 7:30 p.m. EST
The game between TCNJ and Stevens Institution will also be the season opener for both teams. Stevens Institution are the defending Empire 8 Conference Champions and are coming off of a historical season in which they became the first No. 3 seed to win the Empire 8 title. TCNJ was picked No. 1 in The New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) poll and No. 3 in the NFHCA Division III Preseason Poll. They are the defending NJAC Conference Champions and have made 31 Division III tournament appearances. Both teams had very successful 2015 campaigns making this match up a great one for spectators.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 2


Photo Credit: Bob Shank/ESU Sports

DI: No. 10 Michigan vs No. 11 Stanford | 2 p.m. PST
The game between these two closely ranked opponents will be a top game to follow this weekend for Division I. Although both teams are coming off of frustrating losses, Michigan upset No.1 University of North Carolina in its season opener during the ACC BIG Ten Challenge last Saturday. Michigan was awarded a penalty corner once time was expired on the clock. With the clock at zero, Michigan was able to score the game winner on a rebound off of the UNC goalkeeper. Stanford is coming off a 2-1 loss to No. 3 Connecticut. The deciding goal happened as time was winding down in the season opener. The Wolverines and Cardinals game will definitely be a thrilling one, so stay tuned until the very end.

DII: No. 1 East Stroudsburg (ESU) vs No. 4 Merrimack | 2 p.m. EST
In a Division III title game rematch, NFHCA Preseason Poll ranked No. 1 East Stroudsburg will face off against No. 4 Merrimack in a top game to watch this weekend. Last year, ESU scored on a penalty stroke in overtime to edge out Merrimack and win its first-ever national title in field hockey. Coming back in the 2016 season, ESU must replace six starters from last year's national championship team. This game will definitely be one to catch.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 3


Photo Credit: Bill Ziskin

DI: No. 9 Albany vs Dartmouth | 1 p.m. EST
After a very successful opening weekend, NFHCA Preseason Polled No. 9 UAlbany will face a young but rejuvenated Dartmouth team. Dartmouth’s 2016 team will feature several new faces. Multiple rookies on the team are battling for starting positions which is generating high levels of competition during practices. UAlbany is coming off a pair of shutouts in its opening weekend against Hofstra and Bryant. Will UAlbany continue their winning ways or will Dartmouth’s new energy snap their winning streak?

DII: No. 6 Shippensburg vs Southern Connecticut State University (SCSU) | 1:30 p.m. EST
Shippensburg’s field hockey had an emotional offseason due to the death of current assistant coach and former Shippensburg player, Amanda Strous. During the game keep an eye out for pink heart shaped stickers with the number 22 on each of the players sticks in honor of Strous. SCSU welcomed five newcomers to their 2016 roster and have high hopes for this upcoming season. A big win over Shippensburg could help move SCSU up in the polls. This game will be a great one to watch to see the direction these teams are headed.

DIII: Rochester (N.Y.) vs Mary Washington | 3 p.m. EST
Rochester will start out the 2016 season ranked No. 3 in the Liberty League Conference and No. 18 in the NFHCA Preseason Coaches Poll. Last season they finished with a 18-6 overall record falling to Ursinus in the NCAA Elite 8. Mary Washington will start out the season tied No. 2 in the Capital Athletic Conference (CAC) and No. 12 in the NFHCA Preseason Coaches Poll. They finished last year with a 14-5 overall record before falling to Salisbury in the CAC Championship game. Both teams only suffered a handful of losses last season which will make this game a close one. If you’re in the Fredericksburg, Va. area, it will be worthwhile to check both teams out.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 4

DI: No. 5 Virginia vs No. 14 Delaware | 5 p.m. EST
Picked No. 5 in the NFHCA Preseason Coaches Poll, Virginia fell 3-0 to No.18 Penn State in their opening weekend of competition. The team will be looking to get back on track with a win over No. 14 Delaware. Delaware is no stranger to success and is not an opponent to take for granted. Delaware finished the 2015 Season with an overall mark of 16-6 and won their third straight Colonial Athletic Association conference title. Delaware returns 9 starters and 14 letter winners from just a season ago. Virginia is also very experienced having only graduated one senior from last year’s team. Due to the high levels of experience on both teams, expect this game to very close until the end.

DIII: Rhodes vs DePauw | 1:30 p.m. CST
As part of the St. Jude Classic, familiar opponents Rhodes and DePauw last met in the 2015 NCAA Division III First Round Game. Rhodes went on to win the match 5-1 and it was recorded as their first ever NCAA postseason victory. DePauw finished the year 15-5 never losing back-to-back games. This Division III match-up is sure to be a battle so follow the progress this weekend.

USFHA media release

Field Hockey Will Face No. 18 Penn State in Friday's Home Opener



PHILADELPHIA - In the first-ever game at the brand-new Howarth Field, Temple field hockey will face No. 18 Penn State on Friday, Sept. 2 at 6 p.m. Many alumnae are expected to attend the grand opening of Howarth Field at the Temple Sports Complex, and Cherifa and Greg Howarth will be recognized for their $500,000 gift prior to the start of the game.

GRAND OPENING OF HOWARTH FIELD SET FOR SEPT. 2

The 2016 season will serve as the inaugural year for Temple field hockey's new stadium. The Owls will play for the first time on Howarth Field at the brand new Temple Sports Complex when they take on #18 Penn State at 6 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 2. The new complex just south of Temple's Main Campus was completed in August, and will also serve as the home for lacrosse, men's and women's soccer, and women's track & field.

The $22 million project, started in September 2015, features two playing fields. The space for field hockey and lacrosse, at the southern end of the property by 13th Street and Girard Avenue, is named Howarth Field in recognition of a $500,000 gift from former field hockey student-athlete Cherifa Howarth, '98, and her husband, Greg. 

SCOUTING PENN STATE

Penn State, ranked 18th in the NFHCA Preseason Coaches Poll, is sure to move up in the rankings after a strong opening week. The Nittany Lions took down No. 20 Old Dominion 6-2 before going on to shut out No. 5 Virginia, 3-0. PSU is coming off a 9-10 season in 2015, falling to Michigan in the semifinals of the Big Ten Tournament. Junior Moira Putsch leads the Lions with two goals and three assists so far this season. Putsch is active for her first season with PSU after transferring from Maryland in 2015 and sitting out last season due to injury. The Lions also returned 10 starters from a year ago including leading scorer and senior Brooke Birosik (11 goals, 3 assists in 2015). Penn State leads Temple 33-7-2 in the all-time series and has taken the last two meetings including a 2-0 decision a year ago. In 2013, the Owls upset the Lions 3-0 in State College.

SIX RANKED TEAMS AWAIT TEMPLE IN 2016

The NFHCA Preseason Top 20 Coaches Poll was released on Aug. 23 and had six of Temple's opponents in the rankings. The Owls have already faced No. 2 Syracuse, and will play No. 18 Penn State on Friday. Still upcoming on the schedule is No. 14 Delaware (Sept. 9), No. 3 UConn (Sept. 23), No. 20 ODU (Oct. 7) and No. 13 Liberty (Oct. 28).

OWLS DROP TWO IN OPENING WEEKEND TOURNAMENT

The first weekend of the season saw Temple pick up a pair of losses at the Conference Cup Tournament hosted by Saint Joseph's University. The Owls opened against No. 2 Syracuse, keeping the game scoreless early on but eventually falling 8-0  to the defending national champs.

Temple lost 2-1 to city rival Saint Joseph's two days later, despite dominating offensively in the second half. After the Owls tied the game 1-1 in the first half, the Hawks picked up a second goal four minutes before halftime, and the score stuck through to the end of the game. Temple had 10 second-half penalty corners and out-shot SJU 11-5 in the half, but could not get one past the Hawks' goalkeeper.

Owl Sports

Sinyolo retains East Africa title

By Elizabeth Mburugu

They came to the competition prepared to defend and ready to repeat their performance of the past three years.

They are Sinyolo, the Brookside East Africa Secondary Schools hockey queens. Determined to defend their crown and extend their reign at the helm of hockey in the region, the Kenyan girls were in a class of their own putting on performances befitting their status as champions.

That they wanted to win a record fourth successive regional crown was not in doubt as they seized every opportunity provided in every match they played to secure points that would eventually culminate in a trophy. They stayed true to their course and after four victories in their round robin contest, the home girls successfully firmed their grip on the trophy they have won since 2013.

Sinyolo coach Alloise Owino was all smiles, saying it was mission accomplished as his main objective of the year was to complete a double by winning both the national and East Africa titles. “Nothing feels as good as setting a goal and achieving it. I wanted to maintain my 2013 feat and I'm glad that through hard work, dedication, discipline and team work, my girls have made it happen,” he said.

Thanks to their lanky striker Melda Awour, Sinyolo were unmatched from the onset. They launched their title defence with a resounding 4-0 victory over compatriots Kerugoya. They came in their second tie stronger to trounce Uganda's Namagunga 13-1, with Awuor scoring six goals. In a repeat of Kenya's national finals, Sinyolo overcame Tigoi 2-1 and their 3-1 victory against Kakungulu gifted them the trophy on 12 points with a match in hand.

Awour, who is eyeing the top scorers' award, scored one goal while Lavender Ouma, who has also been very impressive for the champions, netted twice. Doreen Asiimwe found the back of the net once to give the Ugandans the consolation goal. Home girls Kerugoya, who routed Namagunga 9-1, and Tigoi will be battling the Ugandans to ensure that they secure a one, two, three finish for Kenya.

While Sinyolo were celebrating their success, three-time East Africa champions Friends School Kamusinga were forced to wait before they could reclaim their title. Kamusinga were held to a 1-1 draw by St Charles Lwanga Kasasa of Uganda.

The homeboys who have been in top form seemed to have met their match as they fought resilient Ugandans to a fruitless first half and another 30 minutes, with their efforts paying off in the 66th minute through Conrad Wafula. But their celebrations were short-lived as Collins Oliliru restored parity a minute later.

Kamusinga need a victory in their last round robin match against Kakungulu in order to recapture their title.

The Standard Online

Argentina's lions roar as 'Chapa' leads them into the history books

Sarah Juggins


Argentina, OIympic Gold medalists   

The Rio Olympics was the first time the Games had been held on South American soil and for the five Pan American hockey teams this was a great opportunity for the Continental Federation to show its home supporters the thrilling, dramatic and skilful nature of our sport.

Hopes ran high, particularly among the two top 10 ranked women's teams, Las Leonas of Argentina and Team USA, while the Brazilian men's team was looking forward to the moment they stepped on the pitch for their first Olympic experience. For the Canadian Red Caribou it was a return to the Olympics after an eight year absence, while for the men of Argentina, this was the time to consolidate a startling rise up the rankings since 2012, where they had finished 10th at the Olympics and slumped to 11th in the world order.

Now the dust of Rio has settled and the lights on the Deodoro Stadium have dimmed, it is a time to reflect on what actually happened when the five teams took to the pitch and to pay tribute to the coaching genius of Carlos Retegui, the pinpoint power and accuracy of Gonzalo Peillat, the acrobatics and bravery of Juan Vivaldi and the guile and leadership of Pedro Ibarra.

Because this time it was not the women of Argentina who ruled supreme and made a continent proud, rather it was their male counterparts, the team ranked seventh in the world. Over the course of the tournament Los Leones showed their fortitude, discipline and huge amounts of skill before taking on and nullifying the threat of the Belgium Red Lions in the final. The result, a delighted nation, ecstatic players, a coach who danced around the stadium with an injured player on his shoulders and a meteoric rise to second in the world rankings.

Director of Sport at FIH David Luckes summed up the impact that Argentina men could have on the future of hockey on the continent when he said: "The final was magnificent. Argentina winning opens up a new world of opportunity via South America while also dispelling perceptions of the sport as either being European or Commonwealth. The passion of the crowd was to such a point that we doubled security to ensure no 'over exuberance' spilled over onto the pitch. The atmosphere was befitting of a nation whose psyche is for team sports and seeking the delivery of the ultimate prize for a proud nation."

So just how did the Games unfold and what part did our PAHF teams play?

For Las Leonas, this was a tournament that it is best to forget. The team in blue and white came into the event as second favourites on the back of a win at the 2016 Champions Trophy in London and a victory at the Hockey World League Final in Rosario in 2015. That they had beaten the world number one side, the Netherlands, in London just a few months previous [at Champions Trophy] was yet another reason for captain Carla Rebecchi and her team to feel confident.

However, an opening 2-1 defeat at the hands of Pan-American rival USA in their first game, followed by a 3-2 loss to Great Britain and a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Australia left Argentina in fourth place at the end of the pool stages. This meant a quarter final meeting with the Dutch, who had sailed through their pool matches unbeaten; this was the match many hockey pundits would have predicted as the final.

Argentina saved their best for this match and the 3-2 outcome was the perfect showcase for the sport. It was a match of attack and counter-attack by the two best teams in the world. The Netherlands shot into a 2-0 lead, but Florencia Habif and Delfina Merino brought it back to within Argentina's grasp. A third Netherland's goal from Kelly Jonkers sealed the deal, but Las Leonas were able to leave the tournament having played at least one match with their customary brilliance.

Speaking after the match, Rebecchi said: "I am so sad we could not not achieve our dream. But despite that, I still have great memories of shared moments. I also am proud to say that we gave everything and more for the Las Leonas shirt. This is the way of sport and everything is part of the learning process. I'm so proud to be Argentinian.'

In stark contrast to their PAHF neighbours, Team USA got off to the brightest of starts. They came into the event ranked fifth in the world but soon scored victories over their higher ranked opponents, Australia and Argentina. Further wins over Japan and India meant that Craig Parnham and his team were sitting at the top of the pool as they came to their final pool match.

This was against Great Britain, the other unbeaten team in their pool, and it was here that things began to unravel. Whether it was the incredibly high work rate that the USA had employed in their earlier games or the fact that they came up against one of the best performing defences in the tournament, but USA were unable to control the game as they had their previous pool matches. That said, USA went into the lead through Michelle Vitesse, but two goals from GB, accompanied by some solid goalkeeping from Maddie Hinch saw the threat from USA extinguished.

The result meant that USA faced Germany in the quarter-finals, but with the Germans sitting ninth in the rankings, this was a definite opportunity for USA to reach the semi-finals. As the final 2-1 scoreline shows, this was not to be. Germany are a team on the march and in their coach Jamilon Muelders, they have a master tactician. Germany hit USA hard in the opening minutes and took a 2-0 lead into the half-time break. The European team then set up a solid defence and relied on breaking the USA attack down and then hitting with a counter attack. USA got one goal back but were unable to find the elusive equaliser.

In the men's section, Canada found themselves up against opposition that were just a few steps ahead of them in terms of experience at this level. That said, the Canadian team scored in all but one of their games and forced a 2-2 draw with India, who were ranked 10 places above them. A 7-0 drubbing by the Netherlands was a low point for the Red Caribou, and they will rue a 4-2 loss to Ireland, but goals against Germany and Argentina are certainly signs that this team has more in the locker.

Speaking to the National Post, captain and goal scoring machine Scott Tupper said that while Canada don't have the depth of players to compete with the top teams, it is not something he would ever use as an excuse. “We are really proud of our ability to qualify for tournaments like this and we are out here to show that we can compete regardless of whether you’re a small country or large nation. If you put it together on the right day, you have a chance of getting a result."

Getting a result would have been a dream come true for the host nation Brazil and the five minutes that the Samba Sticks were ahead of Great Britain in the pool game was among one of the noisiest periods of the entire competition. Despite losing heavily to Australia, New Zealand, Belgium, Spain and, eventually, Great Britain the team has moved seven places up the rankings and the Deodoro Stadium offers the potential of great things to come for the sport in this country. Can hockey challenge football in the hearts of Brazilians? That moment is a long way off, but the hockey team has certainly set a ball rolling.

And so to the gold medal winners. Argentina got their campaign off to a slow start. A draw with the Netherlands, a loss to India, a draw with Germany – this was hardly the stuff of champions. But Los Leones were on a slow burn and as the tournament reached the business end of things, so Argentina began to hot up.

Against Spain in the quarter-finals, Argentina were made to work to the final whistle. Ahead from the 15th minute through a Gonzalo Peillat penalty corner, Spain equalised in the 57th minute. Argentina didn't panic and Juan Gilardi was on hand to slip the winner home with just seconds left on the clock.

If Argentina were made to work in the quarter-finals, they positively cruised through the semi-finals. The opponents were the reigning Olympic Champions, Germany, but Argentina – and Peillat in particular – paid no heed to past reputations. By half-time Argentina were 3-0 up and Peillat had his hat-trick. Each shot had gone past Nicolas Jacobi's right hand as the keeper had dived low and the German's were looking a shadow of their normal imperious selves. Joaquin Menini and Lucas Vila added to the scoreline and, despite two goals for Germany in the last 10 minutes, this was a glorious victory that delighted the crowds and stunned the hockey pundits.

The gold medal match was uncharted territory for both teams. Only coach Carlos Retegui had contested an Olympic final before – as coach of Las Leonas four years previously – and neither team has won a major tournament, so this was to be history in the making whatever the result.

Belgium got off to the best start, with Tanguy Cosyns scoring with just three minutes on the clock. Argentina hit back through captain Ibarra, before Ortiz and Peillat added to the scoreline. As with the semi-final, Argentina began to control the pace and flow of the game and Belgium had no answers. Juan Vivaldi was in sparkling form in goal and the formidable fire power of the Red Lions was nullified for much of the game. With 15 minutes left, Boccard scored to make it 3-2, but when Belgium removed their 'keeper for one final push, Agustin Mazzilli was able to run the ball into the empty net and make it 4-2.

The players went ballistic as the final whistle went, but cameras were fixated on the man who had masterminded the campaign, coach Carlos (Chapa) Retegui, whose enormous relief as the final whistle went was etched all over his face. Speaking after the match he said: "I'm super proud of the guys, players who are a machine. They have blood in their hearts, we have heart and now we have entered the history books. The differences between winning and losing are minimal, a second, a fraction. It is a prize for which we work, work and work some more. This is a dream come true."

Pan American Hockey Federation media release

Indian hockey team should be in top 3 in next two years: Raghunath

Prasad RS

CHENNAI: VR Raghunath was one of India's mainstays during the Rio Olympics. The defender, who is also a drag-flick expert, played a key role in India making it to the quarterfinals, where they lost to silver medallists Belgium. The 27-year-old represents IOC and is currently in Chennai to play the Murugappa Gold Cup. On the sidelines of the tournament, he spoke to TOI on various issues ranging from India's Rio show to his future plans. Excerpts:

How do you assess Indian team's performance at the Rio Games?

If you look at our performances over the last two years, I am satisfied with the way our team has done. We have performed well in all major competitions such as the Commonwealth Games, Champions Trophy etc, except for the Olympics. Yes, I agree we could have done a bit more (in Rio) and we still had some more energy on the field and could have pushed it. We had our moments in the Olympics but at the same time - you have to give credit to Belgium (in the quarterfinals). I am sure these things will give our boys the experience on how to handle such situations in the coming years. What we were in 2012 to where we are at this point of time - it's a completely different picture. India is currently one of the top 6 teams in the world. In the next two years, don't be surprised if you see the Indian team in the top three.

Do you reckon India lost out at crucial junctures in Rio due to yellow cards, being reduced to 10 men?
   
I think these things (getting yellow cards) happen at the heat of the moment. Not just us, there were other teams as well who received yellow cards, and I don't wish to add more to that.

What particularly has changed from 2012 to 2016?

I think a lion's share of the credit goes to Hockey India and to our coaching staff. The transformation period started in 2012 and our coach Roelant Oltmans has done a great job in getting the best out of this team. From working on our fitness, diet plans and players' rotation - there has been a lot of change in the way we approach our game and the self-belief in this team is immense.

Could you elaborate on the player rotation?

Earlier, we used to have the same set of players going for all competitions but now - we have multiple set (of players) going in which means players remain fresh. Players' management has been given top priority. The coaching staff has worked individually with the players when it comes to improving their overall game and you see the effect on our performances.

You are a drag-flick expert. How do you plan to get better in future?

The role (of a drag-flicker) helps me to keep my team ahead and that's what I had always visualised when I took up this sport. The likes of Sohail Abbas (of Pakistan) and Len Aiyappa were some of the best drag-flickers in the game and they have had a huge influence on me. Fortunately, I have had an opportunity to watch them both from close quarters. But I keep learning all the time and believe I can get better.

Going forward, what are the areas the Indian team needs to focus on?

I think we should focus on consistency. After climbing into the top 6, it is important to stay there. It would require us to notch up high-quality performances on a regular basis and we should be able to do that. Also, our aim should be to build a pool of players who would take our game to the next level. That's where competitions such as Murugappa Gold Cup come into the picture as they help the next set of talent. We should also look to maintain a supreme fitness level.

Tell us about the captaincy styles of Sardar Singh and Sreejesh, since you have played under both of them?

Our coach Oltmans brought in the concept of captaincy rotation where in every few matches you would have a new man at the helm of affairs. I was the captain for a few games during the Champions Trophy, Sreejesh was the skipper then for a few matches and so on. The reason this concept was brought in was to make players in the team shoulder the responsibility of a captain which in turn builds unity in the side. Both Sardar and Sreejesh have been great players for India, and have only taken the game forward.

Could you talk to us about the roadmap for the 2018 World Cup?

The main goal for us is to perform well at the 2018 World Cup which will be hosted in Bhubaneswar. We have the Asian Champions Trophy coming up in the next few months and if we do well our rankings will go up further. We are the No 1 ranked Asian team and want to go all out and win the gold in that tournament.

How was the experience of receiving the Arjuna Award recently?

I have been representing India for about a decade now and this recognition is extremely crucial for me because we play a team sport. In this team, I join the likes of Sreejesh and Sardar Singh to get this honour. It was a surreal experience to be present at the Rashtrapati Bhavan and will always be a proud moment for me.

The Times of India

Olympic golden girls' homecoming inspires the next generation

Flora Thompson


More than 100 children turned up to meet the winning hockey players.

TEAM GB's hockey gold medal heroes helped inspire the next generation with a visit to Sussex club.

Stars Sophie Bray and Kirsty Mackay visited Chichester Hockey Club where they mixed with more than 100 youngsters.

The pair, who play for East Grinstead, taught the youngsters skills and goalkeeping techniques on Wednesday evening at Chichester College.

There was even the opportunity for one on one coaching as the pair revealed the secrets of their penalty shoot-out win.

Afterwards, the duo presented the club with a signed Rio shirt.

The club's mens thirds caption Neil Pendle won the training session at a fundraising auction with money going to the Extra Cover charity, which helps children in Sri Lanka.

Sophie said it was amazing to see so many enthusiastic people of all ages and wished them the best of luck for the season ahead.

She added: "It was incredible to see so many aspiring hockey players. You could really see how many children have been inspired by the Olympics. The club has a really good set up and new facilities."

Seven-year-old Oscar Barnes was one of those lucky enough to try out his skills with the champions and even got to hold Sophie's gold medal.

His father Ben, an ex-England hockey player who coached both Sophie and Kirsty when they were younger, said: "Oscar was so excited - not only to hold the gold medal but also meet the top players.

"He was completely in awe and just could not believe it.

"He has not let his signed hockey ball out of his sights. He is hockey mad just like me. It is my home club and to see them follow their dreams after coaching them when they were younger is just great."

Mr Barnes, 42, who lives in Chichester where he runs a sports shop, said it was phenomenal how well the team had done.

He added: "They have been knocking on the door for the last couple of years with bronze medals in competition but it all just came together this time.

"I spoke to them at the training session and they said the response since they returned from Rio has been brilliant. They were amazed how many people stayed up to watch the match."

The Olympic win secured funding for the sport's future at the club which is hoped to help inspire the next generation of professional players.

Chichester Hockey Club said it had already seen an influx of new members since the games concluded.

To get involved visit chichester-hockey.co.uk.

The Argus