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News for 09 December 2017

All the news for Saturday 9 December 2017


Odisha Men's Hockey World League Final Bhubaneswar 2017 - Day 9

Results Day 8

7th / 8th Place ENG v NED  0 - 1
Semi Final IND v ARG 0 - 1

Fixtures Day 9 (Time GMT +5:30)

17:15 5th / 6th Place BEL v ESP
19:30 Semi Final AUS v GER

FIH Match Centre



Peillat strike puts Argentina into title match at Odisha Men’s Hockey World League Final Bhubaneswar 2017


Argentina defeated India in Friday's semi-final at the Kalinga Stadium. Copyright: FIH / World Sport Pics

Bhubaneswar, India: India’s quest to win the Hockey World League title on home soil in Bhubaneswar came to an end on Friday (8th December 2017), with Olympic champions and world number 1 Argentina taking a 1-0 semi-final victory over the hosts to claim their place in competition on a rainy night at the Kalinga Stadium.

Argentina will now await the winners of the second semi-final, with reigning world and Hockey World League champions Australia taking on Germany on tomorrow evening.

The semi-final meeting between Argentina (FIH Hero World Ranking: 1) and India (WR: 6), two of the most attack-minded teams in the game, was certainly hampered by the playing conditions, with neither side being able to produce the kind of hockey for which they are renowned due to torrential rain. Despite the conditions, the two teams gave it absolutely everything in their efforts to book a ticket to Sunday’s final, with another huge crowd braving the conditions in order to witness the action.

Following Argentina’s quarter-final victory over England, Leones attacker Lucas Vila expressed his frustration that his side were not being given enough chances to utilise their penalty corners, with teams doing everything they could to avoid giving Gonzalo Peillat any opportunity. Vila stated that he felt Peillat could be the difference in the semi-final, and his point was proven correct when the brilliant flicker defied the conditions to send a rocket inside the right post of goalkeeper Akash Chickte two minutes into the second quarter.

Argentina soaked up huge amounts of Indian pressure in the third and fourth quarter, with the hosts enjoying an incredible 79 percent possession in the latter. However, an equaliser never came and Argentina are now one win away from adding the Hockey World League title to the Olympic gold medal that they claimed at Rio 2016.

“I’m very proud of our performance today as it was tough out there”, said Argentina goalkeeper Juan Vivaldi after the match. “We played a smart game, scored a good goal and defended really well.”

Regarding the reliability of Gonzalo Peillat from penalty corner situations, who scored from his only opportunity, Vivaldi said: “The last two games he hasn’t had any chances, and we know it is really important for our system that he gets those opportunities. Today we get one corner and he scores, so we are really happy as a team and also for him.”

Earlier in the day, the Netherlands finished their Odisha Men’s Hockey World League campaign on a winning note by defeating England 1-0 in a rain-soaked 7-8 classification match. The winner came from the stick of star striker Hockey Stars Male Player of the Year 2017 nominee Mirco Pruijser, who beat Hockey Stars Goalkeeper of the Year nominee George Pinner - who made his 100th appearance for England in the contest - with a third quarter field goal. 

Referring to match-winner Pruijser, Netherlands star Valentin Verga said:“He’s the man who is there to finish the chances, and he is so good at that.”

The action continues on Saturday 9th December with Belgium and Spain taking to the field in the 5-6 classification match at 17:15 Indian Standard Time (UST+5.30). That contest will be followed by the second of the semi-finals with Hockey World League title holders Australia taking on Germany at 1930 for a place in the championship match against Argentina. 


RESULTS – DAY 8

7-8 - England 0, Netherlands 1.
Man of the Match, presented by Odisha New Opportunities: Joep de Mol (NED)
Junior Player of the Match, presented by ONGC: Liam Sanford (ENG)

Semi-Final - India 0, Argentina 1.
Man of the Match, presented by Odisha New Opportunities: Matias Rey (ARG)
Junior Player of the Match, presented by ONGC: Harmanpreet Singh (IND)

Upcoming fixtures (All times Indian Standard Time - UTC +5.30)

Saturday 9th December 2017
17:15: 5-6 - Belgium v Spain
19:30: Semi-Final - Australia v Germany

Sunday 10th December 2017
17:15: Bronze medal match
19:30: Final

Final Standings
1:
2:
3:
4:
5:
6:
7: Netherlands
8: England

#HWL2017

FIH site



Gallant India goes down to the precision of Gonzalo Peillat

s2h team



A penalty corner that was unsuccessfully contested by Indian defence turned the tide in favour of Argentina in the first semifinal of the Hockey World League Finals in Bhubaneswar. The Rio gold medallist team held on to the slender 17th minute lead that they obtained converting the controversial penalty corner, till full time to enter their first HWL Final. Gonzalo Peillat's immaculate goal and his superb defensive skills led Argentina to such a laurel. Argentina were not world number one team a year before but obtained the label after Rio. Now they are on move to continue the top billing.

Rio hero Gonzalo Peillat did not waste the lone penalty that his team got when a short rebound bounced dangerously from Harmanpreet Singh's stick which the Indian team referred quoting it was from an Argentina player's stick. Video umpire Coen van Bunge on could not come to a definitive conclusion, and led the field umpire's decision to go on while the appeal team will continue to enjoy another referral right. Which India used in the fourth quarter when Chinglensan Singh was tripped inside D, but did not find favour with Bunge now.

Gonzal's delayed, long drag, and resultant flick found home mid-height on the right inside netting (1-0). This 17th minute goal energized the world's number one team Argentina, and were on front foot throughout. Playing on the heavy pitch due to continuing rains, Indians were regrouping and building moves.

Argentinians resorted to short overheads on flanks and thus could move upfront more frequently, and trouble the Indian defence often.

India waged a spirited attack in the third and fourth quarters, but credit to Argentina defence the scoreboard did not move.

India got a hardearned penalty corner. Rupinderpal Singh aimed centre only to be deflected dangerously leading to another but this time goalkeeper blocked his slightly to the right drag, perfectly.

Akashdeep Singh got two chances to even out the score, once he gave away on top of D, in a one to one situation, to Gonzalo trying to short pass but the rival stick seemed longer enough to tick it away.

In a similar situation, he did not aim the goal but manufactured a penalty corner in stead, which Rupinder could not use fruitfully.



Mandeep Singh got more chances than Gurjant Singh and Akashdeep Singh, but would not show enough nerves to make an impact.

In the opening quarter, early in the proceedings, SV Sunil ran deep down and sent a lightening cross, but a Argentina defender intercepted at the centre of field to ward off the early threat.

Both teams parted to pavilion with a goal in favour of Argentina.

India took out second half goalie Karkare and put the yellow jersey on Chinglensana, and the strategy really troubled Argentina. It was here Gonzalo led Argentina defence came out with colours.

Young Player: Harmanpreet Singh(Ind)
Man of the Match: Matias Rey (Arg)

Stick2Hockey.com



India go down to Argentina

A lone penalty corner from Gonzalo Peillat in the 17th minute being the difference between the two sides

Uthra Ganesan


Down and out: India’s captain Manpreet Singh has a fall as both teams struggled to come to terms with the water-logged turf. Photo Credit: Biswaranjan Rout

It took half the team to come up and force Manpreet Singh off the pitch. The Indian captain was not so much desolate or crying as stunned into stupor after the host lost 1-0 to Olympic champion Argentina in a rain-soaked, bone-chilling first semifinal of the Hockey World League Final here on Friday. He didn’t turn up for the post-match press briefing either, for the first time in the tournament, sending deputy Chingelnsana Singh instead.

It was a match that, under normal circumstances, could have been a great advertisement for hockey. As it happened, the conditions forced it to stay strictly average, a lone penalty corner from Gonzalo Peillat in the 17th minute being the difference between the two sides.

What it did do, however, was anoint Bhubaneswar the undisputed capital of hockey lovers in the country as the people, all holding umbrellas in the downpour with accompanying, freezing winds, not just packed the stands but cheered the team all the way till the end and even stayed to applaud both teams after.

On the field, both teams struggled to come to terms with the water-logged turf and the difficulty of sighting the ball every time it was dragged and pushed off accompanied by a spray. India struggled more, depending as it does so much on counter-attacks and the pace of its players, but it wasn’t easy for the World No. 1 side either.

The teams started cautiously, making occasional forays poking into the other half but largely stayed put in their own. The teams switched tactics and played a lot more lifted passes and aerial balls to make the ball travel but the Argentines were better at it.

India coach Sjoerd Marijne explained later that the opposition, once it got the goal, stayed so far back in the defence all the time that it made playing long overheads difficult. “Had we stayed back in our defence, they too would have struggled. But we wanted to play a high-press game because that’s what we do and because we wanted to score,” he said.

The heavy turf took a toll on the body and prevented the ball from travelling far. Short passes in small, closed sections of the field were used to rotate the ball and keep possession but it wasn’t easy given India’s struggles in trapping the ball. Still, there were chances when India could have got the equaliser but the ball seemed to simply slip off the sticks.

The second quarter was the big difference and ultimately proved crucial. Argentina won its only PC of the game and Peillat struck high into the net on the right. It was also a period of 15 minutes when India did not manage a single opposition circle entry.

The fourth quarter was the opposite. With 80 percent possession, seven attempts and absolute domination, India threw everything it had at the opposition but defence has always been Argentina’s strength. Akashdeep Singh, Mandeep Singh, Gurjant Singh, S.V. Sunil every one of them took a shot but were parried.

Successive PCs in the 36th minute was all India had managed but couldn’t convert as Argentina put its back into defending its one-goal lead. It was all it needed to halt the host at the same stage for the second time in as many editions, awaiting the winner of the other semifinal between Australia and Germany to know its bronze-medal opponent.

Earlier Mirco Pruijser struck the lone goal in a slow game that had just a handful of shots at either ends as Netherlands won 1-0 against England in the play-off for seventh spot.

The results: Semifinal: Argentina 1 (Gonzalo Peillat) bt India 0; 7-8 place: Netherlands 1 (Mirco Pruijser) bt England 0.

The Hindu



India go down fighting 0-1 to Argentina in semi-final

Feroz Khan

BHUBANESWAR: It was always going to be a battle of attrition and pouncing on one opportunity. And it was Argentina who converted their lone penalty corner of the night to edge past India 1-0 and enter their maiden final of the Hockey World League Final at the Kalinga Stadium here on Friday. Gonzalo Piellat (17') scored via penalty corner as Argentina saw off a fighting India in the semi-final.

India will now face either Australia or Germany in the bronze medal match on Sunday.

Argentina adjusted to the adverse conditions better than India. Playing aerial was going to be the order of the night. The Olympic champions created more chances and with the soggy pitch not allowing the pace, they turned to short passes, high balls and were more patient.

They won the battle of attrition. In the 17th minute, Argentina got the first penalty corner of the match and converted to take an important lead. Peillat made the difference with a superb drag-flick to the left of Indian goalie Akash Chikte, crashing the ball into the side-netting.

India attacked through Chinglensana, who picked up the ball two feet inside the Argentine half and found Mandeep Singh but Peillat blocked his shot. SV Sunil had the chance, one either side of the flank, to break free but on a soaked pitch, quick feet weren't of any help. On both the occasions, the move ended prematurely.

For the final 10 minutes before the end of the first half, India lost captain Manpreet Singh who was given a yellow card for making a diving tackle on an Argentine player. Having the number advantage, the world no. 1 attacked testing Harmanpreet Singh and Birendra Lakra. India managed to retaliate but the Argentines outnumbered them in their half.

The change of ends worked for India as they won two back-to-back penalty corners six minutes into the third quarter. Akashdeep entered the circle but went for Peillat's left foot to earn his team's first penalty corner. Rupinder Pal Singh's attempt went high over the goal while the next fell to Gurjant on rebound but the umpire blew the whistle as the ball hit the latter on the foot.

That followed a period of sustained pressure from India as they tried hard for the equaliser, pushing Argentina deep. 12 seconds before the hooter for the third quarter went, India won a free hit near the Argentine third and a crash ball from Varun Singh evaded everyone and ended inside the cage without a touch inside the circle.

The capacity crowd, which braved the rain and cold winds, waited with baited breath as India launched their bid for a late comeback.

And as has been the feature of this tournament, the Indians went all out in the final 15 minutes, enjoying a whopping 84 percent possession at one stage. The ball hardly left Argentine half, shot after shot went inside the D but the opposition defended like their life depended on it. Suraj Karkera, who replaced Chikte in the second half, headed off to the dugout as India opted for 11 field players.

They almost paid for that decision when captain Matias Pardes hit the side net in front of an open goal after receiving a high ball. The veteran missed a golden chance but as it turned out, the lone goal from Peillat was enough.

The Times of India



...and they fall down

Hosts India suffer 0-1 loss at the hands of Argentina in the semis, out of title race

Indervir Grewal


India's Manpreet Singh slips during the semifinal against Argentina in Bhubaneswar on Friday. Hockey India

The Argentinian players stood on the blue turf — replete with puddles of water — with their arms raised. They stared into the black sky as raindrops glittered in the brightness of the floodlights, the players' body language suggesting relief more than joy. The Olympics champions pulled off a draining win in incredibly "tough conditions" to sink India and leave the ardent home fans cold, drenched and heartbroken.

The sun on Friday had come up behind a glacial sky, and the drizzle that started in the morning turned into a downpour half-an-hour before the classification match between England and the Netherlands. After a scrappy 1-0 win, the Netherlands players had said that the conditions were tough. "I hope it improves for the semifinals," Seve van Ass said.

But the conditions worsened. After an hour of uncertainty about whether the semifinal would be played, it was confirmed that the match was on. The wipers were out and volunteers worked diligently to remove excess water from the turf.

Despite predictions that the stands were going to be empty — "The people of Odisha can't handle the cold," said a local journalist. The conditions of Friday were wet, windy and cold. Yet, the stands were a sea of colourful umbrellas as supporters came in large numbers. But their hopes for a fast and thrilling contest, as is expected from every India match, were dashed soon.

Within minutes of the pushback, the puddles were back. After initial pressure by India, the contest, between the predominantly counterattacking sides, turned into a cautious display of holding possession.

The goal

It was perhaps because of the waterlogging that India played cautiously, keeping possession and moving the ball around a lot. Judging the speed of the passes became difficult and both teams tried to play short and sure passes. But two minutes into the second quarter, everyone's biggest fear came true. Rupinder Pal Singh's pass to the left-half came to a sharp halt way short of the intended man, and the interception resulted in Argentina's first penalty corner.

While India asked for a video referral and waited for the decision, Argentina practised the push to the top of the circle for a few times before a peeved Manpreet Singh picked up the ball. In the conditions, penalty corners were hard to take as was seen in the England-Netherlands match. Either the push had been too slow or the drag-flicker wasn't able to get enough purchase on the ball. But Gonzalo Peillat had no such trouble as Rio Olympics top-scorer fired the ball high to the left of the goalkeeper. It turned out to be Argentina's only penalty corner of the match, and it proved enough.

Slow pitch

The slow pitch was always going to favour Argentina's defensive game and hamper India's fast-paced style of hockey. Conceding first is never ideal against Argentina, but in these condition -- with attacks hard to build - it proved fatal for India. As expected, Argentina killed the pace, while India tried to push on, unsuccessfully, before the halftime.

As the excess water was again cleared, India had a few minutes at the start of the second half to create some chances. However, Argentina cleverly held possession, slowed the game before going for surprise attacks. But what had given Argentina the goal, provided India with a great chance. A pass hit a puddle and was intercepted by Akashdeep Singh before he earned a penalty corner. This time, it was Manpreet's turn to practise the push. But India couldn't cope with the conditions and failed to make the chance count.

After another frustrating quarter, India came out a changed team after the last break. They unleashed some direct, long passes to deep forward. With a couple of half chances, Argentina's midfield shook. India gained in confidence and the passes began to flow. They came close, getting two chances in the fifth minute of the last quarter. And with about seven minutes left, the long balls started, trying to create uncertainty in the circle.

The last few minutes were all about India exerting non-stop pressure. But the Argentinians were incredibly surefooted, clean with their tackles and made dead stops in the circle. In the end, India couldn't breach the Argentinian wall, but not for lack of trying.  "I am disappointed with the loss, obviously," said India coach Sjoerd Marijne. "But not with the performance. I can't blame anyone."

The way India played in such conditions, Marijne was eager to see how his team would have played against the Olympics champions in normal conditions. "I won't look replay of this match because these were not normal conditions," Marijne said.  "Both teams could not play their best game. It is how it is. They played better in the conditions, took their only chance, while we couldn't," Marijne added.

The Tribune



India bow out after losing 0-1 to Argentina in semis



Rain spoiled India's party as they struggled in heavy pitch conditions to lose 0-1 to Olympic champions Argentina and crash out of title race in the Hockey World League (HWL) Final here on Friday.

The city crowd braved rain and windy conditions to pack the stadium and support the home team, but they had to return home disappointed as India were done in by waterlogged pitch. Argentina utilised the only penalty corner that came their way to perfection in the first semi-final of the eight- nation tournament at the Kalinga Stadium. Gonzalo Peillat struck from his team's only short corner in the 17th minute to take a decisive 1-0 lead that the world number one side managed to hold on despite a barrage of attacks from India in the third and fourth quarters.

Going by statistics, India had the upper hand over Argentina. The Indians had more shots on goal (5 as against Argentina's 4) and circle entries (11 against 10) than their opponents, but what eluded them is a goal that could have taken the match into a shoot-out. The semi-final hurdle continued to haunt India in the tournament as they also crashed out in the same round of the event's last edition at Raipur in 2015, eventually finishing third.

The International Hockey Federation's (FIH) decision to continue with the match despite unfavourable pitch conditions because of continuous downpour came as a surprise for all and sundry, especially Netherlands and England, who too struggled in the seventh-eighth place classification match earlier in the day. Both the teams struggled to cope with the conditions and the first quarter failed to produce any clear cut chance. The Argentines, on one occasion, came close early but India goalkeeper Akash Chikte was alert and dived full length to intercept a dangerous-looking pass.The Argentines handled the conditions much better than the Indians, who struggled to pass the ball and could not tackle the adverse weather.

The heavy pitch following relentless downpour ensured that the Indians cannot rely on their strength -- fast counter attacks -- to unsettle the Argentines. The Argentines on the other hand, realised the need of the hour. They slowed the pace of the game and used the aerial ball more often than their opponents. With field goals difficult to come by on a waterlogged pitch, penalty corner conversions became the need of the hour and the Los Leones duly utilised the only short corner that came their way.

Just two minutes into the second quarter, Argentina secured their first penalty corner and Gonzalo Peillat was bang on target. Once they conceded a goal, it was always going to be difficult for the Indians to turn the script with conditions totally not in their favour. The Argentines remained calm after taking the lead and slowed down the pace of the match considerably whenever they wanted. The Indians, though, displayed much better hockey after the change of ends as they created numerous scoring chances but once again lacked finishing touches.

Utilising penalty corners was always going to be the key in deciding the outcome of the match, and India faltered in that department. Minutes into the second half India earned back-to-back penalty corners, but Rupinderpal Singh failed to convert both and from there on it was always going to be an uphill task. The Indians kept up the pressure and mounted a series of raids and on one such occasion Gurjant Singh came close, but his reverse shot was saved by Argentina goalkeeper Juan Vivaldi in the 51st minute.

India will now play the loser of the second semifinal between Australia and Germany in the bronze medal match on Sunday.

Daily News & Analysis



We took a little longer to adjust: Sjoerd Marijne

Feroz Khan

BHUBANESWAR: India men's hockey team coach Sjoerd Marijne said his team took more time to adjust to the conditions in their 0-1 semi-final defeat to Argentina at the Hockey World League Final, in a contest marred by inclement weather and water-logged turf.

"We took time to adjust, a little bit longer than we wanted," Marjine said while addressing the media after the match. "The third quarter was much better than the first two. I can't blame anyone for this loss. We had more PCs and more shots on the goals against the Olympic champions. Yes, the circumstances are different but it was the same for both the teams."

He refused to blame the conditions for the defeat saying they were same for both the teams. "Both teams couldn't play their best games. You have to deal with the circumstances and make the best of it. You can't complaint. Both teams faced the difficulties," he said.

Argentina converted their only penalty corner of the game while India got two back-to-back penalty corners in the third quarter but couldn't score in front of a packed Kalinga Stadium with people braving the rain and the cold winds to witness the semi-final clash. "If you concede just one penalty corner against Argentina, I feel you have done quite good. They have a good drag-flicker [Gonzalo Peillat] and they converted their only chance," was the Dutch's assessment of what made the difference.

Marjine also explained why India didn't use the high balls effectively as Argentina. "The reason we couldn't use the high ball as much as they could was because they were far back defending. If we would have defended like them, they would have also not been able to use the high ball. But we wanted to press them the entire match. When you are 0-1 behind, you need to press more," he said.

For the first time in the tournament, India captain Manpreet Singh didn't address the media and in his stead, vice-captain Chinglensana joined the coach. When asked where his team fell behind the Olympic champions, he said, "We fought as much as we could till the last minute. Finishing could have been better."

Argentine coach complained about the scheduling of the tournament and how India got more rest than his team ahead of the semi-final. Marjine refused to comment on the issue saying, "I don't know the condition or state of Argentine team, so can't comment on that. Things that I can't have influence on, I don't get busy with. I can't speak about their coach."

The Times of India



Argentina coach Carlos Retegui unhappy with HWL Final scheduling

Feroz Khan

BHUBANESWAR: Argentina might have battled past India and inclement weather in the semi-final of the Hockey World League Final on Friday but the team is unhappy with the scheduling and the 'unfair' format of the tournament.

Speaking after the match, coach Carlos Retegui said they were told about their semi-final schedule on Thursday night hours after they had beaten England in the quarterfinals and hinted they are going to take up the issue with International Hockey Federation (FIH).

"We are thinking about FIH at the moment. It is incredible that at the end of the day we don't know when do we play, whom we play [in the semis] and at what time. We got to know at 10 pm yesterday that we are playing India. After our last match against Spain [in the league stage], we didn't know when we play next or who we face next. We were told about it after all the matches finished," he said.

He also said India were in a much better state to play the semi-finals owing to an extra day's rest. "Day of rests are not the same for every team. India got more time to rest than us and were in better condition. We played yesterday and India had more time than us [to recover]."

"We don't know why the two semi-finals weren't played on the same day," he added.

When asked if the conditions were playable today, "There was water on the pitch, not easy for the players. But it was a good match. Can't do anything about it [rain]."

He said despite the adverse conditions, his team was ready to play on Friday and wouldn't have preferred their semi-final clash against India to be postponed.

He also slammed the format of HWL Final saying calling it unfair. " This type of a tournament is not fair. A team can top the league stage but if they lose in the quarters, then they will be out of medal contention," he said.

The Times of India



Argentina coach Carlos Retegui slams FIH over 'unfair' scheduling of matches


File image of Carlos Retegui. Reuters

Bhubaneswar: The hectic scheduling in the ongoing Hockey World League (HWL) Final came in on for sharp criticism from competing teams, especially Argentina whose coach Carlos Retegui said he would take up the matter with the International Hockey Federation (FIH).

Incidentally, the FIH did not keep a single rest day in the entire 11-day tournament, which meant some teams had to play back-to-back matches on consecutive days without getting enough recovery time.

Olympic champions Argentina is one such team which was a victim of FIHs pool scheduling as after their 3-2 quarterfinal win over England on Thursday, they did not get enough recovery time before semi-final encounter against hosts India.

Even though Argentina won the semi-final 1-0, Retegui was furious with the scheduling of the eight-nation tournament.

"The Indians had a days rest and were in better condition than us as we played yesterday.

"Australia in 9 days has played 4 matches. We have played 4 games in 6 days. It's not fair, Retegui said after the hard-fought semi-final win on difficult playing conditions due to continuous downpour.

"This type of tournament format is not fair. Yesterday at 10 pm we got to know that we are playing the semi-final today. We will take it up with the FIH," he added.

To make matters worse for the FIH, the decision to continue with the first semi-final between India and Argentina in sub-standard playing conditions due to continuous downpour has also raised a few eyebrows.

Bhubaneswar has been hit hard by a severe cyclonic depression in the Bay of Bengal due to which the city has been witnessing relentless showers since early this morning.

Though hockey is played under rain just like football, the playing conditions at the Kalinga Stadium was far from conducive as patches of water in different parts of the turf made life difficult for players in both the seventh-eighth place classification match as well as the first semi-final.

"We were ready and wanted to play today. We don't know why two semi-finals are not played on the same day," said Retegui.

India coach Sjoerd Marijne too said the conditions were tough to play hockey in and hampered the natural game of his players.

"Both teams could not play their best game. You have to deal with the circumstances. You cant complain. Both teams had difficulties. It is what it is, Marijne said.

I don't know the exact rule, but its good everyone knows when a match can be stopped and restarted the next day. You need to ask FIH that. We have been asked to play and we played.

Refusing to give any excuses, the India coach said the Argentines were the better side.

"I can't blame anyone about (sic) the loss. Argentina defended really well. They were a little bit more calm, did smart things like little high balls. Yes, they are an experienced team and that's why they are number one, Marijne said.

Firstpost



Brave defeat for England in final World League match


Liam Sanford v Netherlands

England’s Odisha Hockey World League Final campaign ended with a narrow defeat to The Netherlands in a tight and tense encounter in Bhubaneshwar.

Mirco Pruijser scored the game’s only goal in the third quarter as both sides struggled to get to grips with a sodden pitch and very tricky overhead conditions.

Harry Martin, Chris Griffiths and Mark Gleghorne all had good chances for England but on each occasion they were halted by goalkeeper Sam van der Ven.

There was some consolation though as Liam Sanford was named the Junior Player of the Match for the third consecutive game at the end of the tournament in which the defender shone consistently.

With the rain teeming down from the start both teams took a while to settle, with Sanford in particular excelling in defence and preventing George Pinner from getting in on the action in his 100th England game.

The game suddenly burst into life in the 24th minute as David Condon broke through two tackles and raced into the Dutch circle before finding Griffiths, only for the forward to be thwarted by an onrushing van der Ven.

Seconds later the Dutch almost scored themselves as Valentin Verga showed great skill to get past Gleghorne but Harry Gibson was out quickly to make an athletic save with his left hand.

England then raced up the other end once again, with Sam Ward unlucky not to find a team-mate with a cross before Martin showed some superb 3D skills to beat three defenders, only to see van der Ven block his effort as well.

With the rain worsening during the break the second half began with large puddles forming on the pitch, making the going even harder as the ball struggled to cross the surface.

This hampered England’s plans during their first penalty corner in the 32nd minute but the ball still found its way to David Goodfield, only for the midfielder to smash a reverse stick effort into the wrong side of the goal.

The conditions certainly did not affect Verga ten minutes later though as he went on a mazy run before producing a cheeky pass to Pruijser, who expertly steered the ball into the corner of Pinner’s goal to open the scoring. 

With six minutes remaining England won a second penalty corner that Gleghorne thundered towards goal but, once again, van der Ven was on hand to keep it out.

Thijs van Dam then had a glorious effort to wrap up the win with three minutes remaining but could not divert his shot into an open goal after barging his way past two defenders.

But that was to prove inconsequential as the Dutch held on to claim their first win of the tournament.

England (0) 0

Netherlands (0) 1
Pruijser (42, FG)

Starting XI: Pinner (C), Taylor, Weir, Martin, Roper, Middleton, Creed, Condon, C Griffiths, Gall, Sanford

Subs (Used): Gibson, Ames, Ward, Gleghorne, Dixon, Goodfield, Ansell

England Hockey Board Media release



Netherlands beat England 1-0 to end on high

Feroz Khan

BHUBANESWAR: Amidst heavy rain, Netherlands beat England 1-0 in the 7th/8th Place classification match at the Hockey World League Final on Friday evening. Mirco Pruijser (42') scored the only goal of the match in trying conditions which saw ground staff making repeated visits to drain the turf off water under continuous rainfall.

On a cold and rainy day where it seemed everyone at Kalinga Stadium wanted to be elsewhere, the preparation for an inconsequential Hockey World League Final match were going as per the schedule. Volunteers, DJ and dancers were all covered in plastic raincoats, few spectators carrying umbrellas braving the elements in the stands had made an early reservation for the second match of the day that mattered. It was a strange sight after seven days of pleasant weather. You have to feel for those in the stands without any protection from the rain and obviously, the players, who were too soon take the field. Things got worse with the rain getting heavier and you could see water spraying across every time there was movement on the pitch.

In 'not ideal conditions' the players struggled to maintain the pace. The first two quarters were drab to say the least with a soggy pitch now allowing the ball to travel quicker and consequently, neither team could play their natural game, especially Netherlands who rely on pace. They did test England a certain number of times but the goalies George Pinner and Harry Gibson did a good job on separate occasions to keep the ball out. They did have an easy game with not much threat in front of the goalmouth.

The first penalty corner went England's way and ball crawled after being injected with the resultant drag-flick even slower. David Goodfield though picked the rebound and almost scored but his shot crashed on the side net.

Playing short passes, releasing the ball quickly while maintaining possession was the way to go. Netherlands scored after the change of ends with Pruijser rolling the ball past England goalkeeper to put his team 1-0 ahead.

With just over six minutes remaining, England got another chance to make things level and this time too, the injection was slow but the shot was quick but rolling along the ground with the goalie easily blocking. England quickly opted for an 11th field player and changed their goalkeeper. Netherlands soon had the chance to double the lead but Thijs Van Dam failed in front of an open goal. The Dutch held on to their slim lead to finish the tournament at seventh spot.

"It was a pretty slow pitch so we had to keep the ball bouncing to keep the players up, it was difficult to trap. The conditions are not ideal. But we encounter similar weather in Europe so we are used to it. We have to deal with that," Netherlands' captain Seve Van Ass said after the match.

The Times of India



Stats Speak: Will it be a golden jubilee triumph for Die Honamas over Kookaburras in Bhubaneswar?

By   B.G.Joshi(in Kalinga Hockey Stadium Bhubaneswar)

Grammar of field hockey has changed with the introduction of artificial turf since Montreal Olympics (1976). Both Australia and Germany have changed their strategy, raised their fitness levels and have mastered the ever changing game. If on Saturday, Germany beat Australia, it will be their golden jubilee triumph against them. Here are the statistical highlights of Germany and Australia in international hockey:

Particulars

Germany

Australia

Total (head to head)

114

114

Wins

49

47

Drawn

18

18

Goals  Scored

230

256

In HWL (P-W-D-L)

2-0-1-1

2-1-1-0

Medals in  Olympics on turf hockey (G-S-B)

3-2-2

1-2-4

Medals in World Cup  on turf hockey (G-S-B)

2-1-2

3-2-2

Medals in Champions Trophy  on turf hockey (G-S-B)

10-7-7

14-9-5

Medals in World League  on turf hockey (G-S-B)

0-0-0

1-0-0

Total medals in  top 4 elite tourneys on  turf hockey

15-10-11

19-13-11

 Fieldhockey.com



League of amazing talent, vets and freshers

Indervir Grewal


Victor Wegnez of Belgium (red) is one of the many future stars who played in the Hockey World League Final

Victor Wegnez chopped the air with his right hand, the gesture meant to express his drive to succeed as a hockey player. “Just want to play, play, play,” said the expressive young man, grinning from ear to ear as he got excited about the idea.

The 21-year-old Belgian’s excitement was infectious. Youngsters, especially debutants, always generate a lot of excitement, among fans and coaches alike. Australia’s Lachlan Sharp made his debut at the tournament and team coach Colin Batch said he was enthusiastic about watching the 20-year-old play.

Apart from giving a peek into the future of a sport, juniors bring a mix of youthful exuberance, unrestrained vigour and single-minded focus.

Wegnez and Sharp are two of the many future stars who have come to the Hockey World League Final, eager to make a mark on the senior circuit.

Wegnez is among the six players who were captains of their national teams at last year’s Junior World Cup. The others are England’s James Gall, Germany’s Constantin Staib, Netherlands’ Lars Balk, Argentina’s Maico Casella and Spain’s Enrique Gonzalez. India have six players who were part of the event in Lucknow.

For these youngsters, it is all about the game right now. Their motivation is unambiguous, joys small and simple, and targets concrete and short-term.

Mental fatigue

As Wegnez spoke about becoming a top-level hockey player being his only motivation, a few feet away, his idol, Belgium’s John-John Dohmen, was also busy giving interviews. The 29-year-old is making a return to international hockey after a one-year break.

“It was mainly because of my studies that I took the break,” said Dohmen, who was playing for his club during the break. But the 2016 FIH world player of the year didn’t deny that he needed a break from hockey, mentally. “I played for 12 years. The break was good, mentally,” he said, admitting that it helped him regain his hunger for the game.

The grind of modern hockey is becoming increasingly tough on the players, physically and mentally. There is no off season anymore, just small breaks, said Barry Middleton, England’s senior-most player at the tournament.

Rupinder Pal Singh was forced into a six-month layoff after a fatigue-related groin injury. Two years back, Australia’s Simon Orchard had revealed that the daily grind of professional sport and the pressure to perform affected his mental health.

After a 12-year international career, Britain’s all-time top-scorer Ashley Jackson quit hockey last year. The 29-year-old, who played in three Olympics, couldn’t motivate himself to play anymore.

Balance in life

In an interview with The Guardian, Jackson said how the game had changed from when he first started playing — from seeing senior players smoking out the window of the changing rooms back then to the astonishing level of training nowadays.

Jackson said he again wanted to feel happy while playing, like when he was a child. Which is why Jackson started pursuing his first love — ice hockey.

Last season, he played with his local team, scoring 26 times. This season, he has moved up to a semi-professional team. But Jackson hasn’t given up hockey totally. He still coaches, and hasn’t completely shut the door on a comeback.

Told about Jackson’s rediscovered passion, Dohmen’s eyes lit up. “That is good for Ashley Jackson,” said the Belgian.

During his own break, Dohmen also followed his “second passion” — cycling. This year, he even participated in L’Etape du Tour, a mass participation event that allows amateur cyclists to race over the same route as a Tour de France stage. He completed a 181km long stage after training with a professional cyclist.

As he gets older, Dohmen said he “realises the need for balance in life”. “Sometimes, I need to do something else than hockey, so, I cycle, study, spend time with my family,” said Dohmen.

Going on and on

While Dohmen and Jackson have their own ways of rediscovering their hunger, there are some who haven’t lost their motivation even after playing for years. At 38, Argentina’s goalkeeper Juan Vivaldi is the oldest player in the tournament. Australia’s captain Mark Knowles, 33, is the “oldest player in the team by a margin”, but even after 305 international caps, he still loves “to train everyday”.

Middleton, 33, made his 400th international appearance, and still loves playing hockey. But he has also understood the importance of prioritising. “I am married now,” he joked. “It’s good to sometimes step outside, it gives you another perspective. You tend to get into a bubble, training every day or playing,” he said.

But Middleton’s younger teammate Gall, 21, doesn’t need any distractions right now. He has just got a taste of the rigours of top-level hockey, and he is enjoying “his professional life in hockey”.

Gall is blown away by Middleton’s number, but can’t see that far ahead into his own future. “I can’t even imagine reaching 400,” Gall said.

And Wegnez — who got excited just talking about the change in rhythm (faster speed) of the senior level — “can’t even imagine” he would ever need a break from hockey. He knows he needs to pursue his studies because hockey is an amateur sport.

Following in the footsteps of Dohmen, who finished a course in osteopathy this year, Wegnez is aiming to become a nutritionist. “But for the next three years, I will focus only on hockey, on the World Cup and the Olympics,” said Wegnez.

The Tribune



Canadian Women’s National Team – 2018 Chile Tour Roster


Izzy Fraser is one of two players who will be making their senior national team debut in the new year in Chile. Photo/FHC

Seventeen-year-old, Izzy Fraser was sitting in the bleachers at Rutledge Field in West Vancouver last summer when Chile and Canada faced off at World League Round 2. Now she’ll be joining the Women’s National Team (WNT) on their first tour of 2018 in Santiago, Chile.

“Less than a year ago, I was watching those two teams play and now I have the opportunity to play in those matches. It’s crazy to think about that,” Fraser said.

In search of warm weather and international competition experience, the WNT will head south to Chile in January for a two-week training tour. The team will depart for Santiago on January 17, 2018 and return on January 30, 2018.

The coaching staff has selected 20 athletes for the tour. The team, top-to-bottom, reflects a similar group that closed out last season’s Pan American Cup with a few roster changes. The team will have a short turnaround before heading out to San Diego for their second training tour leading up to the Commonwealth Games, taking place in Qeensland, Australia in April.

With 13 players aged 25 or younger, this is a young group, growing and progressing together. Fraser and Sara Goodman are the two youngest players on the team and will embark on their first senior national team tour in the new year. According to assistant coach, Steph Andrews, the team is coming off an intensive training block and is looking forward to the competition.

“This is an opportunity to get out of the cold winter weather. It’s the first training tour of the year where we can bring all players, including our over-seas players, together in preparation for the Commonwealth Games,” Andrews said.

Although last year could be viewed as somewhat of a disappointment, with the WNT failing to advance past World League Round 2 and qualify for the World Cup, Andrews said the team is more motivated and has made huge strides since then.

“Sometimes when you face adversity, it can be really good for the team. World League was an eye-opener for the team,” Andrews said. “The Pan Am Cup was a big turnaround, as we started to play the way we wanted to play. Now, we’ve come off a big training block and are moving into 2018 competition.”

Andrews, also the head coach of the women’s Junior Development Squad, has had an opportunity to watch the youth in the country develop over the past few years. Both Fraser and Goodman are products of the Field Hockey Canada junior development pathway and according to Andrews, both are ready to take the next step.

“They’ve progressed well in the junior pathway. It will be really great to get them some international senior experience,” she said.

Fraser is currently in Grade 12 at Magee Secondary School in Vancouver where she is enrolled in the SPARTS athletics program focusing part-time on academics and part-time training with the WNT. For her, the chance to train with the national team has been incredible learning experience.

“Even just in our first training block, I’ve already learned so much,” Fraser said. “I’m looking forward to developing further and continuing to bond as a team.”

Fraser has been playing above her age bracket since she was selected for the BC regional team as a 13-year old. Fraser followed a pathway that included club and high school field hockey and playing in the Field Hockey BC regional program. She said she has been fortunate to play with and against current national team players, such as Shanlee Johnston and Hannah Haughn, for the past several years and looks up to them as role models.

“I have always admired Hannah Haughn. Her speed and tenacity on the field,” Fraser said. “It makes me want to be a player with that kind of skill and physical strength.”

Andrews said Fraser is well on her way to gaining that strength and physicality.

“She’s physically strong. That’s one thing that has always stood out watching her play. No matter who she’s playing against, she always gives it a go, she’s always aggressive,” Andrews said.

Sara Goodman is in first year at UBC and is fresh off a U SPORTS McCrae Cup title. In addition to her responsibility to the Thunderbirds, Goodman has also been training full-time with the WNT. She said the experience has been amazing so far and she’s looking forward to more.

“The level the team trains at was like nothing I had experienced before; they come in with such a strong mentality every day,” Goodman said. “The girls are so supportive and I’m very happy to be training with the team.”

A native of Cowichan, BC, and another Field Hockey BC athlete, Goodman has been a part of the national junior development pathway for several years and is now making the jump to the senior team. She recalls her experience with the JDS and learning from experienced national team members helped inspire her to reach the next level.

“I remember when Kate Gillis, Thea Cully and Dani Hennig spoke to us [JDS], it must have been my first of second camp. The way they spoke about the program, it really sparked my desire to get involved,” she said.

It’s a few years later now and Goodman is going on her first international tour with the senior team. Assistant coach, Andrews, said with players like Fraser and Goodman coming into the program, the future of the WNT looks bright.

“She has really grown and progressed through the junior development program,” Andrews said. “This is another player who you will want to keep your eyes on moving forward.”

With an average age of 23, this young core group of Team Canada athletes is building towards a successful Commonwealth Games, all the while, keeping an overarching eye on a major upcoming milestone: Tokyo 2020.

Women’s National Team – 2018 Chile Tour Roster

Field Hockey Canada media release



Dutch and European Indoor World Cup stars line up for PSi Showdown in Cape Town



A series of European indoor stars have travelled to Cape Town this weekend for the annual PSi All-Star series featuring the South African BlitzStoks, the International All-Stars and the World All-Stars.

Each team will play each other once with a total of three matches each night, offering up an exhibition for the players taking part in the annual “Nationals” indoor festival.

The International All Stars will once again be led by Netherlands Indoor Hockey World Cup captain Robert Tigges from AH&BC Amsterdam.

Tigges will be joined by his gold medal-winning compatriots and PSi regulars Laurens Goedegebuure, SV Kampong’s Sjoerd de Wert, Teun Rohof and Nicki Leijs.

Benni Wess from Germany will make his third appearance for the All Stars. The last two members who complete the side both featured for the International All Stars in 2015 at Durban and make their return to the side: Spaniard Andreu Enrich and Zimbabwean captain Tendayi Maredza.

Robert Tigges shared his excitement with us “I freaking love PSi because of the electric atmosphere during the entire event! This is a vibe which you normally only find at major events like the FIH Indoor Hockey World Cup, which, If you are lucky enough you will get to experience once or twice in a lifetime! That’s how special PSi is!”

This year, a World All Stars team has been introduced from four different continents Siyabonga Martins is a regular face to PSi fans as he has previously featured for the International and African All Stars and is joined by the African goalkeeper of the tournament at the AFCON in DJ Strauss.

Irish Olympian Ronan Gormley is joined by his compatriot Ross Canning. Canning is set to play in the EHL next Easter with Three Rock Rovers as well as indoors with his club in Georgia in February in the EuroHockey Club Challenge II.

And he is also looking forward to welcoming the PSi concept to Ireland in 2018.

“I will try and keep it simple and hold my own and am sure I will get more used to it as it goes on,” he said ahead of the event. “There is a serious quality of player for this All-Star series and so it is a step up from what we play in Ireland but it is an awesome opportunity.

“Watching the videos from South Africa, I also think it will be something really special for hockey in Ireland next year when it come in!”

Viktor Lockwood from France is an exciting prospect and will also be joined by a national team mate Mickael Kempf. Argentina’s Joaquin Gonzalez captain his country at the Pan-American Cup while Matthew Hotchkis is an Australian World Cup players.

The series gets underway this evening in Cape Town with four days of All-Star action.

Euro Hockey League media release



The Trans-Tasman Derby!


Australia v New Zealand

With Australia being placed alongside Trans-Tasman rivals New Zealand in Pool D, this clash certainly caught the eye when the Vitality Hockey Women’s World Cup schedule was announced in November!

The famous old rivalry between the nations is renowned in the sporting world with epic matches throughout time across Rugby Union, Rugby League and Cricket and this continues into hockey.

The squads are currently as close as they’ve ever been in terms of ability and the world rankings reflect this. Australia currently sit at number four while New Zealand are directly below them in fifth, having climbed the ladder with incredible consistency in recent years.

With the sides meeting in their final Pool D game on Saturday 28 July, the match is likely to be a crucial encounter in either deciding who tops the group or even who makes it into the quarter-finals with twelfth placed Japan and thirteenth placed Belgium making up the other sides in the pool.

There is a lot of history in London between the sides who met at both the Champions Trophy in 2016 and at the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Most recently at the Champions Trophy it was Australia who came out on top in the pool stages as goals from captain Emily Smith, Jodie Kenny and Grace Stewart saw the Hockeyroos to a 3-1 win. Australia went on to finish fourth in the tournament while New Zealand finished last after losing to Great Britain.

It was a better result for the Black Sticks at the London Olympics though. They edged out Australia with a 1-0 win as Cathryn Finlayson netted the winner, this saw New Zealand pip Australia to qualification to the semi-finals as they eventually finished fourth while Australia took fifth.

With plenty likely to be riding on the game with the added tensions of a national rivalry, the clash on Saturday 28 July is one not to be missed! Ticket details for this session can be found here!

England Hockey Board Media release



Police battle with Sharks highlights weekend ties

By BRIAN YONGA


Kenya Police's Amos Barkibir (left) celebrates his goal with Calvins Kanu during their Kenya Hockey Union men's Premier League match against Parkroad Badgers on November 19, 2017. PHOTO | MARTIN MUKANGU | 

After seeing their 21-match unbeaten run end last weekend, leaders Kenya Police will be looking to get back to winning ways with two crucial wins this weekend.

They take on third-placed Greensharks Sunday evening at the City Park Stadium in Nairobi before playing bottom-placed Technical University of Kenya (TUK) on Jamhuri Day.

Victory in both matches should move them to touching distance of their first title since 2013.

At the end of the table, bottom placed TUK take on champions Strathmore University Saturday in a must-win encounter, while Western Jaguars, beaming with confidence after defeating Police, will be in Nairobi for two key fixtures as they bid to move away from the relegation zone.

In the women’s Premier League, Amira Sailors’ chase for a top-two finish will see them take on Vkinings Sunday at City Park.

Greensharks coach Ben Owaga will have taken note at hoe Jaguars frustrated Police, before finally nicking a late goal for the three points.

“No one saw that (Police loss to Western Jaguars) coming considering how they (Police) have been in good form. It gives us confidence that we can beat them and we will aim to capitalise on their weaknesses,” Owaga said.

Sharks, who are 12 points behind Police, have a mathematical chance of winning title but defeat or even a draw will end their dreams of a maiden title. Owaga will be bank on strikers Chris Wokila and Chris Mchwanju to get them the goals against the law enforcers.

Police on other hand will be eager to get back to winning ways and show that last weekend’s loss was just a blip. The dominated possession against Jagaurs but failed to take them and eventually got punished.

“We still have a healthy lead at the top and the key is just to maintain our mental shape so that we don’t self-destruct,” Police coach Kenneth Kaunda said.

Amos Barkibir will lead the Police attack, assisted by Calvins Kanu and Samuek Wokila. Police won the first leg fixture 1-0 and Sunday’s match looks to be yet another tight contest.

A win for Police will move them to 64 points, 13 ahead of second-placed Butali Sugar Warriors who are not in action this weekend.

Elsewhere, Amira striker Pauline Naise will be aiming to go top of the scoring charts when they take on Vikings.

Fixtures (All matches at City Park Stadium unless stated)

Saturday

National Men: Gorilla v Thika Rovers – 12noon, Bay Club v Dedan Kimathi (Kisumu) – 3pm, Impala v Mvita-6pm

Premier Men: TUK v Strathmore University- 2pm, Sikh Union v Western Jaguars – 4pm

Premier Women: MSC v UON – 3pm

Sunday

Premier Men: Nakuru v Parklands (Nakuru) – 10am, Strathmore v Western Jaguars -11am, Greensharks v Kenya Police – 5pm

National Men: Kisumu Youngstars v Dedan Kimathi (Kisumu) – 10am, Karate Axiom v Wazalendo Youth -3pm

Premier Women: MSC v Multimedia – 9am, Amira v Vikings – 1pm

Daily Nation



UniKL out to give MHL big guns a run for their money with six foreign signings

By Aftar Singh

KUALA LUMPUR: Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL) have snapped up six foreign players to challenge the big guns in the Malaysia Hockey League (MHL) Premier Division, which begins on Jan 12.

The six signings comprise three Australians – Glenn Turner, Kieran Gowrers and Tim Deavin; Irish goalkeeper David Harte; and two former Dutch internationals, Sander van Wink and Jeroen Hertzberger.

Turner was a member of the Australian squad that won the 2010 and 2014 World Cups.

Harte, 29, is a member of the Ireland team who finished third at the European Championships in London in 2015.

The 31-year-old Hertzberger was part of the Dutch team that were runners-up at the 2014 World Cup.

The presence of these six foreigners should beef up UniKL’s squad as they try to hold their own against league champions KL Hockey Club (KLHC) and overall champions Terengganu.

UniKL, KLHC and Terengganu are among six teams who have confirmed their entries for the Premier Division.

The other three are Tenaga Nasional, Maybank and TNB-Thunderbolt.

UniKL coach Arul Selvaraj said they were fortunate to sign six foreign players and much of the credit goes to the management.

“We’re looking forward to a good season and preparations have started with the local players. The foreign signings will only join us after Christmas,” said the former international.

UniKL have also signed national player Joel van Huizen, who played for KLHC last season.

Joel will be one of three national players in UniKL, alongside Mohd Marhan Mohd Jalil and Najmi Farizal.

The Premier Division teams will play each other on a home-and-away basis and the final will be on Feb 10.

The Tan Sri P. Alagendra Cup, a knockout tournament involving the Premier Division and Division One teams, will be played from Jan 3-8.

Thirteen teams will feature in Division One while only four teams will contest the National Women’s League.

The Division One teams are RMAF Rajawali, Kedah Hockey Team, Sukma Penang, Politeknik-KPT, Remaja Pahang, OLAK, Bukit Jalil Sports School (BJSS), Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM), Ipoh City Council, Terengganu-MSN, MBPJ Tiger, Selangor Hockey Team and Tunku Mahkota Ismail Sports School (SSTMI).

The teams playing in the women’s league are Terengganu, PKS-Uniten-KPT and debutants KL Wipers and Sukma Penang.

This year’s contestants, Blue Warriors, SSTMI, Kulim and Johor won’t be taking part next year.

Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) competitions manager Brian Fernandaz said that due to the poor response for the women’s league, they have invited foreign clubs from Hong Kong, Singapore and Sri Lanka.

The Star of Malaysia



Johor chalk up a first with semis spot at veterans’ meet

JOHOR BARU: Hosts Johor defeated Police 3-2 in their final Group A match to reach their first-ever semi final in the national veterans’ hockey tournament at the Taman Daya Hockey Stadium in Johor Baru.

In a do-or-die battle yesterday, Johor needed to win after a demoralising 3-1 defeat at the hands of last year’s joint champions Terengganu in the morning. .

They responded to the challenge by digging into their reserves to edge Police for a place in the last four. Johor will meet Perak in the semi-finals.

Johor fell behind after only 10 minutes when Zulkifli Mohd Zain found the target with a field goal.

The hosts recovered to score thrice in a seven-minute spell, starting in the 12th minute with K. Tharmalingam via a field attempt. Norzaidin Mohd Noor put Johor 2-1 up with another field goal before Keshmahinder Singh converted a penalty corner in the 18th minute.

Police pulled one back in the 33rd minute through Muraaly Rama Naidu but Johor held on to prevail.

“We have achieved our first target of reaching the semi-finals. This is where the battle begins. The semi-final will be a different ball game as we must have a strategy against Perak. The players must also have the will to win,” said Johor coach Gurmit Singh, a former national assistant coach.

A disappointed Police coach Zulkairi Ariffin said: “We played below par against Johor. But I’m still proud of my players who had a good tournament.”

The other semi-final will see last year’s joint champions Pahang, the Group B runners-up, take on Group A champions Terengganu.

Pahang held Armed Forces to a 2-2 draw to pip them to a place in the last four in their final Group B match.

Pahang struck with two quick field goals through Nasir Abdul Aziz (24th) and Ashri Muda (27th) after Mohd Noor Said gave Armed Forces the lead in the eighth minute.

Kamarudin Misman scored Forces’ second goal in the 34th minute off a penalty corner.

RESULTS

Group A: Terengganu 3 Johor 1, Police 3 Perlis 1, Johor 3 Police 2.
Group B: Pahang 4 Selangor 0, Perak 2 N. Sembilan 1, A. Forces 6 N. Sembilan 1, Perak 1 Selangor 0, Pahang 2 A. Forces 2.

TODAY’S FIXTURES

Johor vs Perak (Pitch 1) 8am
Terengganu vs Pahang (Pitch 2) 8am
(Both matches at Taman Daya Hockey Stadium)

The Star of Malaysia



Pahang boys and girls’ hockey teams start show with great appetite for goals

KUALA LUMPUR: The Pahang boys’ and girls’ teams, both defending champions, got off to flying starts in the 1MAS National Under-14 Hockey Championships.

The boys chalked up a convincing 4-1 win over Kelantan in Group A at the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil yesterday. The girls did even better by thrashing Perlis 5-0 in Group A at the Education Ministry Turf.

Pahang skipper Muhammad Fazril Lokman netted two penalty corners in the eighth and 18th minutes, before his twin brother Muhammad Fazrin scored the third goal in the 24th minute.

Kelantan managed to reduce the deficit with a field goal through Muhamad Luqman Fauzi in the 35th minute.

Muhammad Sirhan Abdul Rahim completed the rout with a field attempt in the 46th minute.

Pahang coach Mohd Sufian Mohamed, however, was not pleased with his team’s performance despite collecting full points.

“My boys did not play to their true form. They played a slow game.

“We need to buck up for our second match against Melaka tomorrow.

“Our mission is to collect full points in all four group matches,” said the former international.

Pahang, who are gunning for their third title, will play their third group match against Perlis tomorrow and they complete their group fixtures against Penang on Monday.

Melaka, meanwhile, lost 3-1 to Penang.

Muhamad Ikram Maznan gave Penang the lead in the 22nd minute but a minute later, Muhamad Elly Iskandar Ahmad equalised for Melaka.

Penang regained the lead through Jayrish Shaffin Jamalsafri in the 26th minute before Muhammad Aliff Aqharni Yuzaidi netted the third goal for Penang.

In the girls’ competition, Che Wan Nuraisyah Che Wan Mohd Zahari (10th, 47th) and J. Thibatharshini (13th, 33rd) each scored a brace for Pahang against Perlis.

Zawiatulakma Hartomo netted the other goal for the East Coast team in the 25th minute.

Pahang girls’ coach Mohamad Sabri Mohamad was pleased with his team’s performance.

“Terengganu did not feature in the tournament last year. So we’re not sure of their strength but we are not going to take any team lightly,” said Sabri.

RESULTS

BOYS

Group A: Pahang 4 Kelantan 1, Melaka 1 Penang 3
Group B: Johor 3 Sarawak 0, Perak 3 Selangor 1
Group C: K. Lumpur 2 Terengganu 2, Sabah 1 N. Sembilan 0.

GIRLS

Group A: Pahang 5 Perlis 0, Singapore 1 Kedah 1
Group B: Johor 1 Selangor 1
Group C: Penang 3 N. Sembilan 1, Perak 0 Kuala Lumpur 0.

TODAY’S FIXTURES

BOYS

Group A: Perlis vs Penang (5.30pm), Pahang vs Melaka (7pm)
Group B: Singapore vs Selangor (7am), Johor vs Perak (8.30am)
Group C: Kedah vs N. Sembilan (10am), K. Lumpur vs Sabah (4pm)

(Matches at National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil)

GIRLS

Group A: Perlis vs Singapore (4.30pm), Pahang vs Terengganu (6pm)
Group B: Melaka vs Sarawak (7.30am),
Group C: Penang vs Perak (9am), K. Lumpur vs N. Sembilan (3pm)

The Star of Malaysia



Maryland field hockey’s coaching staff earns national recognition

By Scott Gelman


Head coach Missy Meharg and assistant coach Katie Bam observe gameplay from the sideline during Maryland's 3-0 win against Michigan State on Oct. 29, 2017. (Marquise McKine/The Diamondback)

Maryland field hockey coach Missy Meharg praised her staff throughout the team's NCAA tournament run, highlighting her assistants' role in transforming the Terps' season. Now, the group has received national recognition.

Meharg and her staff were named the NFHCA's Coaching Staff of the Year for the Mid-Atlantic region Thursday, the team announced in a release.

While Meharg completed her 30th season leading the Terps, two of her three assistants were hired within the last year. Katie Bam was hired in January, and Marvin Bam joined the program this past summer.

Volunteer assistant coach Stephanie Fee joined the program in 2016. All three of Meharg's assistants are Olympians.

The Terps reached the NCAA championship game despite five regular season losses, including a stretch during which the team dropped three of four contests at the end of September.

Maryland ended the year with 16 wins and carried a six-game winning streak into the Big Ten tournament. The Terps, who entered the season ranked No. 6, earned wins against nine ranked teams.

The Diamondback

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