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All the news for Wednesday 11 April 2018

XXI Commonwealth Games - Day 7
Gold Coast (AUS) 5 - 14 Apr 2018

Results Wednesday 11 April 2018 (GMT +10)
Women Pool A Malaysia - Wales 1 - 0
Women Pool B Canada - Ghana 5 - 1
Men Pool B Malaysia - Pakistan 1 - 1
Men Pool A Australia - New Zealand 2 - 1
Men Pool B India - England 4 - 3
Men Pool A Canada - South Africa 0 - 2

Fixtures 12 April 2018 (GMT +10)
13:30 Women Placing 9-10 Wales - Ghana
15:45 Women Placing 7-8 Malaysia - Scotland
19:00 Women Semifinal England - New Zealand
21:15 Women Semifinal Australia - India

Current Standings
Men's Pool A

Men's Pool B

Women's Pool A

Women's Pool B

Official Gold Coast CWG site

Pakistan to play for 7th spot after 1-1 draw with Malaysia

Both Pakistan and Malaysia were out of semifinal contention at the hockey competition of XXI Commonwealth Games at Gold Coast, Australia.

But there was something at stake when they came across in their last pool game.

Pakistan needed to win in order to finish third in the pool and qualify for the 5th place game.

For Malaysia a draw was enough.

The two sides ended equal on points. As per the tournament rules, the side with more wins finished ahead. Pakistan drew all the four matches while Malaysia had one win.

Malaysia called the early shots. A steal in Pakistan half left goal keeper Imran Butt  with no option but to rush out of the 23 metre to thwart the danger.

 It cost him yellow card. Replacement Mazhar Abbas was called to make two outstanding saves in his five minute appearance on the pitch.

Pakistan managed to settle down and were certainly the better side during the rest of the first half.

In the ninth minute, after some delightful shot passes, a high ball reached Shafqat Rasool standing unmarked near the right post. The veteran first timed it into the cage.

In the second quarter, both the two sides got a couple of back to back penalty corners but to no avail.

Dilber had the best open play opportunity. He had goal at his mercy but the try was poor.

H.T. Pakistan 1, Malaysia 0

Pakistan rushed out of the blocks after the change of the sides and had a penalty corner in the first minute but the variation didnt click. After some back and forth play, Malaysia tested Imran Butt, who was well positioned to stop.

In the 39th minute, Fitri Sari, after a magnificent dribbling run, sent a parallel reverse ball in the path of Ramadan Rosli from deep inside circle's left. The latter dived to complete a memorable goal.

First minute of the fourth quarter saw Pakistan waste another PC.  Then Malaysia couldnt make out  of two back to back PCs.

With less than three minute left, Pakistani head coach Oeltmans replaced the goal keeper with an out field player. There was some high drama as Pakistan obtained two back to back penalty corners in the penultimate minute but the Malaysian net minder Hairi Abdul Rahman anticipated well each time and it ended 1-1

SCORERS:
Pakistan: Shafqat Rasool (9')
Malaysia: Ramadan Rosli (39')

Pakistan plays the 7th/8th position match on Friday

PHF Media release

Kookaburras Continue Kiwi Dominance To Seal Top Spot

Ben Somerford



The Kookaburras have secured top spot in Pool A after a hard-fought 2-1 victory over New Zealand in their final round robin game at the 2018 Commonwealth Games on Wednesday at Gold Coast Hockey Centre.

Australia will play either England or India – who meet in their final pool game on Wednesday night - in the semi-finals on Friday night.

The result continues Australia’s recent dominance over the Black Sticks, extending their winning run to eight games against their Trans-Tasman rivals.

Jake Whetton’s cheeky 20th minute goal put the Kookaburras ahead, but it wasn’t until Trent Mitton scored his fourth goal of the tournament in the 56th minute that Australia had breathing space.

That two-goal lead didn’t last long with the Black Sticks pulling one back in the penultimate minute through Cory Bennett but the Kookaburras did enough to clinch the win which seals top spot in the pool.

New Zealand edged Australia on possession 52-48 as well as the penalty corner count seven to six but the Kookaburras had 36-20 circle entries throughout the 60 minutes.

Australia put New Zealand under pressure early with Jake Harvie whipping a ball across goal while Mitton tested keeper Richard Joyce after Tom Wickham’s run.

The Kookaburras came close in the 13th minute when Jeremy Hayward’s drag flick was saved on the line by New Zealand postman Shea McAleese.

New Zealand should have taken the lead in the 18th minute when Hugo Inglis pushed a close-range shot wide after a rebound from Nic Woods’ drag flick which had been saved by Tyler Lovell.

Two minutes later, the Kookaburras made them pay when Whetton when on a brilliant baseline run before cheekily shooting high into the back of the net from a tight angle past Joyce.

Hayden Phillips flashed a shot wide, while Nick Ross forced a sharp save from Lovell prior to half-time.

New Zealand came close again when Bennett’s drag flick went wide, while Australia survived a few penalty corner raids led by Kane Russell.

Aran Zalewski attempted another angled shot late which hit the side-netting, while Dylan Wotherspoon’s deflection bobbled wide from Harvie’s cross before the final change.

Zalewski fired a slider wide in the 49th minute from a penalty corner, while Eddie Ockenden made a crucial last-gasp interception after McAleese’s baseline run.

Hayward was denied from a trademark drag flick by Joyce’s left mit with six minutes to go.

Wickham forced a save from Joyce’s kicker in the 56th minute before collecting the rebound and finding Mitton who deflected home to make it 2-0.

New Zealand pulled one back in the 58th minute, with Bennett scoring at the second attempt with a powerful low shot into the backboard from a penalty corner.

Australia 2 (Whetton 20’, Mitton 56’)
New Zealand 1 (Bennett 58’)

Hockey Australia media release

Semi-Finalists confirmed for men’s hockey at Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games


Defending champions Australia qualified for the Semi-Finals today Photo: FIH/WSP

The Semi-Finalists for the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games men’s hockey were confirmed earlier today as Australia, England, India and New Zealand all won their respective matches.

Their qualification means that all four teams will battle it out for the medals, although who will play who in the Semi-Finals will not be known until the final rankings are determined after the conclusion of the men’s Pool matches tomorrow.

India were the first team to win on day six at the Gold Coast Hockey Centre as they fought out a tough 2-1 win against Asian rivals Malaysia.

Harmanpreet Singh (3 & 44) scored twice for India while Faizal Saari (16) was the lone goal scorer for Malaysia.

Speaking afterwards, India Chief Coach Sjoerd Marijne said: “We are happy to be on the winning side. I think the team has improved since our first match against Pakistan. Though there are still certain areas we must get better with, this win will give the team good momentum for the next match.”

New Zealand then took to the pitch and continued their fine form which has seen them score 17 goals and concede just four. The victims on this occasion were Scotland, who they beat 5-2.

Black Sticks Kane Russell was the hero of the day, scoring a hat-trick, delivering three goals from penalty corner drag flicks, while Jared Panchia and Hugo Inglis also scored through open play.

After their win, Head Coach Darren Smith said it was great to remain undefeated and continue their high goal scoring form. He said: “We were able to put a lot of pressure on Scotland and that caused some issues for them, and we were able to capitalise well.”

In the battle of Britain, Wales needed a win against England to keep their Semi-Final qualification hopes alive. And it was all going to plan at half-time, with Luke Hawker and Ben Francis giving them a 2-0 lead.

Hawker brilliantly diverted Ioan Wall’s cross beyond Harry Gibson in the 25th minute before Francis diverted a corner just before half-time.

England however had other plans and knew that a win for them would guarantee them a spot in the medal games.

Sam Ward proved the saviour as his hat-trick snatched victory from their British neighbours, his first coming in the 38th minute as he deflected Liam Sanford’s pass beyond Wales goalkeeper James Fortnam.

Ten minutes later he was on the scoresheet again through a penalty corner, but England had to wait to complete their comeback. With three minutes left on the clock, Ward controlled, turned and fired the ball into the Welsh goal to win the game 3-2.

England’s final group game is against India on Wednesday 11 April, a game that will determine who finishes top of Pool B and finalise the Semi-Final line-ups.

The last men’s game of the day saw Australia’s Hockeyroos keep their 100% record intact as their rich vein of goal-scoring form continued as they beat Canada.

Another dominant first-quarter performance set Australia on their way, leading 3-0 at the first break after two goals from Dylan Wotherspoon double and a penalty corner drag flick from Jeremy Hayward.

Canada recovered from the early onslaught and began to impose themselves on the game, and whilst they had few scoring opportunities they did restrict Australia’s goalscoring threat for the next two quarters.

Australia persevered however and Trent Mitton added a fourth in the 54th minute as the Kookaburra’s finished 4-0 winners.

Their win means the defending champions are currently locked on nine points from three games with equal goal difference with New Zealand, the Black Sticks ahead on goals scored meaning Australia must win Tuesday’s game to finish top of Pool A.

RESULTS
MEN
Pool A: New Zealand 5, Scotland 2; Australia 4, Canada 0.
Pool B: India 2, Malaysia 1; England 3, Wales 2.

#GC2018Hockey

FIH site

Women’s hockey Semi-Finals line-up set for Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games


Australia reached the Semi-Finals after defeating Scotland Photo: FIH/WSP

The women’s hockey Semi-Finals are set for the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games, with England taking on New Zealand and Australia playing India for a place in the gold medal match.

The Semi-Final line-up was confirmed following India’s 1-0 victory against South Africa and Australia’s 2-0 win against Scotland at the Gold Coast Hockey Centre this evening.

India guaranteed their spot in the medal games as they battled their way to a 1-0 victory over South Africa.

Whilst both teams had chances through open play and penalty corners, it wasn’t until the fourth quarter that India made the breakthrough.

From the left wing, Navneet Kaur passed the ball in-field to Vandana Katariya who in turn played the ball forward towards the centre of the circle. There, skipper Rani received and found enough space to turn and shoot, leaving the South African goalkeeper wrong-footed.

South Africa fought until the end but could not find a way through the Indian defence which remained structured and disciplined throughout this match.

After their win, Chief Coach Harendra Singh praised his players for qualifying for the Semi-Finals. He said: “It was a difficult moment for us when we lost our first match against Wales, but the girls did not lose their composure and focus. They stuck together and took responsibility to perform for their nation which proved to be the key to their success in the last three matches. It was a tough match today against a strong team but the girls made the right choices and I am extremely proud of their performance."

In the last match of the day, a sell-out crowd witnessed Australia pick up their fourth win from four matches as they defeated Scotland 2-0.

Australia had the better of the early chances with skipper Emily Smith going close after five minutes, before the first penalty corner was awarded in the 11th minute.

Scotland goalkeeper Amy Gibson blocked Jodie Kenny’s initial drag flick but following a Video Umpire referral another was awarded which the Australian star then converted.

The defending champions then doubled their lead in the 41st minute. A counter-attack saw Savannah Fitzpatrick play a neat ball inside for Grace Stewart who smashed the ball under the Scottish goalkeeper and into the goal.

Scotland had their chances throughout and earned a number of penalty corners in the last quarter but could not find a way past a resolute Hockeyroos defence.

"India are a very structured team and their basic skills are world-class. We're going to have to have our smart hockey brains on to get around them and create chances."
Emily Smith, Australia

Following today’s results and confirmation of the top two standings in each of the Pools, the women’s Semi-Finals will see England take on New Zealand and Australia play India on the evening of Thursday 12 April 2018.

RESULTS
Women
Pool A: Australia 2, Scotland 0.
Pool B: India 1, South Africa 0.

#GC2018Hockey

FIH site

Semis as good as over for Malaysia

MALAYSIA can forget the semi-finals after losing 1-2 to Asia Cup champions India in a Group B match at Gold Coast Hockey Centre.

It was Malaysia’s second defeat in three matches and they have only three points from a 3-0 win over Wales.

Malaysia will wrap up their fixtures against Pakistan today and they need a win to play in the fifth-place playoff.

India, who became the first team to book a place in the semi-finals with the win yesterday, drew first blood as early as the third minute off their first penalty corner converted by Harmanpreet Singh when his low flick sailed past goalkeeper Muhd Hairi Abdul Rahman.

Malaysia equalised through Faizal Saari in the 16th minute when he collected a through pass from Tengku Ahmad Tajuddin Tengku Abdul Jalil before slamming the ball past goalkeeper Sreejesh Parattu.

But Harmanpreet crushed Malaysia’s hope when he was on target again to deliver the winning goal in the 44th minute off another penalty corner.

National chief coach Stephen van Huizen blamed it on the team’s bad start and poor umpiring.

“I’m not too happy with the umpiring as the Indians got away by hitting my players but my players get booked even with a small tap,” said Stephen.

“When we saved a penalty corner, India said it was a deliberate attempt and we had to look at a video review.

“I’m not too happy about it but we eventually accepted it.”

Stephen is expecting another tough match against Pakistan today.

“We need to win the match otherwise we’ll play for the seventh placing playoff,” he said.

Malaysia last played Pakistan in the Asia Cup in Dhaka last October and they won 3-2.

The Star of Malaysia

Hockey India congratulates Mandeep Singh on completing 100 international caps

Hockey India on Tuesday congratulated forward Mandeep Singh on achieving the milestone of playing 100 international matches for the country.

Mandeep achieved the feat during India's 2-1 win against Malaysia during their Pool B clash at the 21st Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia.

The 23-year-old from Jalandhar, Punjab came into the National side as a young prodigy in 2013 for the Hockey World League Round 2 held in New Delhi.

His first match was a memorable outing against Fiji. Mandeep's selection into the Senior Men's squad was backed by his brilliant first season in the Hockey India League.

There was no looking back for the youngster ever since as he featured in some of India's key tournaments including the 36th FIH Champions Trophy in London where India won a Silver Medal. In 2017, Mandeep scored a hat-trick of goals against Japan at the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup, a campaign where India won a Bronze Medal. It is his artistry as a forward, winning India penalty corners in crucial moments and scoring in the most unconventional ways, makes him a mainstay of the team.

Mandeep was also a key member of the Indian team that won the 2016 Junior Men's World Cup in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.

"I am happy to achieve this milestone and would like to thank my teammates for their constant support. It's been a memorable journey with the Indian Team and I wish to continue to contribute to the team's growth and success in the following years," stated Mandeep ahead of the match against Malaysia.

Congratulating the youngster for his feat, Md. Mushtaque Ahmad, Secretary General, Hockey India said, "I congratulate Mandeep Singh on completing 100 International Matches for India. As a forward, he is a pleasure to watch and he has in a short span earned his place in the team with some significant performances. I wish Mandeep the very best in this crucial year for Indian hockey and hope that he continues to perform to his potential.

Business Standard

2018 Commonwealth Games: Canada’s medal hopes dashed in 0-4 loss to host Australia


Photo: Yan Huckendubler

Aussies’ three goal first quarter leads to Canada’s second loss of the tournament

The first quarter belonged to the host nation as they peppered the Canadian net with chances. Up a man for the final ten minutes of the quarter, the Kookaburras capitalized on the opportunity scoring three goals in as many minutes.

In the New Zealand game, it was in the third quarter where Canada allowed three quick goals and today it was in the first quarter. Canada’s David Carter, who was brilliant in their 1-0 defeat over Scotland on Sunday, said allowing quick goals shouldn’t be looked at as a theme and expects the team to improve each game moving forward.

“In the New Zealand Game, it was about breakdowns through the middle of the field, and in this game, we definitely had a tough time dealing with their press when we were down a guy in the first quarter,” Carter said. “But I think once we got back to full strength, we played them pretty even for the rest of the game. So that’s something we can build off of.”

Canada’s best opportunity of the game came at the 10-minute mark of the fourth quarter as Floris van Son struck a low backhand, but Australian goal keeper Tyler Levell was equal to the task. That moment was a microcosm of the whole game: Canada coming close but never able to quite connect. Australia added another marker in the fourth quarter, putting a dagger in Canada’s medal hopes. Carter said that Australia deserved their share of credit for the way they pressured Canada, especially in the first quarter.

“They’re one of the best pressing teams in the world. They’re fit and have a deep bench and they constantly pressure you,” he said. “We knew tonight’s games wasn’t going to be easy.  They have to be credited for taking advantage of being a man up and capitalizing.”

The Red Caribou will immediately shift their focus as they play against South Africa in a critical game tomorrow. This will determine if Canada comes third in their pool, which would give them a shot at fifth place overall. Canada’s best all-time showing at the Commonwealth Games was sixth place in 2014. Carter knows in order to achieve the fifth place finish, they’ll need to go through two quality sides.

“We know we can beat South Africa but we have to prepare well and expect a tough game,” Carter said. “Honestly, we don’t need any extra motivation. We want to be in that fifth place game now and we want to come away with the win.”

When asked if his team needed to make any strategical adjustments forward, Carter’s sentiment was clear.
“For us, it’s all about putting 60 minutes together. No matter who we play, starting now, is going to be a strong side, so we’ll do our best to prepare and go after fifth place.”

Watch Canada take on South Africa in a must-win matchup live on www.dazn.com on Wednesday at 430am PDT (730am EDT).

Field Hockey Canada media release

Pakistan hockey team out of medals race at Commonwealth Games


PHOTO: AFP

Pakistan men’s hockey team were kicked out of the race for medals after England and India bagged wins on Tuesday in their respective matches at the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast.

Pakistan were able to extract three draw from their first three matches against Wales (1-1), India (2-2) and England (2-2) to gather only three points and were left reeling on the third spot.

Meanwhile, England and India won two of their three matches and drew against the Men in Green to grab seven points each and enter contention for the semi-finals.

However, all is not lost for Pakistan as their captain Muhammad Rizwan wants to fight for the fifth spot after they take on Malaysia on Wednesday.

A win would pit them in a fifth-sixth place match, while a loss would push them into a seventh-eighth place match.

“Malaysia have won only one match in the competition and they are not doing well,” Rizwan told The Express Tribune. “So, we have a chance against them as we are in a good form and we want to win that last pool match.”

He then rued the missed opportunities which led to three draws on the trot.

“It is sad that we missed the chance to play for a medal in the Games,” he said. “I wish we had done better in the previous matches so we could have been in a better position. “Still, we want to end on the best spot possible. We will have to finish at the fifth spot now.We can’t afford a defeat now.”

Always all-praise for the new Pakistan coach Roelant Oltmans, Rizwan said he is working hard with players once again so that they are in the best form against Malaysia.

“Each and every player is working hard,” said Rizwan. “It is good to see the players put an extra effort in training and we so hope this reaps positive results for Pakistan.”

The Express Tribune

South Africa fall short in chase for Semi-Finals


Nicole Walraven under pressure.

The South African Women’s hockey side today fell short in their quest to qualify for the Semi-Finals of the Commonwealth Games when they were defeated by India on the Gold Coast. South Africa entered the match knowing that only victory would be sufficient.

India, however, set up to frustrate the South Africans and set about sitting off of their African opponents and waiting for the opportunity to counter-attack. The tactic was applied perfectly as the SA ladies found chances hard to come by. Having reached half-time with the scores still level. The game was lacking technical quality in truth, and could safely be described as scrappy in the first half.

The second half saw South Africa try and raise the tempo, but once again that led to openings in defense and warning signs were evident when Gurjit Kaur cannoned a shot into the crossbar in the 38th minute from a penalty corner.

The warning saw South Africa try and raise the intensity, but once again the lack of quality and the resolute defense from India frustrated the African champions again and again. At the end of the third quarter, the game was still level and the South Africans knew that they would need to hold out for one more quarter and nick a goal.

But that was thrown into disarray when India got the 1-0 lead. Navneet Kaur led the counter-attack, before passing it onto the Vandana Katariya who was positioned at the top of the circle. Vandana passed the ball to Rani, who made a beautiful turn after receiving the ball, to roll the ball in for the 1-0 lead.

South Africa could hardly muster a clear-cut chance and when the Video Review was called for and reversed a late penalty corner for South Africa it was clear that it was not to be for South Africa. The game ended in a 1-0 defeat and now South Africa will be consigned to play off for either 5/6th or 7/8th depending on the Wales vs. Malaysia result.

Final Score
South Africa 0-1 India

Next Game
5/6 playoff South Africa v Canada Friday 06:00

SA Hockey Association media release

India barge into semis with 1-0 win over SA

s2h team



After going down to Wales in its opener, the Indian women’s team regained its composure to win the rest three matches and barge into the semi-finals of the Gold Coast Games. The women’s team defeated South Africa 1-0 in its last pool match.

India, which required a draw to book a semi-final berth, were on the attacking spree like their opponents but neither to break the deadlock until skipper Rani scored the goal in the 47th minute. Navneet and Vandana set up the move and Rani merely had to tap in the ball into the nets.

South Africa, though kept attacking, were resisted by goalkeeper Savita Puni, who saved many shots at goal.

With the win, India are now perched on the second position of the pool table with nine points from four matches.

“It was a difficult moment for us when we lost our first match against Wales, but the girls did not lose their composure and focus. They stuck together and took responsibility to perform for their nation which proved to be the key to their success in the last three matches. It was a tough match today against a strong team but the girls made the right choices and I am extremely proud of their performance,” said Chief Coach Harendra Singh.

India will either play New Zealand or hosts Australia in the semi-final of the competition.

Stick2Hockey.com

Indian women's hockey team enters semis

GOLD COAST: The Indian women's hockey team defeated South Africa 1-0 in its final Pool A game on Tuesday to enter the semi-finals of the event at the 21st Commonwealth Games (CWG) here.

Captain Rani Rampal's 47th-minute field goal proved to be the difference during the match as India remained second in the Pool A with nine points - same as top-placed England but behind on goal difference.

Third-placed South Africa have four points with a match left. They will meet fourth-placed Wales, who have three points.

India, who came into the match on the back of consecutive wins over England and Malaysia, began with high confidence. But the South Africans matched them with pace and precision.

Though the overall technical quality was absent from both the teams as they engaged in a scrappy encounter.

India got couple of penalty corners but Gurjit Kaur and Rampal couldn't make them count in the first two quarters.

At the beginning of the third quarter, South Africa began to ask questions but the Indian defence reacted strongly.

India employed a strategy of waiting for the South African defence to push up and then hit them on the counter.

India came close to breaking the deadlock when drag-flicker Gurjit Kaur hit the cross-bar in the 38th minute.

It was a warning for a desperate South Africa, who pushed hard. Moments later, Navjot Kaur slid wide of the left post following a cross from Monika.

Nearly nine minutes later, India got the 1-0 lead. Navneet Kaur led the counter-attack, before passing it onto the Vandana Katariya who was positioned at the top of the circle. Vandana passed the ball to Rampal, who made a beautiful turn after receiving the ball, holding off goalkeeper and a defender, to roll the ball in for the 1-0 lead.

After the goal, India strengthened its defensive structure to seal a crucial win.

The Times of India

Hockey teams ensure last four berths

Harmanpreet hits a brace against Malaysia; Rani nets winner for women

A Vinod


Hero! Harmanpreet Singh is congratulated by teammates after netting one of his two goals against Malaysia. 

India rode on Harmanpreet Singh’s brace to overcome Malaysia 2-1 in a Pool B match, and ensure a semifinal spot in men’s hockey, at the Gold Coast hockey centre on Tuesday.

Though India has an enviable head-to-head record against Malaysia, it struggled on this day and was lucky to get it past the latter which too had its own problems and suffered.

While his teammates were all over the park, S.V. Sunil was a shining example of hard work as he pursued the side’s cause in a diligent manner. Had the others joined the party, it could have been a different story.

India opened up with purpose in the initial stages and got a lead within the first three minutes. Harmandeep was quick to flick low off a penalty corner, leaving the Malaysian custodian Hairi Rahman helpless, as the ball went through his right.

Tragically, it was a mistake by Sunil, missing out a high ball, that gave Malaysia the opportunity to score through Faizal Saari, who darted in unchecked, drew out Rupinder Pal Singh and then sold a dummy to P.R. Sreejesh before slotting in the equaliser in the 16th minute.

The game pattern remained the same until the start of the third quarter before the Indians showed some urgency. A sequence of penalty corners was forced after Sunil had put Mandeep through and was impeded inside the circle.

Utilising the opportunity, Harmandeep helped India back into the lead, with a rousing shot that took the top corner of the Malaysian net.

India will play England in its last league match on Wednesday to decide the group topper.

Later in the day, the women’s team also made the last four, beating South Africa 1-0 in its last Pool A match, the winner coming through captain Rani Ramphal in the 47th minute. It was a close match and though both the sides had their chances, none was converted either because of poor finishing or saves effected by the goalkeepers.

The win helped India to finish its engagements with nine points on par with England, which, however, took the top spot with a better goal difference.

It could either be New Zealand or Australia in the semifinals as the Pool B matches would be completed only on Wednesday.

The Hindu

Hockeyroos Bounce Into Semis In Top Spot

Ben Somerford



The Hockeyroos have clinched top spot in Pool B and will play India in the 2018 Commonwealth semi-finals after a 2-0 win over Scotland on Tuesday night at Gold Coast Hockey Centre.

The win means Australia leapfrogged New Zealand into first place in the pool, finishing the initial phase with 10 points from four games, scoring eight goals and not conceding one.

Jodie Kenny’s first quarter drag flick and Gerringong youngster Grace Stewart’s calm third quarter finish ensured the crucial victory for the Hockeyroos.

Possession was fairly even, but the Hockeyroos turned that into attacking opportunities all night, with 31 circle entries to Scotland’s 10, along with seven penalty corners.

The Hockeyroos will now face India at 9:15pm AEST on Thursday in the semi-finals, with England to take on New Zealand in the other semi.

Australia had the better of the early chances with skipper Emily Smith intercepting and flashing wide in the fifth minute, before the first penalty corner of the game on 11 minutes.

Scotland keeper Amy Gibson denied Jodie Kenny with the initial drag flick but Australia successfully referred for a secondary penalty corner which the 30-year-old Queenslander converted.

The Hockeyroos came close to doubling their advantage in the 20th minute with Kenny involved again after a fine overhead found Eddie Bone whose left-flank cutback was well controlled by Savannah Fitzpatrick whose shot was saved by Scotland sub keeper Nicola Cochrane.

Australia tested Scotland from another penalty corner with Emily Hurtz denied from the rebound.

The Scottish gave the Hockeyroos a scare when Sarah Jamieson in behind the defence inside the circle but none of her teammates could get on the end of her cutback across goal.

Some Madi Ratcliffe magic on the baseline almost created an opening for Australia, with Fitzpatrick’s shot blocked.

The Hockeyroos would get the second goal in the 41st minute on a fast break when Fitzpatrick laid inside for Stewart who thundered her shot under Gibson and into the backboard.

Scotland launched a series of final quarter penalty corners to put Australia under pressure, while Fitzpatrick forced a close-range save with Ratcliffe unable to put home the rebound.

Ratcliffe was in the thick of the action again as Australia raced forward with Cochrane denying Smith at the crucial moment with five minutes to play.

Hurtz forced a late save from Cochrane in the penultimate minute on the counter-attack as Scotland pushed forward but it ended 2-0.

Australia 2 (Kenny 12’, Stewart 41’)
Scotland 0

Hockey Australia media release

Big performance by Scotland women but Australia take the win


Nikki Alexander-Lloyd.Photo by Team Scotland

A tremendous effort by Scotland women ended in an unlucky 2-0 defeat against Gold Coast 2018 hosts Australia. It was a valiant and hardworking Scotland performance that deserved more, but the clinical Australians took the victory with some slick finishing.

It was a good start to the match by Scotland holding their own against the hosts in a packed Gold Coast Hockey Centre.

The first real chance of the match went the way of Australia and prompted a stunning save by Amy Gibson diving low to her right. Another penalty corner was awarded however as the ball rose from the save into an attacking player.

This time Australia made no mistake from the penalty corner and a nice Jodie Kenny drag flick found the back of the net to make it 1-0.

Into the second quarter and Nicola Cochrane took up the space between the sticks and was called into action promptly. She produced a great save low to her right after a swift break down the left by Australia.

Cochrane produced the goods again a short time later with an exceptional double save from a penalty corner to deny Australia.

Scotland came so close to equalising after some Sarah Jamieson skill to open up the Aussie defence, she played the ball across goal but there were no takers for an equaliser at the far post.

In the second half Australia attacked the Scotland defence up on the left but some good covering by Katie Robertson prevented the shot and Scotland emerged with the ball.

Jamieson again was causing the Australia defence problems with her powerful running. She forced her way into the D but couldn’t get her shot away with sticks flying around her.

Scotland were banging at the door for an equaliser but got hit on the break for a killer sucker punch. Australia flooded forward in numbers and Grace Stewart slammed the ball home for 2-0.

Scotland continued to battle for a goal and were nearly caught out by another counter attack, but another excellent double save by Cochrane from close range denied the strike.

In the end it finished 2-0, a valiant and hardworking performance by Scotland that deserved more for the effort, but it was the clinical Australians who took the victory and a semi-final spot.

Scotland captain Kaz Cuthbert said, “I’m gutted! I’m very proud of the girls, the whole team put in a real shift. We went out there with the belief that we could take a result – we went out there and put it all on the pitch.

“We’re always motivated and we go out to play with pride and passion, we just need to stay a bit more composed. We had our opportunities and we’ve got to start taking them. Our forwards are great when they get the ball, we have to give them a bit more of it and get some goals.

“We’ll keep building on our performances and tighten up on a few things going forward.”

Scottish Hockey Union media release

Kookaburras Chasing Complete Performance Against NZ

Ben Somerford



Kookaburras two-goal hero Dylan Wotherspoon says putting together a full 60-minute performance will be the key as they strive to finish top of Pool A at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

Australia defeated Canada 4-0 on Tuesday afternoon to move level on points and goal difference with Wednesday’s opponents New Zealand ahead of their final round robin game.

New Zealand are only ahead on goals scored, meaning only a win in Wednesday’s clash will be enough for Australia to claim top spot in the pool, giving them an advantage at the crossover.

England and India have already qualified in Pool B and will also meet on Wednesday to determine their rankings.

Murwillumbah product Wotherspoon, who scored a brace against Canada, said there was plenty on the line against the Black Sticks.

“There’s the Trans-Tasman rivalry there,” Wotherspoon said. “They’re looking pretty good as well.

“Both are in the semi-finals but we want to take that first position. It’s going to be nice and close.”

Australia have recorded strong wins, including a 4-0 victory over South Africa, 6-1 triumph over Scotland and the 4-0 win over Canada.

However, the bulk of Australia’s goals have come in quarter bursts and coach Colin Batch has demanded a more complete performance ahead of the New Zealand clash.

“We always want to bring energy,” Wotherspoon said.

“We had a slow start against South Africa, started well against Scotland but didn’t finish too well.

“Once again we came out firing but didn’t finish too well in the second half.

“At the moment we have to focus on a 60-minute performance.

“That’s what we’re thinking about for the next game.”

Wotherspoon, who turns 25 on Monday, was modest about his personal double, having now scored three goals for the tournament.

“It is always nice but that’s my job up there,” the Queenslander said.

“I’d like to get a few more involvements posting up in the middle. I was quite happy with it. Happy to get grinding and grinding.”

Australia plays New Zealand from 4.30pm AEST on Wednesday.

Hockey Australia media release

Homework On Hockeyroos’ Minds Ahead Of India Semi

Ben Somerford



There’s an element of the unknown ahead of the 2018 Commonwealth Games semi-finals with the Hockeyroos having not played upcoming opponents India in almost 18 months.

Australia’s last tussle with the Indians was at the International Festival of Hockey in Melbourne in November 2016.

India won the first match 1-0, before the Hockeyroos hit back with 4-1 and 3-1 wins to clinch the series.

Defender Eddie Bone played all three matches and scored a rare international goal in Australia’s 4-1 win but said the upcoming contest would be something new altogether.

“They’ve changed a bit as have we,” Bone said.

“We’ve got a bit of homework to do on them so we’re clear on what our goals will be against them, how to score, how they’ll look to score.

“I’m confident if we do everything we have for our previous matches we’ll be able to get everything done.”

India are currently ranked 10th in the world but got through their pool with three wins and one defeat, going down 3-2 to Wales in their opening game before storming home.

The Indians knocked off second-ranked England 2-1 in the pool, but missed out on top spot purely on goal difference.

Australia finished top of their pool with 10 points from four games, having claimed three wins and a draw to finish ahead of New Zealand who secured two wins and two draws.

England and New Zealand (ranked fourth) are the two highest ranked nations still in the draw, so fifth-ranked Australia have put themselves in a great position to reach the gold medal match.

“It’s going really well at the moment,” Bone said. “Our goal was to make the semi-finals and we’ve achieved that goal.

“Now we’re looking to that next match against India tomorrow night. It’s really exciting.

“We’ve got a bit of homework to do on them, we haven’t played them for a little while.

“We’ve ticked that first box and now we’re looking forward to the medal matches.”

Young Gerringong forward Grace Stewart scored Australia’s second goal in the 2-0 win over Scotland to seal their spot on top of the pool.

“To come top of the pool sets us up nicely taking on India but it should be a tough game,” she said.

“Especially after New Zealand’s past results over the past few years, to have a draw with them and end up on top of them, gives us a lot of confidence heading into the semis.”

Hockey Australia media release

Early business end await Indian men

s2h team

Business end for India's and England's men's hockey teams start a match before knock out phase, as both will vie tomorrow in their last pool match which will decide who between the two will top the pool. This assumes significance as the topper will avoid Australia in the cross over semifinal.

Normally, the phrase is reserved for cross over matches after elimination of other medal contending teams in the pool, certainly not the last pool match. However, considering the importance, it can well be said the forthcoming India-England match marks the commencement of the business end. The history of the commonwealth Games hockey conform with such a view.

The topper of the pool can avoid Australia, who won all the earlier CWG editions. This fact in many ways is kept in mind while this narrative is being attempted.

Indian men despite starting by drawing to Pakistan, had recovered in time to beat next two matches. England on the other hand too had drawn Pakistan before beating Wales and Malaysia. However, the English have better goal aggregate and goal difference mainly due to the fact that they could overcome Malaysia with a big score (7-0) while India just managed 2-1.

A draw would suffice for England to top the pool while an outright victory is needed for Indian men. Indian team is having rough time in Gold Coast due to deficiency in defence and penalty corner conversions.

Stick2Hockey.com

Vitality Hockey Women's World Cup qualifiers flex their muscles at Commonwealth Games


Trans Tasman clash

Vitality Hockey Women’s World Cup qualifiers have been stealing the headlines and showing their class at the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth.

England, India, Australia and New Zealand have all made it to the semi-final stages after strong performances in the pool stages and all will be in action this summer in London!

The semi-finals take place on Thursday, exactly 100 days from the start of the Vitality Hockey Women’s World Cup with England taking on New Zealand and Australia and India going head to head.


Susannah Townsend at the Commonwealth Games

England defeated South Africa, Wales and Malaysia but were defeated to India in their third fixture. England and India go head to head with each other at the World Cup later this summer in their opening match of the tournament on the 21 July.

India responded from their shock 3-2 defeat to Wales in their Commonwealth Games opener to beat Malaysia, England and South Africa to book their semi-final place.

 Trans-Tasman rivals Australia and New Zealand showed their prowess as they both coasted to the semi-finals. When the sides met a closely fought 0-0 showed how well matched they are ahead of their clash at the Vitality Hockey Women’s World Cup on 28 July in Pool D.

Impressively Australia didn’t concede a single goal during the pool stage while New Zealand are the tournament’s top scorers with 18 ahead of England who have found the net 11 times.

 The semi-finals will provide an interesting insight into the form of these nations as well as a chance for teams to build momentum ahead of travelling to London.

England Hockey Board Media release

U16 Girls Squad Announced For 3 Nations In Germany

U16 Girls Coach Brendon Carolan has selected his 18 squad and 4 Non travelling reserves for the invitation 3 Nations to be played at Moerser HC in Germany from 18/20 May.  Commenting on his selection Carolan said:

"We look forward to the first competitive series of matches for the U16's programme. With a long term development programme in mind, building towards the U18 European championships 2020, this will give us a great opportunity to see where we initially sit relative to other European teams. A great series of matches to learn from and progress our U16s. We thank Germany for the invite and also look forward to testing ourselves against the Netherlands."

    Friday 18th May v Germany 15.00
    Saturday 19th May v Germany 15.00
    Sunday 20th May v The Netherlands 15.00

NON TRAVELLING RESERVES

Irish Hockey Association media release

Champions Kisumu Day, Musingu in dream starts

By Elizabeth Mburugu


Shimolatewa High School's Tom Masha (left) and Wayne Korir of Musingu High School during Kenya Secondary Schools term One games at State House Grounds on Tuesday, April 11, 2017. [PHOTO: JONAH ONYANGO/STANDARD]

East Africa Secondary hockey champions Kisumu Day and Musingu were off to a flying start as they launched their quest for the Brookside Secondary Schools National Term One Games hockey titles as the games got underway yesterday at Kangaru School, Embu.
 
Kisumu Day who are eying their maiden national title made light work of Shimo La Tewa of Coast thumping them 3-0 in their opening Group A match.

Despite, the victory Kisumu Day did not have it the easy way as they had to battle to unrelenting Shimo La Tewa who refused to go down easily in the first quarter. It was not until the 26th minute that Emmanuel Juma finally broke the deadlock to give the Nyanza Region students a1-0 advantage at halftime.

Three minutes to the break of the third quarter Carrey Brian added a second for Kisumu Day before Mackay Odhiambo sealed the victory two minutes later. Kisumu Day coach Booker Odhiambo said that he was glad they got a start they dreamt of and they were looking forward to their second match.

“We wanted to start well and I’m glad the boys fought to ensure that we got the start we wished for,” Odhiambo said.

Ian Orlando netted a hat-trick as Musingu beat homeboys Kangaru 3-1 in another Group A match. Orlando was on target in the 33rd, 47th and 57th minutes for the Western Region champions while Moffat Munene scored Kangaru’s consolation goal.

In the girls contest, Kerugoya of Central edged debutantes Mt Laverna from Nairobi 1-0 to register their first victory in Group A. Jenifer Gitau scored Kerugoya’s all-important goal in the third quarter.

Former champions Trans Nzoia Mixed made their intentions to reclaim the title they last won in 2015 with a 2-1 win over St Joseph’s Kibwezi.

The Standard Online