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News for 29 November 2018

All the news for Thursday 29 November 2017


Odisha Hockey Men's World Cup Bhubaneswar 2018 - Day 1
Bhubaneswar (IND)

Results 28 November

BEL v CAN (Pool C)     2 - 1
IND v RSA (Pool C          5 - 0

Upcoming pool fixtures (GMT +5:30)

29 Nov 2018 17:00     ARG v ESP (Pool A)
29 Nov 2018 19:00     NZL v FRA (Pool A

30 Nov 2018 17:00     AUS v IRL (Pool B
30 Nov 2018 19:00     ENG v CHN (Pool B

1 Dec 2018 17:00          NED v MAS (Pool D)
1 Dec 2018 19:00          GER v PAK (Pool D)

2 Dec 2018 17:00          CAN v RSA (Pool C)
2 Dec 2018 19:00          IND v BEL (Pool C)

Pool Standings

 Pool A
  Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Argentina 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1 France 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1 New Zealand 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1 Spain 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
 Pool B
  Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Australia 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1 China 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1 England 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1 Ireland 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
 Pool C
  Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 India 1 1 0 0 5 0 5 3
2 Belgium 1 1 0 0 2 1 1 3
3 Canada 1 0 0 1 1 2 -1 0
4 South Africa 1 0 0 1 0 5 -5 0
Pool D
  Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Germany 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1 Malaysia 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1 Netherlands 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1 Pakistan 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

FIH Match Centre



Hard-earned win for Belgium

Canada puts on a brave performance

Y.B. Sarangi


BHUBANESWAR, 28/11/2018: Belgium players celebrate after scoring against Canada in the Men’s Hockey World Cup 2018 in Bhubaneswar. Photo Credit: Biswaranjan Rout

Belgium overcame Canada’s spirited resistance to eke out a slim 2-1 victory in the opening Pool C match of the Hockey World Cup at the Kalinga Stadium here on Wednesday.

While Belgium will value the full points to start its campaign on a positive note, Canada will take heart from its brave performance.

Belgium baffled Canada with an entertaining show of high-speed hockey and innovative circle penetration.

Early lead

Functioning like an efficient, well-oiled machine, the Belgians stepped on the pedal from the whistle and earned the lead in the third minute. Arthur van Doren’s slapshot from outside the circle was crisply deflected in by Felix Denayer.

Despite being under pressure, Canada used the video referral wisely to get another Belgian goal disallowed in the 12th minute.

The second quarter was no different except for a couple of potential threats by Canada, through Keegan Pereira-led counter-attacks.

Belgium maintained its stranglehold and produced a penalty corner in the 20th minute, but Loick Luyparet’s shot was blocked beautifully by the Canadian ’keeper Antoni Kindler. Luyparet’s second attempt from a rebound also went in vain.

The Europeans doubled the lead when van Doren’s creative pass from outside the penalty area was hammered in by captain Thomas Briels.

Kindler’s heroics

Belgium was short on intensity but applied pressure to earn three more short corners in the penultimate period. However, Kindler stood out with his great anticipation and superb reflex to thwart any further damage.

Canada executed its plan well in the final quarter by shrinking the gaps and being smart on counter-attacks.

It scored off its second penalty corner when Mark Pearson tapped it in on his second attempt following a variation.

Belgium’s repeated raids didn’t bear fruit.

The result: Belgium 2 (Felix Denayer 3, Thomas Briels 22) bt Canada 1 (Mark Pearson 48).

The Hindu



Belgium begin campaign with gritty, hard-fought victory over minnows Canada


The Canadian hockey team celebrate their equaliser. Twitter@sports_odisha

Bhubaneswar: Olympic silver medallist Belgium's quest for a maiden men's World Cup title started with a fighting 2-1 win over minnows Canada in the opening match of hockey's showpiece event on Wednesday.

Ranked third in the world, Belgium started as overwhelming favourites against world no. 11 Canada in the Pool C opener but they looked far from impressive. Even though Belgium controlled the proceedings in the first two quarters by showcasing fast-paced attacking hockey, they lacked the sting after the change of ends.

The Red Lions sounded the board as early as in the third minute through a fine field strike by Felix Denayer.

In the 12th minute, captain Thomas Briels found the back of the net again for Belgium but the goal was disallowed after Canada went for the referral, claiming the ball hit his hand before rolling on to the goal.

But Briels was not to be denied in the 22nd minute as he scored with a brilliant strike after he was set up by Arthur van Doren. Belgium completely dominated the first two quarters as Canada hardly managed to get a shot at the opposition goal.

But the script changed to some extent after halftime as Canada started to find their grip on the match. They fought brilliantly to pull a goal back through Mark Pearson's penalty corner conversion in the 48th minute.

After a bright start, it was a lacklustre performance from the Belgians in the last two quarters as they allowed Canada to come back into the match. It was far from an ideal start for Belgium as they wasted as many as four penalty corners in the match, a fact which their captain Thomas Briels accepted.

"We played a very good first half. We started positively and dominated but Canada came back strongly after halftime to give us some tough time," Briels said.

Belgium will next face hosts India on 2 December while Canada will be up against South Africa.

Firstpost



Denayer’s Red Lions find Canada tough to crack but start on winning note


© : Frank Uijlenbroek / World Sport Pics

KHC Dragons Felix Denayer said Belgium will analyse how they can become more effective in front of goal as they found Canada tough nut to crack in the opening game of the men’s Hockey World Cup in Bhubaneswar.

The red lions were outstanding in the first quarter of the opener, taking an early lead thanks to third minute goal from Denayer before Thomas Briels had a goal ruled out by the video umpire.
Oranje-Rood’s Briels was not to be denied though, firing home a brilliant half volley mid-way through the second quarter, with Arthur Van Doren the supplier.

While Belgium were dominant in the first two periods, Canada grew in stature as the game progressed and really hit form in the fourth quarter, enjoying a period of sustained pressure before Mark Pearson reduced the deficit when he forced home from close range.

However, the Belgians remained composed in the latter stages to get their campaign off to a winning start.

“We started pretty well, especially knowing it was the first match of the World Cup so there were a few nerves”, said Belgium goal-scorer Felix Denayer after the match.

“Leading 2-0 at half time, we really wanted to push through and get a few more goals but Canada did pretty well. We got a [yellow] card in the fourth quarter and Canada got the goal so we had to control the game, which we did well. We had something like 16 shots on goal and six corners, so we will analyse that and see where we can get some more goals from.”

In game two, India got the best of South Africa 5-0 to start their tournament on a high.

Speaking after the match, India Head Coach Harendra Singh said: “I am pleased that we got a clean match sheet, a ‘zero’ against India. That is a positive sign. My main defence is all eleven players, it is not [just] the defenders, [but also] the midfielders and the strikers. They knew what to do, and at the right time in the right positions they snatched the ball away, even in our circle.”

“I’m very disappointed”, said South Africa captain Tim Drummond. “We thought we could come here and get a result and put in a positive performance so naturally we are disappointed, but I know the strength of this group and we can grow and learn from these tough experiences.”

The competition continues on Thursday with Pool A taking centre stage. Rio 2016 Olympic gold medallists Argentina face a Spain team packed with flair in what promised to be a thrilling encounter before the Black Sticks of New Zealand go head-to-head with France.

Euro Hockey League media release



Canada battles Belgium to a gritty 1-2 loss on opening night in Bhubaneswar


Photo: Yan Huckendubler

Mark Pearson’s late goal gives Canada momentum moving forward in the tournament

Three minutes in and Belgium already had the first lead of the Men’s Hockey World Cup. It wasn’t an ideal start for Team Canada. According to veteran midfielder, Mark Pearson, the team’s response was really solid.

“We had to feel our way into the game, we did a great job responding early and playing good defense for the rest of the game,” he said. “Belgium has one of the best forward lines in the world and between Toni (Kindler) and the other guys back there, we did a good job keeping them out.”

Canada recovered well and held over half the early possession despite being unable to make attacking forays. Coming into the tournament, Bundy said that Canada is playing their best team defense of the year and it showed in this game. The defensive core of Johnston, Tupper alongside the midfield protection of Sukhi Panesar and Gabe Ho-Garcia did well to keep Belgium at bay.


Photo: Yan Huckendubler


Photo: Yan Huckendubler


Photo: Yan Huckendubler

Canada’s Head Coach, Paul Bundy said the team cleaned up their act after the first quarter and started to believe in themselves and their game plan.

“We knew we were going to have to soak up a lot of pressure against Belgium,” Bundy said. “We played some really gritty defense and then got on the attack and had a much better second half.”

Canadian goalkeeper, Antoni Kindler, was sensational between the pipes for all 60 minutes. Save after save, especially in the first half, kept Canada in the match and kept Belgium increasingly frustrated.

“Obviously we’re disappointed with the final result,” Kindler said. “But these are the types of games we want to be in. We were strong in our own half, we were compact, we defended well. We showed that we can compete with the best teams in the world.”

The Belgium Red Lions took a 2-0 lead into the half with momentum. After a stingy third quarter from the Kindler and the Canadian defense, the Red Caribou mounted an attack of their own. Canada earned two penalty corners in the span of minutes and made good on the second one.

With Scott Tupper and Gordon Johnston lined up at the top of the D, Pearson injected the ball. The Johnston, who took the previous PC drag flick, pulled a cheeky drop pass to Tupper who fired the ball on net. Off a deflection, Pearson knocked the ball down to the goal line and banged it in. Pearson potted a goal eight years ago at the 2010 World Cup and is already back on the score sheet here in 2018.

The striker turned midfielder, Pearson, said it was special to notch a goal in Canada’s opening match but he was quick to shift the focus to the team effort and the upcoming matches.

“It’s obviously special to score at the World Cup, but this tournament is far from over for us,” Pearson said. “We know we belong here and we’re really excited for what’s to come.”

Bundy echoed Pearson’s sentiments and said that with the solid second half came a belief that the team can truly compete against any team in the world.

“I told the guys just to enjoy the moment. Once those early nerves were gone, we cleaned up and we were more organized and started playing our game.”

Despite not being able to secure any points from today’s match, Canada has momentum on their side after an action-packed fourth quarter and a 60-minute display of terrific team defense against a quality opponent. Canada will take on Commonwealth rival, South Africa in a huge Pool C matchup on Sunday December 2 at 3:30am PDT (6:30am EDT).

Field Hockey Canada media release



Erratic India begins with a bang

Cheered on by the faithful, Harendra’s men steamroller South Africa 5-0

Uthra Ganesan


Opening the floodgates: Mandeep Singh takes off after firing in India’s opening goal following a penalty corner. 

The long road to India’s World Cup dreams began with a not-so-perfect 5-0 win against South Africa on Wednesday with a scoreline that might indicate superiority but failed to justify the extent of it.

Statistics may be too drab a way to explain the match on the opening day of the 14th edition of the marquee tournament but there is no denying India’s dominance.

India knew it would have a 12th man on the field at all times and it was not disappointed. The 15,000 capacity crowd at the Kalinga Stadium roared in unison every time a blue jersey had the ball, and the South Africans admitted they took time to adjust to the atmosphere.

Not on target

The first chances came in the opening minutes of the game but went astray. That was pretty much the story of the day for India through the match. With more than 60% possession and 30 circle entries, there should have been more than five goals against its name. It’s a department both the coach and captain acknowledged needed sharpening.

Attack it did all through, sometimes even leaving huge gaps open in the defence, Harendra clearly relying on his boys’ fitness to back-pedal and be in position in time to thwart any counter-attacks.

The team also varied the pace of its game, slowing down in the second quarter after getting the first two goals — a rebound by Mandeep Singh off a penalty corner that he himself earned and a lovely deflection by Akashdeep Singh after being put through by Varun Kumar past South African goalkeeper Rassie Pieterse who was unsighted by Nilakanta in front.

The third quarter saw India slack off and Harendra admitted it became complacent, and SA pounced on the opening to get its only shot at goal in the game.

That was saved by Sreejesh and India was woken up to regroup and relaunch itself. Simranjeet got two of the remaining three, within three minutes of each other, and Lalit Upadhyay got one in between.

India next takes on Belgium on Sunday, the letter managing a close 2-1 win against Canada in the day’s other game. It may be not be an indicator of who would start favourite then but did make it clear that there were no favourites in the competition, for now.

The result: India 5 (Simranjeet Singh 2, Mandeep Singh, lalit Upadhyay, Akashdeep Singh) bt South Africa 0.

The Hindu



Dream start for India amidst full stands

Tazeen Qureshy



Nearly outplaying their rivals, India today made a dream opening in the Odisha Men's World Cup, with a fluent 5-0 victory over African Champions South Africa.

As expected, the stand was brimming with full-throat crowd, and it went with total satisfaction witnessing two good matches in the opening day.

undefined Belgium dominated initially almost in the entire first half, only to see the subdued looking Maple Leaves came out with vigour in the third and fourth quarter to post its 2-1 win.

When Africa and India met last time in the World Cup, that was the Delhi number, the match was drawn 3-3.

Mandeep Singh in the 9th minute and Akashdeep Singh in the 12th minute struck a goal apiece to put India 2-0 at the end of first quarter. The quick goals set India the tune and tenor for a great victory which it turned out ultimately.

The momentum was continued in the remaining parts too.

Two minutes after Simranjeet Singh struck, bouncing on to a short rebound off India's third penalty corner, the best moment of the match occurred.

It was Akashdeep Singh who sent a slap shot into the circle from midfield, which Lalit Upadhyay, who was unstoppable inside the circle, deflected in a lightening speed.

This fourth goal took out whatever the fight was there in the contest.

Africa was brilliant in patches in the last quarter, but could not make use of even the two hard earned penalty corners.

On the other hand, India made its intentions clear from the bully off. Within first five minutes, India had created four clear opportunities which Akashdeep and Mandeep could not make use of due to misdirected shots and scoops.

Both have made immense amends subsequently. Akashdeep Singh turned out as a play maker after his second goal, and was instrumental for India in keeping the flow of the game in favour of India.

Simranjeet Singh was fittingly declared Man of the Match.

“To have a clean match sheet is a positive sign,” said coach Harendra at the post match conference. “The players came at the right time and snatched the ball. In the third quarter, I think they pressed us a bit.”

It was a special match for vice-captain Chinglensana Singh, who completed his 200th match today.

“I am overwhelmed to play my 200th international and win it. It is a special feeling to wear the Indian jersey and represent the country,” he said.

But it was gift of the gab Harendra's time after the match.

The clean match sheet is a positive sign, meaning defence played well. They came out and retrieved the lost balls at the right moment, didn't throw their sticks in a haste. however, I think we wer ea bit complacent in the third quarter." The moment they were 0-2 down, Africa pulled one of their fullbacks to add to midfield. But we regrouped well and survived those moments of pressure. They were smelling a goal. But we didn't let that happen.

"We scored the goals, no matter how we score. Yes, we will discuss our PC performance, why we were not perfect in injecting and stopping But I am happy they recovered, and even scored from those opportunities. "initially we Anxiety that every one carries, it made us cautious a little (at the start). But we realised soon and thanks to Mandeep to calm those nerves with his goal. He (Akashdeep) has very good peripheral vision. He is lethal as a link man. We have three strikers floating inside the circle. If you go back 15 years, Dhanraj changed his role from the 2002 world Cup. He became a playmaker and Deepak and Proabhjot scored. I am very happy with Akash. He is taking the lead. In every department we have a leader. I hope we continue that way throughout the tournament. I thought of changing Sreejesh (in last few minutes). But the main goalkeeper has to be in the game. He made some saves in the last few minutes. We are not changing our style. We discuss it . We want to avail the opportunities. If we don't do that, it leads to pressure. India (is a team that) needs goal in the first few minutes, thanks we could do that today. The way Canada defended, I give credit to them. Canada is not easy for anyone, whoever is thinking Canada is an easy game. India will next play Belgium in its pool match on Sunday.

Stick2Hockey.com



Stats Speak: India biggest ever win against South Africa

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

India has made a dream start to their World Cup campaign by steamrolling South Africa 5-0.  It is the biggest ever win for India against South Africa.

Previously, India beat South Africa 4-0 in Brisbane Hockey Australia Cup (1996) and in a Test match played in New Delhi (2012).

Till date India has played 43 matches against the Springboks. The FIH site shows it only 13 matches between India and South Africa, as they maintain records since 2012 only.

The Proteas have won in Test matches besides Sydney Challenge Cup (2004) and London Olympics (2012) wooden spoon match against India. Here are the statistical highlights:

India

Particulars

South  Africa

43

Total

43

26

Wins

8

9

Drawn

9

111

Goals  Scored

69

In  World Cup

5

Total

5

2

Wins

0

3

Drawn

3

12

Goals  Scored

6

 Top 5 wins of India against South Africa

Score

Year

Place

Tournament

Match

5-0

2018

Bhubaneswar

World Cup

Pool Match

4-0

2012

New Delhi

Test-Series

1st Test

4-0

1996

Brisbane

HA-Challenge

League Match

7-4

2011

Johannesburg

Champions C.

Pool Match

5-2

2014

Glasgow

Commonwealth G.

Pool Match

 Fieldhockey.com



India maul South Africa 5-0 in hockey World Cup opener


Indian players during a match against South Africa in Bhubaneswar. PTI

Hoping to recreate history after 43 years, hosts India started their hockey World Cup campaign on a rousing note, blanking South Africa 5-0 in their opening Pool C match in front of a packed Kalinga Stadium here on Wednesday.

World number five India are eyeing to reclaim the World Cup after 43 years, a title which they won only once way back in 1975 in Kuala Lumpur.
Simranjeet Singh (43rd, 46th minutes) scored a brace, while Mandeep Singh (10th), Akashdeep Singh (12th) and Lalit Upadhyay (45th) were the other goal getters for India against South Africa, ranked 10 places below India.

The Indians toyed with the South African defence in the first quarter as they mounted numerous attacks on the opposition goal and to their credit succeeded on two occasions to take a comfortable 2-0 lead early on.

India’s first chance came in the third minute when skipper Manpreet Singh found an unmarked Mandeep alone inside the box with a defence-splitting pass but the striker failed to get his stick to the ball.

But India took the lead soon when Mandeep scored from a rebound in the 10th minute from the hosts’ first penalty corner.

It was Mandeep who earned the penalty corner for India after beautifully controlling a long scoop from Harmanpreet Singh. He then found himself at the right place at the right time to slot home after Harmanpreet’s high flick was saved by South Africa goalkeeper Rassie Pieterse.

Three minutes later, India doubled their lead through Akashdeep, who scored after the ball fell in front of his stick from a deflection of Simranjit Singh.

The Indians kept up the pressure on South African defence in the second quarter and secured their second short corner in the 19th minute but failed to utilise the chance as they went for a variation.

Just two minutes from half time, Nilkanta Sharma and Sumit combined well to create a great opportunity for India but the former missed the goal from close range.

Leading by a comfortable two goals, India continued in the same vein after the change of ends and scored two more beautiful field goals in the third quarter. India got their third penalty corner in the 34th minute but wasted the chance.

South Africa showed glimpses of a comeback thereafter and came close to scoring in the 40th minute but an alert Indian custodian PR Sreejesh came out of his line to deny Richard Pautz.

Minutes later, South Africa had another opportunity when they earned their first penalty corner but to no avail.

India scored three fine field goals in a span of four minutes to take the match out of South Africa’s reach.

Simranjeet scored his first goal in the 43rd minute by tapping in after Mandeep dribbled past a few South African defenders to set it up for his strike mate.

Then, a diving Lalit deflected in a diagonal pass from Akashdeep before Simranjeet was once again at the thick of things, scoring his second of the day from India’s fourth penalty corner.

The Indians wasted another opportunity in the form of their fifth penalty corner but hardly broke their sweat in getting past South Africa.

India will next play world number 3 Belgium on December 2, while South Africa will be up against Canada on the same day.

In tomorrow’s matches, Olympic champions Argentina will play Spain in Pool A while New Zealand will take on France.

The Tribune



Flying start

Hosts India start campaign on a bright note with a 5 - 0 hammering of South Africa

INDERVIR GREWAL IN BHUBANESWAR


Mandeep Singh celebrates with teammates after scoring India’s first goal against South Africa in their opener at the Hockey World Cup in Bhubaneswar on Wednesday. PTI

India were singed by the fiery, orange-clad, Malaysians on Jakarta’s blue turf three months ago. The shock on the players’ faces — after another notorious meltdown — made one imagine that they would have loved for the turf to swallow them. It didn’t, and the backlash they faced sent the team into a shell. They camped in Odisha, quietly hiding from everyone’s eyes.

On Wednesday, a very changed India emerged out of the bright, oceanic blue in Bhubaneswar. An unrecognisable India, yet slightly reminiscent of them from over a year ago, stepped out of their shell, into a cauldron. They had many reasons to trip and burn again — on one of the biggest stages in hockey, 15,000 eyes followed their every move.

But a new-look India, with 10 players making their World Cup debut, produced a measured and versatile performance to take apart minnows South Africa 5-0 in their opener.

Cautious and controlled

Playing against a world No. 15 team, which is 10 rungs below them, India didn’t go all out, didn’t try to blow away their opponent right from the start. They settled their nerves by taking control of possession, tried to hit South Africa on the counter with snappy, intuitive, interceptions from the forwards and midfielders. They linked moves with one-touch passes, or without even touching the ball in one case, displaying their understanding. And they defended as a team, whether they pressed high or controlled their half.

But, most importantly, they got that all-important first goal in this World Cup early into the match; and they “took their chances” to rack up the numbers in their goals-for column, which might come in handy if the fight to top the pool comes down to goal difference.

Not getting carried away

However, it was not a flawless performance, and neither were India facing the toughest of rivals. It would be hard to judge India from this win. In the first half, South Africa’s defence, especially their frontline and midfield, was missing from action. India’s central midfielders and inside-forwards got too much space to receive the ball around the opposition’s 25-yard line and to move around and find another free pass. But after the half-time break, South Africa tightened their structure after making a “few changes”. India found the going get much tougher.

They got carried away, attacked with more numbers, only to be hit on the counters a couple of time. Despite being 2-0 up, they took unnecessary risks and gave South Africa a few big chances; they were let-off, though, as South Africa missed, which coach Mark Hopkins felt “was the difference between the two teams.”

Tougher opponents await India next. They face world No. 3 Belgium next, before taking on world No.  11 Canada in their final pool game. Belgium beat Canada 2-1 earlier, though the scoreline doesn’t fully show the Europeans’ dominance in the match. The Canadians, however, showed they would not be pushovers.

Versatile approach

It would be harsh to criticise India too much after such a morale-boosting and crowd-pleasing victory. India did more things right than they did wrong. There weren’t too many missed passes or missed traps or pointless, showboating, runs. They held their structure for long periods. They showed good understanding - Hardik Singh’s dummy at the centre to let a pass roll past him to Akashdeep Singh near South Africa’s 25-yard line was a perfect example.

And, refreshingly, they showed the versatility in their game that had been missing for more than a year. They enjoyed long spells of possession, a style of play they had seemingly abandoned in Sjoerd Marijne’s tenure and most of Harendra Singh’s short term as head coach. Roelant Oltmans had gotten India to dominate possession, even against top teams, till he was sacked over a year ago. But his side had lacked the sting that the current team shows. Some credit goes to Marijne for training India to play fast, one-touch hockey; however, it had become a one-dimensional counter-attacking style. On Wednesday, it was refreshing to see India adapt and change according to the situation, and reassuring to know that they didn’t even hit their full stride.

Coach corner

The match sheet, which is clean, is a positive sign. It means all 11 for them played well. They came out and snatched the ball at the right moment, didn’t throw their sticks. Harendra Singh, India coach

I am disappointed with the result. We didn’t execute our plans. The difference in this level is to take your chances. We didn’t and they (India) did. We need to take key moments in the game. Mark Hokins, South Africa coach

The Tribune



India hammer hapless South Africa 5-0 for perfect start



BHUBANESWAR: India started their 2018 Hockey World Cup campaign with a bang, hammering South Africa 5-0 in their opener at the Kalinga Stadium here on Wednesday. Three field goals and two penalty corners helped World No.5 India register a comprehensive win in the second match of the evening. World number five India are eyeing to reclaim the World Cup after 43 years, a title which they won only once way back in 1975 in Kuala Lumpur. Simranjeet Singh (43rd, 46th minutes) scored a brace, while Mandeep Singh (10th), Akashdeep Singh (12th) and Lalit Upadhyay (45th) were the other goal getters for India against a South Africa, ranked 10 places below India.

The Indians toyed with the South African defence in the first quarter as they mounted numerous attacks on the opposition goal and to their credit succeeded on two occasions to take a comfortable 2-0 lead early on. India’s first chance came in the third minute when skipper Manpreet Singh found an unmarked Mandeep alone inside the box with a defence-splitting pass but the striker failed to get his stick to the ball. But India took the lead soon when Mandeep scored from a rebound in the 10th minute from the hosts’ first penalty corner. It was Mandeep who earned the penalty corner for India after beautifully controlling a long scoop from Harmanpreet Singh. He then found himself at the right place at the right time to slot home after Harmanpreet’s high flick was saved by South Africa goalkeeper Rassie Pieterse. Three minutes later, India doubled their lead through Akashdeep, who scored after the ball fell in front of his stick from a deflection of Simranjit Singh.

The Indians kept up the pressure on South African defence in the second quarter and secured their second short corner in the 19th minute but failed to utilise the chance as they went for a variation. Just two minutes from half time, Nilkanta Sharma and Sumit combined well to create a great opportunity for India but the former missed the goal from close range. Leading by a comfortable two goals, India continued in the same vein after the change of ends and scored two more beautiful field goals in the third quarter. India got their third penalty corner in the 34th minute but wasted the chance. South Africa showed glimpses of a comeback thereafter and came close to scoring in the 40th minute but an alert Indian custodian P R Sreejesh came out of his line to deny Richard Pautz. Minutes later, South Africa had another opportunity when they earned their first penalty corner but to no avail. India scored three fine field goals in a span of four minutes to take the match out of South Africa’s reach.

Simranjeet scored his first goal in the 43rd minute by tapping in after Mandeep dribbled past a few South African defenders to set it up for his strike mate. Then, a diving Lalit deflected in a diagonal pass from Akashdeep before Simranjeet was once again at the thick of things, scoring his second of the day from India’s fourth penalty corner. The Indians wasted another opportunity in the form of their fifth penalty corner but hardly broke their sweat in getting past South Africa. India will next play world number 3 Belgium on December 2, while South Africa will be up against Canada on the same day.

In today’s matches, Olympic champions Argentina will play Spain in Pool A while New Zealand will take on France. This year’s mega-event features hosts India, Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Canada, England, Germany, Ireland, Malaysia, Netherlands, Spain, New Zealand and Pakistan and will continue till December 16. Group A consists of Argentina, France, Spain and New Zealand whereas Australia, England, Ireland and China are placed in Pool B. Hosts India, Belgium, Canada and South Africa make up Group C. Group D comprises Pakistan, Germany, Netherlands and Malaysia.

Four-time champions Pakistan will begin their World Cup campaign on December 1st against Germany. They have lifted the trophy in 1971, 1978, 1982 and 1994. The opening ceremony in Bhubaneswar on November 27 saw Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan recreate his Chak De India moment with his ‘sattar minute’ speech. He was joined by Madhuri Dixit.

The Daily Times



South Africa open World Cup Campaign with Defeat

The South African Hockey Men began the 14th FIH Hockey World Cup with a humbling 5-0 defeat to India. In the 12th encounter between the two nations, India underlined their dominance with their seventh victory. The game marked 100 caps for Jethro Eustice who scored the goal that qualified South Africa for the World Cup in the final of the African Hockey Cup of Nations in 2017.

India may have been expected to be nervous playing in front of an expectant capacity crowd at the Kalinga stadium looking to the country to end 43 years of hurt. The young Indian side though showed no signs of it in dominant opening 15 minutes. Their dominant opening bore fruit as early as the 10th minute as Rassie Pieterse denied Simranjeet but Mandeep Singh was on hand to smash the ball home.  It got even better for the vociferous home crowd when a superb bit of combination play saw Akashdeep Singh finish off leaving Rassie Pieterse no chance.

The second quarter saw the South African men revert to a more defensive approach which quickly produced a more balance quarter of hockey. In fact, in the quarter both sides had 6 circle entries and one shot on goal as the SA Men’s nerves seemed to settle.  The score remained 2-0 at half-time. It was a score line that was probably reflective of the opening half and meant South Africa would have to find another gear to get back into the game.

And for ten minutes in the third quarter it felt like South Africa were finally getting a foothold in the game with better possession, better movement and better time on the ball for the flare players in Julian Hykes, Taine Paton and Nic Spooner. Having created two good scoring opportunities including a penalty corner, South Africa were left floored when India showed the difference in class between the two sides with a superb double strike. First there was defensive uncertainty for South Africa allowing Simranjeet Singh to net before Lalit Upadhyay showed all strikers how it’s done with a splendid deflection. The double strike right on the end of the third quarter took any wind out of the South African sails and settled the result for the hosts.

The final quarter did not maintain the intensity of the first three as both teams cast their eyes towards their next games. There was one further goal for India as Simranjeet Singh made it 5-0 when he finished off another penalty corner variation from the hosts to confine the South Africans to a bruising final score of 5-0.

For India a table topping decider against Belgium await them next, while South Africa would be looking to the match against Canada as the route to the cross overs.

FIH Hockey World Cup 2018 – Group C – 28 November Results

Belgium 2-1 Canada
India 5-0 South Africa

Group C – 2 December Fixtures

13:30 South Africa vs. Canada
15:30 India vs. Belgium

SA Hockey Association media release



Baptism of fire for Proteas at Hockey World Cup after drubbing by India

Ockert de Villiers


While disappointed, SA captain Tim Drummond believes his team will learn from the tough experiences at the Hockey World Cup. Photo: Luigi Bennett/BackpagePix

The Proteas’ first outing at the Hockey World Cup in India was a baptism of fire after they received a 5-0 drubbing at the hands of the hosts on Wednesday.

Chasing their first world title in 43 years, the Indians came out swinging planting two debilitating blows in the opening quarter of the encounter.

The Proteas did well to hold off a rampant Indian side in the first nine minutes of the match, but the home side’s relentless attacks inside the circle finally took its toll.

India got on to the scoreboard 10 minutes into the match, which was just reward for their efforts in the opening moments.

South African goalkeeper Rassie Pieterse did well to make an initial save, but Indian striker Mandeep Singh pounced on the rebound to get the ball into the back of the net to open their account.

Attacking from all corners of the field, India had South Africa’s defence at sixes and sevens for most of the match.

India doubled their score only two minutes later, with Akashdeep Singh scoring a field goal for a 2-0 lead.

South Africa had been starved of possession, with the hosts enjoying the lion’s share of the ball and field position.

The Proteas enjoyed an improved second quarter by keeping the ball out of the goal box. They were nevertheless callous inside the circle, where they battled to link up to launch any sort of attack on goal.

South Africa could only manage one shot at goal and six circle penetrations in the first half, compared to eight and 18 respectively by India.

The third quarter provided the Proteas with an opportunity to get on to the score-sheet, while they also managed to keep India out for most of the chukka.

They had their first penalty corner in the 42nd minute, but India kept the ball out of harm’s way to deny the South Africans a reprieve.

Adding insult to injury, India scored a minute later, with Simranjeet Singh sending the ball into the back of the net off a cross-shot from Mandeep Singh.

South Africa’s pain was compounded when Lalit Upadhyay deflected into the box shortly before the end of the third quarter to extend the lead to 4-0.

A penalty corner just after the break led to India’s fifth and final goal, with Simranjeet Singh claiming his brace and planting the knockout blow.

SA captain Tim Drummond was left dejected, but said they believed they would be able to dust themselves off and bounce back.

“I’m very disappointed. We thought we could come here and get a result and put in a positive performance, so naturally we are disappointed,” Drummond said.

“But I know the strength of this group, and we can grow and learn from these tough experiences.”

South Africa will next face Canada on Sunday in their second Pool C match.

Independent Online



SA open hockey World Cup with defeat


Rassie Pieterse (Gallo)

Cape Town - The South African Hockey Men began the 14th FIH Hockey World Cup with a humbling 5-0 defeat to India.

In the 12th encounter between the two nations, India underlined their dominance with their seventh victory. The game marked 100 caps for Jethro Eustice who scored the goal that qualified South Africa for the World Cup in the final of the African Hockey Cup of Nations in 2017.

India may have been expected to be nervous playing in front of an expectant capacity crowd at the Kalinga stadium looking to the country to end 43 years of hurt. The young Indian side though showed no signs of it in dominant opening 15 minutes. Their dominant opening bore fruit as early as the 10th minute as Rassie Pieterse denied Simranjeet but Mandeep Singh was on hand to smash the ball home.  It got even better for the vociferous home crowd when a superb bit of combination play saw Akashdeep Singh finish off leaving Rassie Pieterse no chance.

The second quarter saw the South African men revert to a more defensive approach which quickly produced a more balance quarter of hockey. In fact, in the quarter both sides had 6 circle entries and one shot on goal as the SA Men’s nerves seemed to settle.  The score remained 2-0 at half-time. It was a score line that was probably reflective of the opening half and meant South Africa would have to find another gear to get back into the game.

And for ten minutes in the third quarter it felt like South Africa were finally getting a foothold in the game with better possession, better movement and better time on the ball for the flare players in Julian Hykes, Taine Paton and Nic Spooner. Having created two good scoring opportunities including a penalty corner, South Africa were left floored when India showed the difference in class between the two sides with a superb double strike. First there was defensive uncertainty for South Africa allowing Simranjeet Singh to net before Lalit Upadhyay showed all strikers how it’s done with a splendid deflection. The double strike right on the end of the third quarter took any wind out of the South African sails and settled the result for the hosts.

The final quarter did not maintain the intensity of the first three as both teams cast their eyes towards their next games. There was one further goal for India as Simranjeet Singh finished off another penalty corner variation from the hosts to confine the South Africans to a bruising final score of 5-0.

For India a table topping decider against Belgium await them next, while South Africa would be looking to the match against Canada as the route to the cross overs.

FIH Hockey World Cup 2018 – Group C –  November 28 Results

Belgium 2-1 Canada
India 5-0 South Africa

Group C – December 2 Fixtures

13:30 South Africa vs. Canada
15:30 India vs. Belgium

Sport24 



Legend's Voice: Harendra Singh's constant substitutions against South Africa helped India maintain tempo throughout match

Clarence Lobo


India defeated South Africa 5-0 in the season opener on Wednesday. PTI

Having been a coach for over 25 years, Clarence Lobo was awarded the prestigious Dronacharya Award in September this year. He spoke to Amit Kamath.

The pace with which the Indian team played against South Africa in their opening game on Wednesday was fantastic. What really helped the team was India coach Harendra Singh's constant changes, he kept making substitutions every few minutes, which helped the tempo stay high throughout the game. The pace never fell down. This is also important because the players have to sustain the same energy till the last match of the tournament.

Another good thing about this team is that they are playing very compact defensively. And whatever went through the defence, goalkeeper PR Sreejesh mopped up very nicely.

The good thing is that we are penetrating the striking circle very frequently. But the only thing that I am bothered about is scoring off those. The penalty corners.

In the latter stages of the tournament, when you are playing against better teams, you won't have these many chances to take a strike at the goal. If you get two or three shots in a game, you have to score off at least one of them. We got a few penalty corner chances on Wednesday, but we scored only once. That too off a rebound! We need to improve on that because, in the latter stages, big teams won't allow you to enter the circle. It is in these type of matches that the penalty corner specialists in the team should gain confidence by scoring.

But other than that, the team is playing fantastic hockey. What was also heartening to see is that the young players in the team did not crumble under the pressure of the overwhelming home support.

Now comes the match against Belgium. It'll be a fantastic match to watch. The equation is simple, if you win this match we will be through to the quarter-finals, because I don't think Canada will prove to be such a big task. Although to be fair, Canada is a very dicey team and they played a very good game against Belgium. They just defended for the entire game.

But what was a factor in that game I thought was that it was just the first match for Belgium and they will grow better as the tournament progresses? Belgium – besides Australia, Germany and the Netherlands – is among the top teams in the world. India should not focus on Canada. They should be bothered about the game against Belgium. If we top the group, we go straight to the quarter-finals rather than playing a crossover game so it is very important to beat Belgium.

Firstpost



India coach Harendra Singh hails 'lethal linkman' Akashdeep Singh after South Africa rout


File image of India Coach Harendra Singh. AFP

Bhubaneswar: An out-and-out striker, Akashdeep Singh excelled in the role of a linkman in India's hockey World Cup opener against South Africa and chief coach Harendra Singh on Wednesday said the forward was used in a new position because of his terrific peripheral vision.

Akashdeep impressed all and sundry in his new role as linkman by not only setting up a goal for Lalit Upadhyay but also scoring one in India's 5-0 rout of South Africa in their Pool C opener.

Asked about Akashdeep's performance, Harendra said: "He (Akashdeep) has very good peripheral vision and so we used him little down from his usual position as linkman. He is lethal as a linkman and we have three strikers floating inside the circle.

"If you go back 15 years, Dhanraj (Pillay) changed his role from the 2002 World Cup. He became a playmaker and Deepak (Thakur) and Prabhjot (Singh) scored. I am very happy with Akash. He is taking the lead. In every department we have a leader. I hope we continue that way throughout the tournament," the visibly delighted coach added.

Harendra said keeping a clean slate was the most positive outcome from Wednesday's game.

"The match sheet, which is clean, is a positive sign. It means defence, i.e. all 11 for them, played well. They came out and snatched the ball at the right moment, didn't throw their sticks," he said.

India got five penalty corners on Wednesday but failed to score a single goal with a direct shot.

"What matters for me is to score goals from penalty corners, it may come via direct shot or any other way and we did score twice from penalty corners today," he said.

Harendra admitted that after an impressive first half, India were a bit complacent in the third quarter, which allowed South Africa to create a few chances.

"I think during third quarter somewhere we were a little bit complacent," he said.

"The moment they were 2-0 down, they pulled one of their back three up to an extra midfielder. But we regrouped well (after surviving those chances). They were smelling one goal. But we didn't let that happen."

South Africa coach Mark Hokins was obviously disappointed with the outcome of the match.

"I am disappointed with the result. We didn't execute our plans. The difference in this level is to take your chances. We didn't and they (India) did. We need to take key moments in the game," he said.

Firstpost



Scratchy PC attempts does not perturb Indian coach

s2h Team



After starting their World Cup campaign with a 5-0 rout of South Africa at the Kalinga stadium in Bhubaneswar on Wednesday, India coach Harendra Singh did not allow any room for complacency. Nor did he let in any negativity.

In a crucial area of the game, the penalty corner, India converted two out of five awards but the goals that came from the set piece were scratchy, a bit messy, but they counted.

Mandeep Singh scored from the first penalty corner after Harmanpreet Singh’s drag flick was blocked by goalkeeper Pieterse Rassie.

From PC4, Simranjeet found the net to make it 4-0 after the injection went past the double castle where Harmanpreet and Amit Rohidas poised for the strike.

“It does not matter who scored and how the goals were scored,” the coach said. “The players showed presence of mind by not running back after the ball was not stopped properly,” he added.

Still, Harendra tempered euphoria by calling for introspection by his fifth-ranked team. “We have to look back and find out why we weren’t able to trap the ball at the PC and/ or whether the injection was improper,” he said.

At 2-0 the game could have swung the 15th ranked African champions’ way had Sreejesh not affected a save off a deflection and Harendra reflected on an anxious situation in that phase when he felt South Africa “smelled a goal.”

It, in all probability, it influenced his decision to retain Sreejesh to the very end and not pitchfork Krishan Pathak into action to get the feel of the action.

“I thought about it but it is important to retain momentum and wanted Sreejesh to be there to the end and the team to keep a clean slate. Remember it’s the league phase and a goal in the last match could be disastrous,” the coach said with a reference to goal difference that may come into play in a pool also involving Belgium, the third ranked side, and Canada, ranked 11th.

India play Belgium, the Olympic silver medalists, on Sunday.

Stick2Hockey.com



Udta Punjab

Dilpreet and Hardik seem set to keep state’s flag flying for long

Indervir Grewal


Dilpreet Singh

Dilpreet Singh was three when he started accompanying his father Balwinder Singh, a former national-level player, to the village hockey ground. Back then, the Butala boy had no idea of what a World Cup was, let alone imagining he would ever play in one. He just started playing so he could join his father at an academy in Amritsar, where Balwinder was a coach. But Balwinder saw greatness in his boy.

Hardik Singh was around the same age as Dilpreet when he would take evening walks with his grandfather. The two would watch training at the village hockey ground. His grandfather had hoped that Hardik would be inspired to take up the sport, and the youngster did. A hockey player himself, it was his grandfather’s dream that Hardik’s father played at the World Cup. That didn’t happen. Back then, the Khusropur boy had no clue he would one day fulfil his grandfather’s dream.
On Wednesday, the two not only fulfilled their families’ dreams, but after years of hard work playing a game they had fallen in love with, their dreams as well.

Dilpreet, 19, and Hardik, 20, made their World Cup debuts, against South Africa, on Wednesday. The two took very different, but fascinating, routes to their big moment.

In the fast lane

“When you start playing hockey, it is your dream to participate in the World Cup,” Dilpreet said. But it didn’t start with such glorious dreams, as Balwinder recalled. “I hadn’t thought about hockey as a career for him,” he said. But it was Balwinder’s frustration with his son’s unwillingness to study that led to Dilpreet being nudged into hockey. When he was seven, Dilpreet started taking the game more seriously, so he could join his father in Amritsar, around 50km from his village. “He started enjoying the game and showed exceptional talent, so I brought him to Amritsar four years later,” Balwinder added.

Within no time, Dilpreet was playing in the main team. He was usually the youngest in tournaments, yet would be adjudged the best player, the proud father recalled. Two years later, he moved to Jalandhar’s Surjit Academy. At 16, he made his India debut, at the U-18 Asia Cup. The progression to U-21 came soon. In last October’s Sultan of Johor Cup, he was the tournament’s top-scorer. A couple of months after celebrating his 18th birthday, Dilpreet made his senior debut, in the four-nation tournament in January. India finished second and Dilpreet’s performance impressed then coach Sjoerd Marijne, who said if Dilpreet could “score against world No. 3 Belgium, he could score against anyone.”

Dilpreet has since become a mainstay in the team and has grown into an all-round player. “He was always a good goal-scorer,” said Avtar Singh, coach at the Surjit Academy. “But now, his all-round game has improved, his game-sense has improved, and he has become much stronger.”

Destined

Born in the hub of hockey – neighbouring villages Sansarpur, Khusropur and Mithapur have produced many hockey legends – Hardik couldn’t stay away from the sport. In fact, he comes from a family of hockey players. His father Varinderpreet Singh played for the Punjab Police. His aunt is former India captain Rajbir Kaur, and is married to former Olympian Gurmail Singh. Jugraj Singh, arguably India’s greatest drag-flicker, is his uncle. With such pedigree, Hardik was almost destined to take up the sport. “He was always very talented,” said Gurdeep Singh, coach at Punjab Institute of Sports’ Mohali academy. “He came to us in Grade 6 and stayed with us for three years. He had tried out for the position of left-in, but we brought him into the midfield. He was a quick learner and started competing with his seniors.”

Frustrated

Hardik also moved to Surjit Academy, where he still trains when back home. Hardik’s rise through the junior India ranks was also swift. He was part of the core group for the 2016 Junior World Cup but didn’t get to play, being one of the youngest in the group. Missing out on the opportunity to play a World Cup was disappointing, and it was followed by a “tough and frustrating” period. “I struggled a lot because after the junior team, I was out for a year,” Hardik said. “I played only one tournament, in Australia, with the development team. Then I played domestic hockey. It was a long wait and struggle to make the senior debut.”

Hardik got his big break — though he had made his debut in a friendly — in October, at the Asian Champions Trophy. His first big match was against Pakistan, but Hardik enjoyed pressure. “I feel playing in pressure situations helps us challenge ourselves and makes us realise our worth. It gives confidence,” he added.

He stood out in his debut tournament. “He has speed, he has good skill. He was probably one of the best midfielders at the Asian Champions Trophy,” said India’s tactical coach Chris Ciriello.

That performance ensured that his second tournament would be the World Cup. Hardik’s versatility in the midfield, especially his comfort playing in the centre, played a big role in his selection. But finding his name in the squad “surprised” the youngster. What was his grandfather’s reaction? “He was very happy,” said Hardik.

The Tribune



India can't afford to miss crucial chances against Belgium, says Manpreet Singh


India vs South Africa, Hockey World Cup 2018 Indian captain Manpreet Singh and Mandeep Singh celebrate after score a goal against South Africa , AFP

Indian men's hockey team skipper Manpreet Singh has stated that the team could not afford to miss the crucial chances against Belgium like they did against South Africa in their first league match of the ongoing 14th edition of the Hockey World Cup on Wednesday.

India defeated South Africa 5-0 in the first league match of the tournament and will next face the Rio Olympics finalists Belgium in the second match of the Pool C.

The skipper underscored that Belgium, being a quality side, will not give India the second chance which is why they should not repeat the mistakes they committed against Canada.

"Overall, we played a good game but we still need to improve. We got many chances in the match but we missed them. We could not convert many of the penalty corners. Our next match is with Belgium and we should not miss the crucial chances," Manpreet said.

"Belgium are a good side. They have the ability to punish us for our mistakes. We need to keep our defence strong against them," he added.

Praising his team for putting up a good show on the field, the captain said that they all showed good energy and played a matured hockey in the day.

Indian coach Harendra Singh, on the other hand, also pointed towards the poor penalty corner conversion rate of his side. He, however, added that not letting the South African team score a single goal in the match is a good sign for India.

"No goal was scored against India which is a good sign for us. It indicates that our defence was good in the match. The penalty corner conversion rate, however, needs to be improved," Harendra said.

When asked to highlight the weak points of the Indian side in the match, the coach said that he is not going to touch upon that point as this is something which would remain between players and the management.

He also talked about the changed role of forward player Akashdeep Singh in the team saying with his ability to eliminate one or two players while on the run is lethal for opponents.

"Yes, we have changed his role as this is the demand of the team. He has got the skill and capacity to eliminate one or two players on the run. It becomes lethal for the opponents as we have three strikers who keep floating inside the circle to grab the scoring opportunity. I am happy that he is playing his role pretty well. I hope he continues doing this," he said.

India will play their next league match against Belgium on December 2 at Bhubaneswar.

Daily News & Analysis



Argentina raring to go

Spain will not be overawed by the Olympic champion’s reputation

Argentina was bracketed among the also-rans in major hockey events until it turned the notion on its head by claiming a maiden Olympics medal at the 2016 Rio Games.

Competing in its first World Cup with the prestigious tag of an Olympic champion, the Argentina will look to start its campaign with a bang when it meets a formidable Spain in a Pool A contest on Thursday.

Second-ranked Argentina, which secured its best performance and first podium finish by bagging a bronze in the World Cup four years ago, gained enough match practice against various opponents, including Australia, Germany , France and Ireland, before landing here.

Competent side

‘Los Leones’ (The Lions), studded with accomplished players such as captain Pedro Ibarra, Matias Paredes and Gonzalo Peillat, will play out of their skin to achieve the rare double of being an Olympic and World champion.

Today’s matches

    Pool A: Argentina vs Spain, 5 p.m.
    New Zealand vs France, 7 p.m.

Coach German Orozco acknowledges that his side’s ambitious target will be difficult to achieve. However, the Latin Americans are not averse to taking on pressure situations and playing attacking hockey.

Spain, placed eighth in the world, understands that the gap between teams in the top 10 is not huge and will not be overawed by Argentina’s reputation.

Coached by Frenchman Frederic Soyez, the Red Sticks — which has a blend of youth and experience, including Quico Cortes, Sergi Enrique and Pau Quemada — have remained competitive during their preparation period and will be eager to take that tempo into the tournament.

Spain, which had stepped on the World Cup podium with a bronze medal in Monchengladbach 12 years ago, would like to taste success again.

The crowd should get its money’s worth when two nations, known for their prowess in football, lock horns here.

The Hindu



Tough act for Argentina coach to follow

Argentina chief coach German Orozco has big shoes to fill.

His predecessor Carlos Retegui led Argentina to their first Olympic gold medal at Rio de Janeiro in 2016.

The challenge will be on former international Orozco to guide the world No. 2 ranked team into the final of the World Cup in Bhubaneswar, India.

For a start, the 42-year Orozco showed his mettle when he guided the Latin American champions to win the four-nation Darwin International tournament in September.

Argentina beat reigning world champions and world No. 1 team Australia twice (2-0) and (2-1) in the tournament. The other teams that played in the tournament were Malaysia and Japan.

Argentina’s best ever finish in the World Cup was winning bronze in The Hague, Holland four years ago.

Orozco has named a team of experienced and new players for the World Cup.

“Many of these players are Olympic champions and do not want to settle for that alone. The players know that what they achieved in Rio came as a result of hard work,” said Orozco.

“To repeat that success will be very difficult but we will try to build on that achievement.

“We have taken stock of the Olympic success and we will use what worked well and re-evaluate the things we know we can do better,” added Orozco.

Orozco said one thing the fans can expect from his team is fast attacking hockey game.

He has promised that his side will be “attacking” and become the “protagonists” in every game.

Argentina team will be led by world’s top penalty corner drag flicker Gonzalo Peillat, who has been the top scorer in almost all tournaments.

He was the top scorer in 2014 World Cup with 10 goals and he netted 11 goals in Rio to help his country win gold.

In July, Peillat was also the top scorer in the Champions Trophy in Breda, Holland with six goals.

Argentina will open their campaign against Spain today at the Kalinga Stadium.

The Star of Malaysia



Vantage Black Sticks Begin their Quest for World Cup Glory

The Vantage Black Sticks men take on France in the first game of their campaign on Friday 30th November at 02:30am



Fresh off a series win against Malaysia, the Vantage Black Sticks head into the 2018 Odisha Men’s Hockey World Cup full of confidence and looking to out-perform all of their previous attempts to finish inside the top 6 at this tournament. 

Their first pool match sees them coming up against a French side who have been playing some incredibly good hockey. France have had some close results against some of the powerful European teams in Belgium and the Netherlands. 

In their second pool game, New Zealand will come up against a formidable opponent in reigning Olympic Champions Argentina who also possess the worlds most feared drag flicker in Gonzalo Peillat. 

In their final pool game, the Vantage Black Sticks will then take on current world number 8 side Spain. The Spanish men have a young side but have been showing some great progression in recent seasons. 

Coach Darren Smith stated after the teams recent series in Malaysia that “We had a valuable 10 days in Malaysia. We took some valuable experience from the matches and the preparation has been invaluable as we look towards the World Cup and our first game against France”.

Vantage Black Sticks Captain Blair Tarrant says "Looking ahead to France they are going to be a big challenge. They have had regular European competition as part of their preparation. The team is excited for the competition to get underway. The stadium is outstanding and the guys are ready to get involved".

The top 3 sides from each pool will advance to the knock-out stages of the World Cup which being on December 10th.

All games will be live on SKY Sport. Fans can also follow along live through the Vantage Black Sticks Twitter feed.

Hockey New Zealand Media release



Kookaburras Won’t Underestimate Ireland In World Cup Opener

Ben Somerford



Kookaburras coach Colin Batch says his side won’t be underestimating world number 10 Ireland in their opening game of the 2018 FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup in Bhubaneswar on Friday night.

Reigning back-to-back world champions Australia takes on Ireland, competing at their first World Cup since 1990, from 10:30pm AEDT live on FOX SPORTS 505 on Friday night.

Australia last played Ireland at the Azlan Shah Cup in Malaysia in March, winning 4-1. Ireland finished last in that six-team tournament with one win and four losses.

Ireland, who qualified for the Olympics for the first time in 2016, are only competing at their third World Cup this year, having never finished better than 12th.

The Irish also warmed up for the World Cup with five matches at the recent Four Nations in Valencia where they recorded two wins over world number seven England.

Pointing to those results and the FIH Women’s World Cup earlier this year, where Ireland reached the final, Batch said the Kookaburras wouldn’t be taking anyone lightly.

“Any team can cause an upset here,” Batch said at the pre-match press conference. “I think Ireland is one of those teams.

“We haven’t played them since earlier this year. It’s a different group that we’re playing against.

“They’ve had some good results in Europe. We’re not underestimating them.

“We need to take care of our own performance. They’ll be a very competitive and difficult opponent for us on Friday so we need to play at our best.”

    ?️ | Ahead of their match against @IreMenHockey on 30 November, Coach Colin Batch and skipper @AranZalewski of @Kookaburras exude confidence on team's preparations.#HWC2018 #Odisha2018 pic.twitter.com/jv6mEkzfCM
    — Hockey World Cup 2018 - Host Partner (@sports_odisha) November 28, 2018

Australia arrived in India on Saturday and trained at the Kalinga Stadium, where all matches will take place, for the first time on Sunday.

The stadium is familiar for the Kookaburras, who won last year’s World League Final in December at the venue.

Australia drew all three group matches at the World League Final, before triumphing in all three knockout matches to take out the title.

"We continued to improve during the tournament,” Batch said.

“We could not win a game in the group stage but we drew three games against quality opposition.

“We made it to the quarter-finals and our Hockey improved significantly from there.

"We have got some belief from that tournament that we can continue to improve at whatever level we start at.

“Earlier this year we have got some success in the Commonwealth Games and the Champions Trophy. Each tournament creates different obstacles."

Australia heads into the 2018 World Cup as one of the favourites for the title, given their 2010 and 2014 success, as well as their success over the past 12 months at the World League Final, Commonwealth Games and Champions Trophy.

The side achieved modest results this week in the lead-up to the Ireland clash, defeating South Africa (ranked 15th) 2-1 and drew 1-1 with Germany (sixth) in warm-up matches.

Kookaburras co-captain Aran Zalewski said the players were out to create their own history.

"It's great that Australia has such a proud history in World Cups,” he said.

“We have taken experiences from the past but this is completely different group.

“We have now got 10 guys making their debut at World Cup.

"For us as a team this is our first real chance of winning a World Cup as a group. We are not taking it as pressure but as a challenge."

Kookaburras’ 18-member team for the World Cup:
Athlete (City, State)
Daniel Beale (Brisbane, QLD)
Timothy Brand (Chatswood, NSW)
Andrew Charter (Canberra, ACT)
Tom Craig (Lane Cove, NSW)
Matthew Dawson (Killarney Vale, NSW)
Blake Govers (Wollongong, NSW)
Jake Harvie (Dardanup, WA)
Jeremy Hayward (Darwin, NT)
Tim Howard (Wakerley, QLD)
Tyler Lovell (Perth, WA)
Trent Mitton (Perth, WA)
Eddie Ockenden (Hobart, TAS)
Flynn Ogilvie (Wollongong, NSW)
Matthew Swann (Mackay, QLD)
Corey Weyer (Biggera Waters, QLD)
Jake Whetton (Brisbane, QLD)
Dylan Wotherspoon (Murwillumbah, NSW) *Plays for QLD
Aran Zalewski (Margaret River, WA)

Kookaburras’ 2018 World Cup schedule (all times AEDT):
Friday 30 November 10:30pm – Australia v Ireland
Wednesday 5 December 12:30am – Australia v England
Friday 7 December 10:30pm – Australia v China
Monday 10 December – Crossovers
Wednesday 12 December – Quarter-Finals
Saturday 15 December – Semi-Finals
Sunday 16 December – Finals

Hockey Australia media release



Harte beats the drum for Ireland in India

By Alvin McCaig


David Harte was also a PE and Biology teacher before playing hockey full-time

Over to you boys! The bar has been set high - very high, by the Irish women's team thanks to the stunning silver medal success in London three months ago.

Their enthralling Women's World Cup journey, from a team ranked 16th, is one of the fairytale stories of the sporting year.

The Irish public marvelled at the goalkeeping heroics of Alesya McFerran and the team's indomitable spirit - a homecoming in front of thousands of adoring, new-found fans followed along with the promise of increased funding for the sport.

Now it's the turn of the men, who enter the World Cup fray in India on Friday with the toughest of openers, in the form of world number one side Australia.

That's nine places above Ireland, who at least have the towering presence of David Harte as their skipper and formidable final barrier.

The 30-year-old goalkeeper believes the women's exploits will only help Ireland's challenge in Bhubaneswar.

"It's more inspirational than anything - there's absolutely no pressure on the men's team at the World Cup as you cannot compare the men's and women's competitions," said Harte.


Ireland women's players celebrate with their silver medals at the World Cup in London

"We can play freely knowing there isn't a tournament without an upset, so hopefully we can be that surprise package.

"I think anyone in the world of hockey and beyond was incredibly impressed by the Irish women's team winning a silver medal at the World Cup - you couldn't but be!

"They certainly had the rub of the green and made the very most of the draw they were given, which is something that doesn't always happen.

"It has certainly added to what the men's team has done to raise the profile of hockey in Ireland and long may that continue."

Harte's rise in the game has been rapid since he became "hooked" on life as a goalkeeper as a 13-year-old schoolboy in County Cork.

He lists determination, agility and intelligence as the key qualities required to make it to the top as the player donning hockey's version of a suit of armour.
Ireland's number one


Ireland's number one! David will lead a 20-man Ireland squad at the 2018 World Cup

Harte is a full-timer with top Dutch side Kampong while he also had spells in the Hockey India League and Malaysian Hockey League.

But it was outstanding displays for Ireland which earned him world goalkeeper of the year accolades in 2015 and 2016.

Harte, who lines up alongside his twin brother Conor for Ireland, made his international debut 12 years ago.

He has seen plenty of changes in that time, but feels there should be a few more.

"Hockey in Ireland has luckily been transformed since 2006," he added.

"A European bronze medal in 2015, a first of its kind in our history, combined with Olympic Qualification for the first time in more than 108 years and a place at the upcoming World Cup (first appearance since 1990), has shown our rise in hockey.

"Winning the individual honours makes me very proud and it's a humbling feeling, but honestly words wouldn't do it justice! I think once my hockey career has come and gone I will truly appreciate the scale of such awards.

"Right now, we are so busy as a side determined to continue our meteoric rise in world hockey, new goals are set annually both as a team and personally with no time to rest on our laurels.

2018 Men's World Cup - Pool B (Kalinga Stadium)
Ireland    v    Australia (30 Nov, 12:30 GMT)
Ireland    v    China (4 Dec, 14:30)
Ireland    v    England (7 Dec, 14:30)

"However, I would love to see the efforts and sacrifices, combined with the success achieved on the field by the teams, to be continually mirrored by support (funding) and professionalism from Hockey Ireland and the Irish government.

"Both the men's and women's sides are the only ones in the top 10 in world hockey without a full-time programme in place. Imagine the possibilities if there was one!"

There's a new face in charge of the men's team going into the World Cup, but it's a familiar one for Harte.

Kampong coach Alexander Cox, who helped guide Netherlands women to the Olympic title in 2012, replaced Craig Fulton in August.

Cox was in charge for a World Cup warm-up tournament in Valencia last month and it included two notable victories over England, who are Ireland's group opponents in India along with China and the Aussies.

"Aal brings a wealth of experience and hockey knowledge - his attention to detail is something that always impressed me as well as his ability to get the best out of his players," said Harte.

"He has a hard-working, fighter like mindset that is reflected in the teams that he coaches, which is why I believe he enjoys working with this Irish side so much.

"It was an ideal opportunity to face England - a practice tournament compared to the heat of battle in a World Cup is light years apart, but we will take confidence from our gritty performances.

"We have learned some things about them as a team but more importantly we have learned a lot more about ourselves!

"Ultimately, our aim is to get out of our group and get to the crossover matches, which lead to a quarter-final spot."

Ireland squad

Goalkeepers: David Harte (Kampong), David Fitzgerald (Monkstown).

Defenders: Jonathan Bell (Lisnagarvey), Paul Gleghorne (HTC Crefeld), Luke Madeley (Three Rock Rovers), Conor Harte (Racing Club), Stuart Loughrey (Reading), Matthew Bell (HTC Crefeld), Lee Cole (Oree).

Midfielders: Shane O'Donoghue (KHC Dragons), Michael Robson (HTC Crefeld), Kirk Shimmins (HC Rotterdam), Sean Murray (HC Rotterdam), Chris Cargo (H&W), Daragh Walsh (Three Rock Rovers).

Forwards: Matthew Nelson (Lisnagarvey), Mitch Darling (Three Rock Rovers), Eugene Magee (Banbridge), Alan Sothern (Gantoise Gent), Jeremy Duncan (Heracles).

BBC Sport



Aussies eyeing good finish to ensure unhindered funding


Colin Batch. 

Following its success in the Champions Trophy and the Commonwealth Games this year, the Australian team is keen to do well in the Hockey World Cup and ensure an unhindered flow of Government funds till the Tokyo Olympics.

In Australia, hockey is one of the sports which will receive the funding till the 2020 Games. “It is very important that we continue to get the funding.

“Obviously, it is linked to our performance. It is good to have the funding consolidated right till Tokyo. I think the team has earned that with their performance over the last two years. But we would like to perform well here because then the players will get more funding,” said Australia coach Colin Batch.

“If we are knocked out early in the tournament, then it can affect our funding. So, it is important to play well here and be successful.”

Australia is focusing on defending its title to achieve a rare hat-trick. “It’s great that Australia has such a proud history in World Cups…but this is a completely different group. We have now got 10 guys making their debut at World Cup… We are not taking it as pressure but as a challenge,” said Aran Zalewski, one of the two co-captains of the side.

Zalewski said having two leaders was never a problem. “Me and Eddie (Ockenden) are not only great friends but bring different strengths to the team and complement each other.”

The Hindu



England's poor recent form could derail bid to reach first final since 1986


England will look to overcome poor recent form before the 2018 Hockey World Cup in Bhubaneswar. Twitter@England Hockey

England have come close to the Hockey World Cup title in recent editions, but not close enough. Two fourth-placed finishes in the last two tournaments in 2010 and 2014 represent a creditable consistency, but it's time for the England national hockey team to take that next step and reach the World Cup final.

England's only appearance in the final of the quadrennial event came way back in 1986 when they hosted the event. A 1-2 loss at the hands of Australia in the final ended their dream of winning their first World Cup, a dream that till date remains unaccomplished.

At Bhubaneswar, England are placed in Pool B with Australia, China and neighbours Ireland. Based on their FIH ranking of 7, England should have little problems in negotiating the group stages, but toppling Australia in their group might prove to be a tough challenge for Danny Kerry's side.

England come into the World Cup on the back of a torrid run of results. Their final game before Bhubaneswar might have ended in victory but conceding 3 goals against France, who are the lowest-ranked team at the World Cup doesn't bode too well for England's chances.

In the four-nation hockey tournament in Valencia that included, Netherlands, Spain and Ireland, England finished fourth after losing all the games in the competition. While defeats against Spain and Netherlands were in sync with the FIH rankings, twin defeats to Ireland would hurt England's morale ahead of the big tournament.

However, England would like to draw some confidence from the 2018 Sultan Azlan Shah Cup where they finished as runners-up.

England have a good blend of experience and youth in their squad and if they can overcome their poor form heading into the competition, Kerry's troops have enough in the locker to dream big in Bhubaneswar. With players like Barry Middleton, Adam Dixon, Harry Martin and David Condon in their ranks, England will feel they can turn up the heat in a big tournament like the World Cup.

Squad: George Pinner, Harry Gibson, Adam Dixon, Liam Sanford, Mark Gleghorne, Jack Waller, Michael Hoare, Luke Taylor, Harry Martin, David Ames, Ian Sloan, Barry Middleton, Zach Wallace, James Gall, Phil Roper, David Condon, Will Calnan, Sam Ward

Coach: Danny Kerry

Firstpost



We want to beat every team: China coach Kim

China’s coach Sang Ryul Kim says it is going be a learning curve for the debutant

Y.B. Sarangi


Getting ready: Chinese players sweating it out during practice 

China is set to script history when it faces England in a Pool B match and makes its maiden appearance here.

Ranked 17th, China, which booked a place in the 16-team event after finishing eighth in the Hockey World League Semifinals in London, might have a messy system back home but would like to return as an improved side.

“It’s the first time they are participating in the World Cup, they don’t know how to control themselves. I am joking,” coach Sang Ryul Kim told The Hindu.

Kim, who guided his own country South Korea to a silver medal in the 2000 Sydney Olympics and mentored China to beat India and Pakistan before claiming the Doha Asiad silver, has got a wealth of experience but can do little.

Not popular

“Hockey is not popular in China. Also, the system in the country is different. They were not allowed to participate in the last Asian Games in Indonesia because (people thought) they didn’t have any chance to get a medal,” said Kim with a touch of helplessness.

According to Kim, whatever popularity the sport gained in China was due to its women team’s silver medal-winning performance in 2008 Beijing Olympics.

“The problem is politics. With new officials (at the helm), they change things and it’s difficult.”

The contrast is stark though. “They are all professional players. They get paid for playing hockey. After they retire, they will get jobs from the government.”

Kim, who has settled in China for more than 12 years, feels there is enough talent in the country and the team can do wonders with a little support.

Two-tiered structure

“I hope, maybe, after the World Cup we make two teams. One is senior team and the other one is under-23.

“We will train the under-23 five to six months in European countries where they will play some clubs,” said the 63-year-old, who played when hockey was in rudimentary stage in Korea.

“We have a target to learn from all the teams and get experience. In every match we want to beat the opposition,” said Kim.

The Hindu



Dutch out to dazzle in World Cup

By Jugjet Singh

THE Netherlands women have just won the last edition of the Champions Trophy, and their men’s team are early favourites to reach the World Cup final in Bhubaneswar, India.

Unfortunately for Malaysia, the Netherlands, Germany and Pakistan are paired with them in Group D — because of the national team’s 12th standing in the world.

Coach Roelant Oltmans’ men open their World Cup campaign against nothing less than the formidable three-time World champions on Dec 1.

Netherlands first won at home in 1973, later in Pakistan in 1990 and their last triumph was in 1998, also on home soil.

Malaysia played the Netherlands four times in the World Cup, lost three and won one, and the defeat margins were not too big.

The first was a 4-0 defeat in 1973 in Amstelveen, followed by a 2-1 win in Kuala Lumpur 1975 — where Malaysia achieved their best in the World Cup, fourth placing.

In 1978 in Buenos Aires, the Netherlands won 2-1, and in 1982 in Bombay it was a 3-1 win for the Dutch.

The comforting thought for Malaysia is that before their opening encounter is that Oltmans is Dutch and he knows all their players.

“Yes, I know all the players and read up on them regularly on Dutch websites... I predict Netherlands are good enough to play in the final, and win the title as well,” he said.

“But that is not our worry at the group stage. We are looking for a surprise or two and I have my plans. Of course, I can’t reveal them, but I can tell you that we will play our own style of hockey and let them worry about their style and game.”

In other events, the records will also show that the Dutch have had difficulties scoring against Malaysia, and their win margins were always small.

At the Azlan Shah Cup in 1996, the Netherlands won 2-0, and their most recent encounter was about 10 years ago in the 2007 Champions Trophy in Kuala Lumpur, where the Dutch won 3-1.

Armed with a silver medal from the Asian Games, Oltmans and his men will be playing to topple the towering Dutch — and if they succeed, it would be the biggest upset of the World Cup.

The players to look out for in the Dutch side are midfielders Billy Bakker and Robbert Kemperman, Mirco Pruijser, striker Jeroen Hertzberger and penalty corner expert Mink van der Weerden.

New Straits Times



Up against the best

By Aftar Singh


Twin terrors: Malaysia must keep a close watch on Holland’s best penalty corner flickers Jeroen Hertzberger and Mink van der Weerden (below) in their opening hockey World Cup match.

The records show that Holland are head and shoulders above Malaysia in the hockey World Cup.

But national coach Roelant Oltmans said the records do not reflect the current form of the three-time world champions.

“We have a good team too. But I must say that Holland have a solid team and they are among the favourites to win the World Cup,” said Oltmans from Bhubaneswar, India, yesterday.

“They play a fast attacking match and their forwards are deadly once in the semi-circle.

“They also have three good penalty corner drag flickers and the challenge will be on us to stop them,” said Oltmans.

Holland’s drag flickers are Mink van der Weerden, Jeroen Hertzberger and Mirco Pruyser.

“We have to stay on our toes as they can switch their game fast,” said Dutchman Oltmans. Malaysia open their campaign against Holland on Saturday.

According to the record books, Malaysia have played the Dutch team 33 times and the European team won a whopping 28 times, drew twice and lost three times.

In the World Cup history, they played each other four times and Malaysia only won once.



Holland have qualified for the World Cup final six times since the inception of the tournament in Barcelona in 1971. They have won the title three times in 1973, Lahore in 1990 and Utrecht, Holland in 1998.

Oltmans said the Malaysian team played a friendly match against France at the Kalinga Stadium on Tuesday and lost 0-1.

“I’m not too concerned with the score as I wanted the players to have a feel of playing on the pitch,” he said, adding that he was satisfied with the pitch conditions.

Oltmans said the focus now is the mental preparation of the players for the opening match.

“We need to come up with a game plan to stop the Dutch team and that is not an easy task.

“We are in the group of death where we will also have Germany and Pakistan to deal with,” he said.

“Our aim is to get into the top 10 bracket and get closer to the eighth position. There are many teams that can become champions under the current format.

“We may not be one of them but like all teams, we have a chance. We need to stay focused on the task and play hard,” he said.

Malaysia’s best finish was a fourth placing when they were the hosts in 1975. In 2002, they finished in eighth place, also at home.

The Star of Malaysia



Kookaburras Draw Final 2018 World Cup Warm-Up Match

Ben Somerford



The Kookaburras have drawn 1-1 with world number six Germany in their final tune-up on Wednesday ahead of the 2018 FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup in Bhubaneswar, India.

Young forward Tim Brand scored Australia’s only goal in the draw as the Kookaburras rounded out preparations ahead of the side’s World Cup opener against Ireland from 10:30pm AEDT on Friday LIVE on FOX SPORTS 505.

The Kookaburras produced an improved performance than Monday’s 2-1 win over South Africa but couldn’t find a winner.

Australia are grouped in Pool B with England (ranked seventh), Ireland (10th) and China PR (17th).

The world number one Kookaburras are aiming for a third straight World Cup title in Bhubaneswar.

The World Cup begins tonight with host nation India taking on South Africa and Belgium facing Canada.

Assessing the World Cup contenders, Kookaburras co-captain Aran Zalewski said: “World Hockey is close at the moment and very competitive and any team can win and obviously India at home with home crowd will be very tough to beat.

“We have a chance to test ourselves against the best in the world as we haven’t tested ourselves since Rio so we want to do very well here.”

All matches will be televised LIVE on FOX SPORTS or kayosports.com.au.

Kookaburras’ 18-member team for the World Cup:
Athlete (City, State)
Daniel Beale (Brisbane, QLD)
Timothy Brand (Chatswood, NSW)
Andrew Charter (Canberra, ACT)
Tom Craig (Lane Cove, NSW)
Matthew Dawson (Killarney Vale, NSW)
Blake Govers (Wollongong, NSW)
Jake Harvie (Dardanup, WA)
Jeremy Hayward (Darwin, NT)
Tim Howard (Wakerley, QLD)
Tyler Lovell (Perth, WA)
Trent Mitton (Perth, WA)
Eddie Ockenden (Hobart, TAS)
Flynn Ogilvie (Wollongong, NSW)
Matthew Swann (Mackay, QLD)
Corey Weyer (Biggera Waters, QLD)
Jake Whetton (Brisbane, QLD)
Dylan Wotherspoon (Murwillumbah, NSW) *Plays for QLD
Aran Zalewski (Margaret River, WA)

Kookaburras’ 2018 World Cup schedule (all times AEDT):
Friday 30 November 10:30pm – Australia v Ireland
Wednesday 5 December 12:30am – Australia v England
Friday 7 December 10:30pm – Australia v China
Monday 10 December – Crossovers
Wednesday 12 December – Quarter-Finals
Saturday 15 December – Semi-Finals
Sunday 16 December – Finals

Hockey Australia media release



6 Characteristics of a Team Ready to win a World Cup



With the Men's Hockey World Cup starting in India today, we look at the essential characteristics of a team that's ready to win a World Cup.





Pro League Tickets Go On Sale For General Public

Ben Somerford



Hockey Australia is excited to announce tickets will go on sale to the general public for the Australian home matches to the inaugural FIH Pro League from 9am (AEDT) on Friday 30 November via Ticketbooth.com.au.

The new and exciting Pro League will see the world number one Kookaburras and third-ranked Hockeyroos take on the world’s best teams in an international home-and-away league from January to June 2019.

The eight Australian home matches will be played in Melbourne (Saturday-Sunday 2-3 February), Hobart (Saturday-Sunday 9-10 February), Perth (Saturday 16 February) and Sydney (Saturday 2 March and Saturday-Sunday 16-17 March).

All matchdays will include both a Kookaburras and Hockeyroos match and with tickets available from $10 per matchday, they represent amazing value.

Series Passes will also be available in cities where there will be multiple matchdays; Melbourne, Hobart and Sydney from $15 per Series Pass, with Series Passes starting from $50 for adults.

The Pro League brings Hockey home, with the eight matchdays representing the next opportunity for Australian fans to watch the Kookaburras and Hockeyroos on home soil against elite opposition.

Australia’s Pro League campaign begins in Melbourne against the Netherlands and Belgium, with the Dutch women’s side currently ranked number one in the world.

In Hobart, the Kookaburras will play Pakistan and the Hockeyroos will face China, before both sides take on highly-ranked Germany.

In Perth, Australia takes on the old foes Great Britain, who are the current women’s Olympic champions.

In Sydney, fans will be treated to three matchdays of action, firstly with the Kookaburras playing Spain and the Hockeyroos against USA, then a fortnight later with both sides facing Argentina – who are the current men’s Olympic champions - and Trans-Tasman rivals New Zealand.

Australian Home FIH Pro League Fixtures (all times local):

Saturday 2 February 2019 – State Netball & Hockey Centre, Melbourne
Kookaburras v Netherlands – 3pm (AEDT)
Hockeyroos v Netherlands – 4:45pm (AEDT)

Sunday 3 February 2019 - State Netball & Hockey Centre, Melbourne
Kookaburras v Belgium – 3pm (AEDT)
Hockeyroos v Belgium - 4:45pm (AEDT)

Saturday 9 February 2019 – Tasmanian Hockey Centre, Hobart
Kookaburras v Pakistan - 3pm (AEDT)
Hockeyroos v China - 4:45pm (AEDT)

Sunday 10 February 2019 - Tasmanian Hockey Centre, Hobart
Kookaburras v Germany - 3pm (AEDT)
Hockeyroos v Germany - 4:45pm (AEDT)

Saturday 16 February 2019 – Perth Hockey Stadium, Perth
Kookaburras v Great Britain - 3:30pm (AWST)
Hockeyroos v Great Britain - 5:15pm (AWST)

Saturday 2 March 2019 – Sydney Olympic Park Hockey Centre, Sydney
Kookaburras v Spain - 3pm (AEDT)
Hockeyroos v USA - 4:45pm (AEDT)

Saturday 16 March 2019 - Sydney Olympic Park Hockey Centre, Sydney
Kookaburras v Argentina - 3pm (AEDT)
Hockeyroos v Argentina - 4:45pm (AEDT)

Sunday 17 March 2019 - Sydney Olympic Park Hockey Centre, Sydney
Kookaburras v New Zealand - 3pm (AEDT)
Hockeyroos v New Zealand - 4:45pm (AEDT)

Hockey Australia media release



Hawke's Bay fans urged to watch fast and furious women's U21 test series

By Anendra Singh


New Zealand Under-21 hockey skipper Ella Hyatt-Brown (centre left) with Australian co-captains Michaela Spano, Morgan Gallagher and Abby Wilson. Photo/Paul Taylor

Getting away from the bright lights and buzz of the metropolitan cities is something the New Zealand Under-21 and their Australian counterparts will relish in Napier this week.

"I think it's really cool to come down to a small region, from where I am in Auckland, to play hockey," says Kiwi skipper Ella Hyatt-Brown before she and Aussie counterpart Michaela Spano lead their respective sides out at 4pm for the first of the inaugural three-test series between the countries at the hockey stadium in Park Island today.

"Hawke's Bay is a well-known hockey centre now after hosting a few events," says Hyatt-Brown of the David Nancarrow-managed side who will play a further two matches on Saturday and Sunday from 2pm.

She says it's exciting because they have crossed sticks with the Aussies as under-18s a couple of years ago so the continuity is good for their constitution in the bid to progress to the higher echelons with the Black Sticks Women and the Hockeyroos.

"It's pretty be cool to be up against one of the top countries in the world at a relatively young age," said the 21-year-old from North Harbour, who also is at the helm for the first time at the age-group level for New Zealand.

Spano, who shares the mantle of captaincy with Morgan Gallagher and Abby Wilson, also is calling the shots on debut after representing the side since she was 17.

"To come to another country, which is such a beautiful country, we're very privileged to come across to play in such a great environment, I guess," says the South Australian player, juxtaposing here with the recent stint in China.

With several players progressing to the Hockeyroos from the U18 year, Hyatt-Brown says the Aussies today are mainly unknown quantities.

While the fast and furious brand of hockey the tourists traditionally bring is similar to what the Kiwis employ, she reckons it's an opportune time to gauge their worth against some innovative "structural" play.

"I think we're quite similar in the way we play an aggressive and fast game but it'll be interesting to find out the difference in the three games," says Hyatt-Brown of the Greg Nicol-coached New Zealand side that includes striker Kaitlin Cotter and midfielder/defender Arabella Sheild.

The midfielder/defender says the players have enjoyed the tutelage of Napier's Nicol - a former Black Sticks men's assistant coach - since July, and they've developed a healthy rapport in trying to hone their skills.

Hyatt-Brown is looking forward to the Bay fans turning out in droves to support them in the three tests.

Nicol echoes Nancarrow's sentiments of turning the series into an annual event and, preferably, keeping it in the Bay.

"It's a great opportunity to play the best and it's good for the coaches as well because they're obviously a great sporting nation," he says.

Nicol says a couple of training camps led to a selection in Napier six weeks ago but the onus is now on the players to convert the collective nous into something productive on an international platform.

"You don't know what each player will bring, how the players adapt and how much purpose we've gathered," he says, delighted to bring international competition to the Bay and relishing the under-21 environment.

He considers it to be an ideal age to nurture and mould prospective talent.

"I'm really enjoying coaching them and the series will be a nice challenge as well," says the former age-group South African-born player. He also fulfils a high-performance manager role with Hockey New Zealand, based here but engaging in identifying talent around the country.

Striker Spano, 21, who's from South Australia, says it's a great national experience for the younger Aussies.

"Obviously the Kiwis are a very good side and they are very tough to play against so I'm sure our younger ones will also get a good run for our money," she says.

The 2016 Junior World Cup representative, who returned with a bronze from Chile, says the series is a good time for Aussie players to find cohesiveness with each other because they hail from different states in the continent.

The Adelaide University student, who is living the sporting dream while juggling a human resources/management degree as a part timer in her first year, reckons it's an ideal time for Australia to develop a junior footprint to ease into the senior ranks via a well-trodden pathway.

"It's just good for your personal and team development in a different environment as well," says Spano.

Aussie coach Triny Powell, of Sydney, who holds the highest goal scorer record as a former Hockeyroos striker, fosters a foraging-type of game.

"We play a very aggressive style and put a lot of pressure on the defenders," she says, mindful their Kiwi counterparts aren't shy in raising the physicality stakes.

"[The Kiwis] are a very hard-working team and they play very similar structures to us so there are many similarities as opposed to China," she says, revealing the Chinese sit back deeper and then mount wave of counterattacks amid individual prowess.

The Aussies and Kiwis tend to adopt a more free-flowing brand with less emphasis on structures, she says.

However, Spano is mindful to expect the unexpected in the next three matches.

Adept at finding the back board with a thud, she doesn't hide the collective desire to play for her nation's top women's side but is happy to play the card of patience.

The ability to trap a ball, says Spano, enables a striker to play it with some conviction so all the other variables, such as speed and flair, complement that.

The New Zealand Herald

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