News for 04 December 2018
All the news for Tuesday 4 December 2018
Odisha Hockey Men's World Cup Bhubaneswar 2018 - Day 6
Bhubaneswar (IND)
Results 3 December
ESP v FRA (Pool A) 1 - 1
NZL v ARG (Pool A) 0 - 3
Fixtures 4 December (GMT +5:30)
17:00 ENG v AUS (Pool B)
19:00 IRL v CHN (Pool B)
Upcoming Pool fixtures
5 Dec 2018 17:00 GER v NED (Pool D)
5 Dec 2018 19:00 MAS v PAK (Pool D
6 Dec 2018 17:00 ESP v NZL (Pool A)
6 Dec 2018 19:00 ARG v FRA (Pool A)
7 Dec 2018 17:00 AUS v CHN (Pool B)
7 Dec 2018 19:00 IRL v ENG (Pool B)
Pool Standings
Pool A
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Pool B
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Pool C
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Pool D
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Spain and France draw sets up dramatic final day of group stages
©: Frank Uijlenbroek / World Sport Pics
Spain and France shared a dramatic draw to leave them scrambling to try and grab something in their last group game to see if they can advance to the knock-out stages of the competition.
France struck early in the contest when Victor Charlet’s perfect backhand pass was guided home from close range by Timothée Clément, who changed the trajectory of the ball to give Spain shot-stopper Quico Cortes little hope of saving.
The Red Sticks dominated the second quarter, setting up camp in the opposition half but unable to get the goal that their endeavour deserved thanks to some excellent saves from France goalkeeper Arthur Thieffry.
While a penalty corner drag-flick from France captain Victor Charlet forced a fine save from Cortes in the third quarter, it was the Spaniards who remained on top and finally got their equaliser early in the fourth period.
Alvaro Iglesias was the scorer, completing a slick passing move that cut through the France defence and allowed Spain’s number nine the easiest of finishes. Although it proved to be the final goal of the game, France missed a gilt-edged opportunity to claim all three points when a penalty stroke from Hugo Geneset was brilliantly saved by a diving Cortes.
“Quico was the best player of the game”, said Spain’s Marc Salles – who made his 200th senior international appearance in the match – after the game.
“When you have a goalkeeper who makes a save from a penalty stroke, you can only congratulate him. We are pleased with the draw in the end but we want to keep getting better and better in this tournament.”
In the second game, Argentina moved within touching distance of the quarter-finals with their second win, beating New Zealand 3-0.
Agustin Mazzilli picked out the top corner for 1-0 in the second quarter with a terrific backhand. Lucas Vila made it two with a blistering finish past the left hand of Black Sticks goalkeeper Richard Joyce.
The match scoring was completed by Lucas Martinez five minutes from the end, who dived in to make it 3-0 from close range after Argentina’s initial penalty corner attempt had been blocked.
“It was a great game for us”, said Mannheimer HC's Lucas Vila, who was named Odisha Player of the Match, at the end of the game. “I think our defence was really strong and in attack we took our chances and scores some good goals. Its only two games so there is a long way to go, but I think we are in a good way and now we have a few days to make some little changes.”
What it means for the playoff places is that France and Spain are on one point and New Zealand on three. A win for the Spanish against New Zealand would assure their passage to the crossover matches; for France their passage will be affected by how they do against Los Leones and as much as the other group game.
Tuesday’s games see Australia play England while Ireland take on China. England co-captain Ian Sloan said: “We are looking forward to taking on Australia in what will be a highly competitive encounter.
“We created a lot of chances in game one [against China] and are focusing on being better in both Ds in game two. We know that if we do that, we will have a good chance of getting a positive result.”
Euro Hockey League media release
Skipper Cortes hands Spain 1-1 draw against France
BHUBANESWAR: Skipper and goalkeeper Quico Cortes led from the front with a superb penalty stroke save to help three-time medallist Spain eke out a hard-fought 1-1 draw against lowly France in their second Pool A match at the ongoing men’s hockey World Cup on Monday.
The draw kept both the teams in the hunt for the knock-out round with one point apiece from two games.
It was a battle between world number 8 Spain and the lowest ranked team of the competition France, who are ranked 20th, but it turned out to be a keenly-contested encounter as the Frenchmen gave their opponents a run for their money.
It was France who stunned the Spaniards in the sixth minute when Timothee Clement scored from a field effort. But Spain came back strongly after the change of ends and restored parity in the 48th minute through Alvaro Iglesias’ field strike.
France had a golden opportunity to register their first major upset of the tournament but the Spain skipper Cortes came to his side’s rescue.
In the last 10 minutes, France were awarded a penalty stroke because of obstruction in front of the goal by a Spain defender after they went for video referral but Cortes made a brilliant save flying to his right to keep Hugo Genestet’s try at bay. France could not have asked for a better chance to cause the first upset and pocket full three points from the game but was denied by Cortes’ brilliance in front of the goal.
The Spaniards had better goal scoring chances but was denied by a stout France defence led by goalkeeper Arthur Thieffry.
Spain got as many as seven penalty corners in the game but failed to breach Thieffry and his defence even once.
Spain had lost 3-4 to Olympic champions Argentina in their tournament opener, while France suffered a 1-2 defeat against New Zealand.
Spain play New Zealand in their final pool match on December 6, while France will be up against Argentina.
The Daily Times
Turning Point: Pool A: Day 6
s2h Team
Match No.11: 3rd DEC 2018 FRANCE Vs SPAIN
Both France and Spain have lost their first match respectively to New Zealand and Argentina. Therefore both teams were looking for an outright win so that they can still stay in race for the quarters. Since other two teams in the fray in their Group A are higher ranked, today's victory can ensure a place for the winning team a chance to play cross over. Under the condition, this match was played against moderate crowd at Kalinga stadium.
When 9.06 minutes left in the clock, France went for a video referral. It wanted a penalty stroke as it felt that one of his players, who was in a position to strike a shot at goal was physically tackled from doing so. However, in the flow of the game, the umpire had allowed the play to continue. France won the referral, they got a stroke. Confident Hugo Genestet (24 years old, 146 caps) took the stroke to the right of the cage. Experienced goalie Quico Cortes (268 caps) dived to his right and blocked the stroke on its flight with his left hand. The goal was denied to France. The match ultimately ended in a 1-1 draw. Had Hugo been successful, France could have collected full three points. Now, it has to wait for the next and last pool match.
Match No.12: 3rd DEC 2018 ARGENTINA Vs NEW ZEALAND
Argentina and New Zealand entered the match with a win against their names. They were also top ranked team in pool A. A second victory today would pave way for the winner the majesticity of making it to the quarters without undergoing the cross-over hassles. Argentina ultimately won the match 3-0. On scoreboard it seemed the match was one-sided but it was not.
As a strange, the game did not start on a sedate pace each team trying to rove other and taking time to settle. Instead, it started on a very pacy note. within first 20 seconds, New Zealand was striking distace of scoring a goal. From deep defence, a long overhead landed in the rival circle of which a forward took a shot Goalie Vivaldi effected a smart save but only to give away a rebound at the top edge of the circle. Hugo Inglis was quick to spot his chance and sprinted to make a shot at goal. Vivaldi again blocked, only to see another shot attempted off a short rebound. Each shot had every bearing of a goal but it was not. Had only the Kiwis struck, the encounter would have gone either way. Argentina survived those early moments to stay put.
Stick2Hockey.com
Argentina asserts while France surprises Spain
s2h Team
Spain's coach is a French legend. France coach is a Dutch legend. The battle between teams under the label of these legends ended in a 1-1 draw in Pool A of the Odisha World Cup. French star of yore Feredric Soyez could not believe his eyes when his team Spain frittered away many chances in the crucial match result of which will count a lot in the coming days in the long tournament.
Jeroen Delmee, who led the Dutch eight years ago in the Delhi World Cup, was distinctly unlucky when his team could not put it across struggling Spain. Smart France got a stroke on their video referral but Hugo Genestet could not beat hugely talented Spaniard in Quico Cortes, the men under the cage. Lowly rated France otherwise surprised Spain, who got many penalty corners on account of their field ascendency but were denied any conversion.
The match that followed the above draw, one between Argentina and New Zealand, rose to greater heights, which saw untiring and most experienced Argentina punishing New Zealand relentlessly.
After a opening buzz in which the Kiwis missed out on all three shots at goal within first 30 seconds from commencement, it was Argentina all the way.
It was a tit for tit match. Energetic Agustin Mazzli equalized within a minute after conceding first goal of the match. Pan American team's penalty corner expert Gonzalo Peillat, top scorer at Rio, was initially undone by their daring rivals but he came on his own with an immaculate conversion five minutes before the hooter. The 3-0 win is straight second win, and this will suffice them to qualify directly for the quarters from Pool A.
Stick2Hockey.com
Argentina win, France hold Spain
Olympics champions Argentina took a big step towards a place in the quarterfinals after registering their second win of the tournament. Coming under initial pressure from an inspired New Zealand, Argentina took control and scored at regular intervals to win 3-0.
Agustin Mazzilli joined Simranjeet Singh at the top of the goal-scorers list, taking his tally to three with a 23rd-minute goal to give his team the lead. His take to control a bumpy cross was masterful, but the rasping tomahawk shot that followed, into the roof of the goal, was stunning. Lucas Vila doubled the lead in the 41st minute. Lucas Martinez made it 3-0 with a 55th-minute goal after a goalmouth scramble.
France take a point
World No. 20 France missed a late penalty stroke to miss out on a great opportunity to register a stunning win over world No. 8 and former World Cup finalists Spain. Playing attacking hockey, France took the lead in the sixth minute through a Timothee Clement deflection but a 48th-minute deflection from Alvaro Iglesias brought Spain back.
The Tribune
Vantage Black Sticks Go Down in a Tough Battle with Argentina
The Vantage Black Sticks have gone down in a tough battle with Argentina 3-0. The game was closer than the result suggested as both teams had some fantastic early chances. In the end Argentina was the more clinical team in front of goal which saw them secure the 3 points and take them to 6 points and top place in Pool A with one round to go.
The first quarter was incredibly exciting with both teams having several opportunities but neither side was able to capitalise. The Vantage Black Sticks threw an overhead off the opening hit off which Stephen Jenness received at the top of the circle and shot at goal to nearly replicate their second goal from the first game. Despite some great attacking hockey in the opening quarter neither team was able to break the deadlock and we ended the 1st quarter tied at 0-0.
The second quarter started as frantically as the first with both sides constructing great scoring chances. The Vantage Black Sticks had their first penalty corner of the Odisha Men's Hockey World Cup. Kane Russell stepped up and drag flicked however Argentinas Juan Vivaldi made a great save to keep the score tied at nil. With ten minutes gone in the second quarter Gonzalo Peillat drove a powerful ball into the circle that found Agustin Mazzilli and he trapped it on his reverse and ripped a shot past Richard Joyce. The shot meant that Argentina was going to play the game from in front. There was no change to the score as both sides went into the sheds at half time having played some great positive hockey. Argentina had the lead at the half 1-0.
Argentina looked strong at the start of the 3rd quarter and had the first real opportunity of the second half when they drove baseline and earned a penalty corner. Vantage Black Sticks goal keeper Richard Joyce stepped up again and shut down another Gonzalo Peillat drag flick to keep the score at 1-0. The Vantage Black Sticks were struggling to bring the ball out of defence and Argentina took the opportunity and dispossessed Vantage Black Sticks Captain Blair Tarrant at the top of the circle and sent a powerful forehand shot past goalkeeper Richard Joyce making the score now 2-0. Vantage Black Sticks nearly clawed one back when a scrap in front of goal couldn’t be finished and Argentina survived keeping their lead heading in to the final quarter.
The Vantage Black Sticks came out in the 4th quarter looking motivated and constructed several opportunities. Argentinas defence scrambled well including running down a Kane Russell penalty corner. The Vantage Black Sticks constructed more opportunities and went close on a couple of occasions but were unable to find the final touch to put the ball in the goal. With 6 minutes to go Argentina had another penalty corner, Richard Joyce made the initial save but couldn’t clear the rebound and Argentina put the ball in the goal to put them in the lead 3-0.
Vantage Black Sticks Coach Darren Smith reflected on the game “A tough day at the office today. Argentina was clinical in the circle and were able to take the opportunities that they created. Although we created some good opportunities ourselves we just weren't able to find the finishing touches. It sets up a really big game for us against Spain on Friday morning”.
Vantage Black Sticks 0
Argentina 3 (Agustin Mazzilli 23’, Lucas Vila 41’, Lucas Martinez 55’)
Hockey New Zealand Media release
Black Sticks fall to Argentina/arc-anglerfish-syd-prod-nzme.s3.amazonaws.com/public/7AUAERX3JNF3ZF5JVYFWZMRDFY.jpg)
Nicolas Cicileo of Argentina collides with Marcus Child of New Zealand during the FIH Men's Hockey World Cup Pool A match. Photo /Getty
The New Zealand men's hockey team's World Cup aspirations remain alive in India, despite a 3-0 loss to Argentina.
The Olympic champions scored goals in the second, third and fourth quarters to advance directly to the quarter-finals.
Ninth-ranked New Zealand face eighth-ranked Spain in their final pool match on Friday morning.
The Black Sticks are currently clear second in the group after Spain and France drew 1-1.
The New Zealand Herald
Black Sticks fall to World No 2 Argentina at Hockey World Cup in India
Arun Panchia and the Black Sticks were dominated by Argentina at the Hockey World Cup. (File photo) JOEL FORD/GETTY IMAGES
The Black Sticks men's Hockey World Cup campaign has hit a speed bump in the form of World No 2 Argentina.
New Zealand conceded goals in the second, third and fourth quarters and were dominated in a 3-0 loss in their second Pool A match in Bhubaneswar, India on Monday (Tuesday NZ Time).
Agustin Mazzilli scored in the 23rd minute, Lucas Vila in the 41st minute and Lucas Martinez finished it off in the 55th minute as Argentina remained unbeaten and remained on track to top the pool and advance directly to the quarterfinals.
New Zealand face Spain, ranked one spot higher in the world rankings, in their final pool match on Thursday (12.30am Friday NZT), with second in the pool on the line. Even with a loss, the Black Sticks would advance to the crossover knockout round unless France upset Argentina.
Stuff
Argentina closes in on quarterfinals
Gutsy France makes Spain sweat for a draw
Y.B. Sarangi
Vital contribution: Spain captain and goalkeeper Quico Cortes saves this attempt from France’s Maximilien Branicki.
Olympic champion Argentina snatched a 3-0 victory over New Zealand in a Pool A match of the Hockey World Cup at the Kalinga Stadium here on Monday.
Argentina’s second consecutive win, scripted by goal-scorers Agustin Mazzilli, Lucas Vila and Lucas Martinez, has almost ensured its passage to the quarterfinals.
Even as the Black Sticks gave a good fight, the second-ranked Argentina had the edge in the first quarter. World No. 9 New Zealand then stepped up the aggression in the second period and had a couple of chances, including a penalty corner. However, the Argentine defence was alert to the danger.
First blood
The South Americans needed some innovation to breach New Zealand’s defence. Gonzalo Peillat sent in a long diagonal cross from the left and Mazzilli hit home in the 23rd minute to draw first blood.
Persistance paid off for Los Leones as they struck again in the 41st minute. Vila pounced on New Zealand captain Blair Tarrant’s defensive lapse to extend the lead. Argentina made it 3-0 through Martinez’s penalty corner conversion.
Meanwhile, eighth-placed Spain rallied to hold France, ranked 20th and lowest in the event, 1-1 in a close contest. France, returning to the World Cup after 28 years, maintained a tight leash on the three-time medallist and counter-attacked to create chances.
Lovely field goal
France went ahead through a lovely field goal as captain Victor Charlet’s reverse hit was slotted into the goal by Timothee Clement in the sixth minute.
Spain failed to capitalise on its opportunities, including seven penalty corners.
Alvaro Iglesias finally tapped in the equaliser and France’s Hugo Genestet failed to score from a penalty stroke in an action-packed final quarter.
The results: Pool A: France 1 (Clement 6) drew with Spain 1 (Iglesias 48); Argentina 3 (Mazzilli 23, Vila 41, Martinez 55) bt New Zealand 0.
The Hindu
Olympic champions Argentina beat New Zealand 3-0, brighten direct quarterfinal chances
Men's Hockey World Cup 2018 , AFP
Olympic champions Argentina lived up to their billing and beat New Zealand 3-0 to inch closer towards a direct quarterfinal spot at the Men's Hockey World Cup in Bhubneshwar on Monday.
Argentina were the better side on display as they created more chances and scored thrice through Agustin Mazzilli (23rd), Lucas Villa (41st) and Lucas Martinez (55th) to pocket full three points from the Pool A encounter at the Kalinga Stadium.
By virtue of two wins from as many games, Argentina are atop Pool A with six points and they have brightened their chances of a direct berth in the last eight round.
New Zealand are at the second place with three points from two games ahead of Spain and France, both of whom have one point each.
Argentina had earlier defeated Spain 4-3 in their tournament opener while New Zealand had beaten France 2-1.
While Argentina will play world number 20 France in their last pool match on December 6, New Zealand will be up against Spain.
Argentina started the proceedings on a bright note and got the first scoring opportunity of the match in the fifth minute in the form of a penalty corner but they wasted the chance.
Barring this, it was a dull opening quarter which witnessed a midfield slugfest.
A minute into the second quarter, Argentina came close to taking the lead but Lucas Villa's try from close range was kept away by New Zealand goalkeeper Richard Joyce.
New Zealand got their first opportunity in the 18th minute when they were awarded a penalty corner but Kane Russell's flick was saved by Argentina custodian Juan Vivaldi.
Seven minutes from halftime, the Los Leones finally broke the shackles when Mazzilli scored his third goal of the tournament.
An inch-perfect defense-splitting pass from Gonzalo Peillat found Mazzilli unmarked inside the New Zealand box and the striker first controlled the ball and then sent it crashing into the board with a reverse hit.
That was all the first two quarters produced as Argentina went into the halfway break with a slender one-goal lead.
Argentina continued their dominance after the breather and secured two penalty corners in the first five minutes of the third quarter but drag-flicker Peillat witnessed an off day in office on Monday.
But it did not take too long for Argentina to extend their lead through Villa, who slotted home in the 41st minute after snatching the ball inside the box from the sticks of New Zealand skipper Blair Tarrant.
Trailing by two goals, New Zealand pressed hard in the fourth and final quarter and secured their second penalty corner but the Black Sticks made a mess of the chance.
Five minutes from the final hooter, Argentina got their fourth penalty corner and Martinez scored from a rebound to shut the doors on New Zealand.
Daily News & Analysis
Old in age, rich in experience
Argentine team has a disciplined work ethic despite having many players over 30
Y.B. Sarangi
Manzzilli Agustin feels the older lot needs to put in more effort to catch up with the younger ones.
The core of the Argentina side in the World Cup has remained the same for quite some years now, with the average age of the side around 30, the highest in the tournament.
Consisting of nine players born in the 1970s and 80s, including 39-year-old goalkeeper Juan Vivaldi (the oldest in the tournament), the Olympic champion is perhaps the most industrious bunch in the current edition.
Understandably, the older lot needs to put in more effort to catch up with the younger ones in the tournament.
“You need to double the work, sometimes triple the work. The young players are really fast. You need to keep the level up — eating good, training hard and playing a lot of hockey. You can see a lot of fit players at 35, 36 or 40 years also,” said Agustin Mazzilli, a key member.
According to coach German Orozco, who has played with several players of the present team, it is easier to manage the experienced members who know what to do to remain fit.
“We have to change the word from old to experience. We are an experienced team instead of an old team. Some of us have played together for 15 years and some 10. That means we know each other a lot and know what to expect,” said Orozco.
The 29-year-old Mazzilli said even though football remained the first love of every Argentinian, the following for the hockey team increased after the Rio Olympics, where the Los Leones claimed its maiden gold medal.
“We are football lovers. It means we will always talk about football. We know hockey is getting bigger and bigger.
“We need to help the public know hockey and organise some tournaments in Argentina. People are watching this (World Cup on TV) and this crowd will also make the sport bigger (back home),” said Mazzilli.
The Hindu
Australia are England's opponents at 11:30am Tuesday
Australia at the Men's Hockey World Cup
England's next opponents in the Odisha Hockey Men's World Cup are holders Australia, with the game taking place at 11:30am on Tuesday 4 December, live on BT Sport 1HD.
Danny Kerry's side drew their first game with China 1-1, while Australia overcame Ireland 2-1 in their first match in Bhubaneswar.
Barry Middleton is set to play his 20th game in World Cup, while Adam Dixon is looking to make World Cup appearance number 15. They are the only Englishmen in the current squad to have played more than ten World Cup games.
This will be England's 88th game in World Cups; to date we have scored 186 goals and won 47% of games.
England and Australia have faced each other ten times in World Cups, with Australia taking eight wins, including two in the 1986 and 1975 finals.
England will also be looking to exact revenge for the Commonwealth Games semi final earlier this year, when Trent Mitton scored either side of an Ian Sloan goal to progress to the final on the Gold Coast.
The top team from each Pool qualifies automatically for the Quarter Finals, while the second and third placed teams go into the crossover matches.
England Hockey Board Media release
Proteas’ Hockey World Cup hopes dealt hefty blow
Ockert de Villiers
The SA Hockey men drew with Canada in their crucial Pool C match at the Hockey World Cup in India yesterday. Photo: @SA_Hockey_Men on twitter
JOHANNESBURG - South Africa will rue a host of missed opportunities in their 1-1 draw with Canada in their crucial Pool C match at the Hockey World Cup in India yesterday.
The Proteas’ chances of reaching the crossover round were dealt a hefty blow and they will have to be at their best against Belgium where goal differences will ultimately seal their fate.
They had seven penalty corners, but could not find the breakthrough while they also made 24 circle penetrations with only one of their shots landing in the back of the net. Nqobile Ntuli scored a stunning goal in the 43rd minute to break the stalemate, but the celebrations were short lived as SA only held the lead for two minutes before Canada equalised.
They managed to hold onto possession and also created plenty of scoring opportunities. A golden opportunity in the 11th minute of the match went a begging when Ntuli’s deflection in the goal mouth went wide of the box.
The SA Men's Hockey team ahead of their departure for India. Photo: @SA-Hockey_Men on twitter
SA earned their first penalty corner 30 seconds before the end of the first quarter when a torpedo from Austin Smith’s stick hit the crossbar.
They continued to create opportunities in the second chukka, but battled to find the breakthrough.
Ntuli made up for his earlier miss, handing SA the lead when he pivoted and landed the ball in the back of the net.
SA did well to absorb the initial counter from Canada, but they ultimately buckled under the pressure with ill-discipline leading to a penalty stroke which Scott Tupper converted to level the scores in the 45th minute.
Independent Online
Pakistan’s defeated only 2nd time in an opening World Cup match.
By Shahid Khan
Record four times World Cup champions, Pakistan went down 1-0 against Germany in their first match of the on- going World Cup to register only their second defeat ever in their opening match in 13 editions they have competed.
Ironically Greenshirts only other defeat in their first match in the World Cup was also in India at the 2010 World Cup (New Delhi) when the hosts defeated them 1-4.
Other than these two defeats Pakistan who failed to qualify for the previous World Cup (2014) have always opened with maximum points from their opening match except at the 3rd World Cup (1975) in Kuala Lumpur, when they were surprisingly held 2-2 by lowly ranked Poland.
However Greenshirts remained unbeaten in that World Cup, until they lost to India (1-2) in the final through a hotly disputed goal, awarded by the Malaysian umpire Vijaynathan.
The highest margin of victory in their opening World Cup campaigns was a whopping 9-0 victory against Ireland, at 1978 (Buenos Aires) World Cup when they went on to win the World Cup, scoring 35 goals and conceding only 4.
In the following World Cup (1982) when they retained the title they started its defence with a 6-1 victory over Argentina. That tournament also saw their highest ever margin of victory when they defeated New Zealand (12-3).
Their next opponents in the current World Cup are Malaysia whom Greenshirts have defeated twice previously in the opening matches of the World Cup in 1973 and 1998, 4-2 and 7-2 respectively.
Pakistan Hockey Federation secretary and hockey legend Shabaz Senior commenting on this must win match said, ‘they have a slight edge over Malaysia as we have defeated them in four previous events’. However Greenshirts will only underestimate them at their peril as they have former Pakistan coach Roelant Oltmans as their newly appointed head coach.
Fieldhockey Exclusive
In pulsating Hockey World Cup draw, Belgium pay price for traditional Indian deficiency: not scoring more despite dominating
Sundeep Misra
Indian players celebrate a goal against Belgium. Image courtesy: Hockey India
Into the sprawling Kalinga walked a Belgium team their sticks touched with semtex. Firebrand stuff in the first ten minutes as they not only held space in the first two quarters — except for India’s two penetrations — but also seemed to own the turf. For the fans and, worse, for the Indian team bench, a nightmare seemed to be unfolding on the pitch.
One did hope for a better tactical response, but ice water had seeped into Indian veins. While coach Harendra Singh seethed on the sidelines, India hung on as Belgium were startled by the amount of free zones available to play. The turnaround came after the break, a different team, ferociously claiming territory as India dominated to not only equalise, but lead till another defensive lapse gave Belgium a precious point. India walked away with a 2-2 scoreline, but that feeling of letting victory slip away would have haunted them through the night.
Tactically, Belgium couldn’t have laid it out better. It’s another story as to what went wrong with India in the first two quarters. Belgium opened with a full press from the flanks and picked up two PCs in the opening three minutes. Chaos prevailed as India scrambled to hold position. The second PC was saved on the line by Surender Kumar. In the first five minutes, four circle entries by Belgium and none for India decided a script that would play out in the first two quarters.
India, panicking, refused to hold, control or rotate. Belgium pressed with three players, cutting off the passing channels. India didn’t push the ball back and very surprisingly didn’t take the aerial route, something that would become their weapon only in the 3rd and 4th quarter. The midfield vanished and found itself playing defensively. Of course, there are times in the match when an entire team defends; but not for a full two quarters without coming out of the zone to press the opposition.
As panic set in, mis-passes became the order. Turnovers gave Belgium momentum. And in the 8th minute, off the 3rd PC, Alexander Hendrickx saw his relatively soft flick speed along the turf and squeeze itself through the pads of Sreejesh. India had conceded a soft goal. Belgium knew they had India on the mat. They pressed and Cedric Charlier couldn’t hold on to the ball with Sreejesh in front.
Manpreet Singh, Hardik Singh, Chinglensana Singh were over-committing. It’s a cardinal rule sometimes: when being dominated, don’t drag and give away the ball. Make sure you are looking up and find your man. If you can’t, rotate it back.
India looked at the ball as Belgium cut down with 2-3 men on each Indian player. All one could see were red shirts. It almost seemed India were short on players.
Yet Birendra Lakra, in a moment of frustration, strode through the midfield and gave it to Dilpreet Singh, whose pass was deflected by Mandeep Singh but not on target.
Things should have changed in the 2nd quarter. But India lived dangerously. India adopted Belgian methods of shooting and hammering the ball into the striking circle. But usually the hit was lifted. Even the basics were coming undone. Dilpreet had the space on the right of the Belgium striking circle but instead of coming in further took a heavy hit which was easily trapped by the Belgian defence. What was worrying was the lack of response from India.
John-John Dohmen, Victor Wegnez and Simon Gougnard controlled the pace, made the runs and held the midfield so tightly that India were stifled of the 2nd quarter too. Tom Boon, finding himself just near the Indian goal, couldn’t control a deflection that just flew past the Indian post.
By the time the break came, to India’s utmost relief, Belgium led 1-0 with nine circle entries to India’s two. In a sense, Belgium’s biggest deficiency was what India are usually accused of — not closing off the match with the amount of chances they get. In not scoring more, Belgium had left a door open for India to come back.
Chris Ciriello, India’s analyst and the hat-trick man for Australia in the last World Cup final in that massive 6-1 win for Australia over the Dutch, refused to elaborate on what transpired during the break. Neither did Harendra Singh in his post-match conference. Chris only pointed towards the GPS (Global Positioning System). “It was quite clear that players were not doing enough. We needed more effort. Productive effort. The amount of distance a few players should have run in order to control the play was not showing up. And that is where as a team you need to have the ball.”
The implication was quite clear — have the ball, create space, run for it and control it again. It also meant that off-the-ball running to be able to give more chances for the player holding the ball to deliver a better pass wasn’t happening.
In the 3rd quarter, India started off holding the ball. The midfield moved up. The defence, except for one player, also played upfront and suddenly players like Simranjeet Singh, Lalit Upadhyay, Dilpreet and Akashdeep Singh emerged from the shadows. They had more of the ball and when they started creating; Belgium fell back, giving away the midfield to India.
Manpreet, invisible in the first two quarters with a lot of defending, made the mid zone his own and those balls which made the flanks cut into the circle started happening. The aerials, completely taken off the Indian repertoire earlier, suddenly appeared and Hardik, Harmanpreet and Varun made things happen. Belgium had a match on and a lead to save.
In a flurry of movement across the Belgian half, Dilpreet found his pace and muffed up three chances as Belgian goalkeeper Vanasch showed exactly why he is so highly rated. Lalit, who had found his groove, created India’s 1st PC but Harmanpreet’s high flick was taken on the gloves by Vanasch.
Nilakanta had also found his legs and he wove around squeezing the ball through. Belgium were back tracking. In fact, for a straight stretch of six minutes, they couldn’t get past the Indian midfield. India had their 2nd PC as Varun flicked and found a Belgian leg again. Off the resultant 3rd PC, the ball hit Arthur Sloover’s leg on the line. It was a stroke and converted confidently by Harmanpreet. At 1-1, the match was on.
The Indians had spread over the field. Surender Kumar and Harmanpreet found themselves inside the Belgian striking circle. India were stretching the play, creating space and closing the gaps fast. The pace had picked up and the intensity was scorching the turf. Emmanuel Stockbroekx was the only one trying to create and make runs on his own through the Indian midfield.
In the 4th quarter, Belgium ceded more territory and Kothajit ran down the touchline on the left side of the Belgian striking circle. A straight through pass glided past outstretched Belgian sticks, but it was Simranjeet, with a deflection, who gave India the lead.
The Kalinga was roaring. Silent through the 1st and 2nd quarter, they had found their voice.
India clung to the flanks, found the lines and passes sped onto Indian sticks. Chinglensana, Kothajit, Sumit, Hardik, having the space, effectively kept control and used the aerial balls. A high ball from Varun almost found Lalit alone inside the Belgian striking circle.
Numbers, are at times, reflective of how a match could still turn. With five minutes left and India leading, it was simply about keeping heads down, clearing the ball and still finding space to push Belgium back. In the last ten matches, Belgium had beaten India six times, twice in shoot-outs. In those ten matches, thrice the scores had been tied at regulation time. But the difference in Belgium or India winning had been a difference of one goal on five occasions. Matches had been close and could run till the last second.
Belgium pulled off their goalkeeper Vanasch with four minutes, 45 seconds left on the clock. And with four minutes left, Belgium got the equaliser. It was a defensive drill that went wrong. The ball almost skipping over the Indian defenders sticks found Simon Gougnard off a deflection. Simon’s shot, not the most powerful he has taken, squeezed itself yet again through Sreejesh’s pads. At 2-2, it was still anybody’s game. But the Belgians didn’t bring Vanasch back. They were searching for a match-winner. To top Pool C, where India has a better goal difference, Belgium needed a win.
For India, this was the best chance by holding the ball and creating a move or pulling off a PC as without a goalkeeper, Belgium would be hardpressed to defend. Tactically they faltered here.
Harendra, speaking on the equaliser conceded to Belgium, said, “Don’t call it misfortune (conceding in final few minutes). The ball was with us. We snatched the ball, we tried to run with it when we should have passed. Getting a turnover is an art, but giving turnovers is suicide. That is where we paid the price, giving the turnover to our opponents.”
In the end it was a logical climax, classically interwoven with drama, a cat-and-mouse finish that had the fans satiated with that slight tinge of disappointment of India not holding on.
Firstpost
Good of small things: How India held Belgium
Indervir Grewal in Bhubaneswar
In the first half, Akashdeep Singh tried to dodge past Arthur van Doren but the heart of Belgium’s defence didn’t skip a beat. He had done his homework on Akashdeep, whose most preferred dodge is to show right and pull left. When Akashdeep pulled left, he found van Doren’s unmovable stick.
In the second half, van Doren lost a bit of that surety and firmness. Twice he let the ball get stolen from under his nose in Belgium’s third. These moments did not lead to anything significant but showed how the small things mattered in a big match, helping each team take control for long spells at different times.
India have played Belgium 10 times in the last two years; thus, the two teams didn’t have many surprises for each other. What it came down to was — who would manage to implement their plans? Coach Harendra Singh had expected Belgium’s stifling press on his midfielders. He was confident of his midfielders but said his team was prepared for Belgium’s counterattacks when, not if, there was a mistake in the middle. Belgium had expected India to try the long balls to release the pressure.
The match started on expected lines. The Indian midfielders came under intense pressure. Their slowness at receiving passes, or even failure to stop some, from the defenders showed Indians’ scared mentality. After failing to get the ball forward through the shorter channels, India panicked and started hitting long passes. Most of those were intercepted or didn’t find the intended target. The panicky behaviour set the tone for the rest of the first half. India were shaken mentally. Belgium’s goal didn’t help. Despite the world No. 3 sitting back a bit after taking the lead, allowing India a chance to move forward, India couldn’t hold possession. What didn’t help was the disconnect between the forwards, who started out too high, the midfielder and the defenders. That left a gap in the middle. They failed to connect and get the passes going. The few attacks India started ended in hopeful long balls into the circle or unnecessary runs into Belgian traps.
The disconnect hurt India more defensively as the first line was getting beaten too easily and India were letting through too many long balls.
Second half
In the second half, Belgium expected India to come at them. India came out, having sorted out their structure. The last line started higher, so did the midfield and one of the strikers floated back. They stretched the field with two players staying on the sidelines in the Belgian half. But, again, it came down to the implementation. The second half started with a couple of sure touches in the midfield. A few quick turns from the Singh trio — Hardik, Manpreet and Chinglensana — to get away from their markers lifted India’s confidence and belief further.
It helped them that Belgium were a little complacent in the second half. They were a little slow to press the Indian midfielders or intercept the long balls or anticipate the scoops, letting the forwards receive the ball behind them. When India got the equaliser, Belgium found it tough to suddenly change momentum. Even after falling behind, the Olympics silver medallists still couldn’t control the proceedings. India were more determined, while Belgium were losing the common balls, and more importantly, the mental battle.
Belgium coach Shane McLeod explained the mentality after the match. “The leading team wants to keep doing the same things, while the chasing team wants to change it up,” McLeod said. Belgium showed great composure to find the equaliser but failing to do the small things almost cost them the match.
“There was actually not too much of a difference in the first half and second half,” McLeod said. “We saw the video later. It was about the smaller things. We stopped doing the things we were doing well in the first half,” he added.
The Tribune
Kumar: Forget about heavy loss and focus on beating Pakistan
By Aftar Singh
Hard at work: Coach Roelant Oltmans taking the Malaysian team through a training session at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar.
NATIONAL goalkeeper S. Kumar was praised by other coaches for making multiple excellent saves in the first match against Holland.
And the 39-year-old Kumar, who is the oldest player in the 14th edition of the Hockey World Cup, wants his teammates to buck up and play with pride after a 7-0 thrashing by Holland at the Kalinga Stadium on Saturday.
It was Malaysia’s worst-ever defeat in the World Cup and also the worst score in Bhubaneswar.
Malaysia need an outright win over Pakistan tomorrow to finish in the top three in their group to qualify for the second round.
Pakistan were edged 1-0 by Germany, and they too need to collect full points against Malaysia to reach the second round.
So it will be a do or die situation for both teams.
Goalkeeper S. Kumar wants the players to play their hearts out against Pakistan. S.S.KANESAN/ The Star
Kumar, who was annoyed with his teammates’ performance against Holland, said that they have to wake up from the slumber and play really well against Pakistan.
“We should forget about the match against Holland and must focus fully against Pakistan.
“It is a crucial match as both teams want to collect full points to move to the second round,” he said.
Kumar added that he has done what he can between the posts in the match against Holland.
“I was the busiest man in the match as I have to save one shot after another .
“I vow to do my best again against Pakistan and want my teammates to rise to the occasion and do the same,” said Kumar.
Malaysia and Pakistan matches have always been a touch-and-go affair and it will be no different in the World Cup.
Malaysia have lost to Pakistan in the last three matches and the pressure will be on coach Roelant Oltmans to get the better of them.
Malaysia lost 1-4 to Pakistan in the group match at the Asian Games in Jakarta in August.
At the Asian Champions Trophy in Oman in October, Pakistan won 1-0 in the round robin match and also in the playoff for the bronze by winning 3-1 in penalty shootout after both teams played to a 4-4 draw.
Kumar said that this would be his last World Cup and he wants to end it by helping Malaysia finish as high as possible in the tournament.
“We have been doing a lot of training to rectify the mistakes we made against Holland and have been doing video analysis to see where we went wrong,” said Kumar.
The Star of Malaysia
Punjab duo out to put Indian in the driver’s seat
INDIA’S defender Harmanpreet Singh and forward Simranjeet Singh are having a great run in the Hockey World Cup.
The duo are from Punjab and both of them helped India to win the Junior World Cup at home in Lucknow in 2016.
The duo now have their names on the scoring sheet in the first two matches against South Africa and Belgium.
The 22-year-old Simranjeet scored a brace to steer India to convincing 5-0 win over lower-ranked South Africa.
He also scored one goal in the match against world No. 3 Belgium which ended in a thrilling 2-2 draw.
Harmanpreet is one of the top drag flickers in the world and he converted a penalty corner against South Africa and converted a penalty stroke against Belgium.
Harmanpreet said that it had been a dream start for India in the first two matches.
“We dominated the match against South Africa to score five times but our best match was against Belgium,” he said.
“We played to our true form and despite trailing 1-0 down we fought back to take a 2-1 lead before they equalised. It also feels nice that Simranjeet and I are having a great run in the World Cup as we both have contributed five goals in two matches.
“We want to continue our fine run by contributing goals in every match we play,” added Harmanpreet, who has represented India 92 times.
Simranjeet, who only made his international debut for India in the Champions Trophy in Breda, Holland, in June, said it was always nice to score a goal against a strong team like Belgium.
“Belgium are the strongest team in our group and our chance of finishing top of the group looks rather good as we have a better goal difference against Belgium.
“We need a win over Canada to top the group and also qualify for the quarter-finals,” said Simranjeet, who has 26 international caps.
Simranjeet was the hero in the Junior World Cup in Lucknow as he scored the goal in the final against Belgium, which India won 2-1.
The Star of Malaysia
Fine margins shows why three is magic number
By Todd Williams
Three is the magic number. If you’re old enough or have a passing interest in American hip hop, you might recognise this line from De La Soul’s famous hit song from the late 80’s.
Coincidentally, when it comes to hockey, Ric Charlesworth is also a firm believer in the power of three or, more specifically, three goals.
It’s always been his view that no matter how good you are, to win games of hockey, you really need to score three times.
That way, you’ve got enough on the scoreboard to deal with your opposition scoring a good goal and also them scoring a lucky one – whether that be through the bounce of the ball, an unexpected mistake or a curious umpiring decision.
Interestingly, with the first round of matches at the World Cup now complete, we can already see how important that vital third goal would have been in half of the games that we’ve seen.
For Belgium, New Zealand and Australia, not being able to turn their statistical advantages into a 3-1 lead against lower ranked opponents meant the final moments of their matches became twitchy affairs resembling what we will expect to see in the last minutes of the knockout matches.
The England-China match however showed us precisely why the 2-1 scoreline is so precarious.
Despite dominating possession, circle entries and shots, with Phil Roper even hitting the join of the post and crossbar, one miscalculated tackle by Liam Sanford gave China the one chance they needed to equalise with barely a minute remaining.
Yes, Harry Gibson will be disappointed with the goal but it goes without saying how different defending a PC is for goalkeepers, runners and post-men when you are two goals up compared to one.
The need for the third goal also raises the topic of how difficult the 2-0 scoreline can be to manage. Ask people which they’d prefer, 1-0 or 2-0 and of course they’d go for the latter.
Mentally though, 1-0 is arguably easier to manage as the situation is simple and clear. Yes, you are one goal ahead but your comfort is limited by the knowledge that it’s the slimmest of leads that can be lost in a second.
In comparison, at 2-0, you know you’re one goal away from very likely closing the game out. You also know that a goal against is not the end of the world either. The trouble is that if your opponent scores, not only is the chance of coasting to the final whistle gone but you are also quickly back to the pressure of the one goal lead.
And the double-whammy is that your opponent has being going through a similar process. Just one goal and the possibility of them needing to limit the damage at 0-3 is gone and instead it’s game on, with them coming at you with fresh wind in their sails at 2-1.
Hence why three is definitely the magic number.
The Hockey Paper is the only British and Irish publication accredited for the 2018 World Cup – so don’t miss out!
The Hockey Paper
Australia’s Jake Harvie feels India roots
Kookaburra Jake Harvie has family roots in India and feels relaxed being part of an 18-strong ‘group of mates’
As we saw from the Women’s World Cup in London, you can’t underestimate anyone in world hockey at the moment.
There are so many competitive teams, yet you wouldn’t want it any other way.
We want to continue to be the best team in the world. Perhaps it’s not defined truly by one tournament but we want to get better with every training session and match.
It was tough getting out there first up against Ireland. But that’s fine, we’re probably going to have to play five more like that if we want to make it all the way to a gold medal.
Ireland certainly put pressure on us. They wanted to split us at the back and that’s something we will have to adjust to this week.
There will always be tactics that teams try to do differently and so it’s up to us to try to identify that as quickly as possible and find a way to counter that.
England, who we play on Tuesday, will be no different and we know they are a tough opposition with a team which is trying a few things differently under their new coach.
It will be a challenging game. Just like Ireland, we will grind it out for the points. Sometimes we have to play ugly and we are prepared to do that.
In all, it’s just great to play hockey out here in India. It’s such a good atmosphere and I’m looking forward to seeing how much we can achieve after getting off to a win.
For me having some Indian heritage means it’s really good to be here.
My grandfather on my mum’s side was born in India. His family has four brothers and they moved from Nagpur to Australia when they were young.
He has really fond memories as a child in India and one day I hope to get to travel to where he grew up and went to school. Hopefully that opportunity arises.
For now, we are here as a team, 18 mates and living in each other’s pockets day-to-day.
Sometimes you need a break – I have brought my guitar to India – but we are great at mucking in together, having fun and being close.
You just don’t get this environment or feeling anywhere else and it’s hard to replicate. It’s moments like this when it’s important to try to identify how lucky you are in this space.
Jake Harvie is a Gryphon Hockey ambassador. For more go to www.gryphonhockey.com
The Hockey Paper
THOMAS BRIELS: Another professional hockey doctor
s2h team
The genial Thomas Briels of Belgium national hockey team belies his ruthless sharp-shooting skills on the hockey pitch.
The 31-year-old Belgian striker with over 300 international caps is central to his country’s great big ambition of winning a major global title after settling for silver at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
In Bhubaneswar for the World Cup, Briels looks at the huge challenge that playing India in their own backyard presents.
“It is difficult playing India in India. They are lifted by 15,000 fans. But we are prepared to play in front of so many,” he said. undefined
“We lost twice to India in recent times here (Kalinga Stadium),” he reflected. “We lost 2-4 in the 2014 Champions Trophy after leading 2-0 and again in the HWL Finals in the shootout last year."
Briels, a podiatrist (one who diagnoses conditions affecting the foot) when not playing hockey, looks forward to the FIH Pro League. “It will be interesting, will mean lots of travelling and can boost hockey but nobody knows how it will go so we have to wait and see,” he said.
Briels exudes a passion for the game. He is one of triplets and his brother and sister played the game too. So had his mother and uncles.
He began playing at four at KHC Dragons and his consummate skill and ability saw him debut at 17 for KHC Dragons, one of Belgium’s top clubs.
Briel’s precocious talent took him to top Dutch club Oranje-Zwart who he helped win the league title and has reportedly backed the Hockey India League which he opines boosts a player’s stocks both on and off the pitch.
Stick2Hockey.com
China make a mark, thanks to their made in India coach
China’s South Korean coach Kim Sang-Ryul learnt his first lessons from legendary Balkrishan Singh at NIS, Patiala.
Indervir Grewal
Celebrated South Korean coach Kim Sang-Ryul’s return to India after more than 10 years started has been “enjoyable” so far. His new team, China, started their World Cup campaign with a shocking 2-2 draw with England. And that, too, in their debut World Cup! On a personal note, returning to India has brought back fond memories from his first real experience with the country over 30 years back.
In 1985, Kim was keen to learn the basics of hockey, but the sport was not very big in his country back then. So, an adventurous Kim decided to come to India, which was still very big in the sport. He landed in Patiala, at the National Institute of Sports. He became a protégé of the great Balkrishan Singh. Balkrishan won gold in the 1956 Olympics and was the chief coach of the team that won the gold in the 1980 Moscow Olympics. Kim learnt his trade under the famed coach for a year, and the first lessons have “stayed with him till now” and helped him reach great heights.
After leaving Patiala, Kim transformed men’s hockey, while also helping in the development of the game in South Korea. As a coach, Kim led South Korea to an Asian Games title, a podium finish at the Champions Trophy, but his biggest achievement was to guide the men’s team to an unprecedented Olympics silver medal, in 2000. Kim’s Korea had held one of the greatest Netherlands team ever 3-3, after falling behind 0-3, in full time. They, however, lost in the penalty shootout.
He took over the women’s team but a controversial quote about women hockey players in South Korea led to his departure. He had criticised the players saying women didn’t understand instructions properly. He had also vowed to not coach women again. The uproar his statement caused meant that he had no job in South Korea. But he was offered a job in China and has been working in the country for over 10 years. After a stint with the national team in 2008, he went back to coaching at the national level. He returned to the national team in March this year. Coaching a skilful, “brave and disciplined” bunch, Kim is hopeful of creating another good memory in India.
What about a trip to Patiala? “I hope to go there not just for hockey but also for sightseeing. I have such fond memories from there, I want to revisit those memories,” he said.
The Tribune
New format gets the thumbs up
Crossover matches give every team hopes to qualify and a chance to rest
Y.B. Sarangi
The new-look World Cup, which has accommodated four more countries to make it a 16-team affair and includes crossover matches, has emerged as a more acceptable format despite its quirkiness.
The crossover matches, which will provide a mechanism to second and third placed sides of each pool to reach the quarterfinals even after the direct qualification of the top-ranked team, can provide nervous moments to teams having better World rankings. A slight slip-up in pool matches can adversely affect a side in tight situations.
Teams like Australia, New Zealand, which managed 2-1 wins in their tournament openers, and England, which had a 2-2 draw against a debutant, China, were in not comfortable positions even after securing points from their first matches.
Providing a break
India coach Harendra Singh did not even like to think about crossover matches. “Why not think about topping the pool instead of thinking about the crossovers,” said Harendra.
He, nevertheless, supported the format as the presence of more teams provided good rest to the players between matches.
Belgian captain Thomas Briels agreed. “First time we are playing crossovers in the World Cup… sooner you get into the quarterfinals the better,” said Briels.
Seasoned coach Roelant Oltmans, who is now helming Malaysia, had no issues.
“We know it’s a good format. Every team has an opportunity to come into the second round through crossovers. We have three days (between two pool matches) and that’s a good part of the tournament. You recover and make up your minds,” said Oltmans.
The Hindu
At ‘yawning’ edition of showpiece event stretching for three weeks, a battle of wits for coaches
The Hockey Insider
Hockey’s experiment with a three-week World Cup is turning out to be a big yawn for the competing teams, whose coaches have been compelled to find ways to keep the boys engaged and also ensure peak performance throughout the tournament.
“When to peak” is a question that haunts most sports coaches, but in the men’s Hockey World Cup it has assumed interesting dimensions, reducing the difference between the top teams and those in the second rung.
Top coaches have confessed to The Hockey Insider that fitness issues and injuries are easier negotiated by second-rung teams. Thus, peak athleticism is not a yardstick in the tournament.
The performance gap between teams had already shrunk when the traditional playing time of 70 minutes was reduced to 60 minutes and the two halves got divided into four quarters. Now with three to six days available between preliminary round-robin league games, the time for recovery is no longer a major concern. But for elite players, it also brings in lethargy that could prove to be a bane in future tournaments where the gap between games will be just one or two days.
There is plenty of recovery time available, but for the elite sides and their coaches the big yawns are proving to be a major concern. Coaches are seeking extra practice sessions and also finding training facilities within the confines of the respective hotels. Only some European players, who are writing exams, are welcoming the extra rest days.
The elite tag for the tournament has already taken a beating with the field expanded to 16 teams with very few contenders left out.
The benchmark to qualify for the World Cup was so low that Pakistan and China booked passage with just one win in the preliminary league of the World League Semifinals to ensure they made the grade. France too had just one win in the preliminary pool competition at the other World League Semifinals in Johannesburg. But the French also had a draw to show for and were required to beat Egypt in the play-off for the seventh and eighth positions. Imagine Egypt were counting themselves “unlucky” for missing the trip to the World Cup! After all, they only lost both the playoffs for positions between fifth and eighth.
How big a joke this qualifying process had been reduced to could be gauged from the fact that two participating teams in last year’s Hockey World League Semifinals have come through to the World Cup with just one victory in the preliminary competition.
Four-time World Cup champions Pakistan, who had missed qualification for the 2014 World Cup as well as the 2016 Olympics, made no bones about the fact that they needed just one win to earn the ticket to Bhubaneswar. Pakistan coach Khawaja Junaid, a former Olympian, was sacked for the team’s poor show on return from the London World League Semifinals even as the team celebrated their return to the Word Cup after eight years.
In all, 15 of the 20 teams participating in the World League Semifinals were assured qualification — eight from the London edition and seven from the tournament staged in Johannesburg.
Such examples of intensity in the qualifying process are not easily matched in the international sport. And still they call it the World Cup!
The wonderful organisation called the International Hockey Federation (FIH) is now pondering over the possibility of expanding the World Cup field to 24 nations. Not sure if that is what the FIH considers a bright idea!
The new format has been welcomed by most coaches, what with the cross-over dimension forcing teams to take all preliminary pool matches seriously. The Women’s World Cup played under the same format and with the same number of teams was played over 16 days, from 21 July to 5 August, 2018. The preliminary groups for 16 teams ended in nine days, unlike the drag of 12 days at the men’s World Cup.
What prompted this imaginative scheduling is not something the FIH bosses want to talk about.
Hiding tactics in public practice sessions
In a digital world, where every other person has the ability and wherewithal to record your tactics on a mobile phone, coaches of hockey teams also face a big test of keeping their tactics under wraps even when they train in full view of hundreds.
The practice-session woes of teams have grown manifold since the pitches are open from all sides. There are hundreds standing on the periphery of the pitch, including some other teams.
Generally the training sessions have been light workouts by dividing the squad into two small groups and playing on half-size pitches. For most coaches and their wards, the drills had been well-rehearsed back home. Just getting the feel of the pitch was the essence of the training sessions ahead of the World Cup. Between games, the training programme is focused on physical workouts and rudimentary drills.
Most tactics being the regular stuff, but the real craft, or test, is to hide the penalty corner drills, both in their execution and defence.
Firstpost
India find hope in Harendra Singh's flexibility and players' versatility
K Arumugam
India coach Harendra Singh with Kothajit Singh. Image courtesy: Hockey India
When the coach of the Indian junior team, PA Raphael, was summoned to the office of the then ruling power of the sport, the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF), he wasn’t the least bit aware of what was in store for him.
The team for the Junior World Cup qualifiers had already been announced. It was the very team he had nurtured for two years which was set to fly to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, the next day.
Within the hour, he was sacked. Reason: He wasn't toeing the traditional line. Raphael told the IHF and its selectors, headed by a sitting Member of Parliament, bluntly that his team would have no forwards or defenders. Everyone had to play every role on the pitch.
So, out went Raphael and in came a 70-year-old Olympian M Rajagopal, a selector, in his place. A comic case of a guest turning out to be the bridegroom!
Raphael, an engineer-turned-hockey brain, was one of the earliest proponents of total hockey in Asia. His efforts, now yielding dividends for Indian hockey, were resisted in the past.
Raphael suffered the same fate as his more illustrious compatriot and double Olympian Balkishen Singh.
Balkishen succeeded Dhyan Chand as chief coach of the National Institute of Sports, Patiala, but was quick to sense the theories of the likes of Horst Wein, the German hockey guru who settled in Spain, are gaining ground in Europe with collateral damage to the Asian brand of hockey.
Wein, through his classic book ‘Science of Hockey’, strategised solid counters to the artistry based position-conscious, forward-oriented Asian hockey systems. Defence was the fulcrum, penalty corners on counters were the success mantras for Wein.
The 3-3-3-1 playing format, that came into being in the late 1970s, was a result of his findings and theories.
Balkishen wanted to move with the times. He fortified the midfield with added manpower and assigned ball retrieval roles to forwards — a sort of all-rounder roles that all in our national team do today but which was an anathema to traditionalists then.
The enterprising and innovative coach was accused of demolishing the time-tested pyramid 5-3-2-1 format and drew flak for copying the Europeans. The Olympians, merely coaching masquerades, found it unacceptable.
Balkishen, who enjoyed the gift of the gab, once famously replied: “Coaches are like watches which never match!”
There was no space for such nuances and the visionary, like Galileo Galilei who said the earth was not flat, faced resentment no end.
When Balkishen's boys flopped at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics (three wins against four defeats in a seventh-place finish), the traditionalists bayed for his blood. He and his concept were finished once and for all. Hindsight proves how his protege Kim Sang Ryul, present China coach, transformed Asian hockey when he guided his country South Korea from around the mid-1980s.
In Bhubaneswar, his novices China drew with England.
India strictly followed its own 'time-tested' concept and was rigid in mental outlook. The 1980s brought defeat after defeat and the dismal trend continued through the 1990s until Cedric D’Souza entered the reckoning.
The Mumbai-based coach thought in the same manner as Raphael and executed things as would Balkishen.
His 'total' hockey brought successes at the 1994 Sydney World Cup and the 1995 Berlin Champions Trophy but, deserted by luck and momentary lapses, endured failure at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics where the team finished at eighth position — the lowest in history at that point in time.
With all and sundry pining for “total success”, read winning the gold medal, Cedric had to go. Failing to gain full support from senior, but indisciplined ‘stars’ in the team who resented being excluded from the first eleven besides showing an unwillingness to carry out assigned roles, the master coach had to leave.
As a result, Indian hockey plunged into chaos for the next decade. It climaxed when India failed to qualify for the Olympics for the first time in 80 years when they came up short for the 2008 Beijing Games.
This shook the collective consciousness of Indian hockey and it ushered in an era of foreign coaches to take over the national team. Total hockey in its modern avatar (where fitness is the key) came along with them.
Imported coaching brains — Jose Brasa (2010), Michael Nobbs (2011-early 2014), Terry Walsh (2014), Roelant Oltmans (2015-2017) and others like Paul van Ass (2016) changed the way the team was selected, played and performance evaluated.
Indian fans watched with disbelief as defenders VR Raghunath and Rupinder Pal Singh played like forwards, not only in the 2011 Lanco Hockey 9s and Hockey India League, but also in various rounds of the Hockey World League.
And today we view the same propensity in Varun Kumar, Surender Kumar and Harmanpreet Singh — defenders all, doing duties which were once the prerogative of forwards.
When a Varun Kumar effects a high scoop, no one now wonders how and why his colleague in the defence, Harmanpreet Singh, receives the ball in the rival circle. Or, none is wonderstruck when another defender Kothajit Singh, who replaced Rupinder Pal Singh for the Odisha World Cup, cleverly schemes along the rival goal line and passes the ball with such guile that enables Simranjeet Singh score to put India 2-1 up and gain a valuable point from a 2-2 draw against Rio Olympic tormenter Belgium the other night.
The present generation of hockey fans are certainly not wonderstruck at seeing Indian players don versatile roles across the pitch. But it is their fitness levels that draw admiration.
Harendra Singh is the rare ‘desi’ coach. He doesn’t believe in a fixed format but celebrates modernity, flexibility and totalitarianism in approach, executing his theories with consummate ease.
Here lies the great Indian hope.
Firstpost
Mismatched slippers, sign language and no ‘I’s: Team building, Harendra style
The coach has also given the players a 21-point checklist that they have to look at, think about and imbibe twice every day.
Uthra Ganesan
Indian team applaud fans during the men’s hockey World Cup match in Bhubaneswar. Photo Credit: Getty Images for FIH
Throughout Sunday, the Indian team here had to focus on the game — and the fork on the left of their plates every time they had a meal. It was just one of the things that the team has been doing as it tries to live its World Cup dream.
Coach Harendra Singh has long been an advocate of team spirit over individual flair. For three years with the juniors before they ended up triumphant at the Junior World Cup in 2016, he had spent much time trying to forge a bond between the players, making them play for and with each other. Now, he’s trying the same with the seniors.
A day before India’s game against Belgium, the players had to wear mismatched slippers all day – one own and the other that of their roommate. A day before, they had to spend the whole day using both hands to lift a glass or bottle of water if they wanted a drink. The day before India played its opening game against South Africa, the team had to stay silent and resort to sign language to communicate. It might look weird for an onlooker but for Harendra, these things matter in the long run.
“Signals and signs help communicate in a noisy crowd. Keeping an eye out for the fork helps ensure right positioning. Using both hands helps develop a sense of balance. But most importantly, all these activities make a player alert all the time. Anyone who makes a mistake is punished and then you are looking out for the next target. That is what happens in a match as well, you keep an eye out on the opposition for a mistake and then pounce on it,” Harendra explained.
There are other small but significant things. Like being fined for earning a deliberate card during a game. Or using the words mai, tu, mera, tera (I, you, mine, yours) etc even during training. The punishment is same — 20 push-ups on the spot, regardless of where it may be, even if it is the hotel restaurant! With the juniors, he had also started making them wear nightgowns for mistakes, to be kept on till the next culprit is spotted. He is planning to begin that now with the national team as well.
At the Asian Games too, team members and staff had to wear a woman’s team kit and a wig for making a mistake and Harendra himself had to suffer on a number of occasions. “I don’t believe in making only players accountable. Responsibility starts at the top. All these rules are not only for the players but everyone in the staff,” he said.
Siegfried Aikman had called it one of Harendra’s unique qualities. “He is a people’s manager and spends a lot of time on the social aspect of hockey. He is paying a lot of personal attention to guys, which they have never had before, and he becomes family. And then everyone wants to do it for him, not for each other or themselves,” Aikman had said.
The coach has also given the players a 21-point checklist that they have to look at, think about and imbibe twice every day. “It includes on what my role is, what I have to do in a match and off the field, what is the team motto and target, what I shouldn’t do etc. It’s the same for every player, more like a team agenda sheet for the World Cup,” a player described.
The only thing Harendra has changed is his use of swear words during training. “It is now less than 10 percent of what it used to be, and it has happened after his stint with the women’s team. Honestly, it still feels weird sometimes, when we are expecting a string of abuses for a mistake but all we get is a glare, it is unnerving,” laughed defender Varun Kumar, one of the seven in the side from that junior squad and so used to his coach’s idiosyncracies.
Whether the experiments translate into another dream run for Harendra and his boys remains to be seen.
The Hindu
Canadians shower kindness on Indians
Alert: Canadian goalkeeper (left) clear the ball during a goalmouth melee in the match against South Africa on Sunday. The match ended 1-1.
THE Canadian hockey team certainly have a heart of gold.
The last time Canada were in India when they featured in the 2016 Junior World Cup in Lucknow, they gave away hundreds of hockey sticks to school students.
This time they are in Bhuhaneswar for the men’s Hockey World Cup and they hope to continue showering their kindness on the folks there.
The players and officials intend to donate cash to a welfare society.
Team captain Scott Tupper said that they want to continue the tradition which they started two years ago.
“We donated hundreds of hockey sticks to students in Lucknow two years ago as we love doing charity work in India.
“We are here not only to play hockey in the World Cup, but we also want to help others. We want to keep a good rapport with the Indian hockey team and also the people of India.
“Doing charity is the best way to make other people happy and what better way to do it than in India which has a huge population,” said Tupper.
Asked on the details of their charity, Tupper said that they have not decided on the amount and which welfare they would donate to.
“But we will surely do it as we love India. We have a strong Indian-Canadian flavour,” said Tupper.
Canada have a few players of Indian descent. Among them is Keegan Periera, who is featuring in the World Cup in Bhubaneswar.
Periera was born in Mumbai in 1987 before he moved to Canada at the age of six.
Asked about Canada’s performance in the two first Group C matches, Tupper said that they gave a tough fight to world No. 3 Belgium before they lost narrowly 2-1.
“We played well against Belgium and gave them a good fight but in the second match against South Africa, we drop two crucial points as we only managed a 1-1 draw.
“We should have collected full points against the South Africans to finish in the top three in the group to qualify for the second round.
“Although we have a better goal difference against South Africa, we need to get at least a point against India to reach the second round,” said Tupper.
India and Belgium have four each from two matches but the hosts top the standings with a better goal difference.
India outplayed South Africa 5-0 and drew 2-2 with Belgium while Belgium beat Canada 2-1.
The Star of Malaysia
Meet Nikas Kanhar, the Virat Kohli ‘Superfan’ who has turned to hockey, for now
Shantanu Srivastava
Nikas Kanhar cheers for the Indian hockey team at the ongoing World Cup in Bhubaneswar. Image: Firstpost/ Shantanu Srivastava
Bhubaneswar: For ardent cricket followers in the country, the tricolour-coated visuals of a certain Virat Kohli fan come as little surprise. Though not popular as the iconic Sudhir Kumar Chaudhary – immortalised in the lore of Indian cricket for his devotion to Sachin Tendulkar – Nikas Kanhar's attendance in about 55 India matches across formats has made him a recognisable face in the crowd. Kanhar was spotted in the Kalinga Stadium for both the India matches and says his love for cheering the nation brought him to a sport he doesn't follow.
"I don't follow hockey. I haven't been to a hockey match ever, but how could I have missed an opportunity to cheer for India when the World Cup is being hosted in my state?" Kanhar, a resident of Phulbani in Odisha's Kandhamal district, told Firstpost.
Phulbani is 207 kilometres from Bhubaneswar, and on the day of every India match, Kanhar paints himself in the tricolour, gets one of his friends to scribble the name of the Indian cricket team captain on his back, and boards a train that takes him to the Odisha capital in about three hours.
"The locals know me. They know I am mad about cricket," he said.
The 35-year-old claims to have picked the basics the hockey after just two visits to the stadium and has begun to recognise certain players. "It's a very fast game. It keeps you hooked all the time."
Nikas Kanhhar got a selfie with his favourite hockey player, PR Sreejesh. Image: Firstpost/ Shantanu Srivastava
"Among the Indian players, I recognise PR Sreejesh, Manpreet Singh, Lalit Upadhyay, Birendra Lakra and some more. Some of them even waved at me from the ground," Kanhar, delighted after securing a selfie with the Sreejesh on Sunday, said.
"Sreejesh told me to continue cheering for India and asked if I need any help. I said, I just want the World Cup. He said he will keep that in mind."
Kanhar’s journey towards fandom began with his initiation to international cricket in 1998, when he visited the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack to watch a One-Day International (ODI) between India and Zimbabwe. The unbeaten 275-run stand between Ajay Jadeja and then captain Mohammad Azharuddin left an indelible impact on his mind.
"I was in Class VII, I think. It was the first match I ever watched live and it was the start of my journey. I became a fan that day. I still remember that Azhar scored an unbeaten 153 in that match. What a player! Jadeja also scored a ton."
For ten years, Kanhar followed the game on television and from stands — including the Visakhapatnam ODI where MS Dhoni announced himself with a 123-ball 148 against Pakistan — until he saw a teenaged Kohli lift the U-19 World Cup in Kuala Lumpur. Kanhar claims to have fallen for Kohli's energy and aggression.
"I instantly liked him; in fact everything about him. His energy and passion for the game is infectious. His batting, well, everyone knows how well he bats," he says of the world's top-ranked limited-overs' batsman.
Kanhar says his life changed when he met the original Superfan, Sudhir, at an ODI. "The idea (of painting himself) came from Sudhir bhai. I always wanted to watch all of India's cricket matches from the stands, and I thought of painting myself in the tricolour, like Sudhir."
In 2014, Kanhar made his first appearance in paint and two years later, his eight-year dream of meeting Kohli in flesh came true.
"I went to watch the India-England Test match in Mohali in 2016. I had mortgaged my mother's jewellery to get the flight and match tickets. It was winter, but feeling cold was the last thing on my mind. That's when some newspaper journalists wrote about me."
Kohli read the report – or was informed about such a report – and met him the next day. "He met me with a lot of warmth. He told me that being a fan is fine but I should never do that (mortgage family jewels) for him. He asked me how much money I needed to pay to get the jewellery back, but I didn't disclose that. I told him I don't want money. I said if he can, I would like to have match tickets of all of India's matches at home."
Kohli agreed without second thoughts, and thus began Kanhar's journey in greasepaint. He is also a regular at Odisha's Ranji Trophy matches, which he attends in a Virat jersey. Kanhar doesn't have a permanent job. He stays with his father, who runs a mutton shop, and an elder brother. His current stint as an over-the-counter ticket-seller at the Phulbani bus stop gets him Rs 250-300 per day.
"I go to work when I don't travel for India's matches. I have been to all the major grounds in India. At my workplace, they call me Virat. The moment they see me, they shout Virat idhar aa and stuff."
Kanhar scrolls down on his newly-purchased smartphone and stops at a WhatsApp group. Indian Superfans, it reads, and its members include Sudhir, differently-abled fan Dharamveer Pal, Ram Bahadur Yadav aka 'Gabbar' (the Shikhar Dhawan lookalike-fan), and Ram Babu (the MS Dhoni fan who also paints himself in tricolour). The 'Superfans' exchange notes on the group, and as Kanhar suggests, cheer each other up to continue rooting for India. They are happy that one among them has diversified to other sport. "I send them pictures from the Kalinga Stadium, and they say I should keep cheering for the team."
The day India play a cricket match, Kanhar shuns his meals and sits in front of the TV set. "Initially, my family thought I have gone mad or something. But my late mother supported me, and now my folks know this is what I love doing. They have all come around now. I don't want to get married or anything; I just want to cheer like this for the rest of my life. Virat Kohli is God to me."
Come Thursday, and Kanhar will be up in his Phulbani home early, gaping at every move India make in Adelaide as the Test tour gets underway. Kanhar is certain that Kohli will do well and create history by becoming the first Indian captain to win a Test series in Australia.
"He started his Test captaincy with a hundred in Adelaide. Four years later, he returns to that venue. I am sure he will not only score a lot of runs but also win the series," he says. India would hope it turns out that way.
Firstpost
Why Indian hockey teams' route to qualify for 2020 Tokyo Olympics is tricky after Asian Games heartbreak
Anish Anand
Last time when the Indian men's team didn't qualify for the Olympics — 2008 Beijing Games — newspapers and fans termed it national shame. Image courtesy: Hockey India
When it comes to hockey, there is nothing bigger than the Olympics and the World Cup. A case can also be made that in terms of prestige value, Olympics even overtakes the World Cup. The first time hockey featured at the Summer Olympics was back in 1908. Since 1928, the sport has been a regular feature at the Olympics. Qualifying for the Olympics, and then winning a medal at the Games, is the ultimate dream for all hockey-playing countries.
So for Indian hockey team, who are eight-time Olympic gold medal winners, it's fair to say that the Olympics is a huge deal. Last time when the Indian men's team didn't qualify for the Olympics — at the 2008 Beijing Games — the media and fans called it a national shame. With the Tokyo Olympics less than two years away, and also taking into account the ongoing men's Hockey World Cup in Bhubaneswar, we take look at India's qualification scenarios for the mega event which has been made tricky with the inability of Harendra Singh's boys to seal direct entry by winning the Asian Games gold medal earlier this year.
Olympic qualification system
First of all, it has to be made clear that the Hockey World Cup — both men's and women's events — don't have any Olympic quotas for countries. Winning the Hockey World Cup is prestigious, but is in no way related to the Olympics since there's a separate qualification system in place for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.
As is the case always, the host country gets an automatic slot in the Olympics. Since Japan is the host for the 2020 extravaganza, their place is confirmed. This leaves other nations to vie for the 11 remaining spots in both men's and women's events.
Out of the 11 teams who will eventually qualify, five countries will make the cut on the basis of winning their respective continental championships. For the 2020 Tokyo Games, the continental tournaments which will give an Olympic quota are:
- Africa: Africa Olympic Qualification Tournament 2019
- America: 18th Pan American Games 2019
- Asia: 18th Asian Games 2018
- Europe: 14th European Nations Championship 2019
- Oceania: 11th Oceania Cup 2019
The remaining spots will be booked through Olympic qualification events. Now, since Japan's men's and women's teams have won gold medals at the Asian Games in Jakarta and considering they are also hosting the Games, the Olympic quota for the Asian Games goes to the qualification events and not the runner's up countries at the Asian Games. So seven countries will qualify through qualification events.
Teams who will play in these qualification matches are decided as follows:
- The four highest placed teams in the 2019 edition of the Hockey Pro League.
- The two highest placed teams in each of the three Hockey Series Finals. That means a total of six countries.
- The two highest placed teams in the FIH World Rankings as at the end of the all continental tournaments.
Now if any of the teams from above also qualify as continental champions or as host country team, their place will be taken by the next highest ranked team in the FIH World Rankings as at the end of all continental tournaments.
From the above, it would appear that 12 teams will play for the remaining six Olympic quotas. For the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, it's actually seven quotas because Japan have won the gold medals at the Asian Games. So here, the scenario changes to 14 teams, with one more country being selected on the basis of their ranking to play in the qualification matches.
These 14 teams will be drawn to play two matches with another country and the team with the highest aggregate score over these two matches will qualify for the Olympic Games.
The final 14 teams for the qualification matches will drawn as follows:
- The three highest ranked teams in the FIH World Rankings after all the continental tournaments will be drawn at random to play at home against one of the 12th, 13th and 14th ranked teams.
- The fourth, fifth, sixth and the seventh ranked teams in the FIH World Rankings after all the continental tournament will be drawn to play at home against one of the eighth, ninth, 10th or 11th ranked teams.
For example, if Argentina is one of the four highest ranked teams at the Hockey Pro League and they also win the gold medal at the Pan American Games, the Olympic quota for qualification matches will go to the fifth ranked team in the League.
India's road to Olympics
Both men's and women's teams of India did not win the gold medal at the Asian Games so now they have to go through these qualification events. Hockey India have decided not to participate in the inaugural Hockey Pro League tournament scheduled next year because the federation is of the opinion it would be difficult for Indian women's team to make it to the qualification matches.
The Hockey Pro League is a new competition in the FIH calendar, where the top nine men's and women's international teams will play each other on a home and away format every weekend for six months, starting from January next year. The top four teams at the end of the league will get a chance to play in the Olympic qualification matches.
Indian men's team are ranked World No 5, but the women's team are placed ninth in the FIH rankings. Therefore, it would've been difficult for the women's team to progress via the Pro League given the level of competition on offer.
"Let us make it clear that the Pro League will not give direct berths to top four teams in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. it will only give the four teams a chance to play in the Olympic qualifiers. Our women's team has no chance of qualifying in the top four, so we decided to pull out from the event," a top Hockey India official said.
The Indian teams will now play in one of the three Hockey Series Finals, scheduled around June, to make it to the Olympic qualification matches.
The decision might be beneficial for the women's team, but it came at the cost of the men's team playing in a good competition. Instead of playing the top sides, the men's team will now compete with lower-ranked sides like South Africa, Mexico, Poland, Russia etc. Considering the form and talent, Indian men's team are expected to make it easily for the Olympic qualification matches.
As already discussed, the ongoing World Cup does not having any Olympic quotas, but it's really important for Indian men's team that they maintain their superior ranking with a good performance in Bhubaneswar. If they end up having a good rank before the Olympic qualification matches, then would face a lower-ranked side, hence increasing their chances of making it to the Olympics.
Firstpost
U.S. Women's National Indoor Team Rosters for Croatia Cup Revealed
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – U.S. Women’s National Indoor Team Head Coach Jun Kentwell has announced the rosters that will travel to Sveti Ivan Zelina, Croatia to compete in the the Croatia Cup from December 30 to January 7. USA will be sending both the senior Indoor USWNT and Junior U.S. Women’s National Indoor Team. Both selected squads will participate in training camps December 8-9 and December 22-23.
“The selections were particularly difficult with all of the players showing strong improvements throughout the weekend training camps,” said Kentwell. “This tour will give me the opportunity to look at a number of young athletes who will develop into the core of the next U.S. Women’s National Indoor Team.”
This six-team event will include both USA squads along with Croatia, Slovenia, Slovakia and Croatia’s U-21 team. An annual event, South Africa Women’s National Team won the second edition in January 2018.
The Croatia Cup will mark the first international contest for USA since the Indoor Hockey World Cup in Berlin, Germany in February 2018. USA finished 10th in the squad’s first-ever appearance at the event and currently are ranked No. 12 in the FIH Hero World Rankings.
On the roster are six athletes that participated in the Indoor Hockey World Cup including Ali Campbell (Boyertown, Pa.), Samantha Carlino (Kennett Square, Pa.), Madison Orobono (Macungie, Pa.), Hannah Prince (Gorham, Maine), Paityn Wirth (Thompsontown, Pa.) and Corinne Zanolli (Newton Square, Pa.). Elizabeth Yeager (Rye, N.Y.), who was a traveling alternate during the Indoor Hockey World Cup, was also named to the roster.
2019 Croatia Cup U.S. Women’s Indoor National Team Roster:
Ali Campbell (Boyertown, Pa.), Samantha Carlino (Kennett Square, Pa.), Nathalie Friedman (Phoenix, Md.), Allyson Fuller (Philadelphia, Pa.), Skye Joegriner (Gaithersburg, Md.), Madison Orobono (Macungie, Pa.), Hannah Prince (Gorham, Me.), Hope Rose (Dauphin, Pa.), Ashley Sessa (Schwenksville, Pa.), Paityn Wirth (Thompsontown, Pa.), Elizabeth Yeager (Rye, N.Y.), Corinne Zanolli (Newton Square, Pa.).
2019 Croatia Cup Junior U.S. Women’s Indoor National Team Roster:
Shelby Bumgarner (Pasadena, Md.), Olivia Bent-Cole (Ventnor, N.J.), Sierra Espeland (Fredericksburg, Va.), Ryleigh Heck (Shamong, N.J.), Mia Leonhardt (Media, Pa.), Josephine Palde (Schwenksville, Pa.), Megan Maransky (Blue Bell, Pa.), Clara McCormick (Fox Chapel, Pa.), Evelyn Murray (Virginia Beach, Va.), Kelly Smith (Downingtown, Pa.), Macy Szukics (Allentown, Pa.), Rayne Wright (Bethlehem, Pa.).
“For many of these athletes, this will be their first exposure to international hockey and it will be interesting to see how they adapt to the Eastern European style of indoor hockey,” added Kentwell.
The U.S. Women’s National Indoor Team has started a new cycle, building toward the next Indoor Pan American Cup and qualification for the Indoor Hockey World Cup.
The schedule for the Croatia Cup has not been released.
USFHA media release
Sana’s hat-trick helps Wapda retain National Women’s Hockey title
LAHORE: A hat-trick by Sana Allahditta enabled Wapda, the long standing national champions, retain the title at the 30th National Women Hockey Championships after beating Punjab Colours 4-0 in the final at the National Hockey Stadium here on Monday.
Comprising almost entirely of international players, Wapda were the favourites after having won all their matches with ease including an overwhelming 5-0 victory over Punjab Colours in the pool game.
However, it was the Punjab side which made the early inroads and had a couple of chances in the early minutes. The defending champions then settled down and earned their first penalty corner and Pakistan’s ace short-corner expert Ishrat Abbas sounded the board with her trademark angular flat hit.
Later in the first quarter both the sides wasted a penalty corner each.
The second quarter saw almost complete domination of Wapda and the ball mostly remained in the opponents’ half. No less than six chances were squandered by them as they failed to beat alert goalkeeper Tahira under the bar.
After the half time, Wapda came back strongly to add three successive goals. First Sana put it in from a very close range and in the dying minutes of the third quarter, little Sana again scored twice to complete her hat trick.
First she cashed in on a short-corner and then struck a field goal to make it 4-0.
Despite losing the final, Punjab Colours proved as only one side of the provincial teams, which made the final.
Earlier, the playoff for the third position saw an exciting game between Army and HEC. Army won 3-2 HEC twice came from behind to equalise but couldn’t neutralise army’s third goal.
Hammra Latif of Wapda was declared as player of the tournament while Tahira Islam of Punjab earned the prize of best goalkeeper of the tournament.
Wapda received a cash prize of Rs50,000 while Punjab Colours pocketed Rs25,000.
Besides it Director General Sports Board Punjab Nadeem Sarwar also gave Rs50,000 to the Punjab side and Rs25,000 to Wapda. In addition, chief guest Air Vice Marshal Irfan Ahmad also announced a cash prize of Rs50,000 and Rs25,000 for the winners and runners-up.
Dawn
Wapda retain National Women Hockey title
LAHORE - Wapda, the long standing national champions, retained the title at the 30th National Women Hockey Championships after thrashing Punjab Colours 4-0 in the final played here at the National Hockey Stadium on Monday.
Comprising almost entirely of internationals, Wapda were the favourites having won all their matches with ease including a 5-0 victory over Punjab Colours in the pool game. However, it was the Punjab side which made the early inroads and had a couple of chances in the early minutes. The defending champions settled down and from their first penalty corner, Pakistan’s ace penalty corner expert Ishrat Abbas sounded the board with her trademark angular flat hit.
Later in the first quarter, both the sides wasted a penalty corner each. The second quarter saw almost complete domination of Wapda and the ball mostly remained in the opponents’ half. No less than six chances were squandered by them. Punjab net minder Tahira, later, was declared tournament’s best goalkeeper, shone under the bar. The half time score was 1-0.
Just after the change of the sides, the goal, which was coming for a long time, finally arrived. Sana Allah Ditta putting it in from a very close range. After conceding the second goal, Punjab enjoyed a good spell earning two penalty corners but the proper execution was missing.
In the dying minutes of the third quarter, little Sana Allah Ditta scored twice to complete her hat-trick. First, she pounced upon a PC rebound and soon after capped a move from right. Last quarter was the most evenly contested. Both the sides had chances, open play and penalty corners, but it ended 4-0 for Wapda.
It was a creditable performance from the Punjab Colours; the only provincial side to qualify for the semifinals. Almost all their player came from Rukhsana Arshad Women Hockey Academy. Earlier, the playoff for the third position saw an exciting game as Army hardly defeated HEC 3-2. HEC twice came from behind to equalise but couldn’t neutralise army’s third goal.
Chief guest Air Vice Marshal Irfan Ahmed, Officer Commanding Central Air Command, put gold medals around the winning team’s necks. Director General Sports Board Punjab Nadeem Sarwar presented silver medals to Punjab Colours. Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) Secretary General Shahbaz Ahmad gave bronze medals to Army players.
Wapda received a cash prize of Rs 50,000 from the sponsors while Punjab Colours got richer by Rs 25,000. Hammra Latif (Wapda) won player of tournament award and Tahira Islam (Punjab) the best goalkeeper of the tournament award. DG Sports Board Punjab gave Rs 50,000 to Punjab side and Rs 25,000 to Wapda. Chief guest AVM Irfan Ahmed announced Rs 50,000 for the winners and Rs 25,000 each for the runners-up and the third placed Army.
The Nation
WAPDA retain National Women’s Hockey Championship title
LAHORE: WAPDA, the long standing national champions, retained the title at the 30th National Women’s Hockey Championships after beating Punjab Colours 4-0 in the final at the National Hockey Stadium here on Monday.
Comprising almost entirely of internationals, WAPDA were the favourites having won all their matches with ease including a 5-0 victory over Punjab Colours in the pool game. However, it were the Punjab side who made the early inroads and had a couple of chances in the early minutes.
The defending champions settled down soon and from their first penalty corner, Pakistan’s ace PC expert Ishrat Abbas sounded the board with her trademark angular flat hit. Later in the first quarter, both the sides wasted a PC each. The second quarter saw almost complete domination of WAPDA and the ball mostly remained in the opponents’ half. No less than six chances were squandered by them. Punjab net minder Tahira Islam, later declared tournament’s best goalkeeper, shone under the bar.
Just after the change of the sides, the goal which was coming for a long time finally arrived. Sana Allah Ditta putting it in from a very close range. After conceding the second goal, Punjab enjoyed a good spell earning two penalty corners but the proper execution was missing. In the dying minutes of the third quarter, little Sana Allah Ditta scored twice to complete her hat trick.
First she pounced upon a PC rebound and soon after capped a move from right. The last quarter was the most evenly contested. Both the sides had chances, open play and PCs. But it ended 4-0 for WAPDA.
It was a creditable performance from the Punjab Colours; the only provincial side to qualify for the semis. Almost all their players came from the Rukhsana Arshad Women’s Hockey Academy. Earlier, the playoff for the third position saw an exciting game between Army and Higher Education Commission (HEC). Army won 3-2. HEC twice came from behind to equalise but couldn’t neutralise Army’s third goal. Chief guest Air Vice Marshal Irfan Ahmed, Officer Commanding Central Air Command, put gold medals around the winning team’s necks. DG Sports Board Punjab Nadeem Sarwar presented silver medals to Punjab Colours. PHF secretary general Shahbaz Ahmad gave bronze medals to Army.
WAPDA received a cash prize of Rs 50,000 from the sponsors while Punjab Colours got richer by Rs 25,000. The DG Sports Board Punjab gave Rs 50,000 to the Punjab side and Rs 25,000 to WAPDA Chief guest AVM Irfan Ahmed announced Rs50,000 for the winners and Rs25,000 each for the runner-up and the third placed Army.
Player of Tournament: Hammra Latif (WAPDA)Goalkeeper of Tournament: Tahira Islam (Punjab)
RESULTS:
Final: WAPDA beat Punjab Colours 4-0 3rd Position: Army beat HEC 3-2.
The Daily Times
Police, Butali in dramatic league finish
By AYUMBA AYODI
Butali Sugar Warriors’ Emmanuel Simiyu celebrates Zack Aura’s goal against Strathmore University during their Kenya Hockey Union men’s premier league match played on December 3,2018 at City Park Stadium. PHOTO | CHRIS OMOLLO
Defending champions Kenya Police and Butali Sugar Warriors won their respective matches on Sunday to set a dramatic end to the men’s hockey Premier League season this weekend.
Police edged out Nakuru 2-0 at Greensted in Nakuru while Butali Sugar crashed Strathmore Gladiators 3-0 at City Park. Police and Butali will now clash on Sunday in a match where the winner will lift this year’s title.
Police, the three-time champions, now have 60 points three ahead of second placed Butali Sugar. Police need just a point in their match against Butali to win the 2018 championship while the Sugar Millers have to get maximum points to lift the trophy on goal difference. Butali have goal difference of 60, ten better than Police.
Police prevailed over Butali 3-0 in the first leg hence Dennis Owoka’s side will be on revenge mission where victory will propel them to their second Cup success.Calvin Kanu and Titus Kimuati’s penalties in the first quarter pushed Police closer to their title defence and fourth Cup success.
On the other hand, Butali Sugar Warriors had to wait until the third quarter to silence the bullish Gladiators.Zack Aura converted from the spot in the 34th minute to give Butali the lead. Then Dutchman Merteen Fonteyn and Emmanuel Simiyu would score from field play in the 42nd and 44th minutes respectively to catapult Butali to victory.
The relegation battle will also go down the wire this weekend with Park Road Badgers (ninth), Nakuru (10), Kenya College of Accountancy University (KCAU) (11) and Western Jaguars (12) fighting the big axe.
Three teams will be relegated from the Premier League with only one being promoted from the Super League. Badgers, who have 22 points must beat Wazalendo on Saturday to stay in the league but a loss will have them wait for the outcome of other matches to known their fate.
Nakuru, on 20 points must beat Western Jaguars in Nakuru on Saturday to survive relegation. Jaguars, who have 18 points, will face KCAU on Sunday at City Park. They must win their two matches if they hope to stay in the league.
Daily Nation