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News for 10 December 2018

All the news for Monday 10 December 2018


Odisha Hockey Men's World Cup Bhubaneswar 2018 - Day 12
Bhubaneswar (IND)

Results 9 December

MAS v GER (Pool D)     3 - 5
NED v PAK (Pool D)     5 - 1

Fixtures 10 December (GMT +5:30)

16:45     ENG v NZL (Cross-over)
19:00     FRA v CHN (Cross-over)

Upcoming Cross-overs

11 Dec 2018 16:45     BEL v PAK (Cross-over)
11 Dec 2018 19:00     NED v CAN (Cross-over)

Quarter-finals

12 Dec 2018 16:45     RG v ENG or NZL (QF)
12 Dec 2018 19:00     AUS v FRA or CHN (QF)

13 Dec 2018 16:45     IND v NED or CAN (QF)
13 Dec 2018 19:00     GER v BEL or PAK (QF)

Final Pool Standings

Pool A
  Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Argentina 3 2 0 1 10 8 2 6
2 France 3 1 1 1 7 6 1 4
3 New Zealand 3 1 1 1 4 6 -2 4
4 Spain 3 0 2 1 6 7 -1 2
Pool B
  Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Australia 3 3 0 0 16 1 15 9
2 England 3 1 1 1 6 7 -1 4
3 China 3 0 2 1 3 14 -11 2
4 Ireland 3 0 1 2 4 7 -3 1
Pool C
  Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 India 3 2 1 0 12 3 9 7
2 Belgium 3 2 1 0 9 4 5 7
3 Canada 3 0 1 2 3 8 -5 1
4 South Africa 3 0 1 2 2 11 -9 1
Pool D
  Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Germany 3 3 0 0 10 4 6 9
2 Netherlands 3 2 0 1 13 5 8 6
3 Pakistan 3 0 1 2 2 7 -5 1
4 Malaysia 3 0 1 2 4 13 -9 1

Out of the Competition

Pool stage
Spain
Ireland
South Africa
Malaysia

FIH Match Centre



Brave Malaysian Tigers go down fighting

By Jugjet Singh

BHUBANESWAR, India: Malaysia fought bravely but looked set for an early exit in the World Cup as Germany beat them 5-3 in Group D today.

For Malaysia to qualify for the next round, Pakistan must lose to the Netherlands by eight goals, which is next to impossible.

The Malaysian Tigers had a nightmarish start when Timm Herzbruch scored off their first penalty corner in the second minute.

And the only moment where Malaysia came alive in the first quarter was when Fitri Saari charged in and won a penalty corner, but Razie Rahim's low drag in the 11th minute went wide.

The Germans were not only looking for a win, but for many goals as well and in the 14th minute, Christopher Ruhr was given acres of space to unleash a reverse stick shot which beat goalkeeper S. Kumar on his top right corner.

It looked like it was all over for Malaysia in the 18th minute, when an unmarked Ruhr took his time to slot the ball in for their third goal.

Malaysia wasted two penalty corners before Razie Rahim made the third successful in the 26th minute, and the come-back started.

The fight was on, and Malaysia took the game to the Germans and won their fourth penalty corner in the 28th minute.

This time, Malaysia's set piece worked wonders as Razie's pass to the goalkeeper's left was deflected high into the net by Nabil Fiqri and it was 2-3.

As Malaysia started to fight for possession, they also easily gave away the ball to the Germans and in the 39th minute, Marco Miltkau made it 4-2 with an easy looking field attempt.

Malaysia narrowed the gap yet again to 3-4 when Razie scored his brace in the 42nd minute.

But with four minutes left, Malaysia lost two players to cards — green for Firhan Ashaari and yellow for Marhan Jalil.

Germany scored their fifth in the 59th minute, when Timm was again on target.

New Straits Times



Malaysia fail to achieve World Cup target

By Jugjet Singh


Germany's Christopher Ruhr fights for the ball with Malaysia's Marhan Jalil during the field hockey group stage match between Germany and Malaysia at the 2018 Hockey World Cup in Bhubaneswar. AFP photo

BHUBANESWAR: The Malaysian hockey team put up a gallant fight but lost 5-3 to Germany on Sunday, and the only thing left to do now is pack their bags and head home.

Germany qualified for the quarter-finals from Group D with three wins, while the Netherlands ended second on six points and Pakistan third on one.

Pakistan were defeated 5-1 by the Netherlands 5-1 but still claimed the third spot on a goal difference over Malaysia.

Finishing last in the pool means no classification matches for the World No 12, and they are likely to finish 15th out of 16 teams, as they only have a 1-1 draw against Pakistan to show.

South Africa should end as the wooden spoonist.

Malaysia went down 3-0 by the 18th minute, as they let in soft attempts from Timm Herzbruch (second), and Christopher Ruhr (14th, 18th) before starting the fighback.

Razie Rahim (26th) and Nabil Fiqri (28th) scored two quick penalty corner goals, and the crowd at the Kalinga Stadium went wild.


Germany’s team celebrate a goal during the men's Field Hockey World Cup match between Malaysia and Germany at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar, India. EPA photo

But Marco Miltkau (39th) again increased the lead before Razie managed to reduce the deficit.

In their haste to level the match, rough play crept in and it was green for Firhan Ashaari and yellow to Marhan Jalil.

With nine men on the field, the Germans easily made it 5-3 through Herzbruch in the 59th minute.

"Disappointed with the end result, but we will be taking home valuable lessons from this tournament.

"Our next assignment is to qualify for the Olympcis, and I believe with the tough matches we went through against the Netherlands and Germany, we have gained some information on what to do next," said Oltmans.

German skipper Martin Haner said they knew it would be silly to take Malaysia lightly, but it did creep into the mind after taking a 3-0 lead.

"We know that Malaysia never give up until the end and things could have been dangerous if we did not play our normal game. But after taking a 3-0 lead, we somehow forgot about it and took matters for granted.


Germany's Timm Herzbruch (C) fights for the ball with Malaysia's Faiz Jali (L) during the field hockey group stage match between Germany and Malaysia at the 2018 Hockey World Cup in Bhubaneswar on December 9, 2018. AFP photo

"Luckily, we re-grouped in time and held their fight-back at bay," said Haner.

The World Cup had four Asian teams. India qualified automatically for the quarter-finals, while China will play France in the crossover.

And Pakistan will play Belgium in the other crossover to decide the quarter-finalists, while the Malaysian players will head home in the next available flight from Bhubaneswar.

New Straits Times



Malaysia's adventure ends after defeat to Germany

By Aftar Singh


Eyes on the ball: Malaysia’s Fitri Saari (left) in action against Germany’s Dan Nguyen during the Group D match at the Kalinga Stadium yesterday.

MALAYSIA’S World Cup campaign is all over after losing 3-5 to Germany in the do-or-die Group D match at the Kalinga Stadium.

Malaysia finished last in the group with just one point from three matches and once again, they are expected to finish as the wooden spoonist in the 16-team competition.

Four years ago, they finished last in the 12-nation tournament in The Hague, Holland.

The Germans are through to the quarter-finals after maintaining a 100% record.

The Germans edged Pakistan 1-0 in the first match before they outplayed Holland 4-1.

In yesterday’s match, Timm Herzbruch scored a brace for Germany in the second and 59th minutes while Christopher Ruhr also delivered a double in the 14th and 18th.

Marco Miltkau scored the other goal for Germany in the 39th minute.

Malaysia were trailing 3-0 before they fought back to narrow the deficit.

Malaysia scored all their goals through penalty corners via Muhd Razie Abdul Rahim, who netted two in the 26th and 42nd minutes, while Nabil Fiqri Mohd Noor also scored from a penalty corner set-piece in the 28th.

The Star of Malaysia



Germany power way to quarters

Powerhouse has it easy against Malaysia | Dutch, Pakistan qualify for cross-overs

Indervir Grewal in Bhubaneswar


Germany’s Mats Grambusch (white) and Malaysia’s Azuan Hasan vie for the ball. PTI

GERMANY played “catch me if you can” with Malaysia, unintentionally obviously, while the Netherlands did the tango with Pakistan, before both the European giants sealed comfortable wins in their final pool matches.

With top spot sealed, Germany had no reason to fret over their final pool match. Malaysia had to win or even draw to get into contention for the knockouts. But Malaysia were slow to start, and Germany hit the ground running. They were 3-0 up by the 18th minute. But then they took their foot off the pedal and let Malaysia catch up with two quick penalty corner goals. They raised their level again and regained the three-goal lead. They got another wakeup call in the 42nd minute when Razie Rahim got his second penalty corner goal. That was enough for the Germans who didn’t let up again before getting another goal near the end for a 5-3 win.

Needing a win or a draw to finish second in the pool, the Dutch had a perfect start by making it 1-0 in the seventh minute. Pakistan had to get a draw to ensure the third-place finish. With Malaysia’s goal difference negative nine, even a loss by seven goals would have ensured Pakistan them a place in the knockouts. But Pakistan were going for a win. They were looking to attack but without much planning or structure in their game. Their chaotic style got the Dutch to lose their focus and they matched Pakistan step for step in a frenzied first half. Umar Bhutta’s ninth-minute equaliser only made the Dutch more nervous.

But the second half was mostly about the Dutch. The late goal before the halftime whistle had settled the nerves. The Dutch ended up scoring three more for a 5-1 win, but from Pakistan’s perspective, it was a margin that kept them in the tournament. Pakistan will play Belgium on Tuesday. The winner of that match will play Germany. The Dutch will take on Canada on Tuesday, and that match’s winner will face India in the quarterfinals on Thursday.

The Tribune



Germany defeat spirited Malaysia to enter quarter-finals; Pakistan qualify for cross-overs despite drubbing


Germany joined two-time champions Australia, Olympic champions Argentina and hosts India in the quarter-finals. Twitter@FIH_Hockey

Bhubaneswar: Germany beat Malaysia 5-3 to maintain their all-win record and seal a direct quarterfinal spot, while Pakistan suffered a 1-5 defeat against the Netherlands but still sneaked into the knock-out stages at the men's hockey World Cup on Sunday.

While the Germans were through to the quarter-finals, the Netherlands and Pakistan managed to qualify for the cross-overs round.

As per the format of the tournament, the top team from each of the four pools will directly qualify for the quarter-finals while the second andthird-placedd sides will play cross-over matches against teams of other pools for the remaining four last eight berths.

Even though Malaysia (1 point) finished on same points as Pakistan, the Asian Games silver medallist crashed out of the tournament because of their inferior goal difference.

The Germans joined two-time champions Australia, Olympic champions Argentina and hosts India in the quarter-finals. The other four places of the last eight round will be decided from the cross-over matches.

Germany finished their pool engagements with a maximum of nine points from three games. Tim Herzbruch (2nd, 59th minutes) and Christopher Ruhr (14th, 18th) scored two goals each while Marco Miltkau (39th) struck the other one for the world number 6 Germans.

Malaysia's all three goals came from penalty corner conversions by Razie Rahim (26th, 42nd) and Nabil Noor (28th).

Both the teams had their chances in the game but it was Germany who were more precise with their finishing skills.

The Germans started brightly and raced to a 3-0 lead inside 18 minutes through goals from Herzbruch and Ruhr.

But the Malaysians tried to make a valiant fightback and managed to reduce the margin to 2-3 in the 28th minute through goals from Rahim and Noor.

The clinical Germans capitalised on Malaysia's defensive errors when Miltkau deflected in a Niklas Wellen's perfect lay-off in the 39th minute.

The Malaysians did not give up and narrowed down the gap to 3-4 when Rahim converted another penalty corner.

The Germans had the last laugh when Miltkau scored from a counter-attack just a minute from the final hooter to dash any hopes of Malaysia's comeback.

Both the teams had numerous scoring opportunities in the form of penalty corners. While Malaysia earned as many as eight penalty corners, the Germans secured seven in the match.

In the match between the Netherlands and Pakistan, the Dutch were by far the better side as they made repeated forays into their rival citadel.

The Netherlands scored through Thierry Brinkman (7th minute), Valentin Verga (27th), Bob de Voogd (37th), Jorrit Croon (47th) and Mink van der Weerden (59th) en route to their comfortable win.

Pakistan's lone goal came from the stick of Umar Bhutta in the ninth minute.

Pakistan played catch-up hockey and looked a disjointed unit, having no idea what to do with the ball when it's in their possession. They mostly relied on counter-attacks to surprise their higher ranked opponents but the vast gap of quality between the two sides was quiet evident on the turf.

World number 4 Netherlands started on a bright note and secured their first penalty corner in the fourth minute but it was wasted.

Three minutes later, Brinkman gave the Netherlands the lead with a field strike.

But Pakistan bounced back strongly and earned three back-to-back penalty corners, from the last of which Bhutta scored off a rebound after Ali Mubashar's flick was saved by Dutch goalie Pirmin Blaak.

In the second quarter, both the Netherlands and Pakistan traded a penalty corner each but failed to extract anything from the opportunities.

Three minutes from half-time, the Dutch restored their lead through Verga who scored a fine field goal after a brilliant one-two touch play with Seve van Ass.

The Netherlands started from where they left after the change of ends and extended their lead in the 37th minute with a diving effort at the far post from de Voogd, who tapped in a pass from Jeroen Hertzberger.

The Dutch continued their onslaught and secured a couple of penalty corners in quick time and from one such chance Jorrit Croon scored to make the scoreline 4-1 in the European side's favour.

Van der Weerden then converted a penalty corner a minute from the final hooter to round off the scoreline and end Pakistan's agony.

Firstpost



Netherlands in crossovers after 5-1 win against Pakistan

Germany makes the quarterfinals after beating Malaysia

Y.B. Sarangi


Yess! Valentin Verga, second from left, exults after netting one of Netherlands’ five goals . 

Fourth-ranked Netherlands’ organised effort helped it post an emphatic 5-1 win over Pakistan in its last Pool D match and secure a place in the crossovers of the Hockey World Cup here on Sunday.

Germany recorded a hard-fought 5-3 win over Malaysia to finish as the top-ranked side in the pool with nine points and take a berth in the quarterfinals. Netherlands was second with six points.

Pakistan, which was tied with Malaysia on one point, also managed to enter the crossovers with a better goal difference.

The Dutch team will face Canada, while Pakistan will square off against Belgium in the crossovers on Tuesday.

Early lead

Netherlands relied on its fine distribution to enter the Pakistan circle frequently and jumped to an early lead when an excellent move by Thijs van Dam was finished well by an unmarked Thierry Brinkman.

Pakistan replied quickly by winning three successive short corners. The third one yielded the equaliser through Umar Bhutta.

Netherlands showed better coordination to keep the pressure on Pakistan. One of the attempts surprised the gritty Pakistan defence as Valentin Verga shot from top of the circle following a build-up before the half-time.

The Oranje Machine struck again in the penultimate period when Jeroen Hertzberger, who received an aerial ball, passed it on to Bob de Voogd to widen the lead. Jorrit Croon and Mink van der Weerden completed the tally.

Germany, leading 4-3 after the third quarter, managed to thwart a spirited Malaysia, which got a couple of bookings but earned a penalty corner in the fourth period.

The results (Pool D):

Germany 5 (Timm Herzbruch 2, 59, Christopher Ruhr 14, 18, Marco Miltkau 39) bt Malaysia 3 (Razie Rahim 26, 42, Nabil Noor 28).

Netherlands 5 (Thierry Brinkman 7, Valentin Verga 27, Bob de Voogd 37, Jorrit Croon 47, Mink van der Weerden 59) bt Pakistan 1 (Umar Bhutta 9).

The Hindu



Vantage Black Sticks Match Preview for the knock out game vs England



The Vantage Black Sticks take on England in the first Cross-Over match at the Odisha Men’s Hockey World Cup. The winner of the match will progress to take on Argentina in the Quarter Finals while the losing team will be sent home.

Both these teams play an attacking brand of hockey and create several opportunities in front of goal. The Vantage Black Sticks have not been clinical in front of goal throughout the tournament a trend they will be looking to rectify when they take on England as they look to start the match on the front foot.

The Vantage Black Sticks had a dramatic 4th quarter in their final pool match against Spain where with 10 minutes to go they found themselves down 2-0 and were looking at an early exit from the Odisha Men’s Hockey World Cup. A rocket of a shot from Hayden Phillips kicked them to life and then Kane Russell drag flicked the tying goal home which secured a 2-2 draw and booked their place in the final 12.

The Vantage Black Sticks player to watch is Nic Woods, he has been getting through a mountain of work on the defensive end. Look out for some of the great set up ball that he puts through in this game as some of the turnovers he has won in the midfield throughout the tournament have led to some great scoring opportunities for the Vantage Black Sticks.

Englands player to watch is their midfielder Barry Middleton who has amassed an impressive 425 for his country. Not known as a goal scorer in 6 previous matches against the Vantage Black Sticks he has managed to put in 2 goals.

Hugo Inglis reflected on the teams match against Spain “We started the match really well, had quite a few chances to score in the first quarter. However we found ourselves down at the first break. In the middle of the game we struggled to impose our game on the Spanish and they played some good hockey. We never gave up and chased the game well in the final quarter”.

This will be the 4th time that these 2 sides have met in the World Cup where England has come out victorious on all 3 previous occasions where they have scored 8 goals to Vantage Black Sticks 4.

Head to Head

Commonwealth Games 2014:  2-2 Draw (England Won Shootout 4-2)
Commonwealth Games 2014: 2-1 Win
Hockey World League Final 2014: 3-3 Draw (New Zealand Won Shootout 7-6)
Hockey World League Final 2014: 5-1 Loss

Hockey New Zealand Media release



Battle for a maiden quarters spot

France and China, two of the lowest ranked teams still in the fray, will go up against each other

Uthra Ganesan


Looking ahead: China coach Kim Sang Ryul believes that if the team plays to its capability it can get the results. 

This wasn’t the line-up one had expected when the pools for the World Cup were announced. Ranked 17th and 20th in the world respectively, China and France will fight it out for a quarterfinal spot on Monday and whoever wins, would be the lowest-ranked team remaining in the fray.

But then this edition has been all about upsets. China held England and Ireland to draws while France stunned Olympic champion Argentina to not just stay in the tournament but also throw out Spain, the highest-ranked side to be kicked out of the event so far and one the most talented here.

It was just another step in the ambitious “Hockey 2024” project for the French, who hope to be among the top-five at the 2024 Olympics among men.

But they would be up against the unknown Chinese, who were walloped 11-0 by Australia in its last league match but still ended above Ireland. “I want my boys to learn and experience. They have the ability, if they play to their capability they can get different results,” China coach Kim Sang Ryul had said.

Against France, his boys would have their task cut out. Interestingly, China won both its games against the French during a test series in 2015, giving it a better 2-1 win record. The reward for a win would be a game against World No. 1 and twice defending champion Australia.

Traditional rivalry

The other cross-over game between England and New Zealand would be a more traditional rivalry. The two teams have met thrice before in World Cups and England has won all three.

That said, the overall record in the last five years is level at two wins apiece. England has reached the last-eight in every edition so far since 1973 and would be hoping to do so yet again. Then again, New Zealand would be hoping to add another upset to the roster.

The Hindu



Red Lions’ appetite whetted after reaching knockout stage

BELGIUM are one of the hockey powerhouses but unfortunately, they have not won any major silverware.

But the Red Lions’ captain Thomas Briels is hoping their jinx will end at the ongoing World Cup in Bhubaneswar.

“Belgium have been active in hockey for more than a century but we just don’t have the luck to win tournaments,” lamented Briels.

“We’ve fought hard against the world’s top teams but tend to be unlucky when it comes to the semi-finals or finals.

“Last year we had a good chance to win our first European championship title as we took a 2-0 lead against Holland but blew the chance and lost 4-2. It was disheartening.

“But we hope to end our jinx here. We’re keeping our fingers crossed that we’ll play well in the knockout stage,” he said.

World No. 3 Belgium have featured in the European Championships since 1970 and finished runners-up twice in Boon, Belgium, in 2013 and in Amstelveen, Holland, last year.

In the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games, Belgium reached their first-ever final but sadly, they lost 4-2 to Argentina, who won their first gold.

Belgium also failed to win the Champions Trophy when they finished fifth in Breda, Holland, in July.

Belgium are making their sixth appearance in the World Cup and their best placing was fifth in The Hague, Holland, four years ago.

They finished runners-up in Group C behind champions India with seven points.

They edged Canada 2-1 and drew 2-2 with India before outplaying South Africa 5-1.

In the second round, Belgium are expected to play the third-ranked team in Group D.

“We’ve played some really good hockey but we’re not that consistent, so we have some work to do and hope to play better in the next round,” added Briels.

The Star of Malaysia



Kookaburras "Knuckle Down" Ahead Of World Cup Quarter-Finals

Ben Somerford



The Kookaburras have switched back into “Hockey mode” ahead of their 2018 FIH Hockey World Cup quarter-final on Wednesday after some down-time over the past few days in Bhubaneswar.

The 2010 and 2014 World Cup winners saw the sights in Bhubaneswar over the weekend, visiting the Konark Sun Temple and Puri Beach after defeating China 11-0 on Friday night.

The world number one Kookaburras had already booked their quarter-final spot before Friday’s win, and will play either China or France in the last eight from 10:30pm AEDT on Wednesday LIVE on Fox Sports 503.

Australia also visited the World Cup Fan Village on Saturday night where they had some fun, meeting with local fans and dancing with the tournament mascot Olly.

Kookaburras co-captain Aran Zalewski said: “We’ve gone straight through to the quarter-finals which was the main goal coming in.

“We’ve enjoyed a break, before we knuckle down and improve on the areas we need to.”

Reflecting on Friday’s emphatic win over world number 17 China, Zalewski highlighted the side’s clinical finishing.

Australia only had 17 shots in the game, but ended with 11 goals, representing an excellent conversion rate.

“It’s not very often you score 11 goals in a match,” Zalewski said.

“The boys are pretty happy. We were pretty clinical in the circle.

“China have been a difficult opponent all tournament, they drew with England and Ireland. They were hard to break down early but we were very clinical which we were happy about.”

Kookaburras forward Tim Brand, who scored two goals against the Chinese, echoed Zalewski’s thoughts.

“We were very clinical in front of the goals,” Brand said.

“Our boys put in a good effort and ran hard. We didn’t take it easy in this last pool game.

“We knew it was going to be hard. We were very clinical in front of goals and put them away early.”

Australia will get together as a team and watch the crossover match between France and China on Monday night at the team hotel where they will learn their quarter-final opponent.

Forward Trent Mitton will play his 150th match for the Kookaburras in Wednesday’s quarter-final.

Hockey Australia media release



Lalit Upadhyay has gone from fringe to centre stage

A new and improved version of Lalit Upadhyay revels in the limelight on the big stage

By Mihir Vasavda


Lalit Upadhyay (left), who scored two goals in India’s 5-1 win over Canada on Saturday, is the tournament’s joint top-scorer in terms of field goals. (Source: PTI)

Lalit Upadhyay has always had a ‘kamartod’ dribble. Those swivels and spins so deadly and instinctive, that they often leave the opponents twisted by the hips. Those smooth-as-Banaras-silk dodges are the reason he got the national team call-up in the first place. But they’re also why Upadhyay’s career came to a grinding halt just six months ago. “Woh kaate hue player ko phir kaatega,” grumbles India forward SV Sunil. “I have literally scolded him so many times for that. I told him, ‘if you have beaten a player, move forward.’ But he returned to the same player and tried to dodge him again.”

Sunil is Upadhyay’s friend, philosopher and guide. They’ve shared dressing rooms for a major part of this decade and were roommates at national camps and tours abroad for three years. Sunil, who missed the World Cup because of an injury, is also one of Upadhyay’s biggest admirers and staunchest critics. And the 25-year-old’s tendency of over-doing the dribbles was a source of constant irritation, not just for Sunil but also for the coaches.

“Some of the things he does can’t be taught… he is a gifted player. We call his dribbles kamartod. No one does it better than him,” Sunil says. “But the best players in the world know how and when to use their tricks. Lalit used it so frequently that his biggest weapon became blunt. He needed a kick up his backside.”

That came in June. Harendra Singh, picking his first squad after being appointed coach, left Upadhyay out of the Breda-bound squad for the Champions Trophy. The day the team was announced, the forward feared it was curtains for him as far as wearing national colours was concerned. But fate would hand him another chance. Five days before the tournament, forward Sumit Kumar pulled his groin. And Upadhyay was called as a last-minute replacement.

In just six months, he has gone from being India’s fringe-man to front-man. Upadhyay, who scored two goals in India’s 5-1 win over Canada on Saturday, is the tournament’s joint top-scorer in terms of field goals. With three goals, he is tied with Dutch legend Jeroen Hertzberger, Argentine veteran Agustin Mazzilli, Germany’s Marco Miltkau and Australia’s Tim Brand. If one counts both field goals and penalty corners, he is the joint third-highest scorer in the tournament so far.

It’s not just about the goals, though. Upadhyay’s positioning sense has created space for his teammates and he has played the role of a reliable poacher that India has missed in the last few years. What’s been a pleasant surprise is the way he has used his dribbles – intelligently and sparingly, mostly inside the opponent’s 18-yard circle. Instead of being flashy, it’s been a means for him to beat a defender and enter the ‘D’ to either set himself up for a shot, or create opportunities for a teammate. “I haven’t changed my style much. But now, I am doing just what my coaches want me to do,” Upadhyay says. “I have realised that structure is important, so you need to play according to that.”

Sunil spots another big change. “He’s fearless. I think after the Champions Trophy snub, he realised there’s nothing to lose so he is playing with a lot of freedom. Earlier, he looked a bit afraid on the pitch,” Sunil says.

Fear, in fact, has been a constant companion for the boy from Varanasi, whose career almost ended before it even began. In 2008, reporters from a news channel posed as agents and offered the then secretary of Indian Hockey Federation, K Jothikumaran, a sponsorship deal if they selected a player of their choice in the team. Upadhyay, one of the finest young players in the country back then, was used as a bait and Jothikumaran fell for it.

As a fallout of the sting, Jothikumaran was sacked from the federation and IHF disbanded, but it also ruined Upadhyay’s reputation and he was sidelined from the national programme. The incident affected him so much that Upadhyay considered quitting hockey, just at the age of 17. If not for his skills and willingness to work hard relentlessly, he would have never returned into the fold.

Dhanraj Pillay got him a contract with Air India in 2010, where he began picking up the pieces. Four years later, former India captain Tushar Khandker helped him get a job at BPCL and around the same time, Upadhyay was picked for Kalinga Lancers in the Hockey India League.

With the money he earned in the HIL, Upadhyay built a three-storey house for his family in Varanasi. And the form he was in helped him reconstruct his career.

Upadhyay became a regular at the national camps but was shunted in and out of the squad. It wasn’t because of lack of effort – Upadhyay has always been one of the top performers during training. His yo-yo score of 23 is a testimony to his fitness. He would score goals and glide past defenders in practice as if they didn’t exist.

Big-stage fright

But in match situations, he wasn’t able to reproduce the same form – mainly because of his habit to go overboard; partially because of big-stage fright and eagerness to impress the coach. The inconsistent performances meant his place in the team was never certain. A little more than a year ago, when his close friend and former teammate Devendra Walmiki was dropped from the squad without any notice, Upadhyay is believed to have confessed to a teammate that he feared he would be remembered as a player who was a part of all camps but never part of something big.

Those fears nearly came true when he was dropped for the Champions Trophy. But fortune smiled on a player who has perennially remained luckless.

At Breda, one of India’s best performances in recent times, Upadhyay stood out – not by showing off his dribbling skills but by adopting simplicity. Making fewer errors has improved his on-field confidence and the knack of being at the right place at the right time – which he seems to have developed recently – has added another dimension to his game.

That ability could come in handy against a team like Holland, who will most likely be India’s opponents in Thursday’s quarterfinals. The Dutch are unlikely to give India as many opportunities as South Africa or Canada. Upadhyay’s kamartod dribbles and goal-poaching abilities could be key in unlocking their compact defence.

Indian Express



Indian attackers show ability to turn the game around in 5-1 hammering of Canada

Sundeep Misra


As India lead 2-1, the team found expression, the panicking Canadians gave space, and in a matter of ten minutes, the host nation had closed the match with a 5-1 victory.

By the end of the third quarter, territorial possession, number of consecutive passes, dominance on the flank and that perennial bug-bear – missed chances – were all in India’s favour; except for the scoreline. And then Antoni Kindler in the 46th minute gave a glimpse of space to his right, between the pads and the post. A tic-tac between Kothajit Khadangbam and Dilpreet Singh saw the ball lie tantalisingly at Chinglensana Singh's stick. Without dragging it left or right, the Indian midfielder and vice-captain whacked it into the corner for India to lead 2-1. More importantly, the gates opened, the team found expression, the panicking Canadians gave space, and the Indians in a matter of ten minutes had closed the match with a 5-1 victory. To the delight of the 15,000 roaring fans inside The Kalinga, a quarter-final berth had been sealed.

In the last ten matches, India had beaten Canada seven times, drawn one and lost two. Significantly, the last match played between the two sides at the Hockey World League (semi-finals) in London 2017 – the scoreline was 3-2 in Canada’s favour. That afternoon still remains in a lot of player’s memories. India had 47 circle entries to Canada’s 11. Yet they lost. The casualty was one Roelant Oltmans, now Malaysia’s coach. At The Kalinga, the flow of the first three quarters if not similar was coinciding with certain elements of the London game. Mandeep had missed chances galore at the HWL and now at the World Cup was just getting too hasty with the ball. Yet, you cannot doubt the boy’s energy and the constant inter-changing of position to be able to side-step and lay his stick on a through ball.

India’s start had been mixed. The Indian captain Manpreet Singh down with a sore throat and fever took the field but was benched for large portions of the match. The momentum was slow, the build-up not quite substantial in terms of passes created or finding that empty space with an Indian player inside it. Thus, the immediate threat to the Canadians was nullified. They also played themselves in, quite happy to defend in numbers. Kindler made a good save when Dilpreet Singh after picking up a Manpreet save jabbed towards goal. By the seventh minute, India were spreading out unable to cut through the middle. After missing out on their first penalty corner, Simranjeet Singh had a sharp chance but the trap wasn’t world class. Akashdeep Singh hovering on the left flank finally made a cut into the Canadian striking circle gave it to Lalit Upadhyay who created India’s second penalty corner. It was perfectly flicked, low to the right corner and India was up 1-0. At the end of the first quarter, India had three penalty corners with one converted.

Playing at India’s pace wasn’t Canada’s strategy and neither could do it. India would have killed them off. Intelligently, Canada killed the pace completely making India run for the balls. The game suddenly from the flanks got bogged down into the midfield. India defended. Canada looked for opportunities. India had one when Sumit made a fast change and smacked a reverse hit that had Kindler scrambling to save. The game wasn’t going anywhere. Canada didn’t want to concede any more goals as the match would go away from their hands. They had to remain on the fringes. India made errors. Surprisingly, yet again no aerial balls to break down the midfield play or even play down the lines with forwards far out.

Whatever moves India made was either met with a clean tackle or a shoulder and in an extreme case fouling the player. Canada had a green card (Iain Smythe) and then a yellow (James Wallace) shown in the second quarter. Down to ten men, Canada played out the quarter.

At the start of the third quarter, India seemed lacking verve and energy. As the Canadians had said a day before the match that the fans like an Indian side that is constantly attacking as it keeps them involved in the game. With the match getting muddled in the middle, fans were restless.

The mistake came in the 39th minute. Canada had waited for it and they turned it into a counter-attack. It was elementary like the old-fashioned wasp honey trap. Simranjeet drove on with the ball, going past three Canadian defenders before the ball was taken away and a counter-attack created. India had big zones free in the middle and Canada exploited. Keegan Pereira sped through the middle and passed perfectly to Floris Son whose perfect tap made the ball rise and go over the onrushing PR Sreejesh. The Indian defence was empty, most caught just outside the Indian striking circle. The swiftness of the Canadian counter would have worried the Indian coach Harendra Singh. Canada had equalised 1-1 and the match was open. In the space of five minutes, India missed twice; Lalit and then Mandeep.

At the end of the third quarter with the scores tied 1-1, anything was possible in the game. India had to come out. There was too much at stake. The pole position in Pool C was needed. Canada was covering the zones well. India spread out and it paid off in the 46th minute. Kothajit moved in and passed to Dilpreet who saw the ball deflecting off the stick and reaching Chinglensana as the midfielder smashed the ball into the corner of the goal. At 2-1, Canada was rattled. India had wrenched open the door.

And then a minute later, a silly error from Canada gave India their third goal. Sukhi Panesar hung onto the ball without clearing it away as Lalit Upadhyay snatched it away and raced into the striking circle. Lalit’s straight shot beat Kindler as the stadium erupted. They knew the match was in India’s pocket. Canada’s resistance had been broken.

Four minutes later, as India mounted attack after attack, the midfield now flowing, India had their fourth penalty corner. Amit Rohidas came up, deftly took the ball to the right and smashed it home for India to lead 4-1. Canada was down to ten men again as James Kirkpatrick was shown the yellow card. They would now play with ten, their second yellow of the match.

In the 57th minute, Sumit, who worked hard through the match, found himself racing down the touch line as his centre found Lalit who tapped the ball into goal. At 5-1, Canada’s hopes had evaporated. India took off Sreejesh as Harmanpreet became the kicking back.

India had two more penalty corners but couldn’t score off them. In the end, it was a job well done, though Harendra would look closely on second and third quarters. The analysis of those two quarters would provide adequate answers for the big quarter-final up ahead. “We are putting energy,” explained Harendra. “But, somewhere, we are missing the final pass. This team has the capability to score any moment. We have to wait for our moment, can't rush towards the ball. I think the first half, we did too much running. The final execution, we were too much in a hurry. I think that childish instinct, the team has to throw that out. That is what we spoke at half-time,” Harendra said.

The Canadian coach Paul Bundy said instructions were quite clear that they have to hold India and get the counters moving. “But we have to admit that the moment we gave space, they killed us,” said Bundy.

Japan’s coach Siegfried Aikman, under whom the Japanese won their first ever Asian Games Gold has always maintained that the more space you give to India, more goals you will concede.

Nobody knows that better than Aikman whose side were thrashed 8-0 in Jakarta.

The last time India beat Canada by a margin of 5-1 was at the 1988 Seoul Olympics and the captain of that side MM Somaya watched the game at The Kalinga. “I liked what I saw,” Somaya said.

“And I believe the youngsters are not overawed by the occasion. Yes, there are moments of pressure but they did well to come out of it.”

There could have been conflicting views on a scenario if India had not scored early in the fourth quarter. Pressure would have been massive and a result could have gone either way. Yet another member of that 1988 Olympic side, Merwyn Fernandes, watching at The Kalinga explained: “I personally watched it critically and had India not scored the second goal…I think the game could have been different. We need to get the breaks as things wouldn’t be easy in the quarter-final. But yes the quick goals gave them the initiative and we deservedly won the game.”

With two converted out of six penalty corners, Jugraj Singh does feel there is an issue with ball stopping. “I feel there is an issue with stopping the ball and I believe they will sort it out.” Somaya had a word about the Indian defence saying the big advantage is that defenders are attackers and vice-versa. “But in that anxiety and excitement of attacking they should never forget that their first job is to defend. You should not forget your primary role.”

In fact, one needs to understand that India created history of sorts by topping the Pool in a World Cup for the first time since 1975. Then, India had topped with seven points after winning three, drawing one and losing one match. India were equal with West Germany but had a better goal difference. Also, they had gone onto win the tournament.

What distinguishes this side from most of the past decade is the confidence in each other’s ability to turn a match around. India’s instincts and attacking ability is making opponents wary and in that lies team's biggest strength.

Firstpost



Long-drawn schedule leaves teams empty-pocketed, restless

Indervir Grewal in Bhubaneswar

With over 10 teams training in one day, the 14th edition has become a tournament of training sessions. The number of teams training has even gone up to 13 on some days. The international hockey federation’s (FIH) experiment with 16 teams has been welcomed but holding just two matches per day has made the current edition the longest in World Cup’s history, spread across 19 days. The pool stage ended on Sunday after 12 days, out of which some days saw both matches being tedious. With breaks between matches lasting up to five days, the tournament has tested the patience of players and coaches alike. One of the biggest challenges for the team managements has been to keep their players physically and mentally ready for the games. Teams have kept busy by visiting temples in the city, taking daytrips to Puri, visiting schools or going saree shopping. Some have even been playing cards in their hotels to kill time, Belgium’s Arthur van Doren said. Some players, however, have used the long breaks to study for their exams. But World Cup is not an event for relaxing. Teams have been asking for extra training sessions. But waiting and preparing without seeing any action for long periods also led to restlessness. Having qualified directly for the quarterfinals, India’s next match will be on December 13, four days after their match against Canada.

Financial strain

The length of the tournament has also put financial strain on the visiting teams. At the World Cup, visiting teams cover their own expenses. Hockey is an amateur sport, and not many federations across the globe are as financially secure as Hockey India. “The tournament is spread over three weekends and that is too long, especially in terms of finance,” England coach Danny Kerry said. Instead of two matches, FIH could have held four matches like in the previous editions. Even the Women’s World Cup, with the new 16-team format, had four matches per day. It would have made for exciting days and the length of the tournament would have reduced considerably.

The Tribune



In lop-sided world of hockey, professionalism reigns in Europe while it's a poor man's game in third-world nations

The Hockey Insider


International hockey continues to be an unequal world, where the cultural ethos, the status of players and their job security differs drastically.

The hockey World Cup showcases not just the best of field hockey skills but also a lop-sided world, where full-time professionals with millions at stake compete with teams comprising motley groups of artisans, teachers, students and day-wagers.

International hockey continues to be an unequal world, where the cultural ethos, the status of players and their job security differs drastically.

It is a rich man’s game in Europe, an amateur sport in the Americas and Southern Africa and a poor-man’s sport in the third-world countries.

Closely linked to their family lineage and club loyalties, the mainstream European countries have a supply chain from well-off families that have a traditional link with leading clubs. Bolstering the supply chain are players with professional contracts with neighbouring countries and university students on scholarships.

Notwithstanding the few players who got mind-boggling contracts for the short-term Hockey India League, which is now in hibernation, Dutch professional contracts are the most attractive ones chased by players across the world. All the leading Dutch players have contracts from top local clubs, which also attract several foreigners.

Next come the German clubs for the exposure they provide to top-grade hockey and now Belgian clubs have added a new dimension. Hockey across Western Europe is among the games followed by the professional classes of lawyers, doctors, engineers and economists. Students pursuing these professional degrees are also eager followers of hockey despite it being a minor sport in the overall scenario. For a student joining a German club also ensures a smooth passage in admissions to leading universities and scholarships. Several leading Belgian players actually play for Dutch clubs.

Since lottery money began funding sports in England, their players now have annual contracts, but some also pursue additional academic and professional qualifications. The story was quite opposite until then, even when they featured in the 1986 World Cup final and won the 1988 Olympic Games. Players had to look for off-season work, often part-time.

In Spain, the game has been mainly amateur with most players coming from the hockey hubs of Terrasa and Barcelona. A few from Madrid used to come in to complete the squad. The economic meltdown left Spanish hockey in a precarious situation where finding funding for the national team became tough, but the top Spanish players always had attractive offers from European clubs.

The hockey economies of France and Ireland are trying to come up with some support for the players, who usually have to go abroad seeking professional contracts. Last year, players making the Ireland team had to contribute a considerable amount from their pockets to make the trip to play in the Hockey World League Semifinals from which they earned qualification for this World Cup.

A majority of the Irish players also pursue their hockey playing outside the country.

Australian hockey now has funding from the government based on their international performances and players have options of playing for top clubs in the country and Europe – besides making a beeline to the Hockey India League.

It is a far cry from the early 1980s. Cut back to the 1981-82 World Cup squad of Australia, whose members exchanged their programme with the national coach and worked individually on fitness until they met just ahead of the flight from Down Under to Bombay.

The New Zealand game is also mostly amateur when it comes to professional contracts, with players chasing their own careers. A few of them have always been welcomed as professional players in Europe, including the current captain Blair Tarrant who plays in Germany.

Switch to the Americas, the middle classes deliver the most passionate hockey players and they too have club links going back generations. The Argentina squad comprise an equal mixture of some local club layers with others who ply their trade for overseas clubs, which in turn contributed immensely to their bronze medal at the 2014 World Cup and then the Olympic gold medal in Rio de Janeiro.

The scenario changes dramatically when it comes to northern American counterparts Canada. Besides a few traditional clubs on either coast, it is the family tradition that enables Canada to feature in the World Cups and Olympic Games. South Asian immigrants with their traditional links to the sport seek to dazzle with their stick-work. Turning to economic matters, the Canadian players occasionally have to dig into their pockets to be able to appear in FIH tournaments.

Players dipping into their own reserve funds is a story of South African participation in the current World Cup. The players contributed 60,000 South African Rands to the fund for sending the team to Bhubaneswar. Devoid of support from the National Olympic Committee and the government, South Africa’s hockey continues to pull along. They have retained their status as the top team in the African continent, and yet they were stopped by the NOC from participating in the Olympic Games.

The scenario in Asia changes from one nation to another, but it is primarily a poor man’s game. China did not enter the team for the Asian Games in Jakarta. But the squad from a single province – Inner Mongolia – with modest financial support managed to finish third in its pool and advance to the cross-overs.

Malaysia have a sustained funding programme through the National Sports Council, besides players get wages from their respective employers and have club contracts. Hockey players come from modest backgrounds and look for full-time employments for financial security.

Four-time World Cup winners Pakistan present a dismal scenario at the moment, with the players having to make frequent complaints for their allowances. Corporates are not lining up to sign sponsorship contracts, which is a far cry from the past decades when hockey gave the nation its most proud sporting moments. After all, it was not for nothing that hockey was Pakistan’s national sport.

Now, switch to India, where full-time employment is offered to most hockey players in the Indian squad, or even those on the periphery of it. The job scenario may have shrunk over the past decade, but the players can continue to attend the national camps almost round the clock and still receive the monthly salaries from their respective employers. Strangely, once they get into national team commitments, the players rarely make an appearance for their employers in domestic tournaments.

Did you hear someone term India hockey as amateur! The Indian players appear to be hockey professionals in the truest form, with or without the cash-loaded Hockey Indian League team contracts.

The amateur sport of yesteryears could smirk at the difference, but the world sport’s governing body ought to be shuffling nervously when a player of any country has to withdraw money from his savings or ask his parent to contribute to buy the ticket to play in the elite FIH events.

Firstpost



Arthur van Doren, Belgium’s moving man

Indervir Grewal

Arthur van Doren’s eyes were lit up. He wasn’t excited; in fact, he had just been through a series of interviews. He wasn’t agitated either. His words flowed swiftly but his manner was relaxed. His wet hair — a big Elvis-inspired tuft — and bathroom slippers suggested he had had a bath not too long ago. But van Doren’s eyes were lit up — it was easy to see why. The Belgians’ mind was switched on. His central role in the national team needs the Belgian to keep his mind switched on at all times on the field.

Van Doren is the heart in Belgium’s defence and the vision in attack. As the sweeper — or libero, or free defender (different names, same position) — van Doren stays just ahead of his defenders. He keeps the defensive structure in order and his teammates awake and ticking. He makes interceptions, picks up loose balls, gets in tackles, and finds the time to launch long balls into the opposition’s third, putting his forwards in “goalscoring positions”. Phew! No wonder van Doren has a busy mind, one of the busiest in the world of hockey. At such a young age, it is also amongst the best. The best, in fact, if you go by the awards. For the last two years, the 24-year-old has been FIH’s best player — best youngster in 2016 and the best player in 2017.

Free man

Like all great minds, van Doren doesn’t like to be bound in. He likes to keep moving, wants even more on his plate, and loves his freedom on the pitch.

“I like this position, I like the freedom it gives me,” van Doren said. “I like that I can move with the ball and find myself spaces to move forward or find longer passes to the forwards and put them in scoring positions. I love the fact that I can help out without the ball, wherever there is trouble, and make a lot of tackles and be involved in a lot of action. It’s a position that suits me, that’s why I have grown in it.”

Van Doren’s exceptional hockey career didn’t have an exceptional beginning. “Hockey is a family sport, it was the same for me,” van Doren said. “My uncle played hockey, my father also played. They gave me a hockey stick one day when I was five years old and I never let go of it since.”

“I started my hockey at the KHC Dragons (club in Brasschaat). Played there till last year. This year, I shifted to HC Bloemendaal in the Netherlands,” he said.

Lazy boy

Van Doren’s hockey life was not so hectic when he started out. He started out as a central striker, but as is generally expected of the more intelligent trainees, van Doren was not the hardest worker. “I was a pretty lazy central striker, always wanted to score. I just stayed in the circle, never defended,” van Doren said. “I think as retribution, they put me in the midfield once to make me defend more. That went pretty well. I won a lot of balls, got a lot of tackles in. So I stayed in the midfield. Through the youth, I played in the central midfield position,” he added. “Through the years, I developed different skills to play in different positions. So, at one point someone said… it was when we shifted from the small field to the full-sized one, there were more players on the field, and the free defender’s position came up. Someone said, ‘I want you to play there, you would do well’ and I never left this position,” he added.

Man of many pieces

If playing as a midfielder brought work ethic to his game, the switch to sweeper’s position helped him discover more hidden secrets of his personality. The position demanded him to constantly be on the move, read the game on the go and adapt quickly. He had an insatiable thirst for knowledge, and as the sweeper, had the “best view” on the hockey field.

Van Doren doesn’t have any idol but believes in picking the best aspects out of every player and imbibing that into his own game. “I was 17 when I came into the national team, so, I could learn from the best,” he said. Whom did he learn his passing ability from? “I always sort of had the passing awareness. Always had the feeling where to pass, how people would run or react,” van Doren said.

There’s no guessing which role, between attacking or defending, van Doren likes more. “Attacking,” pat comes the answer.

The leader

Van Doren is a conspicuous figure on the field for his constant screaming and gesturing. The expressiveness didn’t come naturally. “Growing up, I was quieter. But I had to develop it because it is a requirement of the position,” said van Doren. His job is hard on his throat. “I get hoarse, especially here, with all the noise in the Kalinga Stadium,” he said. A shy person in his younger days, van Doren has had to develop his leadership skills as well.

The Tribune



The roads talk only about hockey here: Somaya

Former star heaps praise on the conduct of the World Cup

G. Viswanath


M.M. Somaya. File 

Former India captain, three time Olympian and a member of the Indian team that won the hockey gold at the Moscow Olympics, M.M. Somaya is thrilled to watch all the action at the World Cup at the Kalinga Stadium here.

Quite impressed by what he has seen, Somaya said: “I have been to many World Cups. I was a player in 1982 in Bombay and 1986 in London. As a journalist, I covered the 1990 World Cup in Lahore, and in 2002 in Malaysia.

“I have also heard from players and people as to how World Cups have been organised. But I have never seen a World Cup managed and conducted like the one here.”

Somaya is particularly pleased with the way the game and players are portrayed.

“Not only the streets everywhere are full of hoardings, but also the venues. The roads talk only about hockey here. The players have been made heroes. The arrangements for players and spectators in the stadium is remarkable.

“There is also the fan park where the spectators can mingle with the players and their idols. The crowd is very participative even when India is not playing. It’s a huge celebration of hockey.

“The atmosphere is electric with people enjoying hockey. They have conducted it in an outstanding way; it’s one of the best centres in world hockey today. It would be hard to replicate this World Cup.”

Somaya is here with his former inside forward Mervyn Fernandes and will be joined by Joaquim Carvalho on Monday. Talking about the Indian team, Somaya believes it has the potential for a podium finish.

He said : “It’s a young team and it has put up a remarkable performance so far. The quarterfinals will be critical. I hope under the able guidance of Harendra Singh the players will respond well. I am really hopeful the team will come through the quarterfinals.”

The Hindu



Meet Sunil Tigga, the coach who nurtures dreams in the dust at Sundergarh

Shantanu Srivastava


Coach Sunil Tigga (centre, third from left) coaches tribal kids in Gariamal village of Sundergarh. Image: Firstpost/Shantanu Srivastava

Sundergarh: The red soil erupts with the symphonic thuds of skinny feet pounding the ground beneath. In the backdrop of a nameless hillock, under the crimson magnificence of the winter sun, the red soil rises like vapour, before dissipating in the cold air. Sunil Tigga emerges from the cloud of dust and shouts instructions at a bunch of pre-teens.

12-year-old Monal Kajur sprints past an array of cones, reaches the top of 'D', and shoots at the right corner of the unmanned goalpost — made of bamboo sticks, local net, and wooden slabs. The name emblazoned over 'No 10' on his blue jersey reads 'Messi'. Kajur is blissfully unaware of the name he is wearing, or those of other elite athletes who have made that number their own.

Like Kujur, approximately 60 children have kicked up a shindig in this playground, located in the depths of Gariamal village in Sundergargarh district of western Odisha. A total of 188 children from this and the neighbouring villages — some, as far as 10 kilometres — are registered in this free-for-all hockey coaching that Tigga gives.

The 39-year-old opted for retirement from Army's Service Corps three years back to create a feeder system for elite academies of the region. With the help of Louis Ekka — his brother-in-law — and some local enthusiasts, Tigga levelled the village playground and started a coaching centre in 2015.

"Money won't stay with you forever. I think I am making the best use of my savings and pension," says Tigga, who draws a monthly allowance of Rs 20,000.

"The kids have no future here. They take up hockey at an early age, but they don't have any technique. Hence, their chances of making it to an academy are not great. My objective is to introduce them to the basics of hockey, build their stamina and speed, and help them become better players," the former national-level hockey player adds.

"I have decided that I will produce at least four-five India players from this village. If I train 100 kids, 80 will make it to one of the academies, and some can go on to play for India."

Tigga's dream, though ambitious, is not entirely improbable. The region has produced internationals such as Gloria Dung Dung (the first woman hockey player from Odisha to play for India), William Xalco, and Sunita Lakra, and the children look up to them.

At one corner of the field, Namita Lakra is busy dodging her partner. She weaves delightful patterns while staying low, and her stickwork belies her 12 years. "I want to play for India, like Gloria Dung Dung. I also like Sunita didi's game," she says, shyly.

The ideals vary, but the sentiment finds an echo in almost every kid. In the absence of job opportunities, hockey remains the only escape for the youth, most of who come from extremely poor families. The people in the region are generally into rice and vegetable farming, but in a cruel twist of irony not unknown to this country, the benefits of produce remain out of bounds for most producers.

"Most kids do not get vegetables. Sometimes, two decent square meals is a problem. Their staple food is salty rice. They depend on gram and groundnuts for energy. On good days, they get lentils," Tigga quips in a jarring, matter-of-fact manner.


Tribal kids practice in Gariamal. Image: Firstpost/Shantanu Srivastava

The kids wear kits and clothes arranged by Tigga and the seven-member committee that runs the coaching centre, while the sticks are either donated by the likes of Dilip Tirkey and Gloria, or are purchased by Tigga. They can't afford goalkeeping gear yet, which means the kids primarily hone their wristwork, ball-control, dribbling, and dodging.

Louis Ekka, a former SAIL employee and a committee member, says, "After passing out of their school, the kids have nothing to do here. Either they get into farming, or drown themselves in liquor. Hockey opens them to a whole new world of jobs and opportunities."

The ground also holds the traditional 'khasi' tournaments, where the reward is a male goat (khasi). Tigga ensures that apart from goat, mementoes and medals for top performers are distributed for children to have a lasting memory. Gloria, a local legend of sorts, is likely to start a tournament next year in memory of her father.

"I think he is doing tremendous work at grassrooots. A lot of young children can now hope for a future," Gloria tells Firstpost from Kapurthala where she is posted at Railways Coach Factory (RCF).

Tigga's stints at the SAI Academy and national camps have acquainted him with basic coaching techniques that he employs here. Thoughts of going to National Institute of Sports (NIS) in Patiala for a formal coaching course do crop up in his mind, but he is quick to quell them. "If I go, what will happen to these kids?" he asks.

"These are hardworking kids that need proper guidance. Genetically, they have stamina, skills, and strength, but they don't have proper technique. Playing in khasi tournaments won't make you a national player."

This year, six of Tigga's students made it to the Panposh Hockey Academy in Rourkela, where, after a stint of three-five years, they will either climb the sporting ladder or end up securing government jobs through sports quota.

In January, the SAI Sports Hostel of Sundergarh will conduct a trial in Gariamal, and Tigga has trained his eyes on it. "I started preparations for that trial in November, and my aim is to send 10 kids to that academy."

His wishlist is quite basic: A grass ground instead of mud to prevent kids from inhaling dust, a drinking water facility close by so that children don't have to cycle one-and-a-half kilometres if they are thirsty, a boundary wall to prevent balls from getting lost in the woods, and a toilet. And so in the stillness of dusty chill, far from the euphoric surge that the World Cup has generated, Tigga chugs along quietly, powered by his desire to produce international players from the village he grew up in.

Firstpost



Hockey Series Open - Zimbabwe 2018 (Men) - Final day
Bulawayo (ZIM)

Results 9 December

EGY v ZAM (RR)     13 - 0
NAM v ZIM (RR)     3 - 3

Final pool standings

Rank Team Played Wins Draws Losses Goals For Goals Against Goal Difference Points
1 Egypt 3 3 0 0 34 2 32 9
2 Zimbabwe 3 0 2 1 6 9 -3 2
3 Zambia 3 0 2 1 6 19 -13 2
4 Namibia 3 0 2 1 8 24 -16 2


Hockey Series Open - Zimbabwe 2018 (Women)
Bulawayo (ZIM)

Result 9 December

ZIM v NAM (RR)     0 - 1

Final Pool standing

Rank Team Played Wins Draws Losses Goals For Goals Against Goal Difference Points
1 Namibia 2 2 0 0 4 0 4 6
2 Zambia 2 1 0 1 3 5 -2 3
3 Zimbabwe 2 0 0 2 2 4 -2 0

FIH Match Centre



Butali Sugar dethrone Police as men's hockey champions

By AYUMBA AYODI


Butali Sugar's Frank Wanangwe in full drive against Kenya Police during their Kenya Hockey Union men's Premier League match at City Park on December 9, 2018. PHOTO | CHRIS OMOLLO |  NATION MEDIA GROUP

Frank Wanangwe was the hero as he scored a brace in Butali Sugar Warriors' 2-1 win over Kenya Police to help his side clinch the 2018 Men's Hockey Premier League title at City Park on Sunday.

It was joy for Dennis Owoka's charges as they recaptured the title they last won in 2015 for their third cup success. Their previous success was in 2013.

Former Dutch junior international Maarten Fonteyn chalked a sizzling cross from deep to Wanangwe who unleashed a back flip as Butali Warriors took the lead in the 13th minute.

Butali led deep into the last quarter until Amos Barkibir levelled for Police in the 49th minute.

Butali, racing against time, stayed cool as they piled more pressure on Police's defence.

George Mutira would slice through the right wing before finding Wanangwe in place to score and hand Butali the title.

Linus Sang's heroics in goal proved key for Butali as he made two daring saves in the last two minutes.

It was sweet  revenge for Butali who had lost to Police in the first leg 3-0.

Butali won the title on goal difference having drawn level with Police on 60 points. Butali have a goal difference of +61 while Police have +49.

"The feeling is awesome...am simply out of this  world," said Wanangwe. "The results are what we have been waiting for hence a reward for our hard work."

Owila said the gamble he took pushing Wanangwe from midfield to attack with defender Maxwell Fuchaka going to the midfield paid off.

"Wanangwe's double proves that. I had this great feeling three years ago and it has been tough when coming second always," said Owoka, who paid glowing tribute to keeper Sang and Fonteyn for their key role.

Daily Nation



Chase Sailors promoted to Premier League

By AYUMBA AYODI


Douglas Nyerere (left) celebrates with team mates Abraham Muse and Timothy Obonyo after scoring against Multi-media University. Sailors won 2-0 to qualify for the 2019 Men's Premier Hockey League. PHOTO | AYUMBA AYODI | NATION MEDIA GROUP

Chase Sailors are back in the Kenya Hockey Union (KHU) men's hockey Premier League.

Douglas Nyerere scored a brace in the last quarter as Sailors edged out rivals Multi-media University 2-0 at City Park Stadium to qualify for next year’s top flight league in 2019.

Sailors, who had the previous day crashed Mombasa Sports Club 4-0, got to win the Super League with 48 points from 15 wins and two losses.
Multi-media settled for the second position with 45 points after 14 wins and two losses.

Only one team will be promoted from the Super League to the Premier League where three teams will be relegated.

"It's a great feeling for the efforts the players put in despite challenges of facilities especially the training grounds," said Sailors coach Timothy Kamar.

Sailors that was formed in 2015 won the National Super League the same year to earn promotion to the Premier League where they played for two season before being relegated.

Daily Nation



Sailors win men’s Super League

Butali ambush Police to reclaim league trophy

By Elizabeth Mburugu


Butali Frank Wanangwe takes position before shooting. PHOTO: JENIPHER WACHIE

Telkom, KU Titans and Bungoma farmers also crowned after emerging tops in their respective leagues.

Butali Sugar Warriors are the 2018 Kenya Hockey Union men Premier League champions.

The sugar millers were crowned yesterday following a 2-1 victory against bitter rivals and last season's winners Kenya Police at City Park.

The law enforcers only needed a draw to retain their gong but succumbed to a 2-1 loss forcing them to relinquish their crown on goal difference. 

Thanks to their goal scoring prowess, Butali snatched the trophy while tied on 60 points with Police.

The two sides had won 20 matches and lost two each but Butali ended their two-year trophy drought having scored more goals throughout the season.

It was sweet revenge for Butali as they hit Police, who had beaten them 3-0 in the first leg where it hurt most, denying them the bragging rights.

Butali coach Dennis Owoka was an elated man after the final whistle saying their hard work had finally paid off.

"We went into the match knowing too well what winning, drawing or losing meant. While even a draw was good enough for our opponents, it was a must win for as because only victory guaranteed us the trophy. We were determined to win," Owoka said.

Frank Wanangwe was the undisputed man-of-the-match bagging a brace against Police to see his side recapture the title they lost to Strathmore University Gladiators in 2016.

Wanangwe, who is a former Friends School Kamusunga player and Kenya International, put Butali in the lead three minutes before the end of the first quarter outsmarting the Police defence to slot in past goalkeeper Martin Agesa. 

With the trophy at stake, both sides played well as they hunted for goals but missed several scoring chances.

After numerous failed attempts, Amos Barkibir levelled for Police in the 50th minute but Wanangwe crashed their hopes of extending their reign with a 57th minute winner.

In the women's Premier League battle, Telkom ended their season with a 1-0 win over Strathmore University Scorpions.

Maureen Okumu scored the all-important goal in the 19th minute, which was enough for Telkom to win their 21st trophy and on an unbeaten run.

Chase Sailors, Kenyatta University Titans and Bungoma Farmers were also rewarded after excelling this season.

Sailors beat Multimedia University men 2-0 to win the Super League title while Titans were crowned women Super League champions.

The Standard Digital



Inverleith off to a winning start in Men’s Indoor title defence



Inverleith made a steady defence of their men`s National League 1 indoor title with victories over Grange, Clydesdale and Kelburne on the opening day of competition, but elsewhere there were shocks for rivals Grove Menzieshill and Dundee Wanderers.

Inverleith started with a narrow 2-1 scoreline over capital rivals Grange, although it was the champions who had most of the pressure during the contest.

Patrick Christie, who scored so many of Inverleith`s goals last indoor season, opened with a penalty corner strike in just six minutes. But almost immediately Clemens Rusnjak levelled for Grange, and that is how it stood at the interval.

Christie struck again in the second half from open play which proved to be the winner despite the scare from a late Grange penalty corner which just failed to provide an equaliser.

Their second encounter against Clydesdale proved an easier hurdle with a comfortable 8-3 win. The champions were 7-2 ahead at the interval, Stephen Dick, Stuart Hatton and Christie gave them a three goal lead only for Clydesdale`s Andrew Allan and Ben Cosgrove to pull the score back to 3-2. But by the interval Inverleith`s tally had advanced to seven, Dick got another two for his hat-trick, Christie got his second and Craig Sinclair added the other.

The second half was a more sedate affair, Christie also notched his hat-trick while Chris McFadden scored for Clydesdale.

The Edinburgh side finished their day with a 16 goal victory over Kelburne, the tallies were Stuart Hatton (6), Patrick Christie (5) and Stephen Dick (4) while David Ogden completed the scoring.

20-times champions Grove Menzieshill were on the receiving end of a shock opening against Western Wildcats, they went down 7-5 in the end.

The catalyst of the Wildcats` victory came in the opening five minutes when Joe McConnell, Rob Harwood and Adam McKenzie gave them a telling three goal lead. Grove Menzieshill`s Cameron and Jamie Golden brought the scoreline back to 3-2 but the Wildcats put their paws on the gas to lead 5-2 at the interval, Andrew McConnell and Fraser Moran were on target.

Grove Menzieshill again dragged themselves back into the contest with penalty corner strikes from Ben Cromar and Olly James for 5-4. But the Wildcats were not to be denied, McKenzie and Moran again found the net for 7-4, Jamie Golden`s late counter proved to be simply a consolation.

Grove Menzieshill recovered their composure to beat Dunfermline 6-1.

There was a bit of a shock also in store for Dundee Wanderers, in their opening encounter the Taysiders succumbed 3-2 to newcomers Dunfermline Carnegie in an affair that bespoke of several cards.

It was 1-1 at the interval, Andrew Doyle`s penalty corner strike was cancelled out by Bobby Ralph from the spot. In the second half there was a further exchange of goals, Ralph got his second while Paul Weston scored for Dunfermline. The contest reached a hiatus in the closing minutes, Dunfermline`s Neil Robertson received a straight red card, then Doyle secured the points with the winning strike in the final minute. Wanderers also paid the penalty for some set piece slackness, both Sean Dowie and Ralph in his second attempt failed from the spot at key moments in the contest, that might have just made the difference for the Taysiders.

However, like their Tayside counterparts Wanderers restored some pride with a 4-3 victory over Wildcats in their second outing. The latter looked on course for their second triumph of the day with a 2-0 interval advantage, Andrew McConnell and Rhury Smith were on target.

Wanderers retaliated in style in the second half with Sean Dowie (2), Euan Borland and Callum Ross scoring four while only Joe McConnell added to the Wildcats` tally.

In the second match of the day Grange picked up their first points of the season with a 3-1 victory over Kelburne, all three were scored by Dan Coultas – all from open play.

Elsewhere Clydesdale opened their account with a comfortable 9-2 victory over Kelburne, Fraser Hirst scored a hat-trick and there were two each for Chris McFadden, Gordon Amour and Struan Walker.

Scottish Hockey Union media release



Vale Rowan Dick

Ben Somerford



Hockey Australia is saddened to learn of the passing of former Australian national player Rowan Dick.

Rowan was originally from Burnie, Tasmania, before relocating to Sydney in 1978. He represented Australia from 1977 to 1979.

He was a forward who scored seven goals for Australia, including on his debut against New Zealand in Perth on 25 November 1977.

Rowan also represented Australia at the fourth-ever World Cup in Buenos Aires in 1978, where he scored two goals and the side finished third.

He also competed at the first-ever Champions Trophy in Lahore in 1978, where he again scored two goals and the side were runners-up.

Hockey Australia sends its sincere condolences to his family at this emotional time. He is survived by wife Cathy and three children.

Hockey Australia media release

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