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All the news for Sunday 7 April 2019

2019 FIH Pro League (Men) - 7 April

6 Apr 2019 ARG v GBR (RR) 1 - 5 Estadio Mundialista, Rosario

Live streaming and full game replay on https://fih.live (Geo blocked if there is TV coverage)

Unofficial Pool standings

* A cancelled match contributes 1 point to each team's results that is not shown in the tables as a cancelled mach
The FIH inexplicably and confusingly use a system not used in any other sports League in the World, of making the Percentage more important than Points until the end of the League when they will revert to Points only. Fieldhockey.com prefers to use the conventional Points and so the Unofficial Pool Standings on this site are reflected in this manner.

FIH Match Centre

2019 FIH Pro League (Women) - 7 April

6 Apr 2019 ARG v GBR (RR) 4 - 2 Estadio Mundialista, Rosario
7 Apr 2019 15:30 (GMT +2) BEL v CHN (RR) Royal Uccle Sport, Brussels

Live streaming and full game replay on https://fih.live (Geo blocked if there is TV coverage)

Unofficial pool standings

The FIH inexplicably and confusingly use a system not used in any other sports League in the World, of making the Percentage more important than Points until the end of the League when they will revert to Points only. Fieldhockey.com prefers to use the conventional Points and so the Unofficial Pool Standings on this site are reflected in this manner.

FIH Match Centre

Olympic champions both lose as Great Britain men and Argentina women triumph in Rosario



The reigning men’s and women’s Olympic champions both suffered losses on Match Day 30 of the FIH Pro League, with Great Britain’s men and Argentina’s women emerging triumphant as the two nations face each other at the Estadio Mundialista in Rosario, Argentina.

Great Britain men claimed a thoroughly comprehensive victory over hosts Argentina, defeating the Rio 2016 Olympic gold medallists 5-1 to move into second place in the FIH Pro League standings. Alan Forsyth and Phil Roper both hit doubles to move GB level on points with Belgium, having claimed 75 percent of the points available to them so far in the competition. Defeat for Argentina sees them drop down to fifth position in the standings, with Germany moving up to fourth.

Argentina’s women avenged the loss suffered by their male counterparts by beating reigning Olympic champions Great Britain 4-2, with Julieta Jankunas scoring twice as Las Leonas won a fifth successive match and moved ahead of the Netherlands at the top of the women’s standings. Great Britain currently lie seventh in the table.

Great Britain’s men (FIH World Ranking: 7) were both disciplined and clinical in their success against Argentina (WR:4), with the visiting team taking complete control of the game in the second quarter. Alan Forsyth won and converted a penalty stroke midway through the period, before Sam Ward slammed a fierce penalty corner drag-flick inside the left post after he himself had been fouled in the Argentinean circle.

Argentina were on the ropes in the early stages of the third quarter and found themselves 3-0 down when Phil Roper tapped in after a crucial intervention from Liam Ansell, who stopped Los Leones from clearing their lines after Ward had stung the hands of Argentina goalkeeper Juan Vivaldi with a powerful backhand strike.

The host - who were without attacking stars Lucas Vila and Maico Casella as well as long-term absentee Gonzalo Peillat - stepped up their game after GB’s third goal and reduced the deficit when veteran striker Matias Paredes fired home from close range. However, hopes of a comeback ended just seconds after Argentina goalkeeper Vivaldi was replaced with an outfield player. The bold tactical move that has so often reaped rewards backfired on this occasion, with Forsyth and Roper claiming their second goals of the game with expert, albeit unchallenged, finishes to give Great Britain a wonderful 5-1 victory away from home.

“Playing Argentina on their home patch is pretty tough, so I think it’s great to have a win”, said Player of the Match Alan Forsyth. “Even when we didn’t have the right tempo early on, we stuck at it and we sneaked a goal to settle us down. Winning away is very tough, especially coming to a place where we have never played before as a team, against the reigning Olympic champions. It’s a great win for the team and we can now step forward against Germany [in Mönchengladbach, GER] in a couple of weeks.”

Argentina’s women (WR:4) came into their meeting against reigning Olympic champions Great Britain (WR:2) as heavy favourites, having won four successive FIH Pro League matches without conceding a goal. The were certainly the better team in the opening period and could easily have been two goals ahead, with Maria Granatto swinging and missing from close range before seeing another effort cleared off the goal-line by British defender Giselle Ansley.

It seemed only a matter of time before Las Leonas took the lead, which they duly did four minutes before half time when Julieta Jankunas cracked an unstoppable backhand strike into the bottom right corner after a swift breakaway. Just two minutes later, Argentina’s lead - and goalkeeper Belen Succi’s remarkable four-and-a-half game, 234 minute run without conceding - came to an end thanks to a glorious penalty corner from Grace Balsdon, who sent an unstoppable drag-flick into the roof of the Argentine net to leave the sides level at the break.

The third quarter well and truly belonged to the home favourites, who scored two unanswered goals to open up a 3-1 lead. Jankunas scored her second backhand effort of the game before Victoria Zuloaga drilled a penalty corner strike against the GB backboard.

The result was put beyond all doubt with arguably the best goal of the game, Maria Granatto producing a brilliant deflection to float the ball over GB goalkeeper Nicola Cochrane after some magical set-up play down the right from Eugenia Trinchinetti. A cool finish from Great Britain’s Sarah Jones completed the scoring at 4-2, as Argentina moved to the top of the FIH Pro League standings for the first time.

“It was a difficult match, but I think we played very good”, said Player of the Match Julieta Jankunas, with team-mate Eugenia Trinchinetti acting as translator. “We did the things that we needed to do so we are very happy. The winning is very important for us. To play here [in Rosario] is a really beautiful atmosphere.”

The FIH Pro League continues on Sunday 7 April as Belgium’s women face China at the Royal Uccle Sports complex in Brussels.

FIH Pro League

6 April - Rosario, Argentina


Result: Men’s Match 23
Argentina 1, Great Britain 5
Player of the Match: Alan Forsyth (GBR)

Umpires: Jakub Mejzlik (CZE), Ben Goentgen (GER) & Alison Keogh (IRL - Video)


Result: Women’s Match 29
Argentina 4, Great Britain 2
Player of the Match: Julieta Jankunas (ARG)

Umpires: Laurine Delforge (BEL), Alison Keogh (IRL) & Jakub Mejzlik (CZE - Video)

#FIHProLeague

Official FIH Pro League Site

Britain's men put Olympic Champions to the sword in superb win


Great Britain's men celebrate against Argentina in the FIH Pro League

Great Britain's earned an historic win away to Argentina by putting five past the Olympic champions in Rosario.

Britain's brand of attacking hockey was on full show, and scoring five against Argentina on their own patch was no mean feat. With 17 goals scored in four games, Britain now have the best goals-per-game ratio in the league.

Britain started well and only two saves from Juan Vivaldi prevented an early goal for the visitors. Having celebrated his 27th birthday the day before, Alan Forsyth got the ball rolling in the second quarter, winning and then converting a penalty stroke after his goalbound effort hit a foot on the line.

Sam Ward then made it two with a superb drag flick, giving Vivaldi no chance on his right hand side, and putting Britain in an excellent position at half time.

Their lead was further strengthened on 37 minutes, Phil Roper scoring with a simple finish after Ward's shot was blocked. It could then have been four when Liam Ansell did superbly on the run but Argentina just about saw off the danger.

With GB down to ten because of a card, Argentina got something of a foothold in the game and Paredes smacked home to make it 3-1. Second half 'keeper Harry Gibson had a bit of work to do, but with the likes of David Ames in front of him, the entire GBR team put their bodies on the line defensively.

With Vivaldi withdrawn in the final minutes, GB took advantage, first Forsyth scoring from the edge of the box, and although the goal was empty he still showed excellent skill to turn home James Gall's pass. Then a moment later Roper again found the empty net to make it 5-1 and seal a super victory.

Next up Britain are away to Germany, before their first home match in London on Saturday 4 May against Spain. With this type of dynamic hockey, it's bound to be an exciting occasion at Lee Valley Hockey and Teniis Centre.

Argentina 1
Allessie (22', PC)

Great Britain 5
Forsyth (20', PS) (56', FG)
Ward (26', PC)
Roper (37', FG) (57', FG)

Players used: Pinner (GK), Gibson (GK), Willars, Ames, Weir, Forsyth, Sloan, Hoare, Ward, Roper, Dixon (c), Creed, Ansell, Condon, Morton, Waller, Gall, Wallace

Great Britain Hockey media release

Great Britain dominate in big win over Olympic champions Argentina but women lose 4-2


GB players celebrate Sam Ward's goal against Argentina

Alan Forsyth and Phil Roper scored two apiece as Great Britain dominated Olympic champions Argentina in a 5-1 victory in the FIH Pro League.

Forsyth's penalty stroke opened the scoring before Sam Ward doubled GB's lead from a penalty corner.

Roper tapped in from close range for GB's third before Matias Paredes pulled a goal back for the hosts in Rosario.

But Forsyth and Roper scored their second goals in quick succession in the final quarter to wrap up the win.

Danny Kerry's side are now third in the standings with Roper having scored five goals in their opening four matches of the FIH Pro League.

Later on Saturday, GB's women lost 4-2 to Argentina, with Grace Balsdon and Sarah Jones scoring the Olympic champions' goals.

Their next fixture is against Germany in Moenchengladbach on 24 April, before the men's teams go head-to-head four days later.

On 27 April, the women's team play their first home game, at London's Olympic Park, against the United States, while the men must wait until 4 May to play in front of a home crowd, when they face Spain.

BBC Sport

2019 Test Matches: MAS v IND (W) - 2nd Test
Kuala Lumpur

MAS v IND     0 - 5

FIH Match Centre

Pitch outshines home side who go down again to India

By Jugjet Singh


The national women’s hockey squad players practice on their penalty corner taking skills which they will need to sharpen even further as they play mighty India in a Five Test Series, with the Third Test taking place tomorrow (Monday) at 8pm at the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil.

KUALA LUMPUR: The national women’s hockey team had another bad day on the playing field when they went down 5-0 to India in the Second Test yesterday (Saturday) at the newly refurbished National Hockey Stadium here in Bukit Jalil.

However, there were some positive notes not only for coach K. Dharmaraj’s charges, but the newly-laid blue pitch as well.

Heavy rain delayed the match by an hour, not because the pitch was water logged, but because of thunder and lightning.

The pitch, which was re-laid for the men’s FIH Series Finals which takes place from April 26 to May 4, came out unscathed despite the bashing from the harsh weather, as it withstood heavy rain and never flooded. Infact, it looked like it did not at all rain heavily just before the match.

The Malaysian women had a lion’s share of action and opportunities during the Second Test, including penalty corners, but missed at the last pass as usual.

India were not that impressive either but against the hosts, proved to be sharp in the semi-circle and their goals were scored by Navjot Kaur (2nd minute), K. Vandana (20th), Navneet Kaur (29th), Lalremsiami (54th) and Nikki Pradhan (55th).

On a positive note: “The pitch has been well laid and even though heavy rains punded it for more than an hour, it still somehow managed to remain ‘dry’ and even playable despite the heavy downpour,” said Dharmaraj.

And back to the match: “It is never easy playing a world class team, and we did everything right except to be sharp in the semi-circle. India were extremely sharp and alert, and the scoreline reflects their standing.

“However in every match, lose, win or draw, it’s important for us to keep on trying to get as close as possible to match our opposition like India in the remaining matches.”

For the record, Malaysia lost the First Test 3-0 and will play the Third Test tomorrow (Monday) at 8pm at the same venue.

New Straits Times

The stage is set for the Grand Finals after an amazing day of hockey



It was an incredible day of action as the Grand Finals matches were confirmed after some brilliant hockey, and big results, in the play-offs.

Victories in today`s men’s play-offs for Grange and Grove Menzieshill has ensured that both clubs will contest European competition next season, all that still has to be decided is who will occupy the number one slot.

In the women`s competition league winners Edinburgh University will still be in Europe next season despite losing 1-0 to Western Wildcats. As a result the top European spot will be decided by next weekend`s final between Wildcats, their first ever Grand Finals appearance in a European Grand Finals match, and Clydesdale Western, the latter saw off Dundee Wanderers 5-3 in a goal feast at Titwood.

After a goalless first 20 minutes Grange men took the lead with a penalty corner conversion by Frank Ryan. The same player added a second several minutes later after Dylan Bean had created the opening with a good move up the left.

The chance of an Uddingston comeback emerged at the start of the second half when Ben Ferguson found the net with a rebound strike at a set piece. But within a couple of minutes Dan Coultas restored Grange`s two goal advantage after Robbie Shepherdson had created the opening. Todd Mills put the icing on the cake with a fourth following good play down the right by Duncan Riddell and James Nairn.

Grove Menzieshill will be the other finalists in the men’s competition after a 3-2 win over Western Wildcats, the catalyst was a last minute winner from Cameron Golden just coming back from injury.

Chris Moon`s first time shot put Grove Menzieshill ahead but Rob Harwood levelled for Western Wildcats following a scramble in the circle.

A breakaway strike from Fraser Moran gave Western Wildcats a 2-1 lead in the second half, but back came the Dundonians with a strike from Ben Cosgrove. The tie hung in the balance until Golden coolly picked his spot before putting the ball to the keeper`s left for the winner and a place in Europe.

In the women’s play offs, league champions Edinburgh University were the victims of a big 1-0 reversal at the hands of fourth placed Western Wildcats. It was an even first half where both sides created good chances.

The game’s only goal came from a penalty conversion by McKenzie Bell ten minutes into the second half, and it prompted her side to kick on and take control from there. Both goalkeepers, Jayne McLaughlin and Katie Goddard, had tremendous matches and kept the game close with top quality saves. Uni went to kicking back as the game came to a close but Wildcats held on for the win.

It was a sensational victory for Western Wildcats and will see them take to the pitch at the Glasgow National Hockey Centre for the first time competing in a Grand Finals contest. The team will be without doubt full of confidence after the victory and the scene is set for a huge women’s final showdown. But who would they be up against?

The other tie was an eight goal thriller with Clydesdale Western emerging 5-3 winners over Dundee Wanderers.  The Titwood-based side went three up at the interval, Naomi Harkness, Emma McGregor and Fran Lonergan were on target, while Charlotte Watson from the spot got the Wanderers goal.

Sophia Free and Watson again brought the score back to 3-3 only for Harkness, scoring again, and Ali Eadie striking from the spot to secure the victory for Clydesdale Western. The Grand Final is set to be an absolute cracker with both sides on top form.

In the men`s relegation play-offs both Hillhead and Kelburne retained their top flight status.

Graeme Campbell was the catalyst with two goals in Hillhead`s 3-1 win over National League 2’s Dunfermline Carnegie, the first came from a close range shot followed by a reverse stick effort that found the bottom corner of the net. Jude Boselem added a third with a reverse stick shot into the roof of the net. Dunfermline finally scored at a counter-attack, but it proved little more than a consolation.

Kelburne went to Watsonians and came away with a 2-1 victory, Gary Maitles and Miles Goldie scored for the Paisley outfit, Andrew Fraser-Harris replied for the home side.

GHK retained their National League 1 status with a single goal victory over Glasgow University. GHK bossed the first half but came up against a well organised and impeccable defence. Connie Lathe came close for Glasgow Uni but Ali Westwood was comfortable in goal for GHK. In the second half the impressive Lynsey Waddell and Susan McGilveray were both unlucky to not open the scoring after being denied by some top class saves, as they pressed for a goal. In an absolute nail-biter of a finish, with running penalties looming, Carly Bisset scored the winner with just 20 seconds remaining to grab a sensational victory and retain National League 1 hockey for GHK next season.

Hillhead did the same with a 2-1 win over National League 2 Erskine Stewarts Melville. This sets up a massive relegation clash between Glasgow University and Erskine Stewarts Melville next weekend in what is sure to be a tasty contest at the Glasgow National Hockey Centre.

Grand Finals 2019

10:00 – Women’s relegation/promotion match – Glasgow University v ESM
12:00 – Men’s relegation/promotion match – Watsonians v Dunfermline Carnegie
14:00 – Women’s Grand Final – Clydesdale Western v Western Wildcats
16:00 – Men’s Grand Final – Grange v Grove Menzieshill

Scottish Hockey Union media release