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All the news for Friday 7 June 2019

FIH Men's Series Finals Bhubaneswar Odisha 2019 - Day 2
Bhubaneswar (IND)

Fixtures (GMT +5.30)

6 Jun 2019 08:45     RSA v USA (Pool B)     0 - 2
6 Jun 2019 17:00     POL v UZB (Pool A)     4 - 0
6 Jun 2019 19:00     IND v RUS (Pool A)     10 - 0

7 Jun 2019 08:45     JPN v MEX (Pool B)     3 - 1
7 Jun 2019 17:00     RUS v UZB (Pool A)
7 Jun 2019 19:00     POL v IND (Pool A)

8 Jun 2019 17:00     USA v MEX (Pool B)
8 Jun 2019 19:00     JPN v RSA (Pool B)

Pool standings

Pool A

Pool B

FIH Match Centre

India wallops Russia to ten zero

s2h Team



Taking a firm step towards top podium finish, India walloped Russia 10-0 in its first match on Day I of FIH Men's Series Final in Bhubneswar. Earlier in the opening day, the USA stunned higher ranked South Africa with a spirited 2-0 success after which Poland made mincemeat of Uzbekistan (5-0) for their day under the sun. )Opening day saw none of the losing side post even a token goal.

India scored a token goal in the first quarter, two in the next before amassing five in the third when Russia actually pressed hard before a brace in the last session saw them pile up double digit victory.

Akashdeep Singh and Harmanpreet Singh struck a brace while Nilakanta Sharma, Amit Rohidos, Vivek Prasad, Gursahibjit Singh, Varun Kumar and Simranjeet Singh posted a goal apiece.

Russia could not withstand faster india's co-ordinated moves.

However, they had their patch in the last three minutes of third quarter. A forward swept in air when the ball was just plumb in front of the cage with goalie beaten already. The near goal was lost in that excited moments after which ever-present Surender Kumar cleared the danger ball out of danger.

within a minute from this, the red shirts got their only penalty corner of the match. The striker just flicked above cross bar to lose the god-send opportunity.

Nilakanta Sharma, who struck the India's second goal which opened the floodgates subsequently, was fittingly declared Man of the Match.

Manpreet Singh was honest in his post match tele-interview when he said that he expected tough contest considering their practice games here, but was happy to win the opener impressive.

"We expected a tight match. We saw them on some practice matches, they were really good. We got many opportunities and availed them. Happy to win impressively against the good crowd", the captain who was playing his milestone 250th match said.

Stick2Hockey.com

India starts off with a goal glut against a hapless Russia

The 10-0 scoreline, however, doesn’t do justice to the dominance displayed by the hosts

Uthra Ganesan


In control: Akashdeep Singh, who scored a brace, makes his way forward into Russian territory.

He trapped, turned and flicked in a perfect reverse hit into the net past a hapless Ivan Ozherelev to round off the tally. India’s 10th goal of the game by Akashdeep Singh was a perfect display of what the Indian men’s hockey team is capable of, when on song.

It took time to get into that rhythm though, in its opening game of the Hockey Series Finals against Russia at the Kalinga Stadium here on Thursday.

Below par

The 10-0 scoreline though was below par for the complete dominance the team displayed and the number of chances it created. To be fair, the Indians hardly exerted themselves through the game. It was still a walk in the park.

The last time the two teams faced off was 11 years ago, at the Olympic qualifying tournament for the 2008 Games, when India won 8-0. But that was also the beginning of the darkest period for Indian hockey with the team failing to travel to Beijing for the first time ever in the Games’ history.

World and Indian hockey is no longer the same but the first half showed glimpses of one of Indian hockey’s longest running malaise — too much keenness on showing off skills.

The team went into half time with a 3-0 lead but had missed half a dozen chances, both open and through penalty corners, in those 30 minutes, getting the passes and the shots at goal too late or too wayward.

Captain Manpreet Singh had said the team had worked on its finishing but the rough edges were evident. Russia is no tricky customer but it did manage to keep a semblance of discipline in its defence despite India dominating every aspect of the game including possession.

Coach Graham Reid was visibly dissatisfied at half time walking into the dressing room. The team that walked out in the 3rd quarter was different. There was more structure, less holding on and more purpose. Practice was over and it was time to get down to business. And the team began playing like World No. 5.

Aberration

Sumit, Nilakanta Sharma and Manpreet kept feeding high, Simranjit and Mandeep kept getting into position and Gursahibjit continued to impress even as Russia was reduced to a spectator, chasing the ball and the Indians across the field, without success. It did earn a penalty corner in the 42nd minute but that was an aberration.

India coach Graham Reid, meanwhile, admitted he wasn’t too happy with the way the team began. “We could have scored more in that first quarter and we did give away a few loose space to them at that time. It was something I spoke about at quarter time but it is also very difficult to judge a game against a team like Russia,” said Reid.

“You don’t play against them too often at the national level and so you prepare well for them and do your best. But it isn’t easy to plan.”

Manpreet, playing his 250th game, agreed that the team would look to shore up its finishing in the upcoming games. “We know Poland is a very defensive team. We started off with a few missed chances but improved as the game progressed,” he said.

In another Pool A match, Poland had an easy 4-0 victory against minnows Uzbekistan. The tournament opener in the morning, though, produced the first upset of the competition with USA winning 2-0 against a higher ranked and more experienced South Africa in Pool B.

The results:

USA 2 (Christian D. Angelis, Paul Singh) bt South Africa 0; Poland 4 (Mateusz Hulboj 2, Pawel Bratkowski 2) bt Uzbekistan 0; India 10 (Harmanpreet Singh 2, Akashdeep Singh 2, Simranjeet Singh, Amit Rohidas, Varun Kumar, Nilakanta Sharma, Gursahibjit Singh, Vivek Prasad) bt Russia 0.

The Hindu

Harmanpreet Singh, Akashdeep Singh score brace as India thump Russia 10-0 in opening contest


India displayed a professional effort against Russia on Thursday. Image courtesy: Twitter/@TheHockeyIndia

Favourites India demolished hapless Russia 10-0 in their opening match of the FIH Series Finals hockey tournament to start their 2020 Olympics qualification campaign on a rousing note here Thursday.

Dragflicker Harmanpreet Singh (32nd, 48th) and striker Akashdeep Singh (41st, 55th minutes) scored a brace each for India, while Nilkanata Sharma (13th), Simranjeet Singh (19th), Amit Rohidas (20th), Varun Kumar (33rd), Gursahibjit Singh (38th) and Vivek Sagar Prasad (45th) were the other goal-getters for the home team in the lop-sided Pool B encounter.

Even though their goal was never threatened once in the first two quarters, the Indians were slow to get off the blocks, especially against a side which is ranked 22nd in the world.

The Indian forwardline looked a little complacent in the first half as it failed to finish off the moves on quite a few occasions.

But still it was one-way traffic as India controlled the proceedings from the word go.

As early as the third minute, India earned back-to-back penalty corners but both went in vain with Harmanpreet striking the top upright of the Russian goal in the second effort.

It took world no. 5 India 13 minutes to break the deadlock when Nilkanta deflected in Akshdeep Singh's push from top of the D.

Seconds later Nilkanta was once again in the thick of things but his try from top of the circle was saved by Russian goalkeeper Marat Gafarov.

India doubled their lead in the 19th minute through Simranjeet who scored from a rebound after Sumit's reverse hit was saved by the Russian goalie.

A minute later India secured their third penalty corner and Rohidas made no mistake in slotting the ball home to hand his side a 3-0 lead.

The hosts secured another short corner before the halfway break but failed to utilise it.

But the Indians changed gear after cross over and toyed with the Russian defence to score goals at will.

Harmanpreet and Varun first converted two penalty corners in consecutive minutes before Gursahibjit and Akshdeep scored two field goals in the 38th and 41st minutes respectively.

Young Prasad also registered his name in the scoresheet before Harmanpreet sounded the board again from a penalty corner.

Akashdeep scored his second goal of the day five minutes from the final hooter to complete the rout.

India will play Poland in their second pool match on Friday.

Firstpost

Graham Reid: It is difficult to judge games against Russia

Uthra Ganesan


Graham Reid was far from happy with India's performance against Russia despite the 10-0 win on Thursday.   -  Hockey India Twitter

The Indian team had an easy outing in its opening game of the FIH Series Finals against Russia on Thursday but coach Graham Reid admitted he wasn’t too happy with the way the team began its campaign. India was rusty to begin with and could only manage a single goal in the first 15 minutes despite creating numerous chances.

“We could have scored more in that first quarter and we did give away a few loose spaces to them at that time. It was something I spoke about at quarter time but it is also very difficult to judge a game against a team like Russia. You don’t play against them too often at the international level and so you prepare well for them and do your best. But it isn’t easy to plan,” Reid said after the 10-0 victory.

Captain Manpreet Singh, playing his 250th game, agreed that the team would look to shore up its finishing in the upcoming games.

“We know Poland is a very defensive team and we did start off with a few missed chances but improved as the game progressed. We would be looking to keep improving in the upcoming games,” he said.

India will face world no 21 Poland on Friday at the Kallinga Stadium as it looks to put on foot in the semifinal by topping Pool A. The match begins at 7 pm (IST).

Sportstar

Stats Speak: Biggest ever wins of India against Russia

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


Indian captain Manpreet Singh earned 250th cap during India-Russia match in Bhubaneswar. Photo courtesy Hockey India

India and Russia (erstwhile USSR) came together in field hockey during preparation of Moscow Olympics (1980). Successor of USSR - Russia and India had played 27 international matches till date. In Bhubaneswar India achieved biggest ever win (10-0) over Russia.

Previously India beat Russia 8-0 in Santiago Olympic Qualifier (2008).From1979 to disintegration of USSR in 1991; USSR  was a formidable force in field hockey. In 1983 Amsterdam European Nations Cup Russian lost the title match in tie breaker against mighty Dutch.

In women European Nations Cup (Lillie-1984) Russian ladies won the silver. Natela Krasnikova has a record of most goals in single tourney (19goals in1984 tournament) in the history of European Nations Cup.

Soviet brothers Sergei and Vladimir Plashakov (twins) have a unique distinction of being Olympic Hockey medalists (bronze in Moscow 1980).

Here are other statistical highlights:

India- Russia (includes USSR) head to head:

 Fieldhockey.com

USA Goalie: Hope not to meet India in the semis

s2h Team



Johanthan Klages could have had a field day in the first match against higher-ranked opponent South Africa, but the USA goalkeeper is nervous to play India. Playing his first major international tournament, Klages played a crucial role in defending as many as nine penalty corners against South Africa.

His superb saving abilities coupled with alert defence helped USA win the match 2-0.

“Honestly, I was very nervous about playing here. I have played the World Series in Mexico, but this is my first major international tournament. I am glad we won against South Africa,” Klages says.

“Basically we were told that when you are you are playing as a lower ranked team, you don’t have to lose anything. Instead, somebody else need to prove that they are higher-ranked,” he reveals.

A good start would be the best way USA might have planned their outing, but the team is keeping itself grounded. “This is the past and now we need to look up at other matches. We have put in a lot of work for this moment. We better come up as a surprise.”

However, their dream being playing the finals, Klages hopes not to meet the Indian side.

“We have to prep up like we did for South Africa. In the semi-final, I hope we don’t meet India because we really want to play the final,” he laughs off.

The prevailing hot weather is a concern for all teams, but it seems things are improving a bit.

“Thankfully, we have got a bit used to the weather here. The first two days were tough. I couldn’t move without getting tired. It is still hot but it is a bit more comfortable than before."

Perhaps Klegs is thoroughly acclimatized.

Stick2Hockey.com

Wilson’s Olympic vision comes into focus at Banbridge

By John Flack


Zoe Wilson with brother Dean, mum Debbie, dad Robert.

The sight of Antrim woman Zoe Wilson wearing a broad smile and proudly peering through a pair of goggles while clutching her silver medal was among the many unforgettable images at the women’s World Cup in London last August.

Now Zoe has her sights firmly fixed on a new target, as Ireland set out on the road to Tokyo with the first stage of the Olympic qualification process kicking off at Banbridge against Malaysia on Saturday.

Wilson (22) became the first bespectacled female player to have competed in a World Cup final although hockey anoraks will point out that two men from India and the Netherlands also wore glasses when competing on the same stage many years ago.

The Belfast Harlequins defender suffers from an eye disorder that makes wearing contact lenses difficult, just like Dutch football legend Edgar Davids, who has glaucoma.

However, Zoe feels perfectly comfortable using the cycling-style goggles and, contrary to what people might think, she has no problems with peripheral vision or when it rains.

With temperatures soaring into the mid-30s in London during the World Cup, the constant sunshine did, however, pose a few difficulties.

Wilson explained: “My eye condition is sporadic but can be aggravated by direct sunlight, so I originally looked into sports goggles as a back up to contact lenses.”

“I went to Vision Express in Ballymena and the staff there were very knowledgeable and recommended the Oakley sports glasses with my prescription that I now wear.

“They are mainly used for cycling but the advantage of them is that the design has excellent peripheral vision.

“Some people feel a certain stigma with wearing glasses, especially in a sport where it is not a common appearance.

“I am allowed to occasionally wear contact lenses but the goggles are so comfortable that I have chosen to wear them as a preference.

“They fit perfectly and are secure on my head while the lens provides a wider field of vision which is essential for playing hockey.

“The glasses have small vents to assist with minimal steaming up, so I haven’t had any difficulty when it rains.

“I had to seek permission from the different hockey governing bodies to get approval to wear them, as they are not yet commonly used on the international scene.

“Post World Cup, I received numerous messages from people inquiring about the glasses and where they could purchase them. I am very grateful to have a partnership with Vision Express.”

Wilson will therefore not be complaining if the weather forecast proves correct and the sun stays away during the bulk of the FIH Hockey series event at Havelock Park.

Ireland, in theory, should have little difficulty in securing the top-two finish they require to progress to the next step on the road to Tokyo, with games against lower-ranked Czech Republic and Singapore to follow the opener.


Wilson in her trademark glasses. Pic: Adrian Boehm

However, Wilson, who has 83 caps, expects the Malaysia game to be tough despite the fact Ireland beat them 3-0 in a World Cup qualifier in the steamy heat of Kuala Lumpur early last year.

She added: “They are a good team and since we last played them, we have changed our style of play and also improved a lot on things and so we expect that they will have done likewise.”

“It will be our first international game on home soil since the World Cup so we are buzzing to get out there and play the way we know we can with all our supporters cheering us on.

“There will be no easy games in this tournament and although we are the highest-ranked team, we know that rankings count for nothing.

“It will be a matter of the team that plays the best on the day and puts the most goals away, so we will have to bring our A game, which is something we are looking forward to.

“The buzz around the World cup is still around hockey which is great, but we firmly have put the summer 2018 success on the back burner and are fully focussed on qualifying for the Olympics.”

Women’s FIH Series Finals (all at Banbridge)
Saturday, June 8
Group A: Ireland v Malaysia, 3pm; Czech Republic v Singapore, 5pm
Group B: Korea v Ukraine, 11am; Scotland v France, 1pm

Sunday, June 9
Group A: Ireland v Czech Republic, 3pm; Malaysia v Singapore, 5pm
Group B: France v Ukraine, 11am; Scotland v Korea, 1pm

The Hook

Malaysia hope for luck against Irish

By By Jugjet Singh

KUALA LUMPUR: While Ireland are looking to qualify for their maiden Olympics, the Malaysian women’s dream is just to make the second round in November.

Coach K. Dharmaraj’s charges will be up against World No 8 and hosts Ireland in their opening FIH Series Finals match in Banbridge, Northern Ireland, on Saturday (June 8), and it’s going to be an uphill battle all the way.

In the Banbridge pre-Olympic Qualifier, Malaysia (World No 22) are in Group A with Ireland (8th), the Czech Republic (19th) and Singapore (35th).

Group B comprises South Korea (11th), Scotland (18th), Ukraine (26th) and France (30th).

Malaysia, due to their low world ranking, must end the tournament as finalists if they want to play in the final round of the Olympic Qualifier in November.

“The last time we played Ireland was in 2017 (in the World League Round Two) and we settled for a silver (losing 3-0 in the final).

“We have never beaten them in the last four encounters, but the score was never more than 3-0. I believe we have what it takes to pull off a surprise as my girls showed tremendous grit in the Test matches against Spain and Italy,” said Dharmaraj, who will be counting on four teenagers to keep the Malaysian dream afloat.

The youngest is Kirandeep Kaur, 15, while the other three are 18-year-olds Nur Amirah Zulkifli, Nur Maizatulhanim Syafi and Siti Zulaikha Husain.

“I selected these four young players after they displayed good commitment in training as well as in matches and I believe they will not let me down,” said Dharmaraj.

Should Malaysia lose to Ireland, they must beat either the Czech Republic or Singapore to make the play-off to qualify for the semi-finals.

“We have a good chance of finishing second in our group, and then meet either Scotland or Ukraine in the cross-over.

“Once in the semi-finals, I expect to meet South Korea and that will be our final shot at qualifying for the second round,” said Dharmaraj.

After Ireland beat Malaysia the last time, the Green Machine went on to qualify for their first-ever World Cup and, amazingly, won a silver medal.

They were only stopped by the Netherlands, who hammered them 6-0 in the final.

And now, as Ireland dream of qualifying for their first Olympics, Malaysia are the first hurdle standing in their way.

MALAYSIAN matches:

June 8: Malaysia v Ireland (10pm).
June 9: Malaysia v Singapore (12midnight).
June 11: Malaysia v Czech Republic (7pm).

Note: Malaysian time.

New Straits Times

Headstrong veteran Surizan shows hockey team she’s worth sticking with



KUALA LUMPUR: Not even a head injury could stop seasoned campaigner Surizan Awang Noh (pic) from earning a place in the women’s FIH Series Finals, which begins in Banbridge, Ireland, tomorrow.

The midfielder suffered the injury in a three-nation match against Spain in Rome, Italy, last week.

National coach K. Dharmaraj took 20 players to a playing tour in Europe to prepare for the Series Finals, which is a qualifying tournament for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

He named the final squad of 18 for the eight-nation tournament in Banbridge yesterday.

Dharmaraj said that Surizan has made a steady recovery from the injury and she was back in training on Monday.

“She did not let the injury affect her performance in training and I included her in the Series Finals because of her good track record in tournaments.

“I dropped midfielder Nuraslinda (Said) because Surizan has shown more commitment in her performance,” said Dharmaraj.

“I’ve also included young forward Siti Zulaikha (Husain) for the Series Finals as I was impressed with her ability as she held her own against much bigger opponents in all the matches she played in the three-nation tournament in Europe.

“Although Siti is small-sized like men’s national defender Faiz Helmi Jali, she has shown maturity in her game and has a unique style of play,” said Dharmaraj.

The other player dropped is forward Nur Zafirah Aziz.

In preparation for the Series Finals, Malaysia played four tough matches and they won one, drew one and lost two.

On Tuesday, Malaysia outplayed Uddingston Club 8-2 in their last friendly match before they open their Group A campaign against Ireland at Banbridge Hockey Club.

Ireland are ranked eighth in the world and they finished runners-up to eventual champions Holland in the World Championships in London last year.

World No. 22 Malaysia’s other matches are against Singapore on Sunday and the Czech Republic on June 11.

Group B comprises South Korea, France, Ukraine and Scotland.

The top two teams from the tournament will advance into the playoff matches in October to qualify for next year’s Olympics.

THE SQUAD

Goalkeepers: Farah Ayuni Yahya, Mas Huzaimah Md Aziz.

Defenders: Siti Noor Amarina Ruhani (captain), Julaini Mohamad Din, Nuraini Abd Rashid, Raja Norsharina Raja Shahbuddin, Nurul Syafiqah Mat Isa, Noor Hasliza Md Ali.

Midfielders: Fatin Shafika Mahd Sukri, Fazilla Sylvester Silin, Wan Norfaiezah Md Saiuti, Surizan Awang Noh, Kirandeep Kaur.

Forwards: Hanis Nadiah Onn, Norazlin Sumantri, Nur Maizatulhanim Syafi Syeik Fuad, Nur Amirah Shakirah Zulkifli, Siti Zulaikha Husain.

The Star of Malaysia

2019 FIH Pro League (Men) - Weekend Fixtures

6 Jun 2019 19:30 (GMT +1)    GBR v GER (RR)     3 - 4     Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre, London
8 Jun 2019 13:30 (GMT +2)     BEL v NED (RR)     Wilrijkse Plein Antwerp, Antwerp
9 Jun 2019 14:00 (GMT +1)     GBR v AUS (RR)     Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre, London
9 Jun 2019 14:30 (GMT +2)     GER v NZL (RR)     Crefelder Hockey und Tennis Club, Krefeld
9 Jun 2019 16:00 (GMT +2)     NED v BEL (RR)     HC 's-Hertogenbosch, 's-Hertogenbosch
10 Jun 2019 19:30 (GMT +2)   GER v ESP (RR)     Crefelder Hockey Club, Krefeld

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 match
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) - Weekend fixtures

7 Jun 2019 19:30 (GMT +1)     GBR v GER (RR)     Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre, London
8 Jun 2019 15:30 (GMT +2)     BEL v NED (RR)     Wilrijkse Plein Antwerp, Antwerp
9 Jun 2019 12:00 (GMT +2)     GER v NZL (RR)     Crefelder Hockey Club, Krefeld
9 Jun 2019 13:30 (GMT +2)     NED v BEL (RR)     HC 's-Hertogenbosch, 's-Hertogenbosch
9 Jun 2019 16:00 (GMT +2)     GBR v AUS (RR)     Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre, London

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

FIH Match Centre

Thriller in London as Germany men come from behind to beat Great Britain



The crowd at London’s Lee Valley Hockey & Tennis Centre were treated to an astonishing FIH Pro League match on the evening of Thursday 6 June, as Germany men fought back from 2-0 and 3-2 to claim a remarkable 4-3 victory over Great Britain.

Trailing 3-2 going into the final quarter, world class strikes from Marco Miltkau and Timm Herzbruch gave Die Honamas a remarkable triumph away from home, a performance that has significantly impacted the FIH Pro League standings. The result sees Great Britain fall out of the top four down to sixth position, with Germany climbing to fifth ahead of four successive matches on home soil in Krefeld. A top four finish in the FIH Pro League comes with tickets to this month's FIH Pro League Grand Final in Amsterdam and also the FIH Olympic qualifiers, which take place later this year.

Both sides came into the clash at Lee Valley in buoyant mood following fine recent results, with Great Britain (FIH World Ranking: 7) having recorded an outstanding 3-1 away win against the Netherlands while Germany (WR:6) snatched a bonus point by winning a shoot-out against world champions Belgium in Antwerp.

Dieter Linnekogel had the first real opportunity of what would prove to be a mesmerising contest, firing into the pads of Great Britain goalkeeper George Pinner in the fourth minute. However, it was the home side who made the first mark on the score-board when Will Calnan - who limped off at the start of the second quarter with a suspected hamstring injury - scored his second goal in two matches, deflecting Henry Weir's pass between the head of Germany goalkeeper Tobias Walter and the crossbar.

Germany dominated the latter stages of the first period but it was the Britons who extended their lead thanks to Phil Roper, who squeezed his low penalty corner drag-flick between Walter and line defender Mathias Müller. However, Great Britain’s lead was cut in half when Johannes Grosse smashed home through a crowd of players before Fuchs almost levelled on the stroke of half time, hitting the post after the ingenuity of Timm Herzbruch caused chaos in the British circle.

The third quarter saw the action swinging frantically from one end of the field to the other. Florian Fuchs brutally punished GB for losing possession deep in their own territory, brilliantly guiding home a strike from Timur Oruz that was sailing wide of the target to level the scores at 2-2. Just as it seemed that Germany were about to take complete control, Sam Ward popped up to make it 3-3 with a cool reverse stick scoop after excellent work from the lively Harry Martin. Further goals were denied by crucial interventions from Walter and Ward, with the former making a solid save to deny a vicious strike from Alan Forsyth before the latter made a stunning goal-line clearance to deny Germany an equaliser ahead of the fourth quarter.

Germany were outstanding in the final period and scored two truly world class goals to win the game. Marco Miltkau hit an unbelievable strike into the top corner via the left post from the tightest of angles to tie the match at 3-3, with the winning goal arriving two minutes from time. Herzbruch was the scorer, collecting a pass into the circle on his reverse before unleashing a phenomenal backhand strike into the bottom left corner to give Germany a vital three points in their quest for a place in the Grand Final.

“Great Britain played really well in the first half and put a lot of pressure on us”, said Germany’s Florian Fuchs after the match. “It was a great performance to come back in the second half, and of course some great goals for the spectators. I think it was an amazing game to watch”.

Great Britain head coach Danny Kerry said: “Anyone watching for the first time would have thought ‘wow, what a sport’. That was proper game of hockey. We have to give credit to Germany, I think they deserved it, especially in the second half where we couldn’t keep possession for long enough and then they were lethal in their play.”

The race for the top four in the FIH Pro League continues on Friday 7th June with London’s Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre again the host venue as the women’s meeting between Great Britain and Germany.
 
FIH Pro League
6 June - London, England

Result: Men’s Match 39

Great Britain 3, Germany 4

Player of the Match: Marco Miltkau (GER)
Umpires: Marchin Grochal (POL), Coen van Bunge (NED) and Michelle Joubert (RSA - video)

Official FIH Pro League Site

GB men suffer late defeat to Germany


Adam Dixon celebrated his combined England and GB 250th cap

Two goals inside the final ten minutes consigned Great Britain’s men to a 4-3 defeat at the hands of Germany in the FIH Pro League.

A promising start saw the team go into the half-time break 2-1 up thanks to goals from Will Calnan and Phil Roper in a game which captain Adam Dixon made his 250th international appearance.

However, three second-half strikes from Florian Fuchs, Marco Miltkau and Timm Herzbruch cancelled out Sam Ward’s effort to ensure Germany would return home with maximum points.



Full report:

The first clear cut chance of the evening came with just under ten minutes on the clock after Calnan’s weaving run earned his side a penalty corner. From the set piece, Sam Ward’s ferocious attempt was well saved before James Gall’s follow up attempt went narrowly wide.

Great Britain weren’t to be denied for long as Calnan’s attacking threat saw the hosts take the lead less than a minute later as the forward diverted Henry Weir’s driven ball past the keeper and into the roof of the net.

As the opening quarter drew to a close Germany had back-to-back penalty corners, with George Pinner making a smart save with the right foot to maintain the early advantage.

The second quarter started with the same high intensity as the first, Ward again coming close from a corner only to find Tobias Walter standing firm in goal.

Great Britain were able to double their lead mid-way through the quarter as Roper struck from a penalty corner with his flick nestling perfectly into the side-netting.



The visitors did manage to pull one back on the stroke of half-time, Johannes Grosse firing past Pinner with a powerful strike.

Within a minute of the restart Germany caught GB in possession just outside the D and made them pay, lashing the ball in with an unstoppable strike to restore parity.

GB struck back immediately after, Ward was given too much time in the circle and calmly scooped the ball over the ‘keeper with the reverse stick to take a 3-2 lead.

Germany refused to stop fighting though and tied the game up with less than ten minutes remaining, Marco Miltkau producing another fine strike for the visitors.

With the wind in their sails, the German’s pressed on looking for a late winner, and found one with two minutes left on the clock. Herzbruch found space and belted the ball into the back of the net to land the finishing blow.

The result sees Germany move above Great Britain into fifth place in the FIH Pro League table while the hosts drop to sixth, with it all to play for in the final three matches.

Great Britain 3
Calnan (10’ FG)
Roper (21’ PC)
Ward (35’ FG)

Germany 4
Grosse (28’ FG)
Fuchs (32’ FG)
Miltkau (51’ FG)
Herzbruch (58’ FG)

Great Britain: Pinner (GK), Gibson (GK), Ames, Weir, Forsyth, Martin, Sloan, Hoare, Ward, Roper, Dixon (C), Creed, Condon, Waller, Gall, Sorsby, Calnan, Wallace.

Great Britain Hockey media release

Germany secure comeback win over Great Britain


Germany celebrate their first goal in their comeback win over Great Britain

Great Britain squandered a 2-0 lead to lose 4-3 to Germany in the men's FIH Pro League at Lee Valley in London.

Danny Kerry's side led through a Will Calnan strike and a Phil Roper penalty corner, before Johannes Grosse and Florian Fuchs drew Germany level.

Sam Ward put Britain ahead once again but two goals in the final quarter from Marco Miltkau and Timm Herzbruch completed the turnaround.

GB are sixth in the Pro League table with 11 points after 11 games.

Australia are top with 22 points after nine games while Belgium, the Netherlands and Argentina occupy the other top four spots.

Britain's loss, which follows a superb win over European champions the Netherlands on 2 June, leaves their hopes of reaching the top four in the balance.

The competition, which serves as qualification for the World Cup and Olympics, sees nine of the world's top teams face each other home and away, with the top four advancing to the finals in the Netherlands on 30 June.

Thee GB men started their campaign with a 6-5 win in Spain on 25 January and will finish their group games at home to New Zealand on 23 June.

Fixtures

Sunday, 9 June

Great Britain v Australia - Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre, London (14:00 BST)

Friday, 14 June

Great Britain v Netherlands - Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre (19:30 BST)

Sunday, 23 June

Great Britain v New Zealand - The Stoop, London (14:00 BST)

BBC Sport

European Leg Begins For Australia

Mitch Wynd



Australia’s European leg of the FIH Pro League kicks off on Sunday (11pm AEST) when both the Kookaburras and Hockeyroos face Great Britain in London.

The push for finals is well and truly on for both teams, with each currently occupying a top-four spot on the standings.

The Hockeyroos’ 3-2 victory over China on Sunday saw them hold third place in the women’s standings, with 24 points from 12 matches and a points percentage of 66.67.

Meanwhile, results from other matches see the Kookaburras currently on top of the men’s standings with 22 points from 9 matches and a points percentage of 81.48.

Belgium’s men and women are both directly below Australia, ready to make the most of any opportunity if either Australian team falters.

In the last meeting between Australia and Great Britain earlier in the FIH Pro League, both the Kookaburras (2-0) and Hockeyroos (3-0) recorded victories in Perth.

Hockeyroos coach Paul Gaudoin said: “We are looking forward to playing Great Britain, we respect what they can do.

“Whilst we got 3 points in China, our performance was below expectation and we are keen to perform better in London. There are some technical and tactical shifts we will make coming into this match."

In the Kookaburras camp, Jacob Whetton has been replaced in the travelling team by Corey Weyer after an injury at training last week.

With no Pro League matches since the 2-1 away victory over Argentina on May 4, the Kookaburras have had a solid training block in Perth, and will need to shift into international competition mode quickly.

Kookaburras coach Colin Batch said: “We’ve travelled well, we’re really looking forward to the match against Great Britain.

“They’ve had some good performances over the last couple of days…we’ll have a good look at them.”

Great Britain’s men and women are both coming off recent matches against Belgium and the Netherlands, meaning they will be match ready come Sunday.

“They’ll have some games under their belt which is an advantage, we’re playing our first game for a couple of weeks” remarked Batch.

There will be a sell-out home crowd to contend with at the Lee Valley Hockey & Tennis Centre, the same venue the Hockeyroos played at in the 2018 Women’s World Cup.

Both matches will be televised live on Kayo Sports and FOX SPORTS. The Kookaburras’ match will be live on FOX SPORTS 503 from 11pm (AEST) Sunday, while the Hockeyroos’ match will be live on FOX SPORTS 507 from 1am (AEST) Monday.

Follow both @Kookaburras and @Hockeyroos for live match updates.

Sunday 9 June – Lee Valley Hockey & Tennis Centre, London

Great Britain v Kookaburras – 11pm AEST
Great Britain v Hockeyroos – 1am AEST (Monday)

Kookaburras 18-member team:

Athlete (Hometown, State)

Daniel Beale (Brisbane, QLD)
Tim Brand (Chatswood, NSW)
Andrew Charter (Canberra, ACT)
Tom Craig (Lane Cove, NSW)
Matthew Dawson (Killarney Vale, NSW)
Blake Govers (Wollongong, NSW)
Jake Harvie (Dardanup, WA)
Jeremy Hayward (Darwin, NT)
Tim Howard (Wakerley, QLD)
Tyler Lovell (Perth, WA)
Trent Mitton (Perth, WA)
Eddie Ockenden (Hobart, TAS)
Flynn Ogilvie (Wollongong, NSW)
Lachlan Sharp (Lithgow, NSW)
Matthew Swann (Mackay, QLD)
Corey Weyer (Biggera Waters, QLD)
Dylan Wotherspoon (Murwillumbah, NSW) *Plays for QLD
Aran Zalewski (Margaret River, WA)

Hockeyroos 19-member team:

Athlete (Hometown, State)

Jocelyn Bartram (Albury, NSW)
Edwina Bone (Orange, NSW) *Plays for ACT
Lily Brazel (Sydney, NSW) *Plays for VIC
Emily Chalker (Crookwell, NSW)
Jane Claxton (Adelaide, SA)
Kalindi Commerford (Ulladulla, NSW) *Plays for ACT
Madison Fitzpatrick (Cabarita Beach, NSW) *Plays for QLD
Savannah Fitzpatrick (Cabarita Beach, NSW) *Plays for QLD
Rebecca Greiner (Bundaberg, QLD)
Rachael Lynch (Warrandyte, VIC)
Ambrosia Malone (Burleigh, QLD)
Georgina Morgan (Armidale, NSW)
Kaitlin Nobbs (Newington, NSW)
Brooke Peris (Darwin, NT)
Penny Squibb (Tambellup, WA)
Grace Stewart (Gerringong, NSW)
Renee Taylor (Everton Park, QLD)
Sophie Taylor (Melbourne, VIC)
Mariah Williams (Parkes, NSW)

Hockey Australia media release

Black Sticks Men and Women look to build on impressive performances as they take on the Germans



Vantage Black Sticks Women vs Germany Women. Sunday 9thJune at 10:00pm. Coverage is on Spark Sport

The Vantage Black Sticks Women will be looking to avenge their loss to Germany at Nga Puna Wai in February, despite going up 1-0 in the first few minutes of the match the German Women roared back into the match and completed a convincing 3-1 win over the New Zealand side.

Recent history suggests that this match is on a knife edge and could go either way with the previous 6 matches being split 50/50 and the goals for each side through this period being 11 to Germany and 12 to New Zealand. Look for the Vantage Black Sticks to continue their attacking style of play that they demonstrated last week against the USA.

Tarryn Davey is set to play in her 50th match for the Vantage Black Sticks Women, Davey got her first international goal against the United States. Look for Davey to continue to provide a steady influence in the middle of the field for the New Zealand team.

Graham Shaw commented ahead of the match “We arrived in Germany on Tuesday evening before playing Germany at the end of the week on the Sunday. We will need to hold onto the ball better against Germany as their style of play will give us a lot of problems if we turn over the ball in dangerous areas. We will need to defend our 25 and circle with a lot more composure and limit the amount of goalscoring opportunities and penalty corners against us. We will be working hard on these areas during the week.

In the attacking end we must continue to play our style as Germany will have real problems with our speed and transition play. Our ability to turn defensive moments into attacking moments is one of the best in World hockey and we will continue to focus on the quality we bring in these areas”.

Key Matchup

Brooke Neal is a veteran of the Black Sticks defensive unit and returned to action against the USA team. Neal possesses a great range of skills and her long passing often puts the New Zealand team in a good position as they move up the field. Look for German striker Charlotte Stapenhorst to attempt to find space away from Neal as she will capatalise on any slight chances as she attempts to build on the five goals she has already scored in the FIH Pro League.

*One to be omitted

Vantage Black Sticks Men vs Germany Men. Monday 10thJune at 12:30am. Coverage is on Spark Sport

The Vantage Black Sticks Men showed a renewed confidence in their first European match in the FIH Pro League when they defended resolutely to keep the Netherlands team off the score board. The New Zealand team had some moments of absolute brilliance on the attacking end in this match and will be looking to turn this into scoreboard pressure against a Netherlands side who have been performing incredibly well over the past few rounds in the FIH Pro League.

Darren Smith commented “Against the Netherlands we were able to create several opportunities. The German team is going to be a tough side to play against and they were impressive in their match against the World Champion Belgium’s last week”.

While the New Zealand Men can no longer make the top four in the inaugural FIH Pro League, the side is looking to continue its positive play and building combinations as they build towards the Oceania Cup in Rockhampton in August.

Key Matchup

Kane Russell has been in outstanding form in the Belgium league for his club side which recently took out the Belgium National Title, look for Russell to bring this form onto the pitch for the New Zealand Men. Russell continually looks for space out wide and is constantly putting the opposition in two minds as he surges forward. Russell is sure to match up against German striker Florian Fuchs who possesses some great speed and dribbling skills, Fuchs matches these skills with outstanding passion as he will look to put the New Zealand defense under incredible pressure.

*One to be omitted

Hockey New Zealand Media release

Maddie Hinch relishing Great Britain hockey return in Pro League


Maddie Hinch returns to action in London this weekend for GB PIC: World Sport Pics

Maddie Hinch, the world’s best goalkeeper, is in line to make her Great Britain return this weekend after her international hiatus.

Hinch, 30, is included in the squad to face Germany on Friday night in London and also against Australia on Sunday, a match which is a sell out at Lee Valley.

Hinch’s return comes at a crucial time for Mark Hager’s squad who need a rapid turnaround in fortunes in their final four FIH Pro League games ahead of the EuroHockey Championships this summer.

The top stopper told the BBC this week that international hockey had become “a slog and had gone stale for me,” adding that she had lost her love for the game.

Returning to the Netherlands and a season in the Hoofdklasse saw the experienced Hinch renew her eagerness for an international return.

“As soon as I started getting butterflies putting my pads on, I knew I was ready,” she said.

Susannah Townsend, who could mark 150 international caps this weekend, is also back after injury kept her out of the last games against Belgium and the Netherlands, while Esme Burge is set for her international debut.

Burge plays for University of Nottingham and was the youngest player in England’s squad at the Junior World Cup in 2016. However, GB leading scorer Lily Owsley still remains sidelined from injury.

Hinch will come up against a fifth-placed German side featuring in-form Charlotte Staphenhorst, who has notched five goals in 11 games in the Pro League

Meanwhile, Ollie Willars replaces fellow defender Luke Taylor as GB’s only change in the men’s side ahead of their clash against Germany on Thursday night.

Men’s captain Adam Dixon is set to play his 250th game for Great Britain and England combined.

Our Stoop special is out on June 17, including exclusive interviews with Dutch coaches on Maddie Hinch and Ashley Jackson. Subscribe by June 10!

The Hockey Paper

Hat-trick from Magee gives Ireland Men 3-2 win over France



A hat-trick from Eugene Magee saw Ireland beat France in the second of this two-match series in Lisnagarvey Hockey Club.

Magee put Ireland on the scoreboard early on with a goal in the 2nd minute of play, in noticeably better conditions than last Tuesday’s match. The Banbridge man took his 280th cap in this match making him the most capped Irish Hockey player ever, surpassing Shirley McCay’s previous record of 278 caps.

However, the two look set to leapfrog each other for the top position of the coming fortnight between their respective FIH Series finals in Le Touquet and Banbridge.

France’s Gaspard Baumgarten secured an equaliser in the 15th minute to end the quarter 1-1.

The second quarter was marked by pressure from both teams, yet little clear cut goal scoring opportunities. France took the lead with a well taken goal from Etiene Tynevez at 25 minutes, but Magee wasn’t long securing the equaliser.

A short corner for France provided little threat for Ireland ahead of the half-time whistle, with the Irish defenders standing strong to ensure the score remained 2-2.

Quarter three provided chances for both teams, with Paul Gleghorne and Johnathan Bell alongside Jamie Carr in goals standing strong.

The final quarter of the match saw France’s Charles Masson receive a yellow card for poor tackle in the 51st minute. While Eugene Magee was on fire again scoring his third goal of the match at 53 minutes.

The Green Machine travel to Le Touquet next where their FIH Series Finals begin on June 15. All travelling support welcome! You can find more information on the tournament at: //www.fihseriesfinals.com/1051/competitionOverview

Ireland 3 (E Magee) France 2 (G Baumgarten, E Tynevez).

Ireland: D Harte, J Jackson, J Bell, E Magee, S O’Donoghue, S Murray, B Walker, D Walsh, P Gleghorne, L Cole, S Cole,

Subs: J Carr, M Bell, L Madeley, M Nelson, M Robson, N Glassey, C Harte.

France: A Thieffry, T Genestet, H Genestet, S Martin Brisac, B Rogeau, V Lockwood, C Masson, N Dumont, G Baumgarten, F Goyet, JB Forgues,

Subs: P van Straaten, A Bellenger, C Peters-Deutz, E Tynevez, T Ponthieu, M Branicki, C Saunier.

Irish Hockey Association media release

Rotweiss Wettingen host key Trophy event with EHL Men tickets on the line


©: Wac/johanna Perlinger-ringler

Rotweiss Wettingen will host the EuroHockey Club Trophy where eight sides will battle it out for the second tier men’s title as well as vital EHL ranking points also on the line.

The Swiss hosts are one of four teams who contested the competition last year and will be aiming to improve on their fourth place from a year ago but have three injuries to contend with.

They start their campaign against Portuguese 2018 champions Casa Pia Atletico Clube before facing Irish side Glenanne.

The Glens won their 2018 regular season title and have a cosmpolitan side with South Africans Brad Venter and Shannon Boucher, German player Cedric Jakobi but former Belgian Under-21 international Jerome Saeys is not available.

SC Stroitel Brest, fifth place finishers a year ago, and will feature several members of the Belarus national team in their line-up as they look to win the title they won in 2015.

In Pool B, Ukraine’s OKS SHVSM Vinnitsa reached the final a year ago, only to succumb to Scotland’s Grange, a result which earned the Scots two tickets to the EHL.

They open their campaign against Bohemians of Prague, the Czech Republic getting a place back in the second tier courtesy of Slavia Prague’s success in Geneva a year ago. It will be Bohemians first European appearance since 2015 which was also in Wettingen, albeit in the Challenge.

Welsh champs Cardiff & Met drop down a level from the EHL from the past few seasons but will have a decent amount of European experience to draw upon when they come up against Austria’s WAC – sixth in 2018.

The top finishers in each group will advance to Monday's final while second goes into the bronze match, third into the fifth place playoff while the bottom side in each group will be relegated.

For the EHL ranking table, there are numerous different permutations on the table. Should Glenanne win outright, they will move Ireland above France in the EHL Men’s ranking table, earning a second ticket to next October’s KO16.

There is also scope for plenty of movement between seventh and 11th places in the ranking table which earn one EHL place each. Scotland, Russia, Poland and Austria currently occupy those spaces but good performances from Rotweiss, Stroitel Brest or Cardiff & Met could change things.

All games from the competition will be streamed live via www.eurohockeytv.org as will the EuroHockey Club Challenge I in Poland and the Challenge IV in Malta.

Euro Hockey League media release

Gurudwara Cup – losing its shine but not it’s glitter

Though in terms of participation the Gurudwara Cup has lost its glitter, that had not stopped hockey lovers from turning up in droves to watch the annual competition amongst Sikhs in Malaysia and Singapore,

For the two days of matches, on Wednesday and Thursday saw more spectators than the Malaysian Hockey League.

Despite the wet conditions, it did not deter the fans from making a bee line to the Tun Razak Stadium where hockey was being held and the Royal Selangor Club where football and netball was being competed.

The Sikh Festival of Sports is under the purview of the Malaysia Singapore Sikh Sports Council ( MSSSC) and this year the hosts are the Selangor Sikh Association.

Only six states are completion in the senior men’s hockey competition, a far cry from the past.

The dwindling participation is a reflection of the lack of interest from states which in turn has resulted in noSikh player in the National Hockey team, the last being Baljit Singh.

This should be a concern for the MSSSC and it’s affiliates as despite having a junior competition running simultaneously, there has not been any effort made to field a team in the junior Hockey league, which could serve as a platform for Sikh players to go on and challenge for places in the junior and senior national teams,

Back to the competition proper, despite being hosted by Selangor, all the events are being held in Kuala Lumpur,

When asked why was this the case as Klang obviously had facilities to host the events, it only drew blank stare from those responsible.

In the semis, Johor led by former national skipper, now 57 years old Sarjit Singh, defeated Kuala Lumpur 3-1 while Perak edged Selangor 2-1.

The final will be held at Tun Razak Stadium this morning ( Friday June 7),

The Football and Netball events will draw to a close on Friday afternoon at the Royal Selangor Club Bukit Kiara commencing at 3.00pm.

What was indeed sad for Hockey was the fact that many officials approached to serve as umpires were somewhat scared as there were “ subtle” messages to them not to get involved in the tournament,

Though the Hockey competition is sanctioned by the Malaysian Hockey Confederation, many officials were somewhat reluctant to serve as umpires and technical officials due to this “ pressure” from certain quarters, this giving rise to problems of getting competent officials which in turn led to poor umpiring,

It is learnt that MSSSC will be raising this matter with MHC as they have received many complaints of this unhealthy behaviour by certain parties.

One should remember that no one is bigger then the sport and while MSSSC and Selangor Sikh Association are trying to get more Sikhs involved in the sport, they should receive solid support from those responsible, from MHC and states that opted to stay away from the tournament for reasons best known to them.

Still kudos to Selangor Sikh Association for a fantastic effort in organising the Sikh Festival of Sports and showing that hockey is still running deep in the veins of the Sikh community , evident from the packed grandstand at the Tun Razak Stadium where there was standing room only,

Malaysian Sports

Fastest Marathon in a Field Hockey Goalkeeper Kit



Chris Brown took on the challenges to set the Guinness World Record for “The Fastest Marathon in a Field Hockey Goalkeeper Kit.”. Chris took part in the 2019 London Marathon to raise money for Christians in Sport.

Chris told The Hockey Paper "I know it's a bit crazy and I wanted to make it hard and raise enough money for the charity. The rules stipulate that no kit can be taken off during the marathon, while carrying a stick is optional".
Chris decided to take on the challenge and run (in collaboration with Bicester Hockey Club who kindly donated the smock for the race) because he is a leader at Christians in Sport summer camps for young people called Sports Plus which are host to seven sports for 12 - 17 year old. Chris wanted to link his record attempt back to the camps whilst doing something 'Hard and Unique'.

Chris is an avid marathon runner and took part in marathons either side of the London event. “As I am a regular marathon runner, I have decided to challenge myself by attempting to achieve an official Guinness World Record for “The Fastest Marathon in a Field Hockey Goalkeeper Kit."



Chris finished the race in 6 hours, 38 minutes and 19 seconds, smashed his target and raised £4551.20. The money raised will help support the work of Christians in Sport - a charity which aims to “reach the world of sport for Christ.” They do this in a number of ways, including individually supporting elite and professional athletes, putting on summer camps for young sports people, as well as working with churches up and down the British Isles to help them engage with sportspeople around them.



England Hockey Board Media release