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All the news for Friday 9 August 2019

Pan Am Games 2019 (Men) - Semi-finals
Lima (PER)

Results

8 Aug 2019     PER v CUB (Cross-over)         0 - 7
8 Aug 2019     MEX v TTO (Cross-over)     0 - 3
8 Aug 2019     ARG v USA (SF1)             5 - 0
8 Aug 2019     CHI v CAN (SF2)             2 - 3

FIH Match Centre

Argentina cruise past USA to advance to gold-medal game for 14th-straight appearance

Ali Baggott


ARG v USA. Photo: Yan Huckendubler

Argentina coasted to a 5-0 victory over the USA in the first semifinal of the men’s competition on Day 10 of the Pan American Games. Five different scorers and goals in each quarter were indicative of Argentina’s dominance from start to finish.

Agustin Mazzilli earned Argentina a penalty corner with not even one minute on the clock. Jose Tolini’s flick was turned away by USA keeper Jonathan Klages. The Americans looked steady in their back field in the opening minutes but a sideline free hit blast from Juan Lopez caught USA off guard. Matias Paredes snuck in behind and made a brilliant deflection on the run to get the Leones on the board 1-0.

Tom Barrat swept a hard ball from through the Argentina circle and somehow the ball bounced past both Deegan Huisman and Paul Singh. Argentina continued to show their prowess in attack as they had back-to-back corners near the end of the first quarter. The first was saved by Klages and the second tinged off the post and went wide. Just before the break Lucas Vila gathered a loose ball in the circle and with his back to the net fired the ball past Klages for a 2-0 Argentina lead.

Klages was there again to deny a wide open shot from Nicolias Cicileo in the 19th minute. Seconds later a hard pass from Lopez found Agustin Mazzilli unmarked at the top of the circle. Mazzilli buried his shot on the back hand to lift Argentina 3-0.

Argentina continued to show their dominance in passing as the Americans moved to a more aggressive pressure in the second half. Matias Rey sent a perfect ball for a wide open Paredes, who slid to get the deflection but Klages was there to make the stop. Klages denied Martin Ferreiro on the back hand to keep USA in it but Maico Casella deflected in with seconds left in the quarter to give Argentina the 4-0 lead.

Paul Singh had USA’s closest chance as his solo effort along the left baseline omitted two defenders but not keeper Juan Vivaldi. The Americans appealed for a video review for a slight touch in the circle that they thought hit an Argentina foot but the review was rejected and the Americans continued without a penalty corner chance in the game. Lucas Martinez spun and put in a fifth goal for Argentina in the 59th minute.

Argentina cruised to the 5-0 victory and booked their spot in the finals for the 14th-straight year. The two-time defending Pan American Games champions have won nine titles and have faced Canada in the final for the past 11-straight years. 

Pan American Hockey Federation media release

Pan American Games 2019: Canada takes down Chile 3-2 in thrilling semfinal

Canada books their ticket to the Pan Am finals where a gold medal and an Olympic berth are on the line

By Ali Baggott


Photos: Yan Huckendubler

Canadian skipper Scott Tupper put away two penalty corner drag flicks to seal his team’s 12th appearance in the Pan American Games final. Canada edged Chile 3-2 after Martin Rodriquez found a way to bring the game level twice.

A scoreless opening quarter was well indicative of the play. Canada edged in possession but that mostly involved ball movement around the back, while Chile patiently waited for their chances. Seconds before the first break Tupper blasted a ball towards the Chile goal. Jamie Wallace had the redirection but Chile keeper Adrian Henriquez made the save. James Kirkpatrick was there for the rebound attempt but the Chilean defence closed well to deny another shot at goal.

Canada earned their first penalty corner in the 19th minute after Brenden Bissett’s pass in to the circle came up high off Henriquez’s pads. Tupper unleashed a flick in to the top corner to lift the Canadians up 1-0.

Less than two minutes later Chile was able to respond. A baseline run down the left side resulted in the ball to popping through to the stroke mark. It bounced over Canadian defender John Smythe’s stick to a waiting Rodriguez who buried the ball low past keeper David Carter. The game remained level 1-1 at half time.

Chile put on all kinds of pressure in the second half with Felipe Renz getting two attempts towards goal but with no success. Momentum favoured Chile as Canada’s Kirkpatrick sat for a green card and then Iain Smythe for a yellow just four minutes apart. With Smythe off, Gordie Johnston earned Canada another penalty corner. Tupper executed the flick that was saved well by Henriquez but Johnston was there to flip the ball high and bring Canada back up by one.

Chile never stopped pressuring up front and they were rewarded. Rodriquez deflected a pass from Amoroso in to the Canadian goal in the 54th minute to shock the Canadians but send a roaring Chilean fan base in to fits.

In a thrilling finish to the quarter Canada charged back in to the Chile circle and forward Mark Pearson asked for a video referral for a foot foul. Canada won the referral and Tupper provided the heroics to bring Canada ahead once again, 3-2.

Chile pulled their keeper with less than a minute on the clock but the Canadians were able to hang on for the win and book themselves a spot in the final. This will be the first time since 1991 that the Canadian men and women are in the Pan American Games final and both playing Argentina.

The game also had several milestones for those on the pitch including the 100th international and FIH Golden Whistle nod for USA umpire Gus Soteriades. For Chile, Ricardo Achondo played his 150th match, while Canadian forward Iain Smythe stepped on the pitch for his 200th match.


Photo: Yan Huckendubler

Field Hockey Canada media release

Argentina Defeats USMNT in Pan American Games Semifinals



LIMA, Peru - The No. 24 U.S. Men’s National Team had nothing to lose as they took to the pitch at the Villa Maria del Triunfo complex in Lima, Peru to play higher-ranked, No. 4 Argentina in the Pan American Games semifinals. An important match, as the winner would move on to the final and play for gold or silver, USA knew it was going to be tough against Rio 2016 Olympic champions. USA held their ground, keeping Argentina to their lowest goal total throughout the tournament thus far, but produced no goals of their own as Argentina came out on top 5-0.

The match opened with Argentina earning a penalty corner after driving down the pitch. The drag by Jose Tolini was tipped over the goal and out by USA goalkeeper Jonathan Klages (Berlin, Germany). USA exhibited excellent defense as they reacted to the follow-up attempts by Argentina. A few minutes later, Argentina worked it around the USA defense and Matias Paredes put one in to give Los Leones the lead. USA fought on and continued to break up threats by Argentina as they developed. When USA had their chances to counterattack, the final pass wasn’t there or they were unable to keep control to find the answer. Ten minutes into play, Tom Barratt (Greensboro, N.C.) was found open on the right side. He swept a ball toward the far post that slipped just by Kei Kaeppeler (Stuttgart, Germany) and Deegan Huisman's (Almere, The Netherlands) sticks. Argentina added another goal before the quarter ended when Lucas Vila collected the ball in front of Klages, pulled it back and shot it into the net. USA kept Argentina to two goals even as they continued to earn penalty corners late in the quarter.

As the second quarter got underway, both sides of the field saw action and multiple positive opportunities. Argentina struck again five minutes in off a backhand by Agustin Mazzilli into the right corner of the goal. This did not discourage USA who worked even harder to find their own positive result. The red, white and blue defense continued to make strong stops against the Argentina attack and push forward on the intercepts to produce some attack. After a tackle on a Los Leones shot attempt was blocked by Adam Miller’s (Panama City, Fla.), USA took it the other way and Mohan Gandhi (Ventura, Calif.) swept it hard into the circle on the restart. Paul Singh (Moorpark, Calif.) cut along the baseline got a stick on it, but the Argentina defense put an end to the threat. Going into the halftime break, USA trailed Argentina 0-3.

USA charged on going into the third quarter. With both teams working hard for scoring chances, the game began to turn aggressive. USA held their ground, forced turnovers and drove up field as a unit. Many Argentina balls trickled over the end line due to USA’s effective deep man-to-man coverage. Ajai Dhadwal (Agoura Hills, Calif.) made several stops and assisted Klages on several close calls. Los Leones notched another goal right before the conclusion of the third frame on a cross ball by Federico Fernandez that was tipped in by Maico Casella. Following a strong defensive quarter by USA, Argentina extended their lead to make the score USA 0, Argentina 4.

Argentina kept knocking, but USA kept denying them entry as they put extra pressure on the ball. Gandhi and the rest of the USA defense held down the back field, coming up with fouls and tackles, and looking up for the open player. With four minutes remaining in the game, USA used their video referral on what they though was an Argentina foot in their offensive circle to earn a penalty corner. The call was upheld and USA lost their referral. The red, white and blue pressed harder in the final minutes of the match, hoping to get on the scoreboard. With 2 minutes left, Los Leones took the ball quickly to the other end and Lucas Martinez sat on the right side of the circle, collected, spun and pushed it in to make the final score 0-5 in favor of Argentina. Although they played hard for 60 minutes, the red, white and blue could not answer to Argentina’s five goals.

The U.S. Men's National Team will play in the PAG bronze medal game on Saturday, August 10 at 4:00 p.m. ET. against the loser of the upcoming semifinal game between Canada and Chile. The U.S. Women's National Team will take on No. 15 Chile tomorrow for the women's PAG bronze. Stream both games live on ESPN3 (WatchESPN.com).

USFHA media release

Pan Am Games 2019 (Women) - Finals day
Lima (PER)

Fixtures (GMT -5)

9 Aug 2019 09:30     PER v CUB (7th Place)
9 Aug 2019 11:45     URU v MEX (5th Place)
9 Aug 2019 15:00     CHI v USA (Bronze)
9 Aug 2019 17:15     ARG v CAN (Gold)

FIH Match Centre
 

Live From Lima: Bronze Scouting Report - USWNT vs. Chile



As a lead up to today’s Pan American Games (PAG) match-up, here are a few details you’ll want to know before the starting whistle.

Game Day: Friday, August 9, 2019

Time: 4:00 p.m. ET

Live Stream: WatchESPN.com

Opponent: Chile

FIH World Ranking: 15

2015 Pan American Games Finish: 2

Current Pan American Games Record: 4-0-2

Last Time USA Played Opponent: The USWNT last met Chile earlier in the 2019 PAG. After trailing for three quarters, USA rallied to score four goals in six minutes in the final quarter to defeat Chile 4-2. Before that, the two teams competed in a series of test matches in January prior to the start of the 2019 FIH Pro League. Even though USA dominated possession for both games, the results were 0-1-1 following the two-game series played in Santiago, Chile.

What You Need to Know: As Pan American rivals, USA and Chile have battled it out in numerous test series and tournament match-ups. Chile comes off a close game against No. 3 Argentina where they kept Las Leonas to two goals until they could answer with one of their own. The comeback was short-lived, and Argentina ultimately scored again to prevent Chile from tying the match. Meanwhile, USA comes off a tough loss to No. 18 Canada where they could not connect to get on the scoreboard following four goals by their opponent. The USWNT will look to capture the bronze medal by defeating the familiar foe of Chile.

Chile Name Roster:

#            Name      Caps
1            Claudia Schuler (GK)       218
2          Sofia Walbaum       208
3            Fernanda Villagran       61
4            Catalina Barahona       36
5            Denise Krimerman       153
6          Fernanda Flores       160
8          Carolina Garcia       250
9            Kim Jacob       65
10            Manuela Urroz       192
13          Camila Caram (C)       230
15            Mariana Lagos       77
16            Constanza Palma       164
17            Consuelo de las Heras       39
19            Agustina Solano       50
20            Francisca Parra       25
21            Josefa Villalabeitia        176
25            Maria Maldonado       54
28            Natalia Salvador (GK)       52
                   
            Head Coach: Serigo Vigil
            Assistant Coach: Diego Amoroso
            Manager: Alfredo Castro      

USFHA media release

USA’s Soteriades earns FIH Golden Whistle at Pan American Games

Ali Baggott


Gus Soteriades (USA). Photo: Yan Huckendubler

Being an official in any sport at the international level is not an easy feat, let alone making it through 100 matches. On the semifinal day of the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima, Peru, umpire Gus Soteriades will become just the sixth American to reach the prestigious FIH Golden Whistle milestone for umpiring 100 senior international matches. 

Soteriades is just the second male umpire from the USA behind Richard Kentwell who achieved the rank in 1993. On the women’s side, USA umpires Jun Kentwell (2004), Amy Hassick (2013), Suzi Sutton (2016) and Maggie Giddens (2018) have all earned their Golden Whistle.

What’s more untraditional about Soteriades than other hockey international umpires to reach this milestone is that the 47-year-old never played hockey.

“My mom was a high school coach and my three sisters were all involved with playing and went off to university because of the game,” said Soteriades, who hails from Columbus, Ohio. “If I wanted to be a part of the conversation at dinner, especially in the fall when seasons started, I had to learn the game. I was acting as a student trainer for my mom’s team at the time and my mom’s old coach told me to umpire since I do know the game and was around it all the time.”



Soteriades credits Catherine Brown, who suggested he start umpiring, Pat Hays, Barb Carriero and Roque Viegas for launching his career.

“I owe the greatest education of my life to this game and all of these people who have helped foster it and make me who I am,” adds Soteriades, who outside of umpiring works as a strategy and management consultant.

The journey for Soteriades started in 2000 at the America’s cup in Havana, Cuba. From there Soteriades has officiated at four Pan American Games, three Pan American Cups, the 2005 Junior World Cup, the 2006 and 2018 Asian Games and the 2019 FIH Series Finals along with several other Olympic qualifiers, four nations and test series – all without ever having picked up a stick himself.

“Gus it seems never played and he came in to umpire which is very difficult for a hockey umpire,” explained umpire’s manager Roger St Rose, who has known Soteriades since the late 1990’s. “Having not played sometimes you don’t understand what the players are attempting to do or what’s going through their mind. He’s achieved that ability without playing the game and to reach this level doing that is not easy.”

“When I look at a panel of umpires you can look and say ‘that is Gus.’ He has his own unique style of communication on the pitch. He always brings a bit of light-heartedness even when the situation is extremely intense. He lightens or diffuses the issues with ease.”

In addition to his outdoor contributions, Soteriades has also umpired several international indoor matches highlighted by his appointment at the 2005 Pan American Indoor Cup and the 2007 Indoor World Cup.

Only 90 men and women have reached the Golden Whistle milestone that dates back to 1984 as the earliest it was awarded.

Soteriades is in Lima with South Africa’s Peter Wright who is the only other men’s umpire at the Pan American Games to reach the milestone. Wright hit 100 matches at the 2017 Pan American Games in Lancaster, USA.


Peter Wright, Gus Soteriades. Credit: Yan Huckendubler

“We were roommates in the our first Junior World Cup together,” highlighted Wright about the Rotterdam tournament in 2005. “It’s funny how you strike up that friendship and we clicked from Day 1. In hockey you don’t have to see someone for five or 10 years but when you do you are on the same wave length.”

“He’s been a wonderful servant to Pan American hockey and also done a lot out of the Americas which has been great as well. To reach that 100 is just a very special mark for him.”

At the 2019 Pan American Games Soteriades will umpire his 100th match between Canada and Chile in the men’s semifinals on August 8.

Pan American Hockey Federation media release

SA Ladies Hockey team have their eyes set on the African Hockey Olympic Qualifier


Go to https://www.facebook.com/ShoOTTSA to watch livestreams of the African Hockey Olympic Qualifier

The SuperGroup South African squad has been announced for the 2019 African Hockey Road to Tokyo Event in Stellenbosch from the 12-18 August 2019.

The six-times defending African Champions will be looking to make it sweet 7 against six other African nations and claim the title as the best hockey nation in the continent.

The South African squad selected includes the five debutants that earned their first caps against Namibia in the test series before the FIH Hockey Series Final and has a very similar feel to the team that went to Spain.

A squad of 20 is being announced, which will be trimmed down to 18 for the final event. Sylvia van Jaarsveldt earns a recall having last represented South Africa in Egypt in 2017, while Onthathile Zulu will be in line to earn her first cap.

“We have kept a similar squad as we are looking on building on the processes we put in place for Spain. There is a continued good mix of youth and experience which will allow the younger players to develop. We are determined to go out there and defend our crown on home soil!” shared Robin van Ginkel, the Head Coach of the SuperGroup SA team

The SuperGroup South African side are in Group A alongside Kenya and Nigeria. The top two teams in the group will progress to the semi-finals and line up against either Namibia, Ghana, Zimbabwe or Uganda.

Fixtures – African Hockey Road to Tokyo Event

    12 August – SuperGroup SA vs. Nigeria
    13 August – SuperGroup SA vs. Kenya
    17 August – Semi-Finals
    18 August - Finals

eNCA

England squads named for upcoming EuroHockey Championships


Giselle Ansley and Ian Sloan

England have named their men's and women's squads for this month's EuroHockey Championships in Belgium.

For the men, five players will play in their first ever European Championships, with Zach Wallace the youngest member of the squad at only 19. Vastly experienced Adam Dixon captains England for the first time in a major tournament, and Ashley Jackson plays a competition of this nature for the first time since the Rio 2016 Olympics.

The women welcome back Shona McCallin for her first major international event since 2017, and it is Mark Hager's first full run at a major tournament, having joined as Head Coach right at the start of Great Britain's FIH Pro League campaign earlier in the year. Having just turned 19, Izzy Petter is the youngest member of the women's squad.

This competition serves as a qualifier for Tokyo 2020, and if either of our teams win this tournament, it means their Great Britain counterparts will qualify for next year's Olympics. If they do not win this tournament, GB will play in a two-legged winner-take-all qualifier at home in November of this year. A good performance in these Euros will have an impact on world ranking points, which would in turn play a part in which opposition GB would face in the Olympic Qualifiers. The GB women do not automatically qualify as reigning champions.

Men's squad:
David Ames (Holcombe)
Will Calnan (Hampstead & Westminster)
Brendan Creed (Surbiton)
Adam Dixon (C) (Beeston)
James Gall (Surbiton)
Harry Gibson (GK) (Surbiton)
Chris Griffiths (East Grinstead)
Ashley Jackson (Old Georgians)
Harry Martin (Hampstead & Westminster)
George Pinner (GK) (Old Georgians)
Phil Roper (Wimbledon)
Ian Sloan (Wimbledon)
Tom Sorsby (Surbiton)
Zach Wallace (Surbiton)
Jack Waller (Wimbledon)
Sam Ward (Old Georgians)
Henry Weir (Wimbledon)
Ollie Willars (Beeston)

Women's squad:
Giselle Ansley (Surbiton)
Grace Balsdon (Hampstead & Westminster)
Emily Defroand (Surbiton)
Sarah Evans (Surbiton)
Maddie Hinch (GK) (SCHC)
Tess Howard (Durham University)
Jo Hunter (Surbiton)
Shona McCallin (Holcombe)
Hannah Martin (Surbiton)
Lily Owsley (Hampstead & Westminster)
Hollie Pearne-Webb (C) (Surbiton)
Izzy Petter (Surbiton)
Suzy Petty (Wimbledon)
Ellie Rayer (East Grinstead)
Amy Tennant (Reading)
Anna Toman (Wimbledon)
Susannah Townsend (Canterbury)
Laura Unsworth (East Grinstead)

Men's Head Coach Danny Kerry said, "Following a good preparatory trip in Barcelona we’ve selected a squad that we feel is the best blend for our play and the demands of the tournament. The Euros represent a very high standard tournament and we look forward to the challenges that it will present. We’re not in the business of making predictions but in the business of preparing and performing, so we’re excited to get going."

Women's Head Coach Mark Hager commented, "We're excited about the tournament and looking forward to the challenge. It's my first opportunity with the group for a tournament like this. We looked to select an experienced group and we've got also Suzy Petty and Ellie Rayer back after they missed the trip to Japan. That trip gave us the opportunity to play a number of games in a short space of time which is good preparation for the Euros. We want to do well in the tournament, of course Olympic qualification is also on the mind of every team and there are lots of very capable sides who will feel the same."

Men's fixtures:
England vs Wales: Sat 17 Aug, 10:15am
England vs Belgium: Sun 18 Aug, 5pm
England vs Spain: Tue 20 Aug, 12:30pm
Semi Finals: Thu 22 Aug
Final: Sat 24 Aug

Women's fixtures:
England vs Ireland: Sun 18 Aug, 10:15am
England vs Germany: Mon 19 Aug, 12:30pm
England vs Belarus: Wed 21 Aug, 9am
Semi Finals: Fri 23 Aug
Final: Sun 25 Aug

Broadcast
We anticipate an update shortly on where the tournament will be broadcast in the UK. Supporters can of course follow updates from all matches on @EnglandHockey social media channels.

England Hockey Board Media release

England omit key players ahead of 2019 EuroHockey


Mark Gleghorne is missing from England men’s EuroHockey squad

England women have opted for experience as they attempt to regain the EuroHockey title they won on home soil in 2015.

Meanwhile, England men will field five European debutant, with Mark Gleghorne, who played in the recent 4 Nations after returning from injury, Michael Hoare and David Condon missing from Danny Kerry’s squad.

Shona McCallin, who has fought her way back from concussion, will play her first major tournament since 2017 when the Europeans get under way in Antwerp next Friday.

Women’s coach Mark Hager said: “It’s my first opportunity with the group for a tournament like this. We looked to select an experienced group and we’ve got also Suzy Petty and Ellie Rayer back after they missed the trip to Japan.”

“That trip gave us the opportunity to play a number of games in a short space of time which is good preparation for the Euros.”

Izzy Petter and Zach Wallace will be the youngest members of the squads, with both players still only 19. Erica Sanders, Lizzie Neal and Esme Burge, who all forged their way into the GB Pro League squads, aren’t selected.

The 2019 EuroHockey has extra spice, with the winners automatically qualifying for the 2020 Olympics.

Men’s fixtures:

England vs Wales: Sat 17 Aug, 10:15am
England vs Belgium: Sun 18 Aug, 5pm
England vs Spain: Tue 20 Aug, 12:30pm
Semi Finals: Thu 22 Aug
Final: Sat 24 Aug

Women’s fixtures:

England vs Ireland: Sun 18 Aug, 10:15am
England vs Germany: Mon 19 Aug, 12:30pm
England vs Belarus: Wed 21 Aug, 9am
Semi Finals: Fri 23 Aug
Final: Sun 25 Aug

England men:
David Ames (Holcombe), Will Calnan (Hampstead & Westminster), Brendan Creed (Surbiton), Adam Dixon (C, Beeston), James Gall (Surbiton), Harry Gibson (GK, Surbiton), Chris Griffiths (East Grinstead), Ashley Jackson (Old Georgians), Harry Martin (Hampstead & Westminster), George Pinner (GK, Old Georgians), Phil Roper (Wimbledon), Ian Sloan (Wimbledon), Tom Sorsby (Surbiton), Zach Wallace (Surbiton), Jack Waller (Wimbledon), Sam Ward (Old Georgians), Henry Weir (Wimbledon), Ollie Willars (Beeston)

England women:
Giselle Ansley (Surbiton), Grace Balsdon (Hampstead & Westminster), Emily Defroand (Surbiton), Sarah Evans (Surbiton), Maddie Hinch (GK, SCHC), Tess Howard (Durham University), Jo Hunter (Surbiton), Shona McCallin (Holcombe), Hannah Martin (Surbiton), Lily Owsley (Hampstead & Westminster), Hollie Pearne-Webb (C, Surbiton), Izzy Petter (Surbiton), Suzy Petty (Wimbledon), Ellie Rayer (East Grinstead), Amy Tennant (GK, Reading), Anna Toman (Wimbledon), Susannah Townsend (Canterbury), Laura Unsworth (East Grinstead)

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The Hockey Paper

England name men's and women's squads for Belgium


Ashley Jackson returns to the England side as the all-time leading scorer and made his debut at 19

England have named their men's and women's squads for the EuroHockey Championships in Belgium this month.

Veteran Ashley Jackson, 31, returns to the 18-player men's squad for his first major tournament since Rio 2016.

Shona McCallin, who was part of GB's Olympic gold medal-winning women's team in Brazil, is back after suffering concussion in February 2018.

The tournament begins in Antwerp on 16 August with the winners qualifying for the Tokyo Olympics next year.

A victory for either England team would mean Great Britain qualifies for the 2020 Games, but if they fail to win the title in Belgium, GB will play in a two-legged winner-takes-all Olympic qualifier at home in November.

Five men will make their championship debuts in Belgium, including 19-year-old Zach Wallace, with Adam Dixon captaining the team for the first time in a major tournament.

Men's head coach Danny Kerry says his squad is the "best blend" for the demands of the tournament, while women's coach Mark Hager says he is "excited for the challenge" and that Olympic qualification is "on the mind".

England's men will be in a pool with Belgium, Spain and Wales, while the women will play Germany, Ireland and Belarus.

England men's squad

David Ames (Holcombe), Will Calnan (Hampstead & Westminster), Brendan Creed (Surbiton), Adam Dixon (C, Beeston), James Gall (Surbiton), Harry Gibson (GK, Surbiton), Chris Griffiths (East Grinstead), Ashley Jackson (Old Georgians), Harry Martin (Hampstead & Westminster), George Pinner (GK, Old Georgians), Phil Roper (Wimbledon), Ian Sloan (Wimbledon), Tom Sorsby (Surbiton), Zach Wallace (Surbiton), Jack Waller (Wimbledon), Sam Ward (Old Georgians), Henry Weir (Wimbledon), Ollie Willars (Beeston)

England women's squad

Giselle Ansley (Surbiton), Grace Balsdon (Hampstead & Westminster), Emily Defroand (Surbiton), Sarah Evans (Surbiton), Maddie Hinch (GK, SCHC), Tess Howard (Durham University), Jo Hunter (Surbiton), Shona McCallin (Holcombe), Hannah Martin (Surbiton), Lily Owsley (Hampstead & Westminster), Hollie Pearne-Webb (C, Surbiton), Izzy Petter (Surbiton), Suzy Petty (Wimbledon), Ellie Rayer (East Grinstead), Amy Tennant (GK, Reading), Anna Toman (Wimbledon), Susannah Townsend (Canterbury), Laura Unsworth (East Grinstead)

BBC Sport

Sebastien Dockier left out of Belgium squad

By The Hockey Paper


Belgium will play England in the Pool phase PIC: England Hockey/World Sport Pics

Kiwi coach Shane McLeod has made some surprise omissions as hosts Belgium attempt to add the EuroHockey Championship title to their World Cup success.

Attackers Sebastien Dockier, Tanguy Cosyns and Maxime Plennevaux have all been left out of the Red Lions’ 18-strong squad, along with the young duo of Nicolas Poncelet and Augustin Meurmans.

Belgium take on Spain in the opening match in Antwerp on Friday Aug 16 against Spain, a group which also features England and Wales.

“The selection was very complicated,” the New Zealand coach told reporters at a press conference in Antwerp on Tuesday.

McLeod added that Dockier, who has been a regular in Belgium’s rise to world champions, was still in the frame for Tokyo selection, should they qualify.

On the Belgium women‘s side, there is an interesting call-up for British-born Abigail Raye, who has switched allegiances from Canada to play for the Red Panthers.

Defender Raye, who was born in Surrey, won 155 caps for Canada while the 28-year-old last played three years ago at international level.

Belgium men’s squad:

Vincent Vanasch, Loïc Van Doren, Arthur Van Doren, Arthur de Sloover, Gauthier Boccard, Alexander Hendrickx, Loïck Luypaert, Emmanuel Stockbroekx, John-John Dohmen, Simon Gougnard, Victor Wegnez, Felix Denayer, Antoine Kina, Thomas Briels, Cédric Charlier, Tom Boon, Florent Van Aubel, Nicolas De Kerpel.

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The Hockey Paper

EuroHockey Championship II (Women) 2019 - Day 6
Glasgow, Scotland

Fixtures (GMT +1)

9 Aug 2019 10:15     TUR v CZE (Pool C)
9 Aug 2019 12:30     WAL v UKR (Pool C)
9 Aug 2019 14:45     ITA v AUT (Semi Final 1)
9 Aug 2019 17:00     SCO v POL (Semi Final 2)

Pool C Standings

FIH Match Centre

EuroHockey Championship IV (Men) 2019 - Day 3
Helsinki, Finland

Result

8 Aug 2019 18:00     FIN v CYP (Pool A)     3 - 1

Pool Standing

Pool A

FIH Match Centre

2019 Test matches NED v MAS
Breda (NED)

6 Aug 2019     NED v MAS     6 - 4
8 Aug 2019     NED v MAS     6 - 2

FIH Match Centre

Ready, Steady, Tokyo! Elite teams line up for hockey’s Olympic Test Event



The countdown to the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 has now entered its final year and the preparations for ‘the greatest show on earth’ are in full swing.

As part of these efforts, a total of 56 test events have been scheduled in the build-up to the XXXII Olympiad, which takes place in and around Japan’s capital from Friday 24 July until Sunday 9 August 2020. Known collectively as the ‘Ready Steady Tokyo Test Events’, these dress rehearsals play a crucial role ensuring that venues and operational procedures are perfected ahead of the main event.

The Ready Steady Tokyo Hockey Test Event will be held at the brand-new Oi Hockey Stadium from Saturday 17 to Wednesday 21 August 2019, with eight – four men, four women – international teams set to take to the field. Host nation Japan and Asian giants India are represented in both competitions, with the men’s national teams of Malaysia and New Zealand and the women of Australia and China completing the respective line-ups at an event that will also witness a special stadium inauguration from Japan’s capital city.

In the men’s competition, India (FIH World Ranking: 5) are the highest ranked of the four competing nations and, according to defender and penalty corner ace Harmanpreet Singh, are travelling to Japan focussed on victory. “Malaysia, Japan and New Zealand are good teams to play against and see where we stand as a unit ahead of the Olympic Qualifiers”, said the 23-year-old who was recently named by head coach Graham Reid as captain for the event. “We are well-prepared, having attended a special goalkeepers camp and a defenders camp. We will be playing every match with the intent to win.”

Eighth-ranked New Zealand have named a strong, experienced squad for the event as they continue their preparations for the Oceania Cup, which takes place next month in Rockhampton, Australia. Blair Tarrant captains the side and is currently closing in on his 200th appearance for the Black Sticks, with masses of experience and talent coming from the likes of Shea McAleese, Stephen Jenness and Hugo Inglis. Star striker Simon Child has been provisionally named as part of head coach Darren Smith’s squad, and if selected will add even more attacking potency to this gifted group.

Malaysia sit 12th in the FIH World Rankings but have shown excellent form in recent weeks, as head coach Roelant Oltmans continues to work his renowned magic. Their tour of Europe has seen them defeat Germany, Spain and Ireland and also draw with England, results that suggest high confidence levels within the squad.

At 16th in the FIH World Rankings, host nation Japan are the lowest ranked nation competing in the test event. However, the Samurais' stunning, against the odds, title victory at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia ensures that they cannot be under-estimated.

With an FIH World Ranking of two, Australia will be seen by many as the clear favourites to triumph in the women’s Test Event. A silver medal in the inaugural FIH Pro League competition, defeated in a shoot-out by the Netherlands in the competition final, gives a good indication that they are building nicely with Tokyo 2020 now less than 12 months away. Like New Zealand men, Australia enter the Test Event with one eye on their upcoming Oceania Cup challenge on home soil in Rockhampton, where that all-important ticket to Tokyo 2020 is on the line. “This event gives us a chance to get a gauge on what it will be like at the Olympics in the hot and humid environment over there,” said head coach Paul Gaudoin. “It also allows us to work on some of our combinations in the lead up to the Oceania Cup and experience a little bit of what we hope to expect at this time next year.”

Australia’s opponents at the Ready Steady Tokyo Hockey Test Event are certainly not attending simply to make up the numbers, with all three nations looking to hit form for differing reasons. India (WR:10) and China (WR:11) both missed out on the chance of direct qualification for Tokyo 2020 by failing to take the title at last year’s 2018 Asian Games, where Japan (WR14) emerged triumphant after defeating India in the event final in Jakarta. Both India and China could feature in the FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers later this year and know that strong performances at the upcoming test event in Tokyo could lay solid foundations in their respective bids to secure an Olympic ticket. For Japan, it is all about continuing their progression. Their stunning victory at the 2018 Asian Games ended any discussion about whether or not they would compete in Tokyo based on merit. Now it is all about how much they can achieve at the Oi Hockey Stadium, a legacy venue that they will be proud to call home during the Olympic Games and for many years to come.

The match schedules as well as the list of officials, including the umpires, appointed by FIH for this event are available here (Men’s) and here (Women’s). To find more information about the “Ready Steady Tokyo” campaign for the Test Event, please click here.

The FIH delegation for the Ready Steady Tokyo Hockey Test Event will include FIH President and IOC Member Dr. Narinder Dhruv Batra, FIH CEO Thierry Weil, FIH Executive Board (EB) Member and AHF (Asian Hockey Federation) President Fumio Ogura as well as FIH EB Member, IOC Commission Member and AHF CEO Tayyab Ikram.

The Games of the XXXII Olympiad will be officially opened on 24 July 2020, with the Olympic hockey events getting underway 24 hours later in the Oi Hockey Stadium. Twenty-four nations – 12 men’s and 12 women’s teams – will battle it out to follow in the footsteps of the 2016 gold medalists, namely Argentina (men) and Great Britain (women).

Japan’s men and women will be joined at Tokyo 2020 by the winners of the four remaining continental championships, events which serve as direct qualifiers for the XXXII Olympiad. The next qualifiers for Tokyo 2020 will come from the currently ongoing Pan American Games in Lima, Peru, with the African, European and Oceania continental championships all taking place between now and September of this year.

The remaining seven places will be decided by the FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers scheduled to take place at the end of October and early November. These events consist of teams that qualified via the FIH Pro League and the FIH Series Finals, with the line-up being completed by the highest ranked teams who did not qualify via either route.

#ReadySteadyTokyo
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FIH site

Good show at Olympic test event will boost confidence ahead of qualifiers: Mandeep

The Indian team, currently ranked world No. 5 in the FIH Rankings, will be the top-ranked team taking part in the competition.


Mandeep Singh. Photo Credit: Biswaranjan Rout

A good show at the Olympic test event will help boost the team’s confidence ahead of the Tokyo 2020 qualifiers, India vice captain Mandeep Singh said on Thursday.

The Indian men’s hockey team is scheduled to play three matches at the Olympic test event in Tokyo, starting August 17 against world No 12 Malaysia, world No 8 New Zealand and world No 16 Japan, with the top two sides competing in the final.

“The test event will give us youngsters good exposure of how the conditions are in Tokyo, and playing there will also motivate us even further to secure a position at next year’s quadrennial event,” Mandeep said.

The Indian team, currently ranked world No. 5 in the FIH Rankings, will be the top-ranked team taking part in the competition.

“We are going to play Malaysia, Japan and New Zealand and these teams have great quality in all departments. On the other hand, our team has a lot of younger players with two debutants as well, along with players who will be looking to prove a point as we progress towards next year’s Olympic Games,” Mandeep said.

With several senior players like P R Sreejesh, Manpreet Singh, Birendra Lakra, Akashdeep Singh and Ramandeep Singh being rested for the tournament, defender and drag-flicker Harmanpreet Singh has been handed the captaincy of the team.

The 24-year-old Mandeep, who is one the most experienced players in the team, will play deputy to Harmanpreet.

“It is definitely a new challenge for me personally to be given more responsibility in the form of the vice-captaincy of the Indian team. I take pride in playing for the nation, and to be able to get more responsibility, I feel it motivates me even further to bring more success to the country in the upcoming tournament.”

The forward, who has 142 International caps, will be linking up with SV Sunil again in the forward-line.

“SV Sunil is one of the most experienced players in our squad, and he is someone who I have always looked up to. It is great that we have the opportunity to link up on the field, and I am sure that we can enjoy much success in the upcoming tournament,” he said.

The Hindu

U.S. O-50 Men’s Masters Team Open WMH European Masters Championship with Narrow Loss to Spain



KREFELD, Germany - The U.S. O-50 Men's Masters Team opened play at the 2019 World Masters Hockey (WMH) European Masters Championship at the Crefeld Hockey and Tennis Club in Krefeld, Germany today against Spain. USA took the lead in the first quarter but could not produce again to match Spain's two goals as they narrowly fell 1-2.

Evenly matched in the first quarter, both teams moved the ball into their opponent's space. Late in the frame, USA earned a free hit right outside the Spain defensive circle, which was taken quickly by Hugo Mazzalupi (Wayne, Pa.). He dribbled around the circle to the right side and took a shot that was deflected by Riaz Kahn (Mission Viejo, Calif.) to easily beat the Spain goalkeeper.

A shocked Spain came back at USA and controlled the second quarter a lot more than before and eventually earned a penalty corner. The first chance was inserted early and the next penalty corner, the direct shot was deflected off Mazzalupi's stick into the back of the net not giving USA goalkeeper Pradeep Menon (Cumming, Ga.) a chance to make a save. The half ended tied, 1-1.

The third quarter saw Spain immediately apply pressure through the midfield and move the ball well from side to side, waiting for their opportunity to move forward but USA marked well and denied them any opportunities. Spain eventually earned another penalty corner and the shooter tactfully dodged the first wave and moved to his right about 4 yards before striking on goal past USA goalkeeper Prashant Aji (San Jose, Calif.).

In final quarter, USA was in control for most of the frame and earned a penalty corner which Manny Morales (Miami, Fla.) sent wide. There were a few quicks starts by Damian Lanyon (Solana Beach, Fla.), Markus Krueger (Seattle, Wash.) and Mazzalupi inside the 25 to try and create opportunities but USA could not connect with their forward line to tie up the game. The final score stood at USA 1, Spain 2.

The other game in Pool A saw Ireland defeated Italy, 3-0.

Next, the U.S. O-50 Men's Masters Team will play Ireland tomorrow , Friday, August 9 at 8:00 a.m. ET. For more information regarding the WMH European Masters Championship including the full schedule, results, rosters and more, check out the official event page by clicking here.

USFHA media release

Bangladesh Hockey federation selects 35 for U-21 camp


The selected 35 players will join the 25 players from the national team and different premier league clubs, totaling 60, for the long-term training camp, scheduled to begin on August 18 BHF

Chief coach Mamunur Rashid and his two assistants – Alamgir Khan and Rasel Khan Bappy – conducted the trial with the participation of around 105 players
 
The Bangladesh Hockey Federation has selected 35 players for the national U-21 training camp, ahead of the Junior Asia Cup Hockey 2020 as the week-long open trial concluded at the capital’s Maulana Bhasani National Stadium Wednesday.

Chief coach Mamunur Rashid and his two assistants – Alamgir Khan and Rasel Khan Bappy – conducted the trial with the participation of around 105 players.

Among the selected players, highest 15 came from BKSP, eight from Bangladesh Air Force, four from Dhaka and one each from Rajshahi, Sirajganj, Rangamati, Narayanganj, Kishoreganj and Joypurhat.

The selected 35 players will join the 25 players from the national team and different premier league clubs, totaling 60, for the long-term training camp, scheduled to begin on August 18.

Rashid informed that they have also selected 30 players in order to form the future national U-18 team.

“Along with 35 players for U-21 camp, we also selected 30 U-18 players. Some players are talented, and physically in good shape. But the important thing is that they have the eagerness. If we can nurture them through long-term planning it would work as effective pipeline for the future national team,” said Rashid.

The upcoming edition of Junior Asia Cup Hockey is expected to be held in April next year.

The hockey federation plans to carry on the junior training camp until the tournament, except during the domestic league.

Dhaka Tribune

Happy ending to a thorny meeting

By Jugjet Singh

They came with much to complain about, and they left the meeting with smiling faces.

That was the outcome after 11 State HA secretaries attended a Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) Competition Committee’s Razak Cup special meeting recently over their grouses against rules which they claimed put them at a disadvantage.

And the secretaries, who forked out their own money to attend the meeting because they were the ones who called for it, returned home with big smiles.

Perak HA secretary M. Selvakumaran, one of those who called for the special meeting, thanked MHC for listening to their stakeholders.

‘I would like to thank the MHC for listening to us and solving a thorny rule change for the Razak Cup which would have left many states in limbo and only benefit one or two states,’ said Selvakumaran.

Earlier the MHC competitions committee had changed the Razak Cup eligibility rule.

‘The earlier eligibility criteria, based on place of birth, is deleted from the rules.’

After the meeting, called by Perak, Perlis, Pahang and Negri Sembilan, it is now agreed that:

1. Players, who are still studying, will have to represent the State where they played in the Malaysia Games, and if they have yet to play in the Malaysia Games, they must represent the State where they studied high school. However, sports school students have to return to their respective States.

2. Rule 1 also applies to players aged 30 and below for women, as well as 25 and below for men.

3. Players who are working and aged above 30 for men and 25 for women, have a choice to represent the State where they are working or where they studied at their last high school or which State they played in the Malaysia Games.

4. Players, who are not in any of the above category, will be deemed as guest players and each State can only register four.

‘I believe these rules will make sure that States which are active in developing players will benefit, while States that don’t will become serious about development if they want to have a strong state side,’ said Selvakumaran.

Selangor will host the Razak Cup on Sept 6-14 at a venue in Kuala Lumpur, and at least 22 national players will not be eligible to represent their States as they are preparing for the Olympic Qualifier in October.

New Straits Times