News for 10 May 2021
All the news for Monday 10 May 2021
2021 Test matches AUT v CZE (W) - 10 May
Wiener Neudorf (AUT)
8 May 2021 AUT v CZE 3 - 2
9 May 2021 AUT v CZE 2 - 2
FIH Match Centre
SA wrap up hockey series
by Helge Schütz
JP Britz in action for Namibia. Photo contributed
SOUTH Africa wrapped up their men's hockey series against Namibia after winning the fifth and final test 5-0 in Johannesburg on Friday.
Two goals by Brandon Panther and one each by Keenan Horne, Matthew de Sousa and Nqobile Ntuli gave them a comfortable win to clinch the series 5-0.
Namibia, however, gave a good account of themselves, holding SA at bay until the third quarter, before their defence finally cracked.
Namibian captain and keeper DJ Strauss brought off some fine saves early on, while Nico Neethling created an early chance for Namibia, but Fagan Hansen lobbed the ball wide.
SA upped the tempo in the second corner, winning a short corner, but Strauss pulled off a fine save from Daniel Bell and from a Ntuli back-stick shot just before half time.
South Africa finally opened their account early in the third quarter when a diving Keenan Horne tapped in a cross by Tyson Dlungwana, while Panther made it 2-0 when he smashed the ball high into the net after a quick deflect from Ntuli.
Brynn Cleak created some chances for Namibia with his strong surges through the midfield, while they won two short corners at the end of the third quarter, but SA keeper Siyavuya Nolutshungu saved well from Ernest Jacobs.
Matthew de Sousa put SA 3-0 ahead midway through the final quarter, but Namibia still managed to create some chances, with Dylan Finch having a shot saved, while Damien Schütz shot wide from close range.
In the final stages, Panther scored his second goal, while a diving shot by Nqobile made the final score 5-0 to South Africa.
With that SA wrapped the series up 5-0, after winning the first four tests, 7-0, 2-1, 3-0 and 6-0.
The young Namibian side, though, gained invaluable experience, and will draw hope from their second test performance when they nearly grabbed a draw against the African champions.
The Namibian
Strongly believe we have best chance to win medal, says India men's hockey captain Manpreet Singh
India have won eight gold medals in the past, but their last top finish came way back in 1980 Moscow Olympics.
File image of Indian men's hockey captain Manpreet Singh. Hockey India
Bengaluru: Indian men's hockey team captain Manpreet Singh believes the upcoming Olympics provides his side the best opportunity to break the four decade-long medal drought as they hope to produce their peak performance during the Tokyo Games.
India have won eight gold medals in the past, but their last top finish came way back in 1980 Moscow Olympics.
"We strongly believe we have the best chance to win a medal at the Olympics and this belief is keeping everyone motivated and optimistic," Manpreet said on the occasion of 75-day countdown of the Tokyo Olympics which opens on 23 July.
"Our training has been planned in such a manner that we peak at the right time and also we are clocking long hours in the sun to get our bodies acclimatised to the hot conditions in Tokyo."
The skipper, however, said that the postponement of FIH Pro League matches against Germany and Spain due to coronavirus has been a big setback for the team.
"When the FIH Pro League matches against Germany and Spain too were postponed, we were extremely disappointed because those matches would have certainly helped in our preparations. But we understand these are really unprecedented times, and there are travel restrictions in place," Manpreet said.
Meanwhile, Indian women's hockey team captain Rani Rampal is relieved that all seven players, who had tested positive for COVID-19 recently, will resume training from next week after recovering from the deadly virus.
Rani and six other players, including Savita Punia, Sharmila Devi, Rajani, Navjot Kaur, Navneet Kaur and Sushila had tested positive for the virus upon their arrival here for the national camp after a 10-day break.
Besides the players, two support staff -- video analyst Amrutaprakash and scientific advisor Wayne Lombard -- had also contracted the virus and have now recovered.
"We are relieved that all those players who had tested positive are all doing fine and have geared up to resume training. We are taking all precautions on campus so that we stay healthy and injury-free in the lead up to the Games," Rani said.
"Despite these setbacks, we will continue to pursue our goal of doing well in Tokyo. The next 75 days are crucial, and we are upbeat as a group."
Firstpost
Dragons overcome slow start to land 12th Belgian men’s title
KHC Dragons won their 12th Belgian men’s national title as they won both of their two legs of finals weekend over Waterloo Ducks, 4-3 and 2-1.
“I am so proud of this team, ” said Florent van Aubel to Le Soir, who was celebrating his 7th title in the Antwerp club’s jersey.
They did so after a slow start to the season, finishing fifth in the pre-Christmas phase of the competition and then overhauling a five-point gap in the group stages to reach the semi-finals.
“We were in a pretty awkward situation and we achieved something pretty amazing by qualifying for the semi-finals. Then, from that point on, we knew we were capable of anything.
“This is the Dragons. Everyone responded. It is the DNA of the Dragons to win titles even when it comes to a transition season. We are trying to set up a project around which we are trying to unite all the players.
“When things didn’t work out, we dared to face it. We understood our strengths and weaknesses. And we learned to play with it. I don’t know if we really doubted ourselves at some point this season even when we had these difficult times.”
For Waterloo, William Ghislain admitted Dragons held the aces this weekend. “We lacked a lot of efficiency. It’s sad but that’s how it is, it’s sport. We wanted the title but it didn’t turn out as expected.
“We have the youngest team in the championship but that cannot be an excuse. We have worked a lot and we are trying to build a solid structure for the next few years. We still lack a little experience even if it is not this that makes us lose the title.”
Royal Léopold, meanwhile, took the third place with back-to-back wins over Orée.
Euro Hockey League media release
Den Bosch and Amsterdam set up another Dutch final showdown
Den Bosch and AH&BC Amsterdam will contest the Dutch women’s final this week after they both saw off hdm and SCHC on Saturday to win the first two of their best of three semi-finals.
Den Bosch continued their immaculate season which has already seen them win the EHL Women’s title and top the regular season in the Hoofdklasse.
And, having won the first tie in midweek, they pulled clear of hdm in game two in the last 20 minutes. Danique van der Veerdonk took over the corner duties to put the Brabant club in front but a spectacular Mila Muyselaar equaliser made things interesting in the second half.
But Den Bosch killed off their dreams in the closing phases with Joosje Burg restoring the lead with 18 minutes to go and Lidewij Welten turned in Frédérique Matla’s cross in the closing phases for a 3-1 success.
Amsterdam, meanwhile, won their second leg 3-1 against SCHC thanks to a clever Marijn Veen corner touch and a pair of Lauren Stam penalty strokes.
Mette Winter put SCHC in front in the 16th minute but Veen had the game level at half-time and then Stam won it with her two goals from the penalty spot.
Amsterdam and Den Bosch will meet in the first of their best-of-three leg final on Thursday evening at the Wagener Stadium before the second leg switches to Oosterplas on Saturday.
Euro Hockey League media release
Kampong and Bloemendaal vye for Dutch men’s title
SV Kampong will look to take down HC Bloemendaal in the Dutch men’s final series this week after they produced back-to-back clean sheets against HC Rotterdam in the semi-final.
Having won the first leg of their semi 3-0, Ties Ceulemans got the only goal of the second leg with 16 minutes to go.
It was a slightly fortuitous effort as Lars Balk’s crash ball bounced to the right post and a first time cross left Ceulemans with a simple tap-in.
It puts them through to the final against EHL Men’s champions and Hoofdklasse table-toppers Bloemendaal who were too strong for Den Bosch.
They won the first leg 5-1 and backed it up with a 3-0 victory on home turf. Jasper Brinkman continued his super season with a pair of penalty corner goals, late in either half.
Yannick van der Drift got the middle goal, a tip-in from Tom Hiebendaal’s backhand cross from the left of the circle.
The first leg of the final will take place in Utrecht on Thursday with the second of three potential showdowns on Saturday at Het Kopje.
Euro Hockey League media release
Mazkour solo strike secures Rot-Weiss the German men’s title
Elian Mazkour scored the only goal to dethrone his former club as German men’s champions as Rot-Weiss Köln won the FINAL FOUR 2021 1-0 ahead of Uhlenhorst Mülheim.
It denied Uhlenhorst a “three-peat” after their 2018 and 19 successes with Rot-Weiss landing the title for the first time since 2016.
For Rot-Weiss coach André Henning, he said: “The whole long season was very exhausting and the game fit into it. We have invested a lot and, after five years and four seasons, we really wanted it and really did a lot for it and were also rewarded with a great season and an incredibly good weekend.
“In the semi-finals, we showed what we can do offensively, and in the final the expected defensive battle – so I’m very excited about the way the team performed today. The narrow win was also a consequence of the semi-finals.
“After a game in which we conceded four goals, we of course had to deal with it and focus on it. The good old truth applies that defense is crucial for championships. That was also the focus in the past months, we worked a lot on that.
“For me, it is also something special that the team, which has an extreme offensive and individual quality, which has a lot of spectacular players, wins a title in the end through team spirit, unity and discipline.”
Rot-Weiss had won the semi-final 6-4, coming back from 4-2 down to beat Berliner HC while Mulheim saw off Mannheimer HC via a shoot-out after a 2-2 draw
The final was much tighter with a tactical battle decided in the 38th minute by Mazkour.
“It means an incredible amount to me,” Mazkour said. “It was the first German championship in which I was able to really play, and then to score the decisive goal as a young player is a really great feeling.
“To have won against the ex-club does not resonate, but rather outweighs the feeling of having played a final round, scored the decisive goal and won the German championship.”
Euro Hockey League media release
Düsseldorfer HC win their first ever women’s outdoor German title
Düsseldorfer HC became German women’s outdoor champions for the first time in their club history as they got the better of Mannheimer HC in a shoot-out after a thrilling 1-1 scoreline in normal time.
In the shootout, Lilly Stoffelsma, Tessa Schubert and Selin Oruz secured the title for their DHC, while for Mannheim only Lucina van der Heyde and Martina Cavallero registered as Natalie Kubalski produced the goalkeeping heroics.
Nico Sussenburger, coach of the new German champions, needed good nerves as his side also made it through to the final via a shoot-out against Club an der Alster.
“These were two incredibly close games, both of which were decided in the shoot-out. After we left a lot behind in the past few years, it is unbelievable what the girls have achieved here.
“The fact that we can now be the first to win a field title for our club with this long tradition is simply unbelievable, regardless of a season that lasted 300 or 600 days.”
Kubalski was named the MVP for the FINAL FOUR 2021 but was modest despite her world-class performance: “It’s my job to keep the balls our and it worked well this weekend; it cannot be taken for granted.
“With all our injuries, it was clear that we had to get on the defensive and that requires a good goalkeeper and I am glad that I was able to fulfill this task for my team here.”
Selin Oruz, captain of the Düsseldorf HC and shooter of the decisive shoot-out: “I am incredibly proud of this team after the huge fight – dirty, but deserved in the end.
“When we came here, we weren’t exactly expecting the title but I’m all the more proud of the whole team. We were very emotional, otherwise we would not have survived. That was our spirit, that was our plan.”
Euro Hockey League media release
North Carolina pip Michigan to lift national field hockey title
North Carolina lived up to its No.1 seeding PIC: UNC Field Hockey
US national team and collegiate hockey leading scorer Erin Matson scored in extra-time as North Carolina won their third consecutive national title with a 4-3 win over Michigan on Sunday night.
Victory in the NCAA field hockey championship game saw the Tar Heels keep their 37-0 record in tact at the Karen Shelton Stadium on the UNC campus as the No 1 seeds won their ninth national title under the revered coach.
No team had won three straight field hockey titles since Wake Forest in 2002-04, but North Carolina secured the feat after Matson’s double. Matson once again proved the standout player in the championship and finished as leading scorer, notching her 30th strike to seal victory over No.2 seeded Michigan.
“What a heck of a game,” said Shelton, US collegiate field hockey’s most successful coach. “I’m so proud of our kids, but I also have to congratulate the University of Michigan. They played so hard and so tough. They challenged us. We like to play a little slower and a little more methodically but you can’t do that against them – the pressure comes so fast.”
The championship finale was played out in front of 450 fans in the restricted capacity, with many more students lining vantage points.
“The crowd was fantastic,” added Shelton. “It’s very special for all of us to represent the University of North Carolina and to win a national championship on our home field is something that’s pretty darned special. I know the kids take pride in defending their home and they did that so well tonight.”
The last time a North Carolina sporting side won a championship on its campus came when the women’s soccer team, led by Mia Hamm, beat George Mason in 1993.
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The Hockey Paper
Matson’s OT goal lifts Tar Heels to 9th field hockey title
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — Erin Matson scored the sudden victory goal in the seventh minute of overtime to lift North Carolina to its third consecutive title with a 4-3 win over Michigan in the NCAA field hockey championship game on Sunday night.
On North Carolina’s second penalty corner in a row, Matson took it to her reverse side and smashed it through the legs of Wolverines goalkeeper Anna Spieker. It was Matson’s third goal of the match and 30th of the season for the top-seeded Tar Heels (19-1).
North Carolina won its third consecutive championship for the second time in program history (1995-97) and tied Old Dominion for an NCAA-best ninth title. The last time a UNC team won a championship on campus was when the women’s soccer team led by Mia Hamm beat George Mason 6-0 on Nov. 21, 1993.
Kathryn Peterson and Sarah Pyrtek scored goals in the 40th and 45th minutes to erase a two-goal deficit late in the third quarter for the No. 2 seed Wolverines (15-3).
Kate Burney opened the scoring in the 10th minute for Michigan and Matson tied it for North Carolina 33 seconds later.
Bryn Boylan gave the Tar Heels their first lead with a penalty stroke goal in the 18th minute and Matson made it 3-1 in the 38th minute.
Associated Press
First-years help UNC field hockey advance to NCAA Championship with 3-0 win over Iowa
By Kaitlyn Schmidt
Erin Matson runs with the ball at the NCAA Semi-Final against Iowa at the Karen Shelton Stadium in Chapel Hill, NC on Friday, May 7, 2021. Photo Courtesy of Jeff Camarati. Photo by JEFFREY A. CAMARATI | The Daily Tar Heel
It was the third quarter of the NCAA Semifinals game against Iowa, and the North Carolina field hockey team was just minutes away from punching its ticket to the title game.
On a penalty corner, UNC junior forward Erin Matson swiped the ball off the insert straight into the back of the net to put her team up three points. It was Matson's 27th goal of the season — tying Iowa’s goal total for the team's entire 2020-2021 campaign.
The performance seemed pretty textbook for UNC field hockey, a team that has made the Final Four 12 years in a row and is chasing its third-straight national championship.
But it wasn’t just Matson who contributed to the 3-0 shutout against the Hawkeyes — her score was the cherry on top of two other goals from first-year midfielder Katie Dixon and first-year forward Mia Leonhardt.
Dixon posted her first career goal in the second quarter to open up the scoring. She was assisted by Leonhardt, who followed Dixon’s goal with the first of her own in the third.
“Erin, she’s always so helpful in telling us where to go on the press and when to pressure the defense,” Leonhardt said.
Matson and her veteran team have excelled in mentoring the rookies, who rose to the occasion in the Final Four matchup. The first-year players capitalized on their opportunities on Friday, making the Tar Heels' depth look better than ever.
UNC's win over Iowa did not come easy, though. The first 20 minutes of play were a pure defensive battle, as both teams struggled to make plays past their midlines, each only getting off one shot in the first quarter.
Dixon’s goal turned the tide of the game in North Carolina’s favor.
But two weather delays immediately followed the goal, forcing both teams to stay in their locker rooms for 40 minutes before returning to the field to resume the second quarter.
“We were fortunate to have that little rain delay,” UNC head coach Karen Shelton said. “Everybody knows a team’s fired up after you get scored on, then we had a break. So that was lucky for us.”
And lucky indeed. Momentum picked up as North Carolina converted both of its third-quarter penalty corners into points. Thanks to Leonhardt's and Matson's goals, UNC finished the game with a corner conversion rate of 50 percent.
“North Carolina was quite critical in their (penalty corner conversions), and that was the difference in the game,” Iowa head coach Lisa Cellucci said.
The Hawkeyes fought back with everything they had left in the fourth quarter, drawing three corners in a row and challenging UNC senior goalkeeper Amanda Hendry with seven shots on goal.
“We kind of dropped back,” Shelton said. “We had realized that we had enough goals to win the game and we didn’t need to score. It gave them too much space, and so a good team is going to capitalize.”
Despite the Hawkeyes’ fight, UNC’s defense remained intact and didn't allow a goal. Matson ran down the final seconds of the clock, dribbling the ball around midfield until the final buzzer sounded, signifying North Carolina’s title-game berth.
This is the first time the NCAA Championship will be played in Karen Shelton Stadium, where the Tar Heels have been undefeated since its commission in 2018. There they will face the No. 2-seeded Michigan Wolverines.
North Carolina will have had 48 hours to prepare for the title game, which starts at 7 p.m on Sunday.
“At this point in the season, you can’t do a whole lot, you can’t change a whole lot,” Shelton said. “So it’s important for us to be in a good frame of mind, to get our legs up, to rest and just have our bodies recover as much as we possibly can so that we’re ready.”
It’s déjà vu for the third-straight year as the Tar Heels are the top seed heading into the National Championship. Will they make it a three-peat on their home field on Sunday?
The Daily Tar Heel
End of the road for middlemen
By Jugjet Singh
MHC president Datuk Seri Subahan Kamal.
The Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) have decided to stamp their power on players who want to ply their trade overseas in order to stop middlemen or agents from profiteering.
In Malaysia, the MHC are the sole right holders of the No Objection Certificate (NOC), a document recognised by the International Hockey Federation (FIH) for players who want to sign with foreign teams.
"The MHC have decided to impose an additional requirement for players who want to apply for the NOC to play abroad.
"They will now have to apply for the certificate through their respective State HAs.
"After proper screening, the application will be forwarded to the MHC for further action.
"This additional requirement will safeguard the welfare of players, who want to venture overseas. We do not want them to be exploited by middlemen, who only want to make a profit," said MHC president Datuk Seri Subahan Kamal.
Last month, a foreign-based club had written to a Malaysian team in the hope of securing the services of two local players.
But the club decided not to go ahead due to the delay in securing the players' NOCs from the MHC.
The club are now not keen on securing Malaysian players as they had faced similar situations in the past.
"The MHC will always support players who want to venture overseas provided they are free from national or state duty.
"This new requirement will ensure a proper screening process via the State HAs before submission to the MHC," Subahan added.
According to the FIH, the NOC allows players from one country to play in another country with the permission of their national associations.
"This is particularly relevant to players who play for their national teams," said the FIH.
New Straits Times
Financially strong club with a more tight-knit community
2020 Hockey New Zealand Club of the Year – Carlton Redcliffs (Canterbury)
While 2020 was a tough time for most sporting clubs due to the effects of Covid-19, it was a hugely successful season for Christchurch’s Carlton Redcliffs club as they created financial resilience and a more tight-knit community.
The club took a collaborative approach with their community, seeking feedback on several areas of the organisation. Out of that, a number of key takeaways were actioned to appeal to their members including a refreshed brand, an improved culture and values, and a new look for social events.
Following a successful members survey, a new club logo and brand was developed that pays tribute to the proud history of both of the Carlton Ladies and Redcliffs Men’s Hockey Clubs. New playing strips and other merchandise were then rolled out.
They also launched a supporters club to connect better with ex-players and supporters and they have a target of 30 new members next year.
The club redeveloped its management and governance manuals, more accurately defining and allocating new roles so more people are doing less. A new and updated code of conduct was also developed and promoted though our club.
From a financial and commercial perspective, Carlton Redcliffs implemented four new three-year sponsorship deals in 2020 – creating a family of sponsors that align with their culture and approach. This delivered a positive cash surplus for the first time in three years for the club.
Not only has the club created financial resilience and a more tight-knit community, but they’ve also focused on providing participation and development opportunities for their members.
This included the delivery of Funsticks, tapping into Pat Barwick as a coaching mentor, providing club-based pre-season development opportunities for junior athletes and overseeing elements of their junior umpiring programmes – all while ensuring they engage and collaborate with Canterbury Hockey.
On the field, three of the club’s four Premier and Division 1 sides made their respective finals and the Premier Men were unbeaten during the regular season.
An impressive year on and off the field despite the challenges of a global pandemic.
Hockey New Zealand Media release
Hockey India mourns death of former player George Fernandez
Hockey India mourns the death of former player George Fernandez, who died on Sunday of COVID-19 aged 67.
Hockey India on Monday mourned the death of former player George Fernandez, who died on Sunday of COVID-19 aged 67.
“We at Hockey India are deeply saddened to learn about the untimely demise of George Fernandez, who represented our nation at the Junior level,” HI president Gyanendro Ningombam said in a communiqué.
“We extend our deepest condolences to his family in this moment of grief.”
Remembering M. K. Kaushik: ‘It feels like I have lost my father’
Fernandez, a former Assistant Customs Commissioner (Karnataka), represented the Indian junior team in 1975 playing as a forward. He also played for his home State Karnataka at the junior level in the year 1975-76.
On Saturday, two of India’s most revered hockey stars, Ravinder Pal Singh and M. K. Kaushik, both of whom were members of the Indian team which won gold at the Moscow Olympics in 1980, died of COVID-19.
Sportstar