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News for 06 June 2021

All the news for Sunday 6 June 2021


EuroHockey Championship 2021 Men - 6 June
Amsterdam, Netherlands

All times GMT +2)

4 Jun 2021     GER v WAL (Pool B)     8 - 1
4 Jun 2021     NED v FRA (Pool B)     3 - 0

5 Jun 2021     ENG v RUS (Pool A)   5 - 0
5 Jun 2021     BEL v ESP (Pool A)   4 - 2
5 Jun 2021     FRA v WAL (Pool B)   2 - 2

6 Jun 2021 15:00     GER v NED (Pool B)
6 Jun 2021 17:30     ESP v RUS (Pool A)
6 Jun 2021 19:45     ENG v BEL (Pool A)

Pool Standings

Pool A

Rank Team Played Wins Draws Losses Goals For Goals Against Goal Difference Points
1 England 1 1 0 0 5 0 5 3
2 Belgium 1 1 0 0 4 2 2 3
2 Spain 1 0 0 1 2 4 -2 0
4 Russia 1 0 0 1 0 5 -5 0

Pool B

Rank Team Played Wins Draws Losses Goals For Goals Against Goal Difference Points
1 Germany 1 1 0 0 8 1 7 3
2 Netherlands 1 1 0 0 3 0 3 3
3 France 2 0 1 1 2 5 -3 1
4 Wales 2 0 1 1 3 10 -7 1

FIH Match Centre



EuroHockey Championship 2021 Women - 6 June

Amsterdam, Netherlands

All times GMT +2)

5 Jun 2021     NED v IRL (Pool A)   4 - 0
5 Jun 2021     ESP v SCO (Pool A)   4 - 1

6 Jun 2021     ENG v ITA (Pool B)    4 - 0
6 Jun 2021 12:45     GER v BEL (Pool B)

Pool Standings

Pool A

Rank Team Played Wins Draws Losses Goals For Goals Against Goal Difference Points
1 Netherlands 1 1 0 0 4 0 4 3
2 Spain 1 1 0 0 4 1 3 3
3 Scotland 1 0 0 1 1 4 -3 0
4 Ireland 1 0 0 1 0 4 -4 0

Pool B

Rank Team Played Wins Draws Losses Goals For Goals Against Goal Difference Points
1 England 1 1 0 0 4 0 4 3
2 Belgium 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2 Germany 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
4 Italy 1 0 0 1 0 4 -4 0

FIH Match Centre



Champions Belgium begin men's EuroHockey Championship campaign with victory over Spain

By Ali Iveson


Belgium's men defeated Spain 4-2 in a rematch of the 2019 final ©Getty Images

Defending champions Belgium began their men's EuroHockey Championship title defence with a 4-2 victory over Spain in a rematch of the 2019 final.

Jose Basterra gave Spain an early lead in Amstelveen, but the reigning world and European champions answered within two minutes as Alexander Hendrickx nutmegged the goalkeeper from a short corner.

Tom Boon's brace and a superb solo goal from Cédric Charlier, who evaded several Spanish defenders before firing home, made it 4-1.

Xavi Lleonart scored a late consolation for Spain.

England thrashed Russia 5-0 in Group A's other game.

After being held to goalless in the first half, England found top gear following the restart as Liam Ansell, Phil Roper, Zach Wallace, Chris Griffiths and James Gall all scored.

The thumping win sends England top of the group for now.

In the late men's match in Pool B Wales beat France 3-2.

The women's EuroHockey Championship begins at the same Dutch venue today.

The hosts, who are the defending champions, began their campaign against Ireland, who they beat in the Hockey World Cup final in 2018.

The Netherlands ran out convincing 4-0 winners taking the lead in the ninth minute thanks to a penalty stroke from Caia Van Maasakker.

A field goal from Laurien Leurink doubled the Dutch advantage in the 14th minute before a penalty corner from Frederique Matla made it 3-0 in the 25th minute.

The rout was completed when Leurink netted her second field goal in the 44th minute to make it 4-0.

Spain ran out 4-1 winners over Scotland in the other match in Pool A of the women's competition.

Inside the Games



England Run Riot Over Russia In EuroHockey Championships Opener



England’s men got off to the perfect start at the EuroHockey Championships with a 5-0 victory over Russia.

Following a goalless first-half, the team came alive after the restart with Phil Roper, Zach Wallace, Chris Griffiths and James Gall on target.

Ollie Payne ensured the side would keep a clean sheet in what was the goalkeeper’s senior international debut for England, whilst Liam Ansell also found the net on his 50th combined cap.

5

England enjoyed the vast majority of possession through the first quarter and tested Ivan Ozherelev early on.

It wasn’t one way traffic, Tom Sorsby making a superb block on the line to deny Russia from a penalty corner.

Whilst Danny Kerry’s side continued to dominate the possession count, Russia looked dangerous on the break, Payne making a solid save with the glove to keep the game level.

England were regularly working the ball into the circle, Sorsby coming close to lifting the ball over the Russian ‘keeper before David Goodfield was played into a promising position only to lose control of the ball.

Though the team remained persistent on the offensive, England were unable to make the breakthrough in the opening-half with the deadlock yet to be broken.

Following the interval, England came roaring out of the blocks, Roper driving into the circle with a weaving run in the opening minute, the forward then being denied by a magnificent save just a minute later.

With an early onslaught on the Russian goal, the pressure told as the ball fell into the path of Ansell to tuck the ball away and put England one goal to the good.

The side were in again just a minute later, after playing provider for the first, Roper burying the second with a powerful strike finding the bottom corner to double the lead as the team looked unrecognisable from the side that failed to find the net in the first half.

Having fallen behind to two quick strikes, Russia looked to get back into the match with a swift counter of their own, Alexander Skiperskiy diving at the far post but just unable to tap the ball in.

England were looking lethal on the attack and came within inches of bagging a third as Griffiths’ attempt whistled narrowly wide of the goal.

Ozherelev was being kept busy in the Russian goal, having to deal with efforts from Will Calnan and Ansell in quick succession as England continued to dominate.

The momentum was firmly with England as the team peppered the goal with shots, Ansell denied from a penalty corner before a thunderous shot from Wallace on the reverse rocketed into the corner of the goal for a well deserved 3-0 lead.

It was turning into cruise control for Kerry’s side as Griffiths found a beautiful finish before Gall also got in on the act to complete a neat team goal and secure a well earned 5-0 victory for England in their first match at the EuroHockey Championships.



After the game, Roper commented: “We always new it was going to be fairly tough, Russia are renowned for being a physical side and there’s always pre-game nerves at the tart of a massive tournament, but we’re glad it came together in the second-half and we got the win.

“In the second-half the ball started sticking and we got our link-up play. We got the ball in the back of the net but also played very well defensively.

“There’s so many top sides here that you have to be water-tight defensively and creating chances at the other end.”

England’s men return to action on Sunday 6 June against Belgium at 18:45 on BT Sport 2.

England 5 (0)

Ansell (32’ FG), Roper (33’ FG), Wallace (44’ FG), Griffiths (47’ FG), Gall (53’ FG)

Russia 0 (0)

Starting XI: Ames, Griffiths, Ward, Roper, Dixon (C), Creed, Payne (GK), Waller, Gall, Sorsby, Wallace

Subs (Used): Martin, Sloan, Griffiths, Goodfield, Ansell, Sanford, Calnan

Subs (Unused): Pinner (GK)

England Hockey Board Media release



England cruise past Russia in opener as Wales beat France

England began their EuroHockey Championships campaign with a comfortable 5-0 win over Russia in Pool A in the Netherlands.

With the game level after half-time, Liam Ansell marked his 50th international appearance with the opening goal in Amstelveen, Amsterdam.

Phil Roper doubled the lead a minute later, before goals by Zach Wallace, Chris Griffiths and James Gall.

Wales opened with a win too, claiming a late 3-2 victory over France in Pool B.

Goals by Owain Dolan-Gray and Gareth Furlong saw the Welsh come from behind to lead 2-1 and although France levelled, Joe Naughalty struck with 48 seconds left.

In the women's competition, Scotland started their campaign with a 4-1 defeat by Spain while Ireland lost 4-0 to the host nation.

England will get their tournament under way against Italy on Sunday, when their men's team play their second game against defending champions Belgium.

Qualification for the 2022 World Cup is on offer in the Netherlands.

BBC Sport



Mullan and Green Army embrace the rollercoaster after 4-0 defeat to world number ones



Katie Mullan says Ireland “know the rollercoaster of tournament hockey” and take a lot from their opening women’s EuroHockey Championship tie, falling 4-0 to an imperious Dutch side.

A double from Laurien Leurink along with goals from Caia van Maasakker and Frédérique Matla did the damage for the world number ones – who have lost just once in their last 100 fixtures and are reigning World, Euro and Pro League champions – who showed their class in spades.

Nonetheless, captain Mullan said it was a far cry from the 6-0 meeting when Ireland last met the Dutch in 2018’s World Cup final.

“I think anyone who watched both those games will see the improvement in us,” the Green Army captain said of the performance. “There’s a few little things defensively where we get caught as a full team; those are the moments where they dominate and score and that’s where the Dutch are so clinical.

“But there were times we really did have control, held the ball well and were able to accumulate passes. We’re in a good place going into the Scottish game.”


Katie Mullan on the attack. Picture: Frank Uijlenbroek/World Sport Pics

It was Ireland’s first competitive fixture since the 2019 Olympic qualifiers, enough time for Amsterdam restrictions to be lifted enough to allow over 3,000 fans to attend. With the happy hardcore music reverberating around the Wagener Stadium, Mullan added it was a great way to get back into action.

“That was an incredible atmosphere; when you have had two years out of international hockey, what a way to come back to tournament hockey, playing the Dutch in Amsterdam in a packed stadium. It was all orange and we really enjoyed it!

“How do you prepare a youngster for that?” she added, referencing the tournament debuts for UCD pair Hannah McLoughlin and Michelle Carey.

“We tried to build them up for it all week and I’m very proud of them; they did incredibly well and enjoyed it too. That’s the most important thing for them too; for your first 10 caps you have free reign. You just go out and enjoy it, getting up to that pace. I’m almost jealous they got to do it against the Dutch in that atmosphere.”

As for the game, Margot van Geffen had fired the first warning shot inside 45 seconds but the Green Army responded quickly. Some sweet interplay at the head of the D saw Mullan pick out Anna O’Flanagan and but for the faceguard of goalkeeper Josine Koning, Ireland would have had a shock lead.

The Dutch, however, capitalised on a loose defensive clearance in the ninth minute as Laura Nunnink pinched possession and drew a penalty stroke from Róisín Upton. Caia van Maasakker – in her 200th appearance – netted from the spot.

Moments later, Leurink got on the end of Felice Albers’ pull-back from the right and Ireland were two behind.

Ayeisha McFerran’s big boot limited the damage from a couple of Dutch corners but she could not keep out Frédérique Matla’s powerful corner as the hosts extended their lead to 3-0 by half-time.


Hannah McLoughlin in action in her first senior ranking tournament. Picture: Frank Uijlenbroek/World Sport Pics

The scoreline was compounded by a nasty head injury sustained by Lizzie Holden but she was thankfully able to take her place in the stands after being withdrawn from action.

Ireland were more compact in the third quarter with Hannah Matthews picking off numerous defensive interventions and McFerran sharp between the posts.

The fourth goal, though, did arrive with Leurink credited with the last touch after a goalmouth scramble. Ireland wanted to call for a video but the umpires deemed the request too late and so it was not referred upstairs.

Nonetheless, with Shirley McCay and Deirdre Duke also making bit blocks, Ireland were content to take the positives and head into Monday’s date with Scotland (11.30am, Irish time, on RTE2) in upbeat mood.

“We know for sure they will be a completely different team from the one we saw in Belfast a few weeks ago,” Mullan said of that challenge having run up two wins over the Scots recently.

“They have strong players and we will learn a lot from watching them play Spain. We know we have to control the game and the pace. If we take the energy we brought out there today against the Dutch, add a few more things to it in terms of our attack and we will be in a good place come.”

Ireland are back in action on Monday at 11.30am (Irish time) against Scotland before finishing their group on Wednesday against Spain.

Women’s EuroHockey Championship, Pool A
Netherlands 4 (L Leurink 2, C van Maasakker, F Matla) Ireland 0

Netherlands: J Koning, M Pheninckx, L Leurink, M Keetels, C van Maasakker, F Matla, P Sanders, L Stam, M van Geffen, E de Goede, F Albers
Subs: S Koolen, M Verschoor, L Nunnink, S van Gils, I Kappelle, P Dicke, A Veenendaal

Ireland: A McFerran, R Upton, N Evans, K Mullan, S McCay, L Tice, N Carroll, H McLoughlin, L Holden, S Hawkshaw, A O’Flanagan
Subs: M Carey, M Frazer, C Watkins, N Daly, H Matthews, D Duke, L Murphy

Umpires: L Delforge (BEL), S Bockelmann (GER)

Irish Hockey Association media release



Ireland women upbeat after Dutch masterclass


Ireland were playing first major event since the 2019 Olympic qualifiers PIC: WORLDSPORTPICS FRANK UIJLENBROEK

Ireland captain Katie Mullan admitted that the Green Army were a vastly removed side from the one which last met Holland in 2018’s World Cup final after going down 4-0 to the Dutch on Saturday.

The world and defending European champions were the superiod side as first quarter goals from Caia van Maasakker and Laurien Leurink stunned the Green Army, before Frederique Matla and a second from Leurink added gloss in front of 3,000 Oranje at the Wagener Stadium.

“I think anyone who watched both those games will see the improvement in us,” said Mullan. “There’s a few little things defensively where we get caught as a full team; those are the moments where they dominate and score and that’s where the Dutch are so clinical.

“Bu there were times we really did have control, held the ball well and were able to accumulate passes. We’re in a good place going into the Scottish game.”

For all Ireland’s progression since winning World Cup silver in 2018 – 13 of Ireland’s medallists are at these Championships – Holland’s dominance in women’s hockey remains unrivalled.

The Dutch have lost just twice since the Rio Olympic final and haven’t been beaten in a European Cup fixture in normal time since 2011.

Meanwhile, Ireland’s last win over the Dutch came back in 1963. And conceding two goals in the opening 14 minutes of this Pool A match was always going to be tough to overcome.

Yet it was Ireland’s first competitive fixture since the 2019 Olympic qualifiers. With the happy hardcore music reverberating around the Wagener Stadium, Mullan added it was a great way to get back into action.



“That was an incredible atmosphere; when you have had two years out of international hockey, what a way to come back to tournament hockey, playing the Dutch in Amsterdam in a packed stadium. It was all orange and we really enjoyed it!

“How do you prepare a youngster for that?” she added, referencing the tournament debuts for UCD pair Hannah McLoughlin and Michelle Carey.

“We tried to build them up for it all week and I’m very proud of them; they did incredibly well and enjoyed it too. That’s the most important thing for them too; for your first 10 caps you have free reign. You just go out and enjoy it, getting up to that pace. I’m almost jealous they got to do it against the Dutch in that atmosphere.”

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The Hockey Paper



Ireland defeated by Dutch in Amstelveen opener


Ireland captain Katie Mullan challenges Dutch opponent Marloes Keetals at the Wagener Stadium

Ireland were beaten 4-0 by the world's top side and hosts the Netherlands in their EuroHockey Championships opener.

Irish forward Anna O'Flanagan went close before the Netherlands went ahead with Caia van Maasakker's netting the opener from a penalty stroke.

Laurien Leurink fired in the second goal and Frederique Matla's penalty corner finish made it 3-0 at half-time.

Leurink completed the scoring with the Olympics-bound Irish facing Scotland in their next group game on Monday.

Ireland are aiming for a top-two placing in Group A to secure a spot in the European Championships semi-finals for the first time and they made a bright start in Amstelveen.

Irish skipper Katie Mullan played in O'Flanagan and her close-range reverse stick effort was well saved by Josine Koning.

Double strike

It was the first and last time Ireland threatened as the Netherlands, who have won the past two European Championships, dominated the remainder of the game with two goals coming in the opening quarter.

Van Maasakker converted from the spot after Roisin Upton's foul on Laura Munnick before Leurink produced a front-post finish from Felice Albers' pull-back.

Ireland keeper Ayeisha McFerran kept out a Van Maasakker penalty corner before Matla rifled through her legs and into the net six minutes before half-time.

McFerran denied Maria Verschoor and Albers before Leurink completed her double when she pounced on the loose ball, after her pull-back was blocked, to slot home late in the third quarter.

Verschoor saw another shot saved by McFerran in the final quarter with Ireland ensuring their would be no repeat of 6-0 hammering by the Netherlands in the 2018 World Cup final.

Ireland complete the group stage against Spain on Wednesday knowing that making the semi-finals would also likely bring with it qualification for next year's World Cup and the Euros in 2023.

Tournament details

Group A (world ranking): Netherlands (1st), Spain (7th), Ireland (8th), Scotland (22nd)
Group B: Germany (4th), England (5th), Belgium (12th), Italy (17th)

Ireland fixtures/result (all times BST)

5 June: Netherlands 4-0 Ireland
7 June: Ireland v Scotland, 11:30
9 June: Ireland v Spain, 11:30
11 June: Semi-finals/relegation pool
12/13 June: Medal matches/relegation pool

BBC Sport



Dark on the scoresheet but Scotland lose to Spain at the EuroHockey Championships


Sarah Robertson celebrates 100 caps

Scotland women lost their opening game of the EuroHockey Championship in Amsterdam with a 4-1 defeat to Spain. A competitive match was won in the third quarter when Spain struck three times to take the game out of reach. Emily Dark scored an excellent penalty corner for the Tartan Hearts and gives the team a platform to build on in the games ahead.

It was a momentous day for Sarah Robertson who won her 100th cap for Scotland, and for Bronwyn Shields who won her first cap in the encounter.

There was a good press by Scotland in the early stages as they put the Spaniards under some early pressure.

Spain struck first, however, through a penalty corner struck low into the bottom right corner by Lola Riera.

Scotland had moments of creativity; Bex Condie slipped a delightful pass through the Spanish defence but Spain managed to snuff out the danger as Sarah Jamieson went twisting and turning in the D.

A tremendous save by Amy Gibson denied Spain a second just before the end of the first quarter as the Scots battled hard.

Jamieson began to pick up good positions in the second quarter but again found the Spanish defence to be resilient.

As half time approached Scotland fashioned their first great chance through some sensational running by Charlotte Watson, but the striker was denied by the advancing keeper to block Watson’s scoop and deny the Scots an equaliser.

Moments later and an inventive deflected effort by Jamieson zipped just wide of the target.

A lightning start to the second half saw Spain go 3-0 ahead. The half was less that ten seconds old when a diving deflection out of absolutely nowhere by Lucia Jimenez, saw the ball zip into the roof of the net for 2-0.

A penalty corner moments later was thundered home by Georgina Oliva for 3-0.

Then as the quarter progressed Alicia Magaz found a lot of space in the Scots D and made no mistake with a rocket into the back of the net for 4-0.

Scotland got a deserved goal in the final quarter when Emily Dark blasted home a low penalty corner to pull it back to 4-1.

Next up for Scotland is Ireland on Monday at 11:30am. The match will be shown live on BT Sport.

Scottish Hockey Union media release



Kayla Whitelock's Black Sticks future hangs in balance after ACL tear

Brendon Egan


Black Sticks great Kayla Whitelock is out of the Tokyo Olympics with a torn ACL. Dirk Markgraf/Photosport

Black Sticks coach Graham Shaw says it’s too early to know whether hockey legend Kayla Whitelock has played her last test for New Zealand.

Whitelock’s dream of attending a fifth Olympics in Tokyo was snatched away from her on Tuesday, tearing the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in her right knee in the fourth test against Australia.

It capped off a rough night in Palmerston North for the Black Sticks, who lost 3-1 to the Hockeyroos, handing the trans-Tasman series to Australia 1-0, following three earlier draws.

The 34-year-old faces a long stint on the sideline and her name will be missing when the Black Sticks unveil their 16-player Olympic squad on Thursday.

Her absence is a crushing blow for the Black Sticks’ medal hopes with the 260-test veteran a critical member of the squad with her experience, leadership, and immense skill.

Whitelock stepped out of retirement in 2019, returning to the Black Sticks environment with ambitions of competing at a fifth Olympics, having attended her first Games in 2004 in Athens.


Black Sticks legend Kayla Whitelock celebrates a goal from team-mate Kelsey Smith at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Mark Kolbe/Getty Images

There had not been any discussion about Whitelock’s Black Sticks’ future following her serious knee injury.

“We haven’t even got into that. At the moment it’s all about Kayla digesting the news and focusing on the recovery and making sure she gets that knee right,” Shaw said.

“It’s not a time to be having that conversation with her. We’re just devastated we don’t get the opportunity to pick her to go to Tokyo. She's going to be a huge loss, both on and off the field.”

Shaw immediately sensed the worst when Whitelock collapsed to the turf five minutes into the game after contesting the ball.


Black Sticks coach Graham Shaw is devastated for Kayla Whitelock, who will miss the Olympics with a torn ACL. William Booth/Photosport

The Black Sticks were naturally devastated for their talismanic midfielder, who would have joined Barbara Kendall and Dame Valerie Adams as the only Kiwi women to attend five Olympics if she’d gone to Tokyo.

“Life can be quite cruel and high performance sport can be quite cruel at times.

“You lose not only an outstanding person and outstanding hockey player, but you lose that wealth of experience. She knows what it’s all about [at the Olympics]. So to lose that experience and particularly in the backline it's a massive loss to the team.”


Stacey Michelsen will captain the Black Sticks at the Tokyo Olympics. Marcelo Endelli/Getty Images

Reflecting on the trans-Tasman series loss to Australia, the Black Sticks’ first internationals since March last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Shaw said it was invaluable to have games again.

The Black Sticks men and women have a further two tests against Australia in Perth over June 26-27 before the Olympics.

New Zealand were guilty of letting Australia back into games in the trans-Tasman series, blowing a 2-0 lead in the second match. In the third test, Australia netted with two minutes left to pull off a draw.

Being ruthless when they were ahead and closing out matches would be critical learning experiences.


Ella Gunson, centre, is congratulated after scoring against Australia in the third test on Sunday. Dave Rowland/Getty Images

“When you take the lead you need to be very difficult to play against, you need to get even more compact in the defensive line and then just reduce the amount of opportunities you give away.

“It’s about having that composure, that know how to see those games out.”

The Black Sticks women had no shortage of scoring opportunities across the four matches, but were let down by their execution in the shooting circle. Their penalty corner success rate was also disappointing and an area which needed improvement ahead of the Games.

“The way we play the game and how fast we can play, we have a lot of speed in the team, we’re going to create opportunities and sometimes it’s the final pass or a bit of composure as we enter that final third of the field.

“In and around [penalty corners] we need to be aiming for one in three. If we can get one in two we put ourselves in a really strong position. There were some games where we had six, seven, eight penalty corners and we converted one or didn’t convert any.”

The Black Sticks women, sixth in the world rankings, have been grouped with Argentina (second), Australia (third), Spain (seventh), China (10th) and hosts Japan (13th) in Tokyo. The top four sides from the group advance to the quarterfinals.

Even without the brilliant Whitelock, Shaw was confident about the team's ability at the Olympics if they could put it all together.

“We can cause any team in the world massive problems, but international hockey is all about getting the details right and we know we’re going to create opportunities.

“We know we have the players, the skill set, and the speed to cause any team problems, but we’re going to have to get the small details right in both circles. That's really how these games are going to be decided.”

Stuff



Namita Toppo: “Lots of excitement among us ahead of team selection”.



Bengaluru: Rio Olympian Namita Toppo says that excitement is catchword now among the players in the Olympic Core Group who are currently training in a bio-secure environment at the SAI Centre, Bengaluru.

She said, “There is a lot of excitement, at the same time there is a bit of nervousness too.”

With less than 50 days to go for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020,  her statement is reflective of the mood of the Core Group when the team selection is just a week away.

She further explained, “Over the past three years, a very talented bunch of young players have made it to the Senior Core Group who have really done well for the team in international tours, and they have also gained experience of playing in big-ticket events including the Asian Games and the World Cup so in that sense, it’s not guaranteed that any players has an assured place in the team for the Olympics.”

Namita, who has over 160 international caps for India and was also part of the team that represented India at the Rio Olympics for the first time in 36 years, said that all the players will have to give it their all in every single session if they want to see themselves in the final 16 for Tokyo. “No one is taking their place for granted in the team. We have been working doubly hard and there is a great sense of competition within the core group at the same time there is a strong team-comes-first mentality among the players too,” added the senior player.

Toppo also shed some light on the team’s preparations and areas of focus ahead of the Games. She said, “Fitness continues to be a key area of focus. The weather in Tokyo is going to be quite challenging and our training sessions are planned in such a way that our biological clock is set to the time we will be playing matches in Tokyo.”

“We are also playing a lot of internal matches to build that match-momentum. There is just a lot of enthusiasm in the team with less than 50 days for the Games to begin and we are not letting any external factor affect our excitement.” Toppo added.

Speaking of the prospects of playing at the Olympic Games for the second time, Toppo said, “It would be fantastic if I get to play in the Olympics for the second time. But for now, my focus is to continue working hard and execute on a daily basis what is expected of me from the coaching staff.”

Stick2Hockey.com



The Indoor Pan American Cup: It’s anyone’s game

Three men’s teams and five women’s teams will head to Spring City, USA

Sarah Juggins



The 2021 Indoor Pan American Cup for men and women is taking place at the end of June and excitement is mounting ahead of the event.

Three men’s teams and five women’s teams will head to Spring City, Pennsylvania in the USA to contest both the title and the right to represent the Pan Am continent at the FIH Indoor Hockey World Cup in Belgium next year.

In the men’s competition, Canada, Argentina and USA will be facing each other in a double round-robin, followed by a Final. The participating women’s nations are USA, Argentina, Canada, Uruguay and Guyana and their competition is a single round-robin, followed by classifications matches..

As with all hockey competitions, preparations for this year’s event have been disrupted and sporadic, so athletes and coaches are understandably apprehensive about how they all perform at the competition.

John de Souza is lead coach for the Canada men’s team. He explained the challenges facing the teams: ‘The Canadian team will not get very much training time. The team will be together for a total of 52 hours, which is not enough time to play international matches let alone a World Cup Qualifier. The team will have no match practice so has little room for error in its planning to avoid injury.’

Like many other nations, Canada has been in lockdown for the past months and this has had an impact on the athletes’ ability to use gym and training facilities. A selection camp was held on May 1, government exemptions for the athletes to get together were obtained and the team will be centralized for the period immediately leading up to the tournament.

With many athletes involved in the outdoor hockey team heading to Tokyo for the Olympics, the coach is understandably feeling the pressure. He remains upbeat however, about his team’s ability to be successful.

Another upbeat person heading to Spring City is one of the USA’s longest-serving athletes. Pat Harris is a long-serving athlete with his national team. Harris had racked up a multitude of caps for USA both indoor and outdoor.  He also knows what it is like to play at an Indoor World Cup, having competed at both the 2003 Indoor World Cup in Leipzig and the 2011 event in Poznan, Poland. Despite all that experience, the athlete has his concerns about a lack of preparation.

‘The preparations for the tournament have been very limited. Most of us have not played indoors since last winter, while a small group of US-based players has been training domestically for the last month. The entire team will meet a few weeks prior to the tournament. Not Ideal, but I'm sure other teams are dealing the similar preparation challenges.’

While USA men are the lowest ranked men’s team at the event, this is the year that anything could happen. Both Argentina and Canada will lose some athletes to the outdoor team. For Harris, the prospect of representing USA at a World Cup is hugely exciting. ‘It would be an amazing achievement to get back to an Indoor World Cup. To be able to compete at the highest stage against the world's best would be an awesome opportunity.

‘But the challenge is a steep one. I'm sure Canada and Argentina will also have strong teams, so every game will be challenging.’

Alison Lee has represented both the Canada women’s indoor and outdoor national teams since 2013 and, like Harris, has experienced an Indoor World Cup (Leipzig 2015). She echoes many of de Souza’s points: ‘Our preparation leading into this event has not been ideal. Heading into the original tournament date in March of 2020 we had just come off a training tour in Belarus and were able to play some of the European teams as they prepared for the European Championships. We felt extremely prepared heading into last March, this year it is quite a different story.

‘We have had to deal with a lot of restrictions from our government which did not allow teams to train unless they were going to the Olympics, so it took a long time for us to get an exemption to be allowed to train. In spite of all that, we will be ready and raring to get back on the court! it’s never an easy battle, there are a bunch of solid teams coming out of Pan Am, but we are looking forward to getting back to international competition and we will be fighting for that spot at the World Cup.’

Uruguay is a nation with a decent history of indoor hockey at the Pan Am Cup. The South American team finished in second place at their debut in 2010, finished fourth in 2014 and third in 2017.

One of the newest members of the bronze medal-winning team from 2017 was Constanza Barrandeguy. Four years later and she is excited at the prospect of pitting her talents against the likes of USA, Canada and Argentina.

‘We are training six days a week for two hours each day. We couldn’t start training as early as we wanted, so our coach decided this was the best way to get a good, intensive preparation in place.

‘All the players love representing Uruguay and we consider this a very special tournament because we are finally returning to international competition after all the suspended games. We are a team that puts a lot of emphasis on human values, we are very strong in that respect. Also, we are convinced that we want to qualify for the Indoor World Cup, so those two values – respecting each other and the opposition, combined with a determination to win – those are the things I see as real strengths to the Uruguay side.’

Barrandeguy is in no doubt about the strength of the opponents but she is adamant that Uruguay has a game plan that suits them. ‘We need to play all the teams the same way. There may be some changes to the tactical and strategic aspects but it doesn’t matter who we play against, we will be playing our game, and playing our way.’

In talking to players and coaches as the teams prepare for the Pan Am Indoor Hockey Championships there is no doubt that, following 18 months of upheaval and disruption, this could be one of the most open tournaments ever played. This is point highlighted by John de Souza: ‘It's really difficult to say how we will fare at this tournament given the lack of training and match play. I do know that we will be competitive and will play an exciting brand of indoor hockey.

‘I think this is going to be a very competitive tournament and that all the teams will be underprepared. I think the team that can find chemistry and executes their game plans the best will be the successful teams.’

From talking to the coaches and players, it is also obvious that there is a real deep passion for this version of the game. For Alison Lee, who both coaches and plays the game, it offers skills and tactics that make the indoor format so exciting but also enhances the outdoor game.

‘Indoor hockey teaches valuable skills that can be transferred across the various formats,’ she said. ‘I have been able to bring a lot of what I learned playing indoor to my outdoor game. The indoor game is very quick and can change on the turn of a dime, so mentally it is super important to be able to stay "tuned in" to the game for the full 40 minutes because one lapse can change the game.

‘The different tools, and strategies, and tactics used across all the different formats bring a different perspective to how we play 11 v 11 outdoor.  I think playing the sport across different formats is extremely valuable. It equips us with tools that we can use across all different formats and elevates the entire game of hockey.’

Pan American Hockey Federation media release



Swans face Wananchi acid test

By Makhtum Muziransa

Kampala Hockey Club women’s side, the Swans, have a chance to lay down the seriousness of their ambitions to win the Ugandan National Hockey League (NHL) when they meet holders Wananchi today in Lugogo.

Wananchi, founded two years after Swans in 2014, have won all the past five titles and are threatening to go for a sixth.

They have played just one game but it ended in a resounding 4-1 victory over Deliverance Church of Uganda (DCU), who should be the closest competitors having finished second and third in the past two seasons.

However, Swans, who finished fourth last season, are willing to jump the queue and have had a rare re-assuring start to their campaign by beating rivals Weatherhead 1-0 and labouring to a 2-1 win over Rhinos last weekend.

“The incredible start we have had is nothing short of inspiring,” Swans player-coach Sandra Namusoke said, well aware the odds are swayed against them as they have not beaten Wananchi in the last two seasons (eight games).

The Swans, who are also in a rebuilding phase with young players coming in from their school projects at Mt St Mary’s Namagunga and Gayaza High School, believe the league is there for the taking as Wananchi have their own struggles of a thin squad and the absence of coach Innocent Mbabali.

“The older players are seamlessly  coexisting with the younger generation and it is just beautiful to watch. For the first time in years, we are overflowing with talent; the bench is filled to capacity and we have the motivation to win the league against all odds.”

Wananchi, however, are a side of many talents and will test Swans with their ability to combine an expansive style of play with pace in counter attacks.

They will also feel stronger as striker Doreen Mbabazi, who missed the first game against DCU, returns to lead the line.

This will be a good test for the Swans defence that has been beefed up by pushing Pamela Agaba back to central defence from midfield and the coming of goalkeeping prodigy Loretta Kansiime. But there is an equally bigger test for the Namusoke-led Swans attack if they are to get Wananchi’s scalp.

Daily Monitor



Open to Interpretation?

Many believe that one of the issues that has held hockey back from becoming a bigger sport globally is that so many of the rules are interpretive, and left to an individual’s opinion, rather than set in stone. The same could be said of the game’s administration, which it appears suffers the same issue.





Andhra hockey’s unsung hero Usman Khan had brought laurels to the country

By Abhijit Sen Gupta



Former India hockey player Usman Khan who passed away on Friday, was a rare gem. He played for India during the 1960s alongside some of the most well known names of Indian hockey. His captain was the famous Gurbux Singh who led India with great distinction.

Usman Khan was born in Madanapalle town in Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh which was then a nondescript collection of buildings and houses with plenty of open grounds surrounding the dwellings. The region is known for its agricultural products, especially tomatoes. But the town is also known for its association with the famous philosopher Jiddu Krishnamurthy.

After doing his basic study in the rural environs of Madanapalle, Usman played for a few seasons for Madras University and Madras State (now Tamil Nadu) in the domestic circuit hockey tournaments. He then went for further study at the Aligarh Muslim University. It was here that his talent for hockey began to blossom. He was a fleet footed left winger whose stickwork and ball control was outstanding.

MS Education Academy

The University had a long standing tradition of excellence in different sports but especially hockey. Over the years, AMU has produced stars of Indian hockey such as Zafar Iqbal, Inam-ur-Rehman and others. Because the standard of hockey was high, it was while studying at AMU that Usman Khan had the chance to flourish. He represented AMU in the All India inter University hockey championships.

After completing his studies at AMU he went to work for Calcutta Customs and while he was in Calcutta (now Kolkata) he also played for a few years under the colours of Mohun Bagan’s hockey team. Here again he was in contact with Gurbux Singh who captained Mohun Bagan for several years and was honoured with the Mohun Bagan Ratna award later.

Usman’s tenure with Mohun Bagan helped him to develop a cutting edge to his game. He went on to represent Bengal State in the national hockey championships for the Rangaswamy Cup. He was then selected for the Indian team that went on a tour of Europe.

He played Test matches against France and Holland. Later he also represented India against Malaysia and Japan playing a total of 50 matches under the Indian flag. He played alongside some of the great names of the era such as Gurbux Singh, Prithipal Singh, Shanker Laxman etc. But the crowning glory of his career was when, as a member of the Indian team, he won the Madrid Cup hockey tournament in 1967.

After retirement he went back to his native town. But sadly he passed away after a prolonged battle with cancer at the age of 76. He is survived by three sons and a daughter. Expressing his condolences to Khan’s family, Hockey India President Gyanendro Ningombam said, “We are deeply saddened to learn about the demise of former India player Usman Khan.

He is remembered for his excellent abilities as a left-winger and was a very stylish player in those times. On behalf of Hockey India, I extend our deepest condolences to his family in this moment of grief,” he stated.

The Siasat Daily

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