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All the news for Monday 10 June 2019

FIH Men's Series Finals Bhubaneswar Odisha 2019 - Day 5
Bhubaneswar (IND)

Results and Fixtures (GMT +5:30)

9 Jun 2019    RUS v POL (Pool A)     3 - 2

10 Jun 2019     USA v JPN (Pool B)     2 - 2
10 Jun 2019 17:00     RSA v MEX (Pool B)
10 Jun 2019 19:00     IND v UZB (Pool A)

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

Pool standings

Pool A

Pool B

FIH Match Centre

USMNT Ties Japan, Finishes Top in Pool and Advances to FIH Series Finals Semifinals


Image Courtesy of Hockey India

BHUBANESWAR, India – Top seed placement in Pool B and advancement to the semifinals was on the line. With that, the No. 25 U.S. Men’s National Team knew they had to bring 60-minutes of hard work to No. 18 Japan in the FIH Series Finals at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar, India. Tested defensively from the beginning USA kept Japan scoreless in the first half and scored twice but not before their opponents answered on both for the 2-2 draw. On goal differential, the tie put USA at the top of the pool and gave them direct advancement to the semifinals.

“It was an extremely exciting match,” said Rutger Wiese, USMNT Head Coach, following the game. “Japan kept surrounding us in our own circle but the guys held strong. We’re very happy that we have qualified for the next round. We have still a lot of work to do before Friday.”

USA started the game with possession, but a turnover gave Japan control deep in their offensive end. In the third minute, Japan earned their first circle penetration but Tom Barratt (Greensboro, N.C.) was there to make the intercept and clear it away from danger. This was followed by shared circle entries, but it was Japan’s Kota Watanbe who registered the first shot of the game that resulted in a penalty corner. The slip to the left was read well by USA but Japan recovered and earned another penalty corner. Japan was unable to control it at the top and USA immediately countered down the left side. Paul Singh (Simi Valley, Calif.) pushed it hard into the circle for Sean Cicchi (Thousand Oaks, Calif.) who got a redirect touch just wide of the goal. Japan held possession in the closing minutes and earned two more penalty corners and saw opportunities from Raiki Fujishima, Kenta Tanaka and Genki Mitani but USA’s defensive unit, led by goalkeeper Jonathan Klages (Berlin, Germany), kept the game scoreless.

Japan carried their control over into the second quarter, but USA’s defense remained solid. The red, white and blue only allowed one shot during the frame and that came in the 26th minute after being a man up following a green card issued to Tyler Sundeen (Simi Valley, Calif.). USA continued to withstand the pressure even when Japan earned their fifth penalty corner, but Barratt forced the obstruction to keep the game deadlocked 0-0.

The third quarter was full of action on both ends, as USA started to develop offensive chances and Japan continued their threatening mentality. Klages stayed strong in goal fending off Japan’s nine shots, even producing back-to-back critical saves early on. These were accompanied by the USA’s defensive unit of Barratt, Sean Harris (Moorpark, Calif.), Aki Kaeppeler (Stuttgart, Germany) and Johnny Orozco (Ventura, Calif.) remaining poised under pressure. A close chance came for Japan in the 38th minute, when Seren Tanaka sent a long ball into the circle that found Kentaro Fukuda wide open in front of Klages. Fukuda turned and shot but Klages was there to make the save but Japan earned a penalty corner. On the chance, a combined effort from Klages and Michael Barminski (Ventura, Calif.) on the post kept Japan off the scoreboard. Three minutes following USA opened up the scoring after quick succession passes went from Christian DeAngelis (Doylestown, Pa.) to Sundeen and over to Deegan Huisman (Almere, The Netherlands) who finished. This was followed by USA earning two penalty corner chances but both were well defended by Japan goalkeeper Takashi Yoshikawa. With five second remaining in the quarter, Japan found the equalizer when K. Tanaka on the right baseline cut back and sent a reverse sweep into the net over Klages.

Fighting for a direct spot in the semifinals, the final 15 minutes was a battle from the opening whistle. It started with K. Tanaka getting a shot but Klages was there to make the save. Just after, Sundeen had it in the midfield pocket and passed it ahead to Patrick Harris (Moorpark, Calif.) who ran it hard into the circle and fired a shot but Yoshikawa got a stick on it. This was followed by a ball sent into the USA circle that ended up in the air and Huisman was there to volley it into the goal and give USA a 2-1 advantage. As time ticked down Japan had sustained attack and earned two penalty corners in the final 3 minutes. Japan was successful on the second when at close range Suguru Hoshi hit it through Klages to even the score at 2-2. The fight continued until the dying seconds when Japan almost found the go-ahead when a long ball into the circle was tipped but it went off the post as the game finished in a 2-2 draw.

 “We were trying to play our game, and at some point in the match you make the decision that a draw is enough,” commented Wiese. “Japan was fantastic and we were able to hold on.”

At the end of the game, Japan’s Kenta Tanaka earned Man of the Match.

Finishing first in Pool B, the U.S. Men’s National Team will advance to the semifinals on Friday, June 14 at 9:45 a.m. ET against an opponent to be determined.

USFHA media release

Students, coaches, geologists - United States' part-time hockey stars dream of lasting legacy

Anish Anand


The US national hockey team largely comprises of part-time players. Image: Hockey India

Bhubaneswar: The United States men’s hockey team entered the FIH Series Finals in Bhubaneswar as the third lowest ranked side among the eight nations that are participating in the tournament. With the likes of South Africa and Japan in their pool, the US team’s best bet would’ve been to finish third in their group and play the crossover match to make it to the semi-final.

Just three days into the tournament, and having played two matches, the US are now in contention of directly qualifying to the semis. After beating higher-ranked South Africa 2-0 in their opening match and thrashing Mexico 9-0, the US will now face Japan for the top spot in Pool B. It’s not just the scorelines that are impressive. The way they played the two matches — with fluency in their attack and a robust defence that didn’t concede a goal yet — shows that the US players really worked hard to make it count because the opportunities to play higher ranked teams doesn’t come often for them.

The good start to the tournament and the chance to make it special means a lot to the players of the national team. Majority of the players in the US squad don’t play ‘field hockey’ on a full-time basis. The popular version of the sport in the country is ice hockey, while the women’s field hockey scene is much bigger compared to the men’s hockey.

The captain of the US team, Ajai Dhadwal, doesn’t play full-time either. His day job involves coaching the women’s hockey team at Rutgers University in New Jersey.

Michael Barminski Jr's is a similar story. Barminski Jr opened the scoring against Mexico in the third minute, and he added one more in the 53rd minute. The midfielder’s energy and finishing skills stood out in the match, as did the professional quality of his game, but Barminski’s actual work is that of a geologist.

“We don’t get paid to come out and play here. It’s for our pleasure and I love representing the United States. I work out on the oilfields in Los Angeles during the day and I train at night for the hockey,” Barminski said during an interaction with Firstpost.

Barminski says he loves hockey. According to him, “he lives, breathes, eats and sleeps hockey”. The first time he came in contact with the sport was when he was seven. His teacher had introduced the sport to him and asked him to try it out after school hours. His mother also played the sport, and she encouraged him to take up the sport. Since then, Barminski has been playing the sport.

A keen follower of international hockey, Barminski followed the Hockey World Cup last year and feels privileged to play at the same venue now. He looked at some of the international players during the tournament and tried to pick their best qualities. When asked about one such player, Barminski said, “Mandeep Singh, he’s a legend. He’s one of the guys I look up to. It’s inspiring to see somebody who is so committed to the sport and do so much for the country. You look at guys like that to emulate and try to do the same things.”

The US women’s hockey team is ranked 12th in the world. The team finished fifth at the 2016 Rio Olympics, beating the likes of Argentina, Australia, and India. The funding for the women’s team is much better and they also play the sport at the college level. The men often travel to Europe to play in various league and clubs in Germany, Netherlands, and Belgium to hone their skills. Barminski calls it ‘decentralised training’.

Parmeet Paul Singh, simply known as Paul Singh, plies his trade in a European club. Apart from studying for a college degree, Paul plays for the HTC Stuttgart in Germany. Coming from a family with Indian roots, Paul was introduced to hockey at a young age, but his hockey journey mainly took off because he belonged from California.

A lot of players from the US squad come from the state of California and they have been introduced to the sport by Tom Harris, who founded the annual California Cup International Field Hockey Tournament aka Cal Cup in 1972. “A lot of us are from California and that’s because of Tom Harris. He built a hockey complex back in the 70s and it has been around till now. A lot of us still play there,” Paul told Firstpost.

Harris has been a fan of field hockey since the late sixties when he first saw the sport at the 1968 Olympics Games in Mexico City. It all started from just a 20-second clip of the sport that was showed on TV which got Harris hooked. Harris then played the sport at the insistence of a friend and he figured he really enjoyed it.

“I was 35 or something when I started playing at my University (California State University in Long Beach). I have been playing other sports but this was very active. In hockey, you always have to do something. Unlike baseball, where you are standing around half the time or sitting down half the time,” Harris said. Now in his 80s, Harris is in Bhubaneswar to cheer for his beloved team.

Harris’ two nephews are also part of the US team in Bhubaneswar. He says he introduced the sport to Patrick and Sean Harris when they were just five or six and feels proud to see them donning the national colours.

The US has always been at the forefront when it comes to sports. At the Olympics, the US usually clinch maximum number of gold medals, often topping the medals’ tally. They dominate swimming, athletics, and gymnastics. The US women’s football team is one of the best in the world while they also excel in basketball, baseball, and American football. The field hockey, despite decent progress by the women’s team, is still struggling to find popularity.

“We don’t have many players playing the sport. Other sports have money behind it, the tradition, the TV coverage. This sport doesn’t have any TV coverage at all so it’s taking time,” Harris said.

But with Los Angeles hosting the 2028 Olympics, field hockey might get much-needed boost in the country. Harris, sounding a bit pessimistic, wants the teams to work harder to get ready for the future Olympics Games. FIH Series Finals might not be a bad place to start.

Firstpost

India has swung between brilliant and below par

The likes of Akashdeep, Mandeep and Ramandeep will have to take more responsibility

Uthra Ganesan


Memorable win: Russia, Blue jersey, upset higher-ranked Poland to leapfrog into the second spot in Pool A. 

The Indian men’s hockey team will be up against its own objectives rather than the opposition when it takes on Uzbekistan in its last Pool A match of the Hockey Series Finals (HSF) here on Monday.

The fifth-ranked India plays the 43rd ranked minnows but while coach Graham Reid will have little to worry about in terms of the result per se, it is the various sub-plots and plans that he will be concerned about.

In the two games India has played so far, the team has swung between brilliant and below par with Reid trying to come to terms with the extremes.
Area of concern

This switching-on, switching-off of players, especially the strikers, through a game has been an area of concern for Reid.

What has also been worrying is the inability of the forwards to score despite creating chances galore.

The likes of Akashdeep Singh, Mandeep Singh and a fit-again Ramandeep Singh will have to take more responsibility.

Ensuring the players stick to the structure and not get complacent about the opposition will also be on Reid’s radar, trying to fine-tune the team’s plans before the knockout games.

With the two pool toppers getting direct entry into the semifinals, India is unlikely to have much trouble reaching there.

The other two last four spots will be taken up after cross-over games between the second and third placed sides from each pool.
Russia upsets Poland

On Sunday, Russia upset higher-ranked Poland 3-2 to leapfrog into the second spot in Pool A, behind India.

The Poles, who only had to ensure a draw to stay ahead of their neighbour, were stunned by Russia’s aggressive play from the start, mixed with stubborn defence that allowed no space to score.

Poland coach Karol Sniezek had anticipated a European face-off but will be disappointed with the result as it put his team in a difficult playoff for a semifinal spot.

With USA taking on Asian Games champion Japan in the battle for top spot in Pool B and direct qualification for semifinals, Poland will have to face the loser of that match to stay in the race and keep its Olympic dreams alive.

South Africa will square off against Mexico in another Pool B game.

The results:

Pool ‘A’: Russia 3 (Pavel Golubev 2, Semen Matkovskiy) bt Poland 2 (Mateusz Hulboj, Pawel Bratkowski).

The Hindu

Host India eye semifinals spot against lower-ranked Uzbekistan

India will start overwhelming favourites against Uzbekistan when the hosts take on their lower-ranked rival to seal a semifinal spot in the FIH Series Finals hockey tournament, in Bhubaneswar on Monday.


Indian men's hockey team, Hockey India Twitter handle

India will start overwhelming favourites against Uzbekistan when the hosts take on their lower-ranked rival to seal a semifinal spot in the FIH Series Finals hockey tournament, in Bhubaneswar on Monday.

After thrashing Russia 10-0 in their tournament-opener, world no. 5 India scrapped past 21st ranked Poland 3-1 in the second match.

India are now sitting atop Pool A with maximum points from two games and are virtually assured of a direct berth in the semi-finals because of a better goal difference.

But they cannot afford to be complacent against world no. 43 Uzbekistan in their final Pool A match as two places are up for grabs from this event for the FIH Olympic Qualifiers, to be held in October-November this year.

"World rankings do not matter at all as the gap between teams are very small. Rankings are there only for the International Hockey Federation (FIH) to place teams in a certain order," India coach Graham Reid had said.

After a clinical performance against Russia, the patchy show against Poland showed that consistency is an area, which has to be addressed at the earliest.

The Indians created numerous scoring opportunities against Poland but the forward-line lacked finishing.

"One of my main goals is to get consistency in terms of performance. Sometimes you have to learn to play at the highest level and develop the practice of winning. With Australia that was always our goal, to play in the final of every tournament," the coach said.

With the level of opposition, not the best, the Indian citadel has hardly been tested in the tournament.

Reid has shuffled his two goalkeepers PR Sreejesh and Krishan Bahadur Pathak in the four quarters in the previous two games, giving them more game time. But what is a worrying factor is that both Sreejesh and Pathak have hardly been tested so far.

Alongside Nilkanata Sharma, skipper Manpreet Singh has been one of the outstanding performers for India in the tournament so far as he not only held the mid-field together but also scored goals.

But it is the form of Indian strikers which would be a cause of concern for Reid. The likes of Akashdeep Singh, Mandeep Singh, and fit-again Ramandeep Singh, who returned after almost one year, will have to take more responsibility in India's quest for Tokyo Olympic qualification.

As per the format of the tournament, the top two teams of each pool will directly qualify for the semifinals, while the second and third-placed sides will play in the cross-overs to enter the last-four round.

Meanwhile, in other matches of the day, the USA will play Asian Games champions Japan in Pool B while South Africa will square off against Mexico.

Daily News & Analysis

FIH Women's Series Finals Banbridge 2019 - Day 3
Banbridge (IRL)

Results and fixtures (GMT +1)

9 Jun 2019     UKR v FRA (Pool B)     3 - 2
9 Jun 2019     SCO v KOR (Pool B)     1 - 3
9 Jun 2019     CZE v IRL (Pool A)     1 - 8
9 Jun 2019     MAS v SGP (Pool A)     12 - 0

Monday 10 June is a Rest day

11 Jun 2019 12:00     MAS v CZE (Pool A)
11 Jun 2019 14:00     IRL v SGP (Pool A)
11 Jun 2019 16:00     KOR v FRA (Pool B)
11 Jun 2019 18:00     UKR v SCO (Pool B)

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

Pool standings

Pool A

Pool B

FIH Match Centre

Two wins from Two for Irish Women Hockey with 8-1 win over Czech


Anna O'Flanagan scored half the Irish goals

Two wins from two for Ireland in the FIH Series Finals at Havelock Park as O’Flanagan puts away four goals and Daly does a double. Added to a goal each for Sarah Hawkshaw and Zoe Wilson the Irish Women’s squad were in constant control in a dominating performance of the Czech Republic.

The first chance of the game came from Captain Katie Mullan, but was well saved by Czech Goalkeeper Barbora Cechakova. However, it wasn’t long before Ireland were back in the Czech circle. Mullan managed to deflect off a Czech stick for Nikki Daly to touch the ball into finish to put Ireland in front for an early lead.

A few challenges from the Czech squad occurred in the opening quarter but Ireland remained comfortably in control. Ali Meeke played well to keep the ball out of the Irish circle, passing to Anna O’Flanagan who moved the ball back up into the Czech half.

The first penalty corner of the game went to Ireland, but the Czech defence prevented a goal. Watkins and Colvin played nicely in the middle and helped bring about another chance for Katie Mullan, although this didn’t result in any additions to the scoreboard.

Chloe Watkins won possession on the right wing and feeding the ball to Anna O’Flanagan allowed O’Flanagan to put her first goal of the match away to finish out the first quarter.

The second quarter got off to a similar start in that Ireland held the majority of possession and kept the Czech Republic under constant pressure. Upton and Hawkshaw were strong up the right-hand side to bring the ball back to challenge. Strong defending by the Green Army kept the Czech out of the Irish circle for much of the quarter. Ireland showed impressive ability to switch between three and four at the back as required to counter any Czech attacks. Half-time remained 2-0 with some deserved opportunities for Ireland going wide of the post.

Cechakova managed to save the first Frazer to O’Flanagan attempt but Frazer managed a reverse to O’Flanagan shortly afterwards which Cechakova couldn’t prevent crossing the line. Ireland were straight back to applying pressure with Chloe Watkins an obvious force to contend with in midfield. The next goal of the quarter came when Zoe Wilson managed to get the rebound from Shirley McCay’s free hit which saw the ball dribble past the Czech goalie.

Ireland continued to dominate the game in the final quarter and extended their lead with two goals from penalty corners. Matthews into the circle, Tice with a slap and a goal from Hawkshaw with the deflection for the first. Matthews into the circle again for the second, this time to Watkins, with O’Flanagan for the hat-trick. She went on to secure a fourth goal shortly after with a nice play by Gillian Pinder giving her the opportunity to drive it past Cechakova into the net.

Ireland conceded a late consolation goal from Jindriska Leichova. With McFerran saving the first attempt by Adela Lehovcova, Leichova was able to secure a goal on the rebound. However, a Katie Mullan managed to turn the ball back into the Czech circle giving Nikki Daly the opportunity to get give Ireland back their 7 goal advantage.

Speaking on the match, Interim Head Coach Gareth Grundie said “We showed real intent today and it was good to be rewarded with some great finishing and corner execution.
I was pleased with our overall energy throughout but know this is a stepping stone and our feet are firmly grounded. Our focus remains on the task ahead starting on Tuesday.”

Ireland 8 (N Daly (2), A O’Flanagan (4), S Hawkshaw, Z Wilson)
Czech Republic 1 (J Reichlova)

Ireland: A McFerran, R Upton, K Mullan, E Tice, G Pinder, B Barr, L Colvin, A O’Flanagan, Z Wilson, D Duke, A Meeke

Subs: E Buckley, S Hawkshaw, S McCay, M Frazer, C Watkins, N Daly, H Matthews

Czech Republic: B Cechakova, K Lacina, J Reichlova, N Hajkova, A Koziskova, T Mejzlikova, V Novakova, A Lehovcova, A Kolarova, V Decsyova, A Vorlova,

Subs: L Duchkova, K Jelinkova, R Capouchova, B Brizova, N Babicka, M Hlavata, N Novakova

Irish Hockey Association media release

O’Flanagan’s quartet crowns complete performance from Ireland over Czechs


Ireland celebrate an Anna O’Flanagan goal. Pic: Sinead Hingston

Anna O’Flanagan’s quartet of goals saw Ireland move to the brink of an FIH Series Finals semi-final spot as the put in a breathtaking 8-1 win over the Czech Republic on day two at Banbridge.

Barring a horror-show against Singapore – hammered by the Czechs (5-0) and Malaysia (12-0) – they are now set to skip the quarter-final and be one win away from a guaranteed Olympic qualifier showdown.

The warning shots had already been fired inside 75 seconds from Katie Mullan before O’Flanagan’s narrow angle shot bounced awkwardly off Barbora Chechakova’s boot and face, straight to the waiting Nicci Daly to pop home.

O’Flanagan’s and Chloe Watkins’ interchanges were a joy to behold and they combined for the second before the end of the first quarter, the former spinning in front of the goalkeeper for 2-0.

The Czechs only offerred fleeting resistance as the incessant pressure, orchestrated by Lizzie Colvin and Chloe Watkins, limited them to just one circle entry of note.

In 2017, the Czechs had threatened to condemn Ireland to relegation from the top tier of European hockey. This was a measure of the sea change since then and the 2-0 half-time lead was perhaps flattering to the Czechs but the goals started to flow in the second half.

O’Flanagan feinted to shoot on her backhand before slotting the third on her forehand and Zoe Wilson scrambled the fourth over the line after Shirley McCay’s quick thinking.

Corner goals from O’Flanagan – to complete her hat trick – and Sarah Hawkshaw stretched it to six; O’Flanagan then scored a peach of a strike.

Jindriksa Reichlova got one back but there was still time for Daly to round out the win with a neat touch to Mullan’s cross.

Reflecting on the tie, O’Flanagan said: “it was a great team performance; to put eight past any international team is a difficult task.

“We upped the tempo from yesterday [against Malaysia], moved the ball faster and just looked more comfortable. That was the starting point; to get four goals is amazing even if I don’t really even remember some of them!”

Asked about the difference from their travails against the Czechs at the 2017 Euros, O’Flanagan added that this complete performance shows how levels have raised since World Cup qualification.

“If you look back two years, our base level performance now is a lot higher. We do have bad days but now, if we have a bad day – like Saturday – we can still grind out a result.

“Against the Czechs a few years ago, we struggled but it wasn’t a problem for us today. It shows how far we have grown and what we can bring to these tournaments.”

Coach Gareth Grundie was pleased with the greater fluidity as a dryer pitch allowed the side to whizz the ball around at greater pace. Zoe Wilson and Roisin Upton did a great job of stepping out for interceptions while the midfield rotations nicked lots of ball in great spaces.

“It was a big step up from yesterday,” Grundie said. “We had that ball speed, that tempo which made a big difference and we played some really nice attacking hockey.

“Malaysia was the first game since the World Cup and it was always going to be tricky. The girls relaxed a bit and were able to play the hockey we wanted to play coming into the tournament today.”

Colvin, meanwhile, entered the press area with a beaming smile reminiscent of last August’s World Cup. She was a dynamo throughout and she said it was great craic to play so well in front of a good crowd just 20 minutes from Armagh where she grew up.

“We knew we had to put on a show. The job is not over but we can go out and enjoy ourselves with a bit more freedom,” she said, saying she particularly loved tricking the Czechs into “false space” where she and team mates could ravenously close down the ball.

“It was one of Gareth’s instructions – ‘make sure you smell those turnovers’. We love being aggressive, running an aggressive press and counter-attacking. I love being in that position and getting those turnovers for Anna, Deirdre Duke or Sarah Hawkshaw. That’s what we live for.”

As for the Singapore game on Tuesday afternoon, the company line was the same, following Grundie’s lead.

“We will not take anything for granted and prepare like anyone else – watch the video, prepare a gameplan for a performance on Tuesday.

“Singapore will probably look for the long ball, stay compact and make it difficult for us to break them down. We need to avoid being individual and keep playing an offensive game in the final third.”

Elsewhere in Pool A, Malaysia will meet the Czechs with both sides likely to go into the quarter-finals in second and third. They meet on Tuesday with the former needing a draw to remain in second place.

Pool B looks more up in the air. Korea are in good shape to top the group after they came back from a shaky start to beat Scotland 3-1. The Scots were 1-0 up and hit the bar early on but two goals in a minute turned things around.

Scotland are bottom after two losses and need a win over Ukraine to avoid elimination. Ukraine beat France 3-2 to leave both sides on three points.

The French side stunned Scotland 2-1 on day one, employing a side with 23 the oldest age with an average of 19.9 years overall – Paris 2024 is very much on their mind. Over a dozen of their side are eligible to play Ireland’s Under-21s in the Junior Europeans in July.

Women’s FIH Series Finals
Ireland 8 (A O’Flanagan 4, N Daly 2, Z Wilson, S Hawkshaw)
Czech Republic 1 (J Reichlova)

Ireland: A McFerran, R Upton, K Mullan, L Tice, G Pinder, B Barr, L Colvin, A O’Flanagan, Z Wilson, D Duke, A Meeke
Subs: S McCay, M Frazer, C Watkins, N Daly, H Matthews, S Hawkshaw, E Buckley

Czech Republic: B Cechakova, K Lacina, J Reichlova, N Hajkova, A Koziskova, T Mejzlikova, V Novakova, A Lehovcova, A Kolarova, Y Decsyova, A Vorlova
Subs: L Duchkova, K Jelinkova, R Capouchova, N Babicka, M Hlavata, N Novakova

Umpires: H Harrison (ENG), A Faias (POR)

FIH Series Finals
Pool A
Saturday: Ireland 2 (B Barr, K Mullan) Malaysia 1 (S Husain); Czech Republic 5 Singapore 0
Sunday: Ireland 8 (A O’Flanagan 4, N Daly 2, Z Wilson, S Hawkshaw) Czech Republic 1 (J Reichlova); Malaysia 12 Singapore 0
Standings: 1. Ireland 6pts (+8) 2. Malaysia 3pts (+11) 3. Czech Republic 3pts (-2) 4. Singapore 0pts (-17)

Tuesday: Malaysia v Czech Republic, 12pm; Ireland v Singapore, 2pm

Pool B
Saturday: Korea 5 Ukraine 0; France 2 Scotland 1
Sunday: France 2 Ukraine 3; Korea 3 Scotland 1
Standings: 1. Korea 6pts (+7) 2. France 3pts (0) 3. Ukraine 3pts (-4) 4. Scotland 0pts (-3)

Tuesday: Korea v France, 4pm; Ukraine v Scotland, 6pm

The Hook

Scotland beaten by Korea in match two of FIH Series Finals



Despite a great start to the match Scotland women were beaten 3-1 by Korea in their second contest of the FIH Series Finals in Banbridge. Kate Holmes scored for Scotland, her second goal of the tournament, but clinical penalty corner finishing by the Koreans saw them take the win.

Scotland got off to a lightning start and nearly took the lead in the first few minutes. Charlotte Watson did really well to win a penalty corner for Scotland before Emily Dark smashed the crossbar from a lovely exchange.

Another penalty corner went the way of Scotland and this time they found the back of the net through a delightful finish by Kate Holmes. Becky Ward switched the ball to Holmes across the top of the D, and Holmes picked out the top right corner to score her second of the tournament, and make it Scotland 1-0 Korea.

There was very nearly another goal minutes later when a great chance fell to Fiona Burnet after a slip in defence, but the forward on the reverse smashed the ball to the wrong side of the post and Korea survived.

Then an excellent run by Charlotte Watson carved the Koreans open but her pass just evaded Dark in the D.

In the second quarter Korea played their way into the contest. They scored a great equaliser from a slick penalty corner routine finished by Hyelin Cho. Then they instantly scored again to take the lead. The ball bobbled in favour of the Koreans in the Scots D and was smashed home on the reverse by Jina Kang.

The game seemed to slow down after half time and was played mainly in the middle of the pitch. Then with five minutes to go in the quarter Korea forced the ball over the line at a penalty corner to go 3-1 ahead, Jungeun Seo with the goal.

In the final quarter a great run and shot by Sarah Jamieson came close for Scotland. Jamieson picked the ball up on the right and powered across goal into the D, but her shot on the reverse was saved by the leg guards of the goalkeeper.

Then the heavens opened in the final quarter and slowed the match down to a crawl. Jamieson again powered into the Korean D in the final minute but was crowded out before getting her shot away, and Korea took the points in Banbridge.

Scotland’s next match will be against Ukraine, who will also compete at Women’s EuroHockey Championship II in Glasgow this summer, when the two meet on Tuesday at 6pm.

Scotland Captain Kaz Cuthbert said, “Today we had a game plan against a higher-ranked team than us and we took the lead, which was fantastic, and it shows what we’re capable of doing. We can be threatening. A few decisions didn’t go our way and the Koreans are clinical, but we’ll take 3-1 as goal difference could come into play.

“We’re used to the pitch now, we’re playing a great quick, fast attacking game, so we’ll take that into the Ukraine game and we’ll expect to win.”

Scottish Hockey Union media release

Malaysian women's team rout S'pore 12-0

By T. Avineshwaran

PETALING JAYA: Malaysia showed no respite against their causeway rivals Singapore.

The national women’s hockey team annihilated their neighbour 12-0 in the team’s second Group A match of the women's FIH Series Finals hockey tournament at the Banbridge Hockey Club in Ireland on Sunday (June 9).

Nuraini Rashid was the toast for Malaysia when she scored a hattrick (12th, 28th and 35th minute), while Siti Zulaikha Husain continued her goalscoring form in the tournament by scoring two (42nd and 47th).

The remaining goals were scored by Hanis Nadia Onn (9th), Surizan Awang Noh (19th), Kirandeep Kaur (21st), Nurmaizatulhanim Syafi (39th), Fazilla Sylvester (44th), Norfaezah Saiauti (51st) and Norsharina Shabuddin (60th).

It was Malaysia’s first victory in Ireland, and they are now the top scorers of Group A with 13 goals.

In the other group A match, Ireland thrashed the Czech Republic 8-1 as they top the group with six points.

Malaysia will wrap up the fixtures against world No. 19, the Czech Republic, on June 11.

Group winners qualify for the semi-finals while the second and third-placed teams of each group will play in cross-over ties for the remaining two semi-final spots.

The finalists of this tournament will secure a playoff spot to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

The Star of Malaysia

Zulaikha shines in hockey team’s loss to Ireland

By T. Avineshwaran

PETALING JAYA: Malaysia’s women’s team lost 1-2 to Ireland in the FIH Series Finals hockey tournament but they can take heart from Siti Zulaikha Husain’s inspiring performance.

The 18-year-old, playing in only her seventh match for the country, was the catalyst for the team’s fightback in the third and fourth quarter when she scored in the 55th minute at the Banbridge Hockey Club in Ireland on Saturday.

The pint-sized striker was happy to justify her spot in the team.

“It felt good to score even though we lost. I now have the belief that I can get the goals against other teams too,” said Siti Zulaikha.

“The team gave a good fight against Ireland, who are ranked eighth in the world.

“We were unlucky to concede the two goals, but it will inspire us to do better in our upcoming group matches.”

World No. 22 Malaysia’s next match is against No. 35 Singapore and they must win to stay in contention for a top-two finish in the tournament.

Malaysia will wrap up their fixtures against world No. 19 Czech Republic tomorrow.

The group winners qualify for the semi-finals while the second and third-placed teams of each group will play in crossover ties for the remaining two semi-final spots.

The finalists of this tournament will secure a playoff spot to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

The Star of Malaysia

2019 FIH Pro League (Men) - 10 June

9 Jun 2019     GBR v AUS (RR)     2 - 2 (4 - 3 SO)     Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre, London    
9 Jun 2019     GER v NZL (RR)     3 - 3 (4 - 3 SO)     Crefelder Hockey und Tennis Club, Krefeld
9 Jun 2019     NED v BEL (RR)     4 - 3     HC 's-Hertogenbosch, 's-Hertogenbosch

10 Jun 2019 19:30 (GMT +2)    GER v ESP (RR)     Crefelder Hockey Club, Krefeld

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

Unofficial Pool Standings

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

FIH Match Centre

2019 FIH Pro League (Women) - 10 June

9 Jun 2019     GER v NZL (RR)     2 - 1     Crefelder Hockey Club, Krefeld    
9 Jun 2019     NED v BEL (RR)     2 - 0     HC 's-Hertogenbosch, 's-Hertogenbosch    
9 Jun 2019     GBR v AUS (RR)     2 - 4     Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre, London

Unofficial Pool Standings

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

FIH Match Centre

FIH Pro League Grand Final qualification joy for Netherlands women on action packed day in Europe



The Netherlands women have become the second team to book their ticket to the FIH Pro League Grand Final after they sealed a top four finish in the FIH Pro League on a dramatic day that saw six action packed matches being played in three European stadiums.

The reigning women's world champions defeated Belgium for the second time in two days to secure their eleventh win in twelve matches, beating the Red Panthers 2-0 in front of a big crowd in s’Hertogenbosch. That result was enough for the Oranje to join Argentina in the showpiece Grand Final competition which takes place in Amstelveen at the end of the month, whilst also confirming berth in the FIH Olympic qualifiers that will be played later this year. The Netherlands currently sit top of the standings, with Argentina in second and Australia - who today recorded a fine 4-2 away victory over Great Britain to take a step closer to the Grand Final - in third position. It was also an excellent day for Germany’s women, who strengthened their hold on fourth place with a 2-1 win over New Zealand in Krefeld.


Three matches of great significance took place in the men’s competition, with the Netherlands men stealing the headlines for the second day in a row courtesy of another brilliant victory over world champions Belgium. The Dutch recorded a 4-3 triumph in s’Hertogenbosch, adding another three point to those claimed in yesterday’s 4-0 away win over the Red Lions in Antwerp. Belgium sit second in the standings, with the Netherlands occupying third place. Table-toppers Australia missed out on a bonus point when they fell to a shoot-out defeat against Great Britain in London, while Germany - who currently sit fifth in the standings  - grabbed a bonus point by winning a shoot-out against New Zealand in Krefeld to keep alive their Grand Final ambitions.

Germany v New Zealand (women & men) - Crefelder Hockey und Tennis Club, Krefeld (GER)


The women’s teams were the first to take to the field in Krefeld, with Germany’s Die Danas (FIH World Ranking: 5) scoring twice in the final quarter to snatch a 2-1 victory over the Black Sticks (WR:6) to keep their prospects of a top four finish very much on track. New Zealand opened the scoring in the eighth minute when Germany's Anne Schröder lost possession at the back, with Kirsten Pearce ruthlessly punishing the error with a cool lifted finish over goalkeeper Julia Sonntag. It was a lead the Black Sticks held until the final quarter, with Pia Maertens levelling the scores before Player of the Match Cecile Pieper's deflected effort flew into the roof of the New Zealand net to give the home side victory.


"I thought it was a really good team effort", said Pieper after the match. "I thought we were sleeping in the first quarter, but then we got into our structure and started playing really well. In the end we were just pushing and pushing, as we did against GB [on Friday]. We knew we could turn the game and had the patience and the skills to do it.”


In the men’s match, the visiting New Zealanders (WR:8) opened up a 2-0 lead against Germany (WR:6) thanks to terrific field goals from Stephen Jenness and Nick Woods before Timm Herzbruch reduced the deficit at 2-1 ahead of half time. Timur Oruz pulled Die Honamas level just 40 seconds after half time, but Sam Lane’s speculative backhand strike from a tight angle gave the Black Sticks a 3-2 lead going into the final quarter. Germany’s Tom Grambusch netted a late penalty corner to force a shoot-out before brother Mats Grambusch scored the decisive effort in the one-on-ones to take the shoot-out 4-3 and earn a valuable bonus point for the hosts.


Germany’s Timm Herzbruch, who was named Player of the Match, said: “It was a very tough match, going down 0-2 but we got it to 2-2 which was fine, we were playing well and creating chances. We wanted to win the match in regular time, but of course we are happy with the shoot-out win.”




Netherlands v Belgium (women & men) - HC Den Bosch, s-Hertogenbosch (NED)


After their double header in Antwerp on Saturday, the national teams of the Netherlands and Belgium went head to head on Dutch soil with a huge crowd flocking to HC Den Bosch to witness the action. The Netherlands women (WR:1), 2-1 winners against the Red Panthers (WR:13) in Antwerp, dominated the first half but could not find a breakthrough against the Belgians who were outstanding in defence. In the third quarter Belgium goalkeeper Elena Sotgiu brilliantly saved Caia van Maasakker’s penalty stroke before Player of the Match Frederique Matla - who plays her club hockey at Den Bosch - finally broke the deadlock with a low penalty corner effort. Despite some late chances for the visitors, it was Van Maasakker who had the final say with a late penalty corner to give the Netherlands a 2-0 win and send the Netherlands to the FIH Pro League Grand Final.


Speaking after the match, Frederique Matla said: “I loved all the crowd, it is a very full house. It is awesome to play on this field again, which is an extra bonus for me, but we are really happy with the three points today, which is the most important thing.”

The Netherlands men (WR:3) matched their female compatriots by completing a weekend double over Belgium (WR:1), with the hosts emerging 4-3 winner against the world champions in a thrilling encounter. Sebastien Dockier and Tom Boon gave the Red Lions a 2-0 lead before the Dutch dragged themselves level at half time thanks to strikes from Mirco Pruijser and Jip Janssen. The Dutch established a 4-2 advantage thanks to Mink van der Weerden’s penalty corner and a stunning backhand strike from Jeroen Hertzberger, with Tom Boon reducing the deficit before the Dutch put in a remarkable defensive display to claim a second win in two days against the world’s top ranked team.

Netherlands captain Billy Bakker, who was named Player of the Match, said: “It was a really tough game. Back to back against Belgium on Saturday and Sunday, that is always really tough. It is a [result earned by] fighting hard for each other, being a team and being strong in defence. For the ranking it is really great that we got six points this weekend.”

Great Britain v Australia (men & women) - Lee Valley Hockey & Tennis Centre, London (ENG)

A sell-out crowd in London was treated to two very entertaining clashes between Great Britain and Australia, with the men’s teams trading blows from the very start of their contest. Excellent deflections from Great Britain’s Zach Wallace of Great Britain (WR:7) and Jake Harvie of Australia (WR:2) saw the two teams finish the first quarter with the score at 1-1, before Chris Griffiths put hosts in the lead five minutes before half time. Tim Brand restored parity at 2-2 shortly after the break in what proved to be the final goal of the game, giving a point to each team ahead of a shoot-out for the bonus point. To the delight of the home crowd, it was the home side who took the additional point by winning the shoot-out 4-3 thanks largely to goalkeeper George Pinner, who made two saves.

Great Britain’s Phil Roper said: “It was always going to be really tough playing against the Aussies, they always bring a lot of energy and intent and thankfully we matched them for the majority of the game. We are always coming out here to win, but when you draw you have to refocus to go into the shoot-out believing you can win it, so we’re pretty happy with the result today.”

Following a goal-less opening quarter in the women’s match, Australia scored twice in the eighteenth minute thanks to a Maddy Fitzpatrick penalty corner and a well taken field goal from Brooke Peris before Jane Claxton compounded British misery with a deflected effort to make it 3-0 to the Hockeyroos at half time. Mariah Williams made it 4-0 with a glorious backhand strike into the roof of the British goal before Hollie Pearne-Webb and Tessa Howard found the target either side of the third quarter break to give the hosts a fighting chance. However, the Australians were deserving winners of this contest and remain very much in the driving seat for a place in the FIH Pro League Grand Final.

Speaking after the match, Australia’s Maddy Fitzpatrick said: “GB really came out in that second half, and I think we were pretty lucky to score those early goals. All in all I think it was a really great match for both teams. ”


FIH Pro League - 9 June 2019

Crefelder Hockey und Tennis Club, Krefeld (GER)

Result: Women’s Match 58

Germany 2, New Zealand 1

Player of the Match: Cecile Pieper (GER)
Umpires: Alison Keogh (IRL), Sarah Wilson (SCO) and Dan Barstow (ENG - video)


Result: Men’s Match 41

Germany 3, New Zealand 3 (4-3 after shoot-out)

Player of the Match: Timm Herzbruch (GER)
Umpires: Dan Barstow (ENG), Jonas van ‘’t Hek (NED) and Sarah Wilson (SCO - video)


HC Den Bosch, s-Hertogenbosch (NED)

Result: Women’s Match 59

Netherlands 2, Belgium 0

Player of the Match: Frederique Matla (NED)
Umpires: Michelle Meister (GER), Ivona Makar (CRO) and Marcin Grochal (POL - video)

Result: Men’s Match 42

Netherlands 4, Belgium 3

Player of the Match: Billy Bakker (NED)
Umpires: Marcin Grochal (POL), Jakub Mejzlik (CZE) and Michelle Meister (GER - video)


Lee Valley Hockey & Tennis Centre, London (ENG)

Result: Men’s Match 43

Great Britain 2, Australia 2 (4-3 after shoot-out)

Player of the Match: Sam Ward (GBR)
Umpires: Christian Blasch (GER), Coen van Bunge (NED) and Michelle Joubert (RSA - video)

Result: Women’s Match 60

Great Britain 2, Australia 4

Player of the Match: Renee Taylor (AUS)
Umpires: Michelle Joubert (RSA), Carolina de la Fuente (ARG) and Christian Blasch (GER - video)

#FIHProLeague

Official FIH Pro League Site

Great Britain's men take two points against Australia in London


Chris Griffiths celebrates for Great Britain's men in the FIH Pro League

Britain's men's team took two points from a pulsating FIH Pro League game at home to Australia.

The FIH Pro League was brought in to bring top class international hockey around the world on a regular basis, and this was a prime example of what is on offer in this new format.

Britain led twice in the first half, Zach Wallace and Chris Griffiths on target either side of a lovely Jake Hervie finish. Tim Brand levelled matters in the third quarter, and although both sides pushed for a winner, the goal never materialised and so it was onto the shootout.

Britain were always ahead, and when George Pinner prevented Daniel Beale's fifth Australian attempt, our side showed their delight at taking what could be a crucial two points come the end of the season.

Full report

Having lost late on against Germany just a few days earlier, GB may have been forgiven for coming out of the traps a little tentatively, but the reality was anything but that as Alan Forsyth tested Tyler Lovell with a nice run and shot, and then with just seven minutes gone Zach Wallace made it 1-0, lifting the ball home expertly after Forsyth fired it towards goal.

It was a very entertaining start to the match, and Australia equalised with their first significant venture into the D, Jake Harvie sliding in to produce a lovely finish at the near post, giving Harry Gibson no chance.

Into the second quarter and skipper Adam Dixon went close from a corner before GB put together a fantastic move down the right, Ian Sloan winning another corner with excellent play. At the third attempt, the ball was worked very well to Chris Griffiths who slapped home low to the goalkeeper's left.

Britain were playing some great hockey going forwards, and another excellent move down the flank almost saw Sam Ward turn home after Tom Sorsby advanced well down the left. As half time arrived, you could clearly hear Danny Kerry say 'good half' to his team and it certainly been a very positive performance from his charges.

It was Australia though who scored next, making a spell of pressure count as Tim Brand slid in with 35 minutes gone. George Pinner had been called into a couple of excellent stops just moments earlier so Britain had been doing most of the defending after half time. Pinner was the busier of the two 'keepers in the third period but Zach Wallace went on a great run just before the break, denied only by a foul just outside the D.

As is often the way, Ward was antagonising the opposition defence with his presence in the final third, and he won a corner that saw Lovell save well from Dixon. At the other end Australia had a sight of goal but smacked over when well placed.

It continued to be tense, and right at the very end Phil Roper broke clear into the Australia half, but the angle was always against him and it was deflected safely wide with only seconds to go.

Into the shootout and Britain were always on top after Alan Forsyth scored the opening goal with a penalty stroke after Harry Martin was fouled. Dixon, Roper and David Ames all scoring under real pressure. Crucially, George Pinner kept both Blake Govers and Daniel Beale at pay, earning what could be a decisive extra point for his team.

Great Britain 2
Wallace (7', FG)
Griffiths (25', PC)

Australia 2
Harvie (12', FG)
Brand (35', FG)

Britain win shootout 4-3 to earn extra point

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

Shootout:
1-0 Martin fouled, Forsyth scored resulting penalty stroke
1-1 Lovell scored
2-2 Dixon scored
2-1 Govers saved
3-1 Roper scored
3-2 Ogilvy scored
4-2 Ames scored
4-3 Craig scored
4-3 Forsyth saved
4-3 Beale missed

Great Britain Hockey media release

Kookaburras Valiant in Shootout Loss

Mitch Wynd



Australia lost to Great Britain in a 4-3 shootout after regulation time ended in a 2-2 draw in London on Sunday night.

Kookaburra Head Coach Colin Batch said there was a lot to learn from a game well played by Great Britain.

 "We found it difficult to establish our game in the first half, while our third quarter was very good. We needed to do more with the opportunities we created and our momentum really stalled in the last quarter. There were some great lessons for us to take into our future matches in Europe," Batch said.

Australia came from behind twice through goals to Jake Harvie and Tim Brand, though a yellow card to Tom Craig late in the final quarter made for a nervous finish to regulation time.

The opening quarter was a display of rapid, end-to-end hockey, with both teams making dashing runs up and down the pitch regularly.

Zachary Wallace opened the scoring for the home team in the seventh minute, nudging the ball past Tyler Lovell to get the home crowd up on their feet.

Jake Harvie then demonstrated his gut running ability by winning the ball in the heart of defence, making the run up the entire length of the field, and finishing with a deft touch between goalkeeper Gibson’s legs.

Great Britain won a series of three penalty corners partway through the second quarter, and they made the third one count via Christopher Griffiths who fired his team back into the lead.

Australia won a penalty corner early in the third quarter, but a poor injection wasted the chance. Fortunately, it did not prove to be immediately costly as Tim Brand scored with a desperate left-hand lunge to equal the scores once again.

Brand quickly found himself with an opportunity for a second, however his brilliant turn and shot was denied by Pinner.

A fierce challenge from Eddie Ockenden earned himself a green card and Great Britain a penalty corner in the 48th minute, however the resultant shot was wide of Lovell’s post.

The Kookaburras created a number of chances in the final quarter but the Great Britain defence held them at bay.

Australia were crucially down a man for the entirety of the last five minutes after Tom Craig was yellow carded in the 55th minute.

Great Britain made a desperate last attacking run in the dying seconds, but the shot was wide, and the shootout confirmed.

The shootout was a thriller, with both goalkeepers desperately trying to keep their sides in it. In the end, the home team won out to the delight of the vocal crowd.

Australia 2 (Harvie 12’, Brand 36’)
Great Britain 2 (Wallace 7’, Griffiths 25’)

Shootout
Australia: 3 (Zalewski, Ogilvie, Craig)
Great Britain: 4 (Dixon, Roper, Ames, Martin)

Hockey Australia media release

Great Britain men win but women lose in Australia double-header


Phil Roper celebrates GB's victory. GB are sixth in the men's Pro League table

Great Britain men beat Australia in a shootout after a 2-2 draw but the women fell to a 4-2 defeat in a FIH Pro League double-header in London.

GB men went ahead twice at Lee Valley through first-half goals from Zach Wallace and Chris Griffiths but Australia pegged them both times.

Keeper George Pinner, who came on for Harry Gibson at half-time, then saved twice in a 4-3 shootout victory.

Captain Hollie Pearne-Webb and Tess Howard scored late on for GB women.

But a spirited second-half performance was not enough for the Olympic champions as Australia had opened a four-goal advantage - the first three coming in the first half at Lee Valley.

Goalkeeper Maddie Hinch, playing in only her second match since returning to international hockey, made several fine saves to keep the Hockeyroos at bay as GB went in search of a goal.

Izzy Petter and Hannah Martin both went close but it was Pearne-Webb who finally pulled one back with her first goal for Great Britain since 2015. Howard then scored her third goal in as many days, having scored a double against Germany on Friday.

GB women are seventh in the FIH Pro League standings with 11 points from 14 games, while the men are sixth in their table with 18 points after 12 games.

"It was good to make a couple of saves, I'm disappointed not to keep a clean sheet but overall I'm pretty happy," said Pinner.

"Let's be honest, if you don't like a shootout as a goalie, there's probably something wrong with you. It's much more about skill than the old-style strokes.

"It didn't go our way against Spain a few weeks ago so it was good to win this one. And it's a nice feeling to come in and contribute to an extra bonus point."

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

BBC Sport

Black Sticks back up performance against the Netherlands with a draw against Germany



The Vantage Black Sticks Men have earned their second straight draw in the FIH Pro League with a 3-3 draw with the German side in Krefeld. Looking to back up their impressive outing against the Netherlands earlier in the week the Black Sticks played with great confidence and strung some great plays together as the match wore on. Germany would go on to get the bonus point in the penalty shootout taking the shootout 4-3.

The Vantage Black Sticks looked sharp early in the match and scored in the opening minute of the match when Stephen Jenness found some space in the circle and deflected home an amazing cross for the Black Sticks Men. As the first quarter wore on Germany began to find their feet in the match and started putting applying pressure on the New Zealand defence. The first quarter was an evenly fought contest with both sides having some good circle penetrations.

New Zealand started then second quarter in the best possible fashion when Hayden Phillips threaded a great pass to Nic Woods who put a reverse shot into the back of the Germany net. Germany continued to play confidently in the match and were rewarded not long after when Timm Herzbruch chipped through the kiwi defence and powered in his reverse stick shot. Germany continued to apply pressure as the second quarter wore on ending up with 11 circle entries to the Black Sticks 6, however when it came to shots on goal both teams ended up with 4 shots a piece in what was a highly entertaining second quarter.

Germany couldn’t have asked for a better start to the second half as they capitalised off some sloppy New Zealand defence and deflected home a shot to tie the match at two goals apiece. Late in the third quarter Shea McAleese found Sam Lane on a great long ball, Lane then found some separation in the circle and put the ball between the German goalkeepers legs. At the end of the third quarter the New Zealand side was holding a narrow one goal lead.

The final quarter started off with both sides constructing some significant opportunities. The Black Sticks earned the first penalty corner of the quarter when Hugo Inglis found an open channel heading towards the circle. Kane Russells drag flick was saved by the Germany goalkeeper. With six minutes to go Germany pulled their goalkeeper in the hopes of finding the goal to level the match. Germany found that equaliser with two minutes to go when Tom Grambusch flicked a ball into the back of the New Zealand net. With seven seconds to go in the match New Zealand earned a penalty corner, Germany ran down the penalty corner and sent the match into a penalty shootout.

Vantage Black Sticks Men 3 (Stephen Jenness 1 min, Nic Woods 16 min, Sam Lane 40 min)
Germany Men 3 (Timm Herzbruch 19 min, Timur Oruz 31 min, Tom Grambusch 58 min)

Germany won shootout 4-3

Hockey New Zealand Media release

Women's team beaten by Australia despite fightback in final quarter


Great Britain and Australia's women in the FIH Pro League

Britain's women were beaten by Australia and left to rue a second period in which they conceded three quick goals.

At down 4-0 with a little more than fifteen minutes to go, Britain staged a valiant fightback, goals from Hollie Pearne-Webb and Tess Howard offering a glimmer of hope.

Unfortunately Mark Hager's side had left themselves too much to do, but the home crowd will have gone home with the knowledge of a much improved final quarter.

Of course the players wanted to win, and next up are two exciting games, firstly the Dutch in a sold-out match and then New Zealand at the Twickenham Stoop on Sunday 23 June.

Full report

The first quarter was one of few chances, Hannah Martin coming closest for either side as she smashed over from roughly ten yards out.

Into the second quarter though, and three goals in the space of five minutes turned the game in Australia's favour to devastating effect. Firstly Maddy Fitzpatrick scored from a penalty corner, then with Britain shell-shocked they turned over possession and Brooke Peris made it two goals in a minute. Next it was the turn of Jane Claxton to find the net, Maddie Hinch left helpless after an unfortunate deflection from a defender's stick.

After recovering from the shock of conceding three so quickly, Mark Hager's side twice came close to getting a goal, Giselle Ansley firstly seeing a penalty corner blocked, then hitting the post with another effort before Jo Hunter was inches away from scoring on the rebound. Next Tess Howard had half a sight of goal but pulled wide at the near post just before half time.

After half time Mariah Williams made it 4-0 as Australia took the game well and truly out of reach, Hinch beaten with a good finish high into the net. Izzy Petter then danced into the D in search of a consolation for the home side but her reverse stick shot was just wide.

Hinch then produced a stunning save away to her left to keep Australia at bay from a corner, and then GB finally had their goal, captain Hollie Pearne-Webb scoring her first Great Britain goal since 2015. With a little bit of momentum building, Hannah Martin then smashed goalwards but it struck her teammate and deflected wide.

Into the final quarter, again Hinch made a very good left-handed save from a penalty corner. Into the final ten minutes, youngsters Petter and Esme Burge both looked dangerous when trying to fashion opportunities, the latter winning a corner that led to Laura Unsworth bringing two saves from Rachael Lynch.

With seven minutes to go Britain gave themselves a glimmer of hope as Tess Howard scored her third goal in three days, slamming home after Ansley's PC was saved.

Emily Defroand was giving everything to get her team back in the game, and almost beat Lynch with a neat deflection but it was just too close to the 'keeper. With Hinch withdrawn in favour of an extra outfield player, Howard almost pressurised the defence into a mistake as the home side had their tails up.

Lynch made two saves from a corner inside the last two minutes, and that was the end of Britain's valiant effort in the final quarter. They ended the game well, but three goals in five minutes in the second quarter proved far too large a mountain to climb.

Great Britain 2
Pearne-Webb (43', PC)
Howard (53', PC)

Australia 4
Fitzpatrick (18', PC)
Peris (18', FG)
Claxton (23', FG)
Williams (38', FG)

Great Britain: Hinch (GK), Unsworth, Toman, Ansley, Pearne-Webb (c), Costello, Balsdon, Jones, Petty, Evans, Martin, Townsend, Hunter, Burge, Defroand, Howard, Petter
Unused: Tennant

Great Britain Hockey media release

Second Quarter Blitz Secures Win For Hockeyroos

Mitch Wynd



The Hockeyroos unleashed a dominant few minutes in the second quarter, maintaining third place on the FIH Pro League standings with a 4-2 win over Great Britain in London.

Two goals in the 18th minute from Madison Fitzpatrick and Brooke Peris, and another in the 23rd from Jane Claxton smashed the hosts’ confidence. However, Great Britain fought back in the second half to set up a thrilling finish.

The game started at a frenetic pace with Great Britain taking the early ascendency. The home team were awarded a penalty corner in the seventh minute when the ball looked to have struck a foot in the circle, an immediate Australian referral revealed it was in fact stick and the original decision was overturned.

A second referral in the ninth minute, this time from Great Britain with the replay showing the ball had in fact struck an attacking foot, leaving the home team with no referral for the remainder of the match.

Edwina Bone received a vicious ball to the face in the 11th minute, forcing her from the ground with blood visible from a cut below the eye. She returned to the field after treatment and played out the remainder of the match.

After a goalless first quarter, Australia came out firing in the second - blasting two goals in less than a minute to flip the match on its head.

The first goal came via a penalty corner that was coolly handled by Madison Fitzpatrick, launching an unstoppable drag flick past the keeper. Fourteen seconds later following a turnover in midfield, Brooke Peris drove forward and while sliding, cleverly chipped the ball over the onrushing goalkeeper.

The double strike looked to have rattled the home team, and before long, Jane Claxton added a third goal in the 23rd minute following a deflection from a Great Britain stick.

The goals didn’t stop after half time, with Mariah Williams able to put through a sweetly-struck reverse shot in the 37th minute to make it 4-0.

Great Britain won a penalty corner in the 43rd minute, and while Jocelyn Bartram made the initial save, the ball unfortunately landed in the direct path of Hollie Pearne-Webb who buried the chance.

With a late goal before three-quarter time, Great Britain hoped to take momentum into the final quarter and attempt a remarkable comeback. They won four penalty corners in the final term and made the most of one of them, with Tessa Howard firing in a rebound goal at the 53rd minute mark.

The British goalkeeper was pulled with six minutes to go in an attempt to take advantage of the extra field player. A yellow card to Mariah Williams meant the Hockeyroos were down to ten for the final five minutes which led to some tense moments but the team responded to the challenge in defence. Rachael Lynch stepped up in the final minutes with crucial saves to ensure Australia left London with the full three points.

The Hockeyroos’ next match is on Sunday night against fourth-placed Germany in Krefeld.

Australia 4 (M Fitzpatrick 18’, B Peris 18’, J Claxton 23’, M Williams 37’)
Great Britain 2 (Pearne-Webb 43’, Howard 53’)

Hockey Australia media release

Germany score late to stun the Black Sticks Women in Krefeld



Germany has come from behind in the final quarter to shock the Black Sticks Women 2-1 from Krefeld. Kirsten Pearce put the New Zealand team in the lead early in the match, however Germany continued to apply significant pressure on the Black Sticks and were rewarded in the final quarter when they managed to score their two goals to secure the three points in the match.

The match started out at a frenetic pace with both sides looking to put the opposition under an immense amount of pressure. Midway through the first quarter Olivia Shannon dispossessed the German defender and some subsequent great passing on the counter attack allowed Kirsten Pearce to chip Nathalie Kubalski and put New Zealand in front 1-0. The first quarter saw both sides being aggressive in their pressing and forced a number of turnovers in the opposition defensive third. At the end of the first quarter the kiwi side was in the lead 1-0.

The even battle continued in the second quarter as neither side was able to build sustained pressure and any small chances were shut down by the oppositions defence. At the conclusion of the first half the stats told the story of an even contest with both sides having 50% possession. Germany managed to earn more circle entries with 11 to the Vantage Black Sticks 4, however in the end the New Zealand side had a 1 goal lead.

Germany had the first real opportunity of the second half when they found an Ella Gunson foot in the circle. Brooke Neal made a great goal line save off the subsequent penalty corner. Germany was clinical in the third quarter of the match holding onto 71% possession and having 11 circle entries compared to the Black Sticks zero. Despite the weight of possession favouring the German side the Vantage Black Sticks Women held onto a slight one goal lead heading into the final quarter.

Germany found the equaliser early in the final quarter when a great baseline dribble resulted in a deflection for Pia Maertens setting up an exciting last ten minutes in the match. Germany then put themselves up 2-1 in the match when late in the final quarter a Cecile Pieper shot took a deflection off a New Zealand stick on its way to the goal. As time wound down Germany managed to hold their nerve and keep the Vantage Black Sticks at bay and secure the needed 3 points to keep them in the FIH Pro League top 4.

Vantage Black Sticks Women 1 (Kirsten Pearce 8 min)
Germany Women 2 (Pia Maertens 48 min, Cecile Pieper 52 min)

Hockey New Zealand Media release

Draw and a loss for Black Sticks hockey teams in Germany


New Zealand's Hugo Inglis has his shot blocked by Germany goalkeeper Victor Aly in a FIH Pro League penalty shootout in Krefeld. Juergen Schwarz

The Black Sticks men's hockey team celebrated a second consecutive draw in the FIH Pro League in Germany, but the New Zealand women crashed to a a 2-1 loss to the host nation.

Darren Smith's men's side shared a 3-3 draw with Germany in Krefeld on Sunday (Monday NZ time) to back up an impressive outing against the Netherlands last week.

The Black Sticks - up 2-0 early in the second quarter - lost the bonus point penalty shoot-out, four strokes to three.

Stephen Jenness gave the Black Sticks a first-minute goal when he deflected in a pinpoint cross.


Timm Herzbruch of Germany (L) hugs goalie Victor Aly after Germany's shootout victory. Juergen Schwarz

Nic Woods doubled New Zealand's lead with a reverse shot goal from Hayden Phillips' threaded pass early in the second quarter.

But Germany struck back, making 11 circle entries to the Black Sticks' six, and got on the scoresheet with a Timm Herzbruch goal.

A defensive error allowed Germany to equalise early in the third quarter, through Timur Oruz.

But Timaru-raised Sam Lane put the Black Sticks up 3-2, nutmegging the German keeper after a penetrating long ball by Shea McAleese in the 40th minute.


The New Zealand Black Sticks men's team show their delight after scoring in a 3-3 draw with Germany. Juergen Schwarz

The Black Sticks earned a penalty corner at the start of the final quarter, but the German keeper saved Kane Russell's drag flick.

Germany dragged their keeper in a tactical move aimed at boosting their attack and the ploy paid dividences when Tom Grambusch netted the equaliser two minutes from fulltime.

The Germans then ran down a New Zealand penalty corner attempt to send the match to the shootout phase.

The Black Sticks men remain in last place on the eight-team table with four draws and seven losses from 11 games.

They have a shot at securing their first win when they meet seventh-ranked Spain in Madrid on Friday (Saturday NZ time).


Kirsten Pearce celebrates the Black Sticks women's team's only goal against Germany. Juergen Schwarz

Meanwhile, two goals in a four-minute spell in the final quarter earned Germany a come-from-behind win against the Black Sticks women's team.

Kirsten Pearce gave the Kiwis an eighth minute lead when she chipped Nathalie Kubalski for an eighth minute goal.

The Black Sticks clung to their lead tenaciously with Brooke Neale making a great goalline save from a penalty corner in the second half.

Germany dominated the third quarter with 71 per cent possession and 11 circle entires to the Black Sticks' none.


Germany celebrate their winning goal over the New Zealand Black Sticks women's team. Juergen Schwarz

The home side equalised through Pia Maertens after a dazzling baseline dribble in the 48th minute and scored the winner in the 52nd minute Cecile Pieper's shot deflected into the net off a Kiwi stick.

Germany's victory allowed them to retain their place in the league's top-four.

The Black Sticks - coached by former Irish mentor Graham Shaw - are sixth with five wins and eight defeats from 13 games.

They meet the Netherlands, the competition leaders, on Wednesday (Thursday NZ time) in Hertogenbosch and fifth-ranked Belgium in Antwerp on Sunday (Monday NZ time).

AT A GLANCE

FIH Pro Hockey League results

Men

New Zealand Black Sticks 3 (Stephen Jenness, Nic Woods, Sam Lane) Germany 3 (Timm Herzbruch, Timur Oruz , Tom Grambusch ).  Germany won shootout 4-3.

Women

Germany 2 (Pia Maertens, Cecile Pieper) New Zealand Black Sticks 1 (Kirsten Pearce).

Stuff

SC Stroitel Brest steal Euro Trophy final spot from Rotweiss


©: Alexander Wagner

SC Stroitel Brest nicked top spot in Pool A of the EuroHockey Trophy from hosts Rotweiss Wettingen with a last minute penalty corner.

The Swiss hosts needed just a draw to reach the final of the competition and they looked in good shape to do that when Florian Feller scored in the 58th minute.

That made it 1-1, cancelling out Yauheni Stsepanets second-quarter goal for the Belarussian side. In those closing phases, Brest were also down a man with Stsiapan Sizhuk serving a yellow card suspension but they won a last minute corner which Ihar Yahoshchankau scored for a 2-1 win.

It puts them through to a final against Welsh side Cardiff & Met while Rotweiss play Ukraine’s OKS SHVSM Vinnitsa.

In Pool A’s other match, Casa Pia Atletico Clube won 3-2 against Glenanne, recording a first ever win for a Portuguese club in outdoor action against an Irish side.

Cardiff & Met completed their third win in succession with they saw off HC Bohemians Prague 3-0. Jack Pritchard’s stroke started off the scoring before Charles Hunte and Jack Rhodes stretched out the victory.

Austria’s WAC and Vinnitsa drew 1-1, a result which meant they remained in third and second place in Pool B respectively.

Euro Hockey League media release

Glens set for seventh place playoff after Casa Pia loss


Glenanne will play for seventh and eighth

Glenanne will play for seventh place early on Monday morning after they fell to Portuguese champions Casa Pia Atletico Clube on day three of the men’s EuroHockey Trophy in Wettingen.

The Glens – playing short-handed due to Shannon Boucher’s suspension – fell behind just six minutes to a Boitel Theo effort but they bounced back when Cedric Jakobi hit the net from a 12th minute penalty corner.

Casa Pia went back in front with Rogier Schaeffers levelling a minute into the second quarter courtesy of an excellent reverse-stick strike, cutting in from the right side of the circle.

Stephen Brownlow scored his second stroke of the weekend a couple of second before half-time for 2-2 but the game was settled six minutes from time by Carlos Silva from a corner.

The result – a first loss for an Irish club against Portuguese opposition outdoors – means the Glens will face Prague’s Bohemians on Monday morning at 7.30am (Irish time).

Results elsewhere in the competition mean Ireland will retain one Euro Hockey League place for the 2019/20 season. Both Austria and Belarus could have overtaken Ireland’s ranking which would have lost the ticket but WAC from Austria’s third place finish in their pool rules out that possibility.

It means Three Rock Rovers will play in the EHL in Barcelona next October while Lisnagarvey will be involved in the EuroHockey Trophy in 2020.

Men’s EuroHockey Club Trophy
Glenanne 2 (C Jakobi, S Brownlow) Casa Pia Atletico Clube 3 (B Theo, R Schaeffers, C Silva)

Standings: 1. SC Stroitel Brest 12pts (+8) 2. Rotweiss Wettingen 11pts (+2) 3. Casa Pia Atletic Clube 6pts (-7) 4. Glenanne 4pts (-3)

Monday, seventh place playoff: Glenanne v Bohemians Prague (Czech Republic), 7.30am (Irish time)

The Hook