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News for 08 February 2020

All the news for Saturday 8 February 2020


2020 FIH Pro League (Men) - 8 February

7 Feb 2020     ARG v ESP (RR)     3 - 4
8 Feb 2020     NZL v GBR (RR)     1 - 1 (3 - 1 SO)
8 Feb 2020 17:00 (GMT +5:30)     IND v BEL (RR)     Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar
8 Feb 2020 20:30 (GMT -3)     ARG v ESP (RR)     Cenard, Buenos Aires
9 Feb 2020 15:00 (GMT +13)     NZL v GBR (RR)     North Harbour Hockey
9 Feb 2020 17:00 (GMT +5:30)     IND v BEL (RR)     Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar

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

FIH Match Centre



2020 FIH Pro League (Women) - 8 February

7 Feb 2020    ARG v USA (RR)     6 - 2
8 Feb 2020     CHN v BEL (RR)     -     On hold due to Coronavirus
8 Feb 2020 18:00 (GMT -3)      ARG v USA (RR)     Cenard, Buenos Aires
8 Feb 2020     NZL v GBR (RR)     0 - 3
9 Feb 2020     CHN v BEL (RR)     On hold due to Coronavirus
9 Feb 2020 17:30 (GMT +13)      NZL v GBR (RR)     North Harbour Hockey Stadium, Auckland

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

FIH Match Centre



Mixed fortunes for Argentina in opening FIH Hockey Pro League 2020 matches



Argentina’s national teams played their first matches of the 2020 FIH Hockey Pro League on Friday (7 February), but it proved to be a day of mixed fortunes for the hosts in Buenos Aires, with the women beating USA before the men suffered defeat at the hands of Spain.  

For information about how to follow the live reporting of the New Zealand versus Great Britain matches, click here.

Las Leonas made a winning start to their campaign with a 6-2 triumph over an improving USA team that certainly gave the hosts plenty to think about. Julieta Jankunas and Delfina Merino put Argentina 2-0 up before USA captain Ashley Hoffman made the score 2-1 at half time. Argentina stepped up their game in the third and fourth quarters, with Agustina Gorzelany, Rosario Luchetti, Rocio Sanchez and Carla Rebecchi all on target, with Taylor West scoring USA’s second of the match.

"We are very happy about winning this match”, said Argentina's Julieta Jankunas, who was named Player of the Match. “Starting like this is always nice, and gives confidence to the team, so we are expecting tomorrow to do the same."

USA captain Ashley Hoffman said: "I am hoping that we as a team can just grow each game and continue to build on what we learned [in the] last game."

More information on the match can be found on the live reporting page by clicking here.

The Argentina versus Spain men’s match was a fascinating encounter that saw the hosts leading on three occasions before eventually suffering a 4-3 defeat thanks to a stunning late strike from Pau Quemada. Maico Casella (2) and Jose Tolini strikes were cancelled out on each occasion by Roc Oliva, Quemada and Vicenc Ruiz before Quemada sealed a Spanish victory in the 59th minute, arrowing a penalty corner drag-flick into the top right corner of the Argentine net.

"I think that the fighting spirit that we had today was really impressive”, said Player of the Match Quemada. “We came back all the time from one goal down, and we came back to 4-3. We keep on pushing, we keep on believing. Our system worked and we got the result, so we need to keep that for tomorrow's game and improve from our frontline to our backline. I think by doing this we can become a little bit stronger than today."

Argentina’s Maico Casella said: “I think we [played] a really good game. We had a lot of chances, but we couldn't score them. We have to work and focus on the next game."

For more information, click here.

The FIH Hockey Pro League continues on Saturday when New Zealand’s national teams entertain Great Britain before a mouth-watering clash between India men and reigning World and European champions Belgium takes place in Bhubaneswar. Argentina’s teams will also be in action, playing the second matches of their respective double-headers against USA women and Spain men.

Keep up to date with all the latest news on the FIH Hockey Pro League via the event website and through FIH social media channels - Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.  

FIH Hockey Pro League 

Match Day 11 – Friday 07 February 2020


CENARD, Buenos Aires (ARG)

Women’s result: Argentina 6, USA 2 (Match 1 of 2)
Player of the Match: Julieta Jankunas (ARG)
Umpires: Catelina Montesino (CHI), Ayanna McClean (TTO) & Federico Garcia (URU - video)

Men’s result: Argentina 3, Spain 4 (Match 1 of 2)
Player of the Match: Pau Quemada (ESP)
Umpires: Bruce Bale (ENG), Federico Garcia (URU) & Ayanna McClean (TTO - video)

Upcoming fixtures

Saturday 8 February 2020

Auckland (NZL) – Men: New Zealand v Great Britain (Match 1 of 2)
Time: 1700 (GMT/UTC +13)
Auckland (NZL) – Women: New Zealand v Great Britain (Match 1 of 2)
Time: 1930 (GMT/UTC +13)
Bhubaneswar (IND) – Men: India v Belgium (Match 1 of 2)
Time: 1700 (GMT/UTC +5.30)
Buenos Aires (ARG) – Women: Argentina v USA (Match 2 of 2)
Time: 1800 (GMT/UTC -3)
Buenos Aires (ARG) – Men: Argentina v Spain (Match 2 of 2)
Time: 2030 (GMT/UTC -3)

Sunday 9 February 2020

Auckland (NZL) – Men: New Zealand v Great Britain (Match 2 of 2)

Time: 1700 (GMT/UTC +13)
Auckland (NZL) – Women: New Zealand v Great Britain (Match 2 of 2)
Time: 1930 (GMT/UTC +13)
Bhubaneswar (IND) – Men: India v Belgium (Match 2 of 2)
Time: 1700 (GMT/UTC +5.30)

#FIHProLeague

Official FIH Pro League Site



USWNT Drops FIH Hockey Pro League Road Opener to Argentina


Image Courtesy of FIH

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina – A rain saturated pitch at Cenard in Buenos Aires, Argentina, welcomed the No. 14 U.S. Women’s National Team in the first match of the FIH Hockey Pro League double-header against No. 3 Las Leonas. While there were moments of brilliance for the young USA squad, Argentina’s ability to convert out-powered the red, white and blue 2-6.

USA started the match on the front end working it into their attacking circle but were unable to find an outcome. Argentina opened the scoring in the 3rd minute after Delfina Merino received an overhead and took it into the circle. USA goalkeeper Kealsie Robles (Yorktown, Va.) made the initial stop but Julieta Jankunas capitalized on the loose ball and sent a backhand in for an early 0-1 lead. A minute following, a USA foot lead to Las Leonas’ first penalty corner chance but it was broken up by USA’s flyer. The red, white and blue took possession the other way and produced two opportunities of their own but both were denied by Argentina goalkeeper Cristina Cosentino.

Following a 20-minute delay as the match was halted due to adverse weather conditions, USA came out with a spark producing a few positive looks in the opening minutes but the first quarter remained in favor of Las Leonas, 0-1.

The second frame started with Argentina using their pristine stick skills to work it ahead as a backhand shot from Carla Rebecchi was saved by Robles. Some crowd pleasing noise followed after an Argentina penalty corner attempt was stopped by the brave running of Amanda Magadan (Randolph, N.J.) before Maria Granatto used 3D skills to get into USA’s circle before her high flick went over the goal. USA continued to threaten and in the 22nd minute, a backhand from the top of the circle by Anna Dessoye (Mountaintop, Pa.) was saved by Cosentino and fell to Madison Maguire (Rumson, N.J.) but she was unable to finish before a foul was called. Las Leonas countered immediately extended the lead after Granatto weaved past four USA defenders to get to close range and flick it on goal as Merino was there to tap it in out of the air. One minute later, in the 24th minute, Dessoye pushed it ahead to Maguire who earned USA their first penalty corner. Although the initial drag by Ashley Hoffman (Mohnton, Pa.) was stopped by Cosentino she converted on reward penalty corner attempt with a low drag to the left to make it 1-2. Argentina held possession for the remainder of the quarter, producing three more penalty corners and two shots.

Argentina continued their offensive pressure in the third and fourth quarters as their penalty corners deemed threatening. Las Leones extended their lead in the 33rd minute off a penalty corner drag flick goal from Agustina Gorzelany and added another in the 37th minute when Silvina d’Elia’s straight shot was deflected into the net by Rosario Luchetti. It took USA until the 49th minute to gather a positive offensive chance after Lauren Moyer (York, Pa.) earned two penalty corners. On the second attempt, the straight drag by Hoffman went off the pads of Cosentino to Mary Beth Barham (Fairfax, Va.) who recovered and sent a backhand toward goal, that was touched by Moyer and finished by Taylor West (Princess Anne, Md.). With the score line 2-4, the host nation secured the victory by adding two more in the final three minutes through a field goal from Rocio Sanchez and a penalty corner from Rebecchi.

“I am hoping that we as a team can just grow each game, and continue to build on what we have learned [in the] last game,” commented Hoffman, USWNT Captain, following the game.

Following the game, Argentina’s Jankunas was named Player of the Match for opening the scoring in the 3rd minute of play.

Today’s contest marked career milestones for two USA athletes as Alexandra Hammel (Duxbury, Mass.) and Karlie Heistand (Hamburg, Pa.) all played in their first international cap.

The U.S. Women’s National Team will return to action tomorrow when they take on Argentina in the second game of their double-header weekend at 4 p.m. ET. For more information, check out the FIH Hockey Pro League event page by clicking here.

#FIHProLeague

#MyProLeagueMoment

#HockeyInvites

USFHA media release



First win of 202 FIH Hockey Pro League for GB Women; Point for Men

Great Britain's women eased to their first victory in the 2020 FIH Hockey Pro League with a dominant victory over New Zealand in Auckland.

Shona McCallin provided the moment of the day with a beautifully swept finish in the final quarter after a neat Tess Howard deflection and assured stroke from Charlotte Watson gave GB a 2-0 lead at half-time in a game where Lily Owsley made her 150th combined international appearance.

That came after the men bagged their second point of the tournament with a 1-1 tie against the Black Sticks.

Chris Griffiths' late equaliser saw the team draw for a second successive weekend but they couldn't grab the bonus point in the shootout.

MATCH REPORTS

New Zealand 1 (0)
Jenness (43’, FG)

Great Britain 1 (0)
Griffiths (56’, FG)

NZ win shootout 3-1

Playing in their changed strip of white shirt & blue shorts, GB’s men started on the front foot as Rupert Shipperley saw an effort saved in the first minute before Will Calnan was thwarted by Joyce shortly after.

The hosts had their chances too, with George Pinner standing tall to save from point blank range early in the first quarter, while Mark Gleghorne had two corners saved.

The second quarter was more circumspect, with Tom Sorsby seeing one effort blocked before Liam Ansell hit the post in the dying moments of the half.

Sorsby then had another effort saved early in the third quarter while at the other end Pinner was called into action again from close range.

There was nothing he could do to prevent the Black Sticks from taking the lead in the 43rd minute though as Jenness powered a shot into the top corner.

Great Britain pressed hard to find the equaliser in the final quarter and it eventually came as Griffiths reacted well to turn a deflected effort past Joyce.

The East Grinstead forward was unlucky not to add a second a minute later as Joyce pulled off a fine reaction save as GB ended the game on top but could not find the winner, with Jackson also thwarted.

Will Calnan got Great Britain off to the perfect start in the shootout but Joyce was on hand to ensure it was the hosts who claimed the bonus point.

After the game, Griffiths said: “It’s another point in the bag but there were slight frustations at times throughout the game. We needed to possibly take more care of the ball in the final third but otherwise I thought it was a good performance.

“We’re a bit down because of the outcome as we felt like we dominated the game in patches. But I think that shows where we are as a group – we want to go out and win games and we don’t want to disappoint ourselves. I think that can only be a good thing.”

Head coach Danny Kerry added: “We’re disappointed we didn’t get the win. We were soft on the ball in the important times and moments. I can’t take away from the lads they went for it and credit to them for coming back from 1-0 down. But even before then we had plenty of opportunities to win the game.

The two will meet again tomorrow at 2am GMT live on BT Sport.

Starting XI: Pinner (GK), Ames, Shipperley, Griffiths, Gleghorne, Roper, Dixon (C), Jackson, Ansell, Sanford, Wallace
Subs (Used): Sloan, Waller, Gall, Sorsby, Calnan, Draper
Subs (Unused): Taylor, Forsyth, Martin, Gibson (GK)

New Zealand 0 (0)

Great Britain 3 (2)
Howard (9’, FG); Watson (21’, PS); McCallin (50’, FG)

It was New Zealand who came closest to opening the scoring as they won three corners in quick succession halfway through the first quarter, with McCallin pulling off a brilliant save on the line.

Two minutes later Howard gave Great Britain the lead as she found herself in the perfect spot to lift Sarah Robertson’s dangerous cross over Georgia Barnett.

GB then won a corner in the 20th minute but Anna Toman’s slap was saved before Watson doubled the lead a minute later with a stroke after Jo Hunter was barged as she wound up to take a shot.

Toman saw another corner blocked early in the third quarter before the hosts started applying plenty of pressure in search of  a goal to draw themselves back into the game, winning several corners of their own.

But there was no way past Sabbie Heesh or her defenders, with Leah Wilkinson and Tess Howard valiantly throwing themselves into the path of the ball.

McCallin then provided the moment of the day as she diving to turn Howard’s brilliant pass into the corner for her first ever GB goal and her first international strike in more than two years.

After the game, Owsley said: “There’s a lot of relief – we’re glad to start the ball rolling and it was a great game. After last weekend’s disappointment we needed for that and hopefully we’ll come out tomorrow and get even more points from this trip.

“I thought last weekend we put in good performances but we didn’t come away with the wins. When you’re playing well you have to grind out good performances and today we knew we had to turn the screw and we did it.

“150 – I don’t know where the time has gone. It’s been a journey and to achieve this is very special and I’m so proud. I couldn’t think of a better group to get it with.”

The two teams play again at 4:30am GMT tomorrow morning.

Starting XI: Hinch (GK), Unsworth, Toman, Martin, Townsend, Robertson, Pearne-Webb (C), McCallin, Owsley, Balsdon, Watson
Subs (Used): Howard, Jones, Neal, Heesh (GK), Hunter, Petter, Wilkinson
Subs (Unused): Rayer, Burge

Great Britain Hockey media release



"It’s brilliant to feel tested every session. I feel lucky to have the opportunity"


Leah Wilkinson

Leah Wilkinson had to wait for longer than most to get her opportunity to represent Great Britain but now she is determined to make the most of it.

Having played 169 times for Wales –becoming the country’s most capped team sport athlete of all time during 2019 – the defender made her Great Britain debut in October against India.

She has since gone on to help GB qualify for Tokyo 2020, made her FIH Hockey Pro League debut against Australia last weekend and looks set to have a big part to play with the team this year.

Despite numerous calls over the years for her to be given a chance, Wilkinson herself never particularly expected the call up.

But having joined the full-time women’s programme late last year, she now says she’s being able to really push herself to compete with and against the world’s best.

“I’m not sure it’s really sunk in yet,” the 33-year-old said.

“A lot of people said it was a long time coming but as I said before it was something I expected to happen. I wasn’t thinking ‘I should be good enough, I should be in this set up’ etc. I just thought that if I kept plugging away and trying to become a consistent performer that maybe I would get an opportunity.

“A couple of years ago I didn’t think that opportunity would happen again so it’s quite surreal to be here now. Even now when I’m walking to the bus to go to a game and I’m in a GB t-shirt, I’m a bit like ‘this is weird’.

“At this stage in my hockey career it’s nice to have an opportunity to be pushed one last time. This is obviously a step up and often people at the end of their career don’t always have that kind of challenge but I definitely feel like I’m having that right now.

“It’s brilliant to feel tested every session, to be on top of my game all the time, to learn new tactics and new techniques. I feel very lucky to have that opportunity.”

The first match against Australia was also the first time Wilkinson pulled on the GB shirt alongside fiancé Sarah Jones.

Even though they have played alongside each other for Wales and club teams for such a long time, the Holcombe player knows it was a moment that they will treasure for many years to come, especially as they had to wait for it.

“We only spoke about it really afterwards but obviously it was a really special moment,” she said.

“When I first got involved with the GB programme, Sarah had her illness so she wasn’t really around. As a result for the first few months I was there without her, which was really good for me as it meant I had to go out and push myself outside my comfort zone.

“A few people sent us pictures of the line up and the anthem saying it’s something for us to remember for the future. I think it will be but it will be something for us to reflect on when we’ve retired in a few years as opposed to now.”

However even though they now train and play together nearly every day of the week, in some ways Wilkinson and Jones see a little less of each other than they had done before.

The Wales captain also knows that there is the potential for things to get a little tricky with regards to selection but she is confident that no matter what, they will be there to support one another through thick and thin.

“People say you must spend every moment together but when we’re at Bisham we don’t necessarily do everything together – we’re not in the same position or groups – so actually some days we won’t see each other all day,” she explained

“But we are very lucky to be able to have that together so we can talk about it and reflect on things.

“It obviously has its difficulties as well. Over the next few months we’ve got many selections and things like that so I’m sure there’s going to be many challenges ahead.

“But if someone’s had a bad day on the pitch or something difficult has happened the other person will be there to help them through. But that’s what it’s like with people who have different jobs. We’re coping at the moment so fingers crossed!”

Great Britain Hockey media release



Victory over world No 1 Belgium could prove 'liberation point' for India but they need to push the limits

Sundeep Misra


India will take on Belgium in the Pro League on 8 and 9 February. Photo credit: Hockey India

While it’s tempting to get carried away with the twin wins over Netherlands in India’s debut in the 2020 Pro League, the home team also has a knack of self-destructing after some super starts to various campaigns over the years. It would, however, be a huge step if India decides to reinvent itself and scalp the World Champions and World No 1 Belgium, also the team that is playing the best hockey in the world. Let there be no doubt that India played at a level at The Kalinga against Netherlands rarely seen in recent years, except probably at the 2018 Champions Trophy. Indian coach Graham Reid will not be satisfied easily and for a man who has learnt the trade under the brilliant Ric Charlesworth, raising India’s level and improvising continuously will be the agenda. After the shoot-out win in the second match against Netherlands, Reid said, “There is room for a lot of improvement.”

Over the next 5-6 months, as the Pro League rolls on, Reid will have a good look at the players, check them out for injuries, and finally it will be the form and the ability to withstand pressure that would make the players make the final cut for the team that would fly to Tokyo. However, the World No 1 Belgium are the opponent that India needs to immediately tackle and beat at home. It’s easy to discount wins at home. But beating the 2018 World Cup finalist and then have the same result against the World Champions will create a ripple effect in World Hockey. Pressure for once will be balanced out between India and its opponents; at least for the top four.

The last three encounters, all Test matches against Belgium have been won by India: 2-0, 2-1 and 5-1. In the 2018 World Cup, the score was 2-2 and at the Champions Trophy in Breda, it was 1-1 – close, intense encounters that showcase both skill and tenacity. Former Indian captain and coach V Bhaskaran who watched the matches against Netherlands in the Pro League felt India played well “but needed to play at almost 80 percent of their skill level if they had to go deep into the Pro League or the Olympic Games.” He felt and said, “Honestly, in the 2018 World Cup, they didn’t do too much wrong against Netherlands except for not picking up the opportunities and on the day should have won that quarter-final. But looking at that match and seeing them in the Pro League, they are definitely playing well.”

Bhaskaran does feel that areas like the midfield might come under pressure from quality teams like Belgium who are not only good with the ball but also know how to pace a match. “I think we faltered in the midfield in the second game against Netherlands,” says Bhaskaran. “I do feel that Manpreet strays quite often onto the left and that at times leaves gaps which a top team can easily exploit on the day.” In fact, Bhaskaran also feels that the coaching staff should rest Manpreet against some strong opponents so that the midfield can get an opportunity to play and create without India’s talismanic captain player. “It will help them in Tokyo,” feels Bhaskaran.

Indian teams over the years have been burdened and accused of orthodoxy. The match that immediately comes to mind is the India vs Belgium quarter-final at the 2016 Rio Olympics, a game that slowly over the last two quarters veered around into India playing into Belgium’s hands and then refused to either innovate or break away with some unorthodox play either in the midfield or even with the tested high balls to break the tremendous pressure in the 3rd and 4th quarter. The change that was seen against Netherlands last month was even with the fast runs on the flanks, forwards were not isolating themselves. They were being covered or supported by overlapping players with fast hits into the circle, not the usually predictable parallel hits but the ones that zipped into the middle of the circle, catching the defence unaware and mostly on the wrong foot.

Both defences, India and Belgium are world class. Belgium does have the edge boosted by the confidence of being World number one. Indian captain Manpreet understands that and also knows it’s the men at the back who will defend and also create the breakaway moves. “It is upon us on how we play,” says the Indian captain. “Everyone knows that Belgium is a good team. So, we will try to give them less chances as their attacking is quite good and whenever we go inside their D, we try and get the chance for a PC or get a field goal. The lesser the chances we give to them, the better it would be for us.”

Against Netherlands in the 2nd match, when Manpreet got a yellow card, India was down to ten men for ten minutes. The defence of Harmanpreet Singh, Rupinder Pal Singh, Surender Kumar, Birendra Lakra, Amit Rohidas was under huge pressure, but they held out. Dutch coach Max Caldas also said later, “we should have scored the goals then”, but it is the same verve that India need to display against Belgium.”

Manpreet believes it’s a mix of attack and defence that will make India dominant. “We have been working a lot since the last time on areas like attacking as the coach believes that we will get a chance in the first 10 minutes which we have been getting and if we convert that into a goal then it will be a positive point as a motivation to do better. And if we keep our defence strong and give them the least chances, like the last two matches against Netherlands that we had, our defence gave a very good performance because of which we got good goals.”

Graham Reid speaks of consistency, the only factor that divides India from the top four. Over the last three decades, it has been the consistency that has been the biggest issue. Reid says, “I certainly know with our team it is that every time we play we want to win,” he said. “I think you will get that. It doesn’t really matter who is playing and who is playing who and who is actually in the team. And you have to have that because we can’t turn it on and off. That’s the problem. People would like to think you can switch form and switch it off and not play well today or play well tomorrow. You have to be able to play consistently to do that especially when the teams at the moment are so close. For me the teams that are going for the Olympic Games, they are all very-very good teams.”

The one factor that Reid spoke about is belief. That particular aspect has been fragile. Time and again, India has slipped from winning positions simply because they haven’t powered away in the last lap. But held off thinking, fearing any change in pattern or simply attacking for more goals will let the advantage slip.

Reid uses the example of how belief is built with performance. “I think the case with Belgium is that before the World Cup, they perhaps lacked the belief that they were No 1 in the World. Now, you see in the way they play that they believe they are No 1. They deserved to be No 1. Perhaps that is a shift in the mind that you see in the team. But, for us what is really important is that we perform at our best and any team on the day can win or lose and we will be going out to win.”

Apart from the faith in succeeding at everything that hockey has to offer, lifting the World Cup has changed the face of hockey in Belgium. It has given a boost to the domestic league. India, on the contrary, instead of focusing on the Hockey India League, has let the advantage slip away. So, when Belgian captain Thomas Briels makes the point of the increase in players in his country, it strikes a note which will be noticed in India but like a lot of things, swept under the carpet.

In Bhubaneswar, Briels, said, “Yes, it has changed a lot. But, not only after the World Cup but after the Olympic medal in Rio 2016. You see in 8 years’ time you see a rise in 25000 players to 53000 players. It’s incredible. A lot of new clubs also in Belgium. Even now people have to wait to play hockey and we don’t have enough field in Belgium. So, the infrastructure is getting a bit behind. You see a lot of people getting interested in playing hockey.”

Briels also makes this distinction between the Pro League and the Olympic Games which every fan understands that winning the Tokyo medal is priority. “We are No 1 in the World, ranked No 1 and every game counts. We also want to win games. It’s not the most important thing to win the Pro-League, we rather win the Olympic Games. But, it is a nice tournament to win. It’s a young tournament. We lost the final last year. So, we are pretty keen to win it this year.”

Against Belgium, India has to push limits of every aspect of play to understand their own reach and the team’s breaking point. A win against Belgium in both matches will liberate India to perform at a level that just could be the beginning of the pinnacle they want to achieve. What they create now and in the months to come could have a far-reaching impact on the future of the sport and the youngsters wanting to play it.

Firstpost



Exciting encounter await World Champions Belgium

s2h Team



When they landed in India last time, they won their maiden won World Cup title. What at stake now against the backdrop of 2018 December pales in comparison now. But what makes impending India-Belgium double header at Bhubaneswar under FIH Pro-League is former's resurgent form. India had good times against The Netherlands at Kalinga Stadium last fortnight with a fluent win and then a hard fought draw. This is sufficient for Indian sports fans to sit and take note of Indian hockey. They wait for duo's encounter tomorrow with much home expectations.

The Indian Men's Hockey Team got off to a stupendous start in the FIH Hockey Pro League after defeating the Netherlands in both their matches last month. The World No. 5 team will certainly look to continue their form when they face the World No.1 side Belgium in the FIH Hockey Pro League on 8 February 2020 and 9 February 2020 at the Kalinga Hockey Stadium in Bhubaneswar.

Belgium are currently at the top of the league table with eleven points. They have won all of their four matches, defeating Australia and New Zealand (two matches each), away from home. However, India will gain confidence from the fact that they beat Belgium at their own backyard last year. India triumphed in all five matches (three against Belgium and two against Spain) during their tour of Belgium in September 2019.

Speaking ahead of the match, Indian Men's Hockey Team Captain Manpreet Singh said that the team looks at the FIH Hockey Pro League as a good opportunity to become a better side.

"All the teams which are playing in the FIH Hockey Pro League will play in the Olympics as well. So, we have a good opportunity to find out which areas we should work on during this tournament and get better as a team before the Olympics. The youngsters also have a good chance to showcase their skills in this competition," said Manpreet.

The Indian Men's Hockey Team Chief Coach Graham Reid expressed that the side has carried out excellent preparations for the matches against Belgium.

"We are ready to go. We have been training for the last two weeks. So it's been really good preparation for the matches against Belgium. What's important is for us is that we need to perform at our best. We will be going for the win. We are not going to focus much on our opponents but will focus on what we need to do. The players are very clear about what is required of them. We can't change the way our opponents play, but we can change the way we play," said Reid.

The Belgium Men's Hockey Team Captain Thomas Briels said that the two matches against India are very crucial for them.

"We want to win the FIH Hockey Pro League trophy and we have our eyes on the Olympic Games as well. We are the World No.1 side and every game counts. On the other hand, we want to develop as a team and try new tactics. We want to learn from other countries. But while doing it, we also want to win the matches. The FIH Hockey Pro League is a really nice tournament. We lost the Final last year so we are really keen to win it this year. The two games this weekend are going to be crucial," said Briels.

The Belgium Men's Hockey Team Chief Coach Shane McLeod expressed that the World Champions are looking forward to two top games against India.

"It's been a very nice build-up to the games against India. We have played four games and learned from each of those experiences. After those four games, we took a couple of days in Kuala Lumpur to refresh mentally and so on and now we are looking forward to two top games against India, who also have been doing really well so far. I think the Indian team is on the rise at the moment. They have got a talented group of young players," said McLeod.

India will take on Belgium on 08 and 09 January at 1700hrs IST at the Kalinga Hockey Stadium in Bhubaneswar.

Stick2Hockey.com



Confident India braces up for Belgium challenge

After wins over the Netherlands, India will hope to defeat the World No. 1 side in the upcoming matches at the Kalinga Stadium.


The Indian team will be buoyed by its good start in the competition.   -  PTI

The Indian team, confident after a stupendous debut at the FIH Pro League, will nevertheless have its task cut out when it hosts world champion Belgium in the second round of the tournament that starts here on Saturday.

After skipping the first edition of the tournament in 2019, India made a dream debut at the League, collecting five points from the opening tie against the Netherlands. World No. 5 India thrashed Netherlands 5-2 in the opening match of the two-leg tie before ensuring a 3-1 win in the shoot-out in the second match here last month.

Since then, the Indians haven’t featured in the league, slipping in the points table. Belgium, on the other hand, is currently positioned at the top of the points table with 11 points from four games, while Netherlands is placed second with seven points from as many matches.

Brimming with confidence

But irrespective of the confident start, the Indians are expected to face a tough outing against Belgium at the Kalinga Stadium, a venue where the Red Lions won their maiden FIH World Cup in 2018. Belgium is brimming with confidence after wins over Australia and New Zealand. But captain Thomas Briels admitted his team expects a tough fight from India in the upcoming matches.

Belgium will take confidence from the fact that Kalinga Stadium has been a happy hunting ground for it. “It feels really good to be back in the city where we became the world champions. We have some amazing memories of playing here, and it is always a great spectacle when we step foot onto the turf at the Kalinga Hockey Stadium,” Briels said.

A head-to-head record favouring Belgium

India and Belgium have played 10 times here; Belgium won on eight occasions while two games ended in a draw.

After Belgium, India will host Australia here on February 21 and 22 before embarking on away matches against Germany (on April 25 and 26), Great Britain (May 2 and 3), Argentina (June 5 and 6) and Spain (June 13 and 14).

Sportstar



Stats Speak: Indians are ready for golden jubilee win over World no 1 Red Lions


By B.G.  Joshi(Sehore-Bhopal, India)

 World Cup winners  and World number one Belgium and hosts India will  lock horns in Pro-league  hockey  match today at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar.

Since Johannesburg Champions Challenge Cup(2011)   Red Lions have an edge over India, in last 25 matches India won 7, lost 14 and drew 4. If India wins today, it will be 50th triumph against Belgium.

So far India have won 50+ matches against 4 teams only;they are Malaysia (85 wins in 122 matches), Japan(77 wins in 85 matches),Pakistan(62 wins in 175 matches) and New Zealand(55 matches in 101 matches).Statistical highlights of India- Belgium match are:

Particulars

India

Belgium

Total matches played

82

82

Won

49

19

Drawn

14

14

Goals Scored

217

133

Biggest  ever wins

9-0 in Olympics-1928

7-2 in Audergham test in 1999

Matches  played in  Bhubaneswar

3

3

Won(Champions Trophy-2014)

1

0

Won  in Shoot Out(World League-2017)

1

0

Drawn(World Cup-2018)

1

1

If wins today’s match in regulation period,gain of points

75.23

24.76

If wins today’s match in shoot out,

gain of points

37.61

12.38


Fieldhockey.com



Indian hockey team working on ‘Thinking Clearly Under Pressure’

Head coach Graham Reid spells out the importance of focusing on both physical and mental well being to take Indian hockey to greater heights.

By Naveen Peter


Head coach Graham Reid has brought a change in mindset of the Indian hockey men’s team. Photo: Hockey India media

If there’s one thing that has often disturbed the Indian hockey men’s team then that’s their tendency to concede late goals.

It happened at the Olympics at Rio 2016 where they ended up giving away goals in the final quarter against the Netherlands, Germany and Canada.

It then happened in the semi-final at the 2018 Asian Games that saw Malaysia make the most of this flaw to draw level with a goal in the 59th minute. And most recently at the 2019 Sultan Azlan Shah Cup final, where South Korea pounced on this vulnerability.

The Indian hockey team found wanting towards the end of their crunch matches.

But the 2020 season, so far, has seen some signs that the Indian hockey team has been overcoming what has been their Achilles heel for long.

Indian hockey’s change in trend

In their opening two matches in the FIH Pro League, the Indian hockey team, marshalled by Manpreet Singh, not only displayed great resilience to defend when in then lead, but also showed enough courage to dig deep and grind out results in dire situations.

While their opening game against the Dutch was a flawless act of top-quality hockey, the second match saw the Indian hockey team stay in the hunt despite trailing 1-3 going into the final quarter.

In the past, the Indians would have let their shoulders drop, allowed the opposition to rule and succumb to their fate without a real fight. But against the Dutch, the Graham Reid-coached side didn’t let any such thought distract them as they stuck to their game plan to eke out two goals to draw level before winning the game in the shoot-out.

And it is no surprise that this shift in attitude trickles down from their Aussie coach. Coming from a culture where consistent performance at the highest level is considered paramount, Graham Reid has ensured that the Indian hockey team gives their best every minute they spend on the field.

And the one area that has helped the team develop this trait is their fitness -- both mental and physical. Speaking to the Olympic Channel, Graham Reid shared insights on how he’s moulding this unit into a winning machine.

“I think there were a couple of issues (when I took over as the head coach),” said Graham Reid, a former Australian hockey player and a silver-medalist at the 1992 Olympic Games. “The first one was their (physical) fitness. But we had some fitness tests done recently and almost 80-90 per cent of the team got personal bests. So we are at the higher end of our fitness levels. I am not really worried about that.

“I am more concerned about the mental side of the players. My thoughts are more about the mentality of the players. We had a good learning experience in Japan (at the Ready Steady Tokyo event) with the younger team where we conceded a late goal to New Zealand.

“We spent a good 2-3 hours picking apart what was going through and what were the few things that we can learn from that to ensure that that sort of thing doesn’t happen again,” he explained.

The Graham Reid solution

While Graham Reid admitted that such things could happen to even the best in the business, his job was to have a plan to counter such instances. “An English Rugby Union coach talks about TCUP i.e. Thinking Clearly Under Pressure. And his views are more aligned to mine,” he said.

“As in, to think clearly under pressure, you need to have gone through those scenarios in your head. I want to make sure that we go through the scenarios, the ‘what ifs’. So, when it does, in your brain you’re like, ‘Oh, we talked about this, we need to do this’. Those are the sort of things we have been working on,” elaborated the Aussie.


Despite enjoying a two-goal cushion, the Netherlands failed to beat India in the second match of their FIH Pro League. Photo: Hockey India media

Helping Graham Reid in this mission is a guy who’s been with him for a long time, the former Aussie drag-flicker Chris Ciriello. The former World champion and 2012 Olympic Games bronze medalist has joined the Indian hockey team as the analytical coach.

Having played under Graham Reid during his time, the 34-year-old has proved to be an able hand for the head coach to implement his plans and ideas. “Certainly, having Chris around meant my transition into coaching here has been a lot easier than what one can expect at times,” said Graham Reid.

“When you are working training routines, it’s a lot easier to tell Chris. ‘Let’s do the one that we did just before this tournament’. Those little things often mean that we are on the same page. But that doesn’t mean we agree on everything. That’s another thing that you need to make sure that the coaches around you are also challenging the way we are doing things.”

The little things seem to be working. And the disagreements are leading into healthy debates internally. The result has been clear to see on the field even if the Olympic year is just two matches old.

But with the coaching staff challenging themselves with ways to improve the team and the players sweating it out on the field, 2020 might be the year the Indian hockey team takes their game a notch higher to challenge the world order. And their performance against the two-time Olympic gold medallists surely has shown those signs.

The Olympic Channel



Hockeyroos’ FIH Pro League matches against China called off

The Hockeyroos’ upcoming FIH Pro League matches against China in Changzhou scheduled for 14/15 March will not be played due to the ongoing concerns surrounding the coronavirus.

After consultation with Hockey Australia and the Chinese Hockey Association, the International Hockey Federation (FIH) made the announcement overnight from their Switzerland headquarters.

“This is the right thing to do under the circumstances and Hockey Australia fully supports the FIH’s stance on this matter,” said Hockey Australia CEO Matt Favier.

“Together with the relevant parties, we will continue to monitor the situation in China and the coronavirus, as well as the recommendations of the World Health Organisation.”

The Hockeyroos were set to fly to China straight after their next Pro league matches against Argentina in Perth on 6/7 March.

“Hockey Australia’s number one priority is always the health, wellbeing and safety of our athletes and staff,” said Hockey Australia High Performance Director, Toni Cumpston.

“We raised our concerns with FIH and initiated discussions as soon as the threat of the coronavirus was first publicised.

“We are happy that FIH have made this decision and we look forward to working with them and the Chinese Hockey Association to organise another suitable time to play the matches whenever that may be.”

Hockey Australia media release



Ireland hockey team cancel Malaysian trip due to coronavirus threat

By Michael Houston


Ireland could return to play South Africa and Germany for pre-Olympic preparation - two teams they will also face in the group stage. Ireland's preparations have been impacted by the rising coronavirus threat in Malaysia ©Getty Images

Ireland's women's hockey team have cancelled their planned trip to Malaysia in light of growing fears around the spread of coronavirus in the nation.

The trip was set for next month as part of their build-up for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, with Hockey Ireland now looking at an alternative destination for warm-weather training.

The slot, from mid March to early April, needs filling, with one possibility being a return to South Africa, where Ireland recently played against the hosts as well as Germany.

Other nations are also relocating their training sessions ahead of the Games - where the Emerald Isle's women's team will be competing for the first time.

Ireland qualified after two 0-0 draws against Canada resulted in a shoot-out, which they won on home soil in Dublin.

Their first Olympic group match will be against South Africa, having been drawn in a group with The Netherlands, Britain, India and Germany also.

The spread of coronavirus continues to affect sport today with the World Chess Federation's Presidential Council meeting also being moved from China to the United Arab Emirates on February 28 and 29.

Malaysia has also been impacted by the virus, with the total number of people infected in the nation rising to 15 after a 59-year-old woman from Wuhan tested positive for coronavirus after holidaying in the country.

This comes on the same day that Malaysia announced plans to close all travel to and from any Chinese provinces to contain the spread.

Inside the Games



Coronavirus outbreak forces Indian women’s hockey team to cancel China tour


Rani Rampal celebrates with her team-mates after her crucial goal that sealed India's place at Tokyo 2020 Olympics.   -  Biswaranjan Rout

The outbreak of the deadly Coronavirus has forced the Indian women’s hockey team to cancel its tour of China, leaving the federation with the difficult task of finding an opponent as part of its Olympics preparation.

The Indian women’s team was scheduled to travel to China from March 14 to 25. However, due to the fast-spreading disease, that has killed over 636 people and infected at least 31,161, it has been cancelled.

“We had to travel to China but that has been cancelled due to the virus. So a lot of teams are also not available to play with because they are participating in the Pro hockey league. Hockey India and our coaches are working out whom to play,” said Indian skipper Rani Rampal.

All the top teams including Argentina, Belgium, Australia, Germany, China, Great Britain, Netherlands, New Zealand and the United States are competing in the FIH Pro Hockey League.

Uncertainty

After the New Zealand tour that ended on Wednesday, the Indian team is scheduled to go through a four-week training and conditioning camp from February 16 to March 14.

With uncertainty looming over the schedule, the women’s team will be left with three weeks of free time before it heads to another training and preparatory camp on April 6.

Last year, the Indian women’s team booked an Olympic berth by defeating USA at the Bhubaneswar leg of the 2019 FIH Olympic Qualifiers. It will be the team's second successive Olympics and third ever.

Sportstar



Rani Rampal: Women's hockey undergoing a positive change in India

The Indian women’s hockey captain Rani Rampal weighs in on the importance of the New Zealand tour before Olympics and the change hockey has undergone in the country.

Uthra Ganesan


Rani Rampal has been named as the Athlete of the Year at the World Games and was awarded the Padma Shri.

The Indian women’s hockey team returned from its New Zealand tour with mixed results – two wins and losses each – but the spotlight was on captain Rani Rampal, who was named as the Athlete of the Year at the World Games and awarded the Padma Shri during this period.

Arriving in the early hours of Friday, the team immediately dispersed for a week-long break before reassembling in Bengaluru on the 17th. In an exclusive chat with Sportstar, Rani spoke of the importance of the tour in an Olympic year and how the awards are more a recognition of the sport itself than any individual achievement.

Excerpts:

Q: You played against higher-ranked, physically stronger teams in New Zealand, how important was this tour for the team?

Very important. The team has got a lot of confidence from this tour. Playing against higher-ranked sides, we won and lost two games each but even in the ones we lost, the team performed well. We missed a few chances and our defensive structure was a concern in the early games. We worked on the problem areas and improved in the later games and the result was visible. Even in the game against Great Britain, which we won 1-0, I think we should have scored more. Sometimes you miss out not because you were weak but because the opposition defends well. But then they also got chances to score which we defended well and we should not forget that they are the reigning Olympic champions (New Zealand finished fourth in Rio).

In the last game, even though we won 3-0 against New Zealand, we will look and analyse it when we get back to camp as we will with all the games. I feel we still need to improve a lot. We will see the areas where we can do even better so as to be consistent in our performances.

Any specific areas you feel that need to be worked on?

I think we need to work on our counter control a lot more. Since we have improved a lot in our fitness, we should use that to our advantage and go for quick counter-attacks. At the same time, we need to concentrate on our counter-control so that when the opposition defends well and attempts counters, we are prepared and are able to control the game.

How important was it playing against stronger teams for the youngsters in the side? What do you tell them on such tours?

We do not have too many big games to prepare for the Olympics but we need to focus on what we have and try to replicate and implement our training plans in matches (the team’s China tour in March has also been cancelled because of the Coronavirus outbreak). Only then can we get the confidence that we can do it and that we can perform well at the Olympics. Our coaches also keep trying new things because every opposition team is constantly observing you and planning accordingly. On this tour also we tried some new things. The good thing is that the entire team has been very quick to adjust, adopt and adapt to the new plans and structure.

As for the youngsters, we only tell them to play without pressure. We assure them that we are not expecting them to play a complicated game or beat half a dozen players and score. What they lack in experience, they can make up for by putting in more effort, get ball possession. We tell them to play simple hockey, pass and receive and leave the complicated stuff to the experienced players.

How does winning the World Games award or the Padma Shri affect a player in terms of responsibility and mental pressure?

When you get these awards, you definitely feel happy not for the award itself but the fact that your hard work, efforts and struggles have been recognised. Of course, there is added responsibility but for me, it has become a habit so there is nothing new in it. I have been responsible and I have taken that responsibility seriously ever since I made the senior team so it’s not like awards make me more responsible. I know my role and my duty for the team and the country, I cannot ever be irresponsible in the team. Especially with something like the World Games thing, it feels even more special because it recognises women’s hockey as a sport. When the entire world sporting community does so, it feels even better and gives women’s hockey a higher standing.

Do you believe it will also raise the profile of women’s hockey in India, where it has largely been about the men’s team?

Yes definitely. I dedicate this award to women’s hockey. A lot of people supported me through this, including our Sports Minister, which shows they love the sport and people are now supporting women’s hockey also. I don’t think people vote randomly for anyone, they do so only when they can relate to a sport and the sportsperson. I am proud that women’s hockey is undergoing a positive change in the country and I am part of it.

So, how did you celebrate?

There was no celebration. When the Padma Shri was announced here, it was late night in New Zealand and I had slept off. There were hundreds of messages in the morning but I initially thought they were for Republic Day! Once I realised the truth, it felt good. But we had early morning training and that will always take priority over everything else.

Sportstar



Rani Rampal: Improved fitness behind women hockey team's success


Indian women's hockey team captain Rani Rampal during a media interaction.   -  Biswaranjan Rout

Skipper Rani Rampal feels the improved level of fitness has played a key role in the Indian women’s hockey team’s recent success.

Last year marked an eventful season for the Indian women’s team as it booked its ticket to 2020 Olympics, where for the first time in the history of the game it will make back-to-back appearances.

The team also scripted creditable victories against quality sides like Spain, Ireland, Japan, China, Korea among other countries last year, while defeating higher ranked teams like New Zealand and Great Britain in 2020.

“The starting of the Olympic year has been good. Specially, because last year we managed to qualify for Tokyo. Since then women’s hockey’s graph is going well. In the last three years the team has done quite well,” Rani said.

The skipper feels South African Wayne Patrick Lombard, who was appointed as the scientific advisor of the women’s team in 2017, has made a significant contribution in improving the fitness level of the players, something the squad had lacked earlier.

“The combination of fitness and skill has been great. Earlier we used to lag behind in fitness. But that has improved in the last three years. Wayne Lombard, has worked really hard with the team, personally and individually,” she said.

“In today’s time if the fitness is good we can play well but if there is no fitness even the skill won’t help,” she said.

Rani, who currently has more than 240 caps for India, feels the improved level of fitness has brought a belief in the players that they can beat any team irrespective of the rankings.

“It has boosted the team’s confidence. They are not scared of facing any side. Also because these days ranking doesn’t mean much, whoever performs better on that given day wins,” she said.

“We are concentrating on our game more than others. Our competition every day is with ourselves. How we can perform better and better.”

Former Dutch hockey player Janneke Schopman has joined the Indian women’s side as an analytical coach last month and Rani feels the Olympic gold medallist has made breakthroughs in her very first tour.

“She herself is an Olympic gold medallist so she is realistically aware of the team, how the players feel. She has also helped us on the mental side. She tells us small, small things that have helped us a lot in the New Zealand tour,” Rani said.

Talking about the Tokyo Olympics, the skipper said the team needs to take one game at a time and avoid being overwhelmed.

“We have to utilise all the chances that we get. We can’t break the structure, if we break that, we lose.

“We will take one game at a time in the pool stage. We have to plan match by match, not rush ourselves saying that we need to win all five matches in the pool stage and once we reach the quarterfinals it is anyone’s game,” she said.

On the personal front, Rani, who has been a member of the national team since she was a 15-year-old, became the first-ever hockey player to win the prestigious “World Games Athlete of the Year” award last month and the 25-year-old feels it is the biggest recognition for women’s hockey.

“Delighted to be the first women’s hockey player to win the award . This is the biggest recognition for women’s hockey and it feels nice when women’s hockey gets such a recognition,” she concluded.

Sportstar



England Hockey cites packed calendar for indoor international axe

By The Hockey Paper


England’s indoor scene doesn’t get international footing PIC: England Hockey

England senior teams were once again absent from the line ups at the recent EuroHockey Indoor Championships.

Men’s and women’s teams from Germany, Belgium and Holland were all pitted against each other in tough pools alongside established nations like Austria, Poland and Russia.

But England have hurtled down the rankings after failing to make their mark in 2018 and chiefs have admitted there are a number of reasons for not participating indoors.

“With the amount of international (particularly FIH Pro League) and domestic outdoor hockey and the way that GB EDP is structured, we’ve found it increasingly challenging to accommodate a meaningful indoor international calendar,” said performance director Ed Barney.

England Hockey said that it would “continue exploring what opportunity there may be in future years”, admitting that the indoor game had help develop players like Sam Ward and Sophie Bray for outdoors.

“They would be two players for whom international indoor hockey was an incredibly valuable piece of the journey,” added Barney.

Subscribe to our print or digital edition for the bigger picture in 2020. Discounts with our partners and major savings on our digital product for global readers. Find out which subscription suits you best. Sign up now!

It’s a huge year for the sport – and our mission is for all juniors, grass roots, masters and general hockey lovers to read the game.

The Hockey Paper



‘We want Masters hockey to become a full, lifetime experience’

By Rod Gilmour


FIH chief Thierry Weil, left, pictured with WMH president Sean Curran

World Masters Hockey (WMH) will aim to bring about a “full lifetime experience” for players as an eagerly-anticipated year for the masters’ scene takes shape.

Ahead of multiple World Cup titles being handed out across the globe in 2020, the FIH and WMH president Sean Curran last month signed a ground-breaking agreement that will bring all Masters hockey under a single organisation within the hockey community.

“There is a lot of respect for the work undertaken by IMHA and WGMA in the past,” Curran told The Hockey Paper. “Through their endeavours they have built this up from a small beginning to something that is pretty big. Their success has come to the light of FIH who have wanted it streamlined with one body dealing with everything.”

It has taken two years to set up one association dealing with all Masters hockey over the age of 35.

“Everyone from the age of 35 to 80 is a large number of people, a remit which goes beyond running tournaments to getting under-developed nations to play,” added Curran. “The very idea of hockey is that it’s a sport you can play from the moment you can work to the moment you can no longer walk. It’s a full life-time experience and part of Masters hockey is for it to become a reality for more people across the globe.

For the Nottingham World Cup, a tournament for the men’s and women’s over-35s and 40s, around 65 teams have expressed an interest to play in the across the four age groups.

And despite Masters growing all the time, Curran believes there are now around 200 international teams in Masters hockey. This is more than at a traditional World Cup. “When we went to the FIH, they couldn’t believe it [the size],” added Curran.

Engaging African and Asian nations to host tournaments is one key priority for Curran and WMH, as well as setting about international rules, with the FIH open to the Masters adapting to different variations of the rules to suits its players.

Curran said that the burgeoning WMH was also given a helping grant from the FIH to help with IT infrastructure. Until WMH begins to flourish there are currently no funds, with its directors currently helping out.

Curran, a retired chartered accountant, is a former Irish schoolboys’ captain. If selected, he has ambition to play for Ireland over-60s at the Tokyo World Cup in November. As well as Nottingham and Tokyo, an age-group Masters World Cup is also planned for Cape Town.

The Hockey Paper produces regular Masters coverage in every issue. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with your stories, we know they’re out there!

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The Hockey Paper



Indian National Women’s C’ship: Resilient SAI braces up for semifinal challenge

Faces Madhya Pradesh Hockey Academy on Saturday; Haryana faces Maharashtra in the other semifinal.

M. R. Praveen Chandran

Giant killer SAI has been a revelation in the ongoing 10th National Senior Women’s Hockey (A-division) championship.

The young SAI side earned the right to play in the A-division after winning the B-division title last year. SAI has consistently punched above its weight to reach the semifinals this year. The side has shown resilience against stronger teams. After a comeback draw against Haryana in the league, SAI beat last year’s runner-up Madhya Pradesh in the shootout in the quarterfinals.

SAI is hoping to continue its fine run when it meets Madhya Pradesh Hockey Academy (MPHA) in the semifinals on Saturday.

Playing a brand of attacking hockey which is refreshing and attractive, SAI looks the favourite against MPHA. The core of the team is made of players from SAI Ranchi and is almost the same team that won the B division title last year.

'Full confidence'

Coach S. K. Mohanty was confident that his girls will beat MPHA and will qualify for its maiden final. “We play attacking hockey. We have made our opponents to play to our strength. Since the girls have been playing together for quite some time the understanding between them is great. MPHA is a good side but I have full confidence in my girls’ ability,” the coach said.

MPHA, which caused an upset by defeating Punjab in the quarterfinals, plays a style of hockey similar to SAI.

The contest between two of the youngest sides in the tournament promises to be an interesting affair.

The other semifinal pits last year’s third-place finisher Haryana against Maharashtra.

Haryana, led by Olympian Poonam Rai, rediscovered its form in the quarterfinals against Odisha. Haryana dominated that match. Striker Deepika has been in fine form and delivered for her side in the tournament. However, Haryana’s defence has let in soft goals and Maharashtra will be hoping to take advantage of its rival’s weakness in the semifinal.

Sportstar



UniKL tighten grip on MHL crown

By Jugjet Singh


UniKL’s Roel Bovendeert (right) was on the scoresheet during the match against UiTM. - Pic source: Facebook/UNIKL Hockey

Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL) maintained a strong grip of the Malaysia Hockey League (MHL) when they whipped Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) 4-0 in Bangi yesterday.

Tengku Ahmad Tajuddin Tengku Abdul Jalil was UniKL’s toast with a brace in the first and 47th minutes while Razie Rahim (53rd) and Roel Bovendeert (54th) completed the rout.

“Tengku Ahmad Tajuddin gave us the start we needed with a brace and it motivated the others to push harder,” said UniKL coach Arul Selvaraj.

In another match, Tenaga Nasional defeated Maybank 4-1 in Bukit Jalil to keep pace with the leaders.

Tenaga netted through Norsyafiq Sumantri (23rd and 44th), Shahril Saabah (29th) and Akhimullah Anuar Esook (42nd).

Haziq Samsul (42nd) replied for Maybank.

RESULTS — NurInsafi 1 Terengganu HT 4, UniKL 4 UiTM 0, Tenaga Nasional 4 Maybank 1, TNB Thunderbolts 3 HockAdemy 2.

New Straits Times



Injured or not, Tengku Ahmad continues to deliver for UniKL

By AFTAR SINGH

BANGI: Seasoned campaigner Tengku Ahmad Tajuddin Tengku Abdul Jalil is simply unstoppable in the Malaysia Hockey League (MHL).

The 34-year-old Tengku Ahmad, who is still recovering from a broken jaw, scored two field goals in Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL)’s hard fought 4-0 win over Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) at the Tengku Abdullah Hockey Stadium in Bangi yesterday.

It was only his second match since going through a surgery after injuring his jaw in the match against Hockey Academy on Jan 12. He returned for UniKL against Maybank on Jan 30 and did well to score the first goal in their 4-2 win.

Yesterday, the Perlis-born was on fire from the start. Still wearing his protective headgear, he scored in the first minute of the match off a goalmouth melee.

Tengku Ahmad struck again in the 47th minute when he scored off a reserve stick effort which sailed past goalkeeper Mohd Khairul Afendy Kamaruzaman.

Six minutes later, defender Mohd Razie Abdul Rahim converted a penalty corner to make it 3-0 for UniKL and a minute later, Dutch Roel Bovendeert completed the rout off a field goal.

It was UniKL’s 10th consecutive win and they have four matches remaining – against TNB Thunderbolt tomorrow in Bangi, Nur Insafi on Feb 12 in Bangi, and two matches against Maybank on Feb 14 and Tenaga Nasional on Feb 16 at the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil.

Tengku Ahmad said his love for the game has overcome his fear of recurring injuries. “There is still fear but I love hockey and I want to play on as long as I can, ” he said.

“We had a good start but we removed our foot off the pedal and allowed UiTM to push their forwards in search for goals. They earned four penalty corners to put pressure on us but we did well to deny them the goals.

“We struggled in the second and third quarters before we found our form again in the fourth and last quarter to score three goals.”

Tenaga Nasional defeated Maybank 4-1 at the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil yesterday to win their eighth match and are second in the league with 25 points – five points behind UniKL.

MALAYSIA HOCKEY LEAGUE (MHL)

RESULTS

NUR INSAFI 1 TERENGGANU 4
UNIKL 4 UITM 0
TENAGA NASIONAL 4 MAYBANK 1
TNB T’BOLT 3 HOCKADEMY 2

STANDINGS

P W D L F A Pts

UNIKL 10 10 0 0 37 7 30
TENAGA 10 8 1 1 43 11 25
TERENGGANU 10 7 0 3 39 18 21
MAYBANK 10 5 0 5 27 25 15
UITM 10 3 1 6 17 29 10
NUR INSAFI 10 2 1 7 22 47 7
HOCKADEMY 10 2 0 8 13 38 6
TNB T’BOLT 10 1 1 8 18 42 4

The Star of Malaysia



UniKL goalscorer Izwan sets his sights on donning national colours

By AFTAR SINGH


Dedicated: UniKL’s Izwan Firdaus (back) is still keen to play for Malaysia and has the strength and energy to perform well.

KUALA LUMPUR: Forward Izwan Firdaus Ahmad Tajuddin’s fine goal-scoring run in the Malaysia Hockey League (MHL) has whetted his appetite to make a return to the national team after a four-year hiatus.

The 30-year-old father of three has delivered five goals so far for Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL) in important matches.

His notable ones are the field goal in UniKL’s 6-0 win over Hockey Academy (Hockademy) at the Tengku Abdullah Hockey Stadium in Bangi on Wednesday and the winning goal in their 2-0 victory against Terengganu at the Batu Buruk Hockey Stadium last Sunday.

Izwan, who last donned the national colours in the four-nation tournament in Melbourne in 2016, believes his dedication and commitment on the field speaks volume.

“I’ll turn 31 next month but I’m still keen to play for Malaysia. I still have the strength and energy to play international matches, ” said Izwan, who has represented Malaysia 128 times since 2009 before he was dropped in 2016.

“I will do my best to impress national coach (Roelant Oltmans) to earn a call-up for national training.

“I’ve scored five goals in nine matches but I know I can deliver more. I want to help UniKL retain the league title, ” said Izwan, known as Pak Din by his teammates.

Izwan, who has played for his club since 2014, said the key to their success was their ability to play as a unit.

“We’ve five more matches in 10 days (from Feb 7-16), it’ll be tough, but with the good set of players we have, we will be out to continue our winning ways, ” he said.

Table-toppers UniKL have maximum points of 27 from nine matches and they are five points clear from second-placed Tenaga Nasional.

UniKL’s next match is against Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) today in Bangi.

The Star of Malaysia



Bottom half looking to avoid being cut adrift by top five at midway point


Banbridge’s in-form Jonny McKee comes up against Glenanne’s Stephen Brownlow. Pic: Adrian Boehm

The bottom half meet the top half in the Irish men’s EY Hockey League with the likes of Pembroke, Glenanne and Corinthian hoping they can start bridging the five-point gap that has emerged in the middle.

Perhaps the most intriguing prospect is the battle between Pembroke and Three Rock Rovers with two wildly inconsistent sides meeting at Serpentine Avenue.

The hosts were surprisingly in ninth place over the winter break but bounced back last weekend to hammer Annadale 6-2 with Olympian Alan Sothern netting all of their goals.

With Harry Spain closing in on a return to their defence, they will be bolstered significantly but they are missing the services of his partner in crime Keith O’Hare.

For fifth placed Rovers, Conor Quinn is back to vye for the goalkeeping duties with Shane O’Brien but Ali Haughton and Jack McAllister look set to miss out this weekend.

Corinthian go to Belfield to face their fellow promoted side UCD at Belfield. The reds have proven very difficult to beat but five draws from eight games means they are not further up the table, late concessions their Achilles heel.

High-flying UCD will be without Andrew Meates who has a ban following his red card last weekend against Glenanne.

The Glens, meanwhile, host an in-form Banbridge with four wins out of their five outings to their name, breaking into the top four for the first time this week.

The remaining two ties are, on paper, potentially one-sider affairs. Bottom side Annadale host Monkstown with the former having lost seven on the trot, conceding 48 times.

YMCA lost 8-0 last week against Bann and now face the league’s most ferocious forward line in Lisnagarvey who average over five a game.

In Leinster, Bray host Weston with both seeking their first win of the season; Clontarf have a tester against in form Rathgar at The High School while Railway Union aim to keep up the pressure when they go to Dublin North.

In midweek, Railway’s tie with Weston was abandoned at 2-0 on Tuesday due to a frozen pitch. Tarf, though, beat Dublin North 8-3 with Kevin Mullins and Kevin Murray scoring two each.

Men

EYHL Division 1: Annadale v Monkstown, Strathearn School, 4pm; Glenanne v Banbridge, St Andrews, 2.45pm; Pembroke v Three Rock Rovers, Serpentine Avenue, 4pm; UCD v Corinthian, Belfield, 1pm; YMCA v Lisnagarvey, Wesley College, 4pm

Irish Hockey Challenge: Antrim v Portrush, Antrim Forum, 1pm; Midleton v Limerick, Midleton College, 3.30pm; Mullingar v Galway, Loreto Mullingar, 1pm

b Avoca v Kilkenny, Newpark, 12.30pm; Bray v Weston, Temple Carrig, 12pm; Dublin North v Railway Union, NSC, 1.15pm; Portrane v Dublin University, Donabate, 1.30pm; Rathgar v Clontarf, The High School, 12.30pm

Munster Senior Cup – 1st Round: Cork Harlequins v Ashton, Farmers’ Cross, 2.30pm; UCC v Catholic Institute, Mardyke, 2pm; Waterford v Cork C of I, Newtown, 2.30pm

The Hook



Irish Women’s EYHL as competitive as it has ever been says O’Flanagan


Muckross striker Anna O’Flanagan. Pic: Adrian Boehm

Muckross striker Anna O’Flanagan says the spread of talent across the women’s EY Hockey League has made the national division as competitive as it has ever been.

Along with Deirdre Duke, Nikki Evans, Serena Barr and, most recently Edel Nyland, she is among a series of players to return to Ireland this term after a few years away.

In the past, such ability might have been be congealed in a select few clubs with the past four regular seasons all having runaway winners.

O’Flanagan was part of an unbeaten Hermes-Monkstown side who won the league by 12 points; a year later, UCD took the title unbeaten with them and Monkstown well clear of the rest. The students then won the league again by 11 points, only conceding nine goals, in the 2017/18 competition.

This season, however, only one game out of 39 played has had more than two goals in the difference and every club has endured a loss in the first eight rounds.

“The league is wide open and anything can happen,” she told the Irish Independent. “What’s great to see is compared to before I went to Holland, there was only a couple of teams where you would get a good game and it was very top-heavy.”

O’Flanagan was on the mark in a 1-1 draw for mid-table Muckross against leaders Pegasus, their fourth draw in eight outings.

Her side face bottom side Belfast Harlequins but fellow internationals Serena Barr and Lizzie Colvin could be in action but Beth Barr is likely to be out with injury.

While it is more competitive, O’Flanagan does feel there is work to do to raise the general level of play.

“We can still push the standard in Ireland; we can still play faster and push a more attacking style. You will still see teams defend deep and maybe that’s just an Irish style. But, having played in Holland, you know that your right and left back are big attackers as well.”

She was speaking at the announcement of Iwate Town as Ireland’s holding camp base for their Olympic campaign this summer.

At the event, it was also confirmed March’s training camp in Malaysia has been scrapped over coronavirus fears; an alternative camp is likely to be run in Durban instead with China, Japan and Great Britain possibly in situ for test matches.

Elsewhere in the EYHL, Pegasus and Old Alex is probably the tie of the round with second coming up against third place.

Nikki Evans has been reunited with her stick which did not initially arrive back from the South Africam tour but she still manage to net in the tie against Pembroke. It is also her first season playing with her younger sister Rebecca, their paths never intertwining before at club level.


Old Alex’s Nikki Evans. Pic: Adrian Boehm

“It’s been really enjoyable, nice to play with Rebecca which was a big pull! We didn’t overlap in school either – ‘play’ in the back garden might be a nice way of putting it. We are a highly competitive family, no doubt we were fighting away!

“I played with a lot of the girls in UCD and in Alex school so it has come full circle to be back in Old Alex. It’s a different challenge and really enjoyable to play with and against your friends and family.”

Catholic Institute will hope they can adapt quicker this week to a water-based surface as they go on the road to Pembroke in the women’s EY Hockey League.

A week ago, the sand-based Insta were caught cold in the opening minutes with Roisin Upton admitting her side took at least 15 minutes to get used to the UCD turf before putting it up to the students.

The tie was Upton’s first club game of the season following a broken wrist sustained in the Olympic qualifiers. She was delighted to wear the club jersey again at long last but the tie ultimately ended in a 2-1 loss which leaves the Limerick side in ninth place out of 10.

“It is our first season back in the EYHL and it has been very challenging,” she told Dublin City FM’s Declan Hughes. “We have a lot of young girls coming through who are growing all the time but we have to start taking points where we can.”

Pembroke is another water pitch so Institute coach Dave Passmore hopes that last weekend’s fixture can stand to his side but hopes they can have facilities to match in future.

“The way you defend on sand is very different but you have to be ready for any surface. We, as a club, and Limerick as a whole has to fight to get a water-based rather than using that as an excuse.

“UL have amazing facilities in every sport with a load of 3G but they chose to put down a sand based pitch which is no better than ours. It would make a great training base.”

A rejuvenated Cork Harlequins will hope they can build on last week’s win over Railway Union when they host table-topping Loreto with Cliodhna Sargent and Yvonne O’Byrne back in the line-up.


Catholic Instittute’s Roisin Upton. Pic: Adrian Boehm

UCD host Railway Union in the other tie on the agenda in the national division. In Leinster, Corinthian made it 11 wins in a row, the longest winning start to a season for many a year [if you remember the year it last happened before, get in touch!] when they beat Avoca 2-0 on Monday with Cilia Holderman and Ciara Vincent scoring.

They go to Naas looking to continue the run. Chasers Trinity host Rathgar while Monkstown go to Avoca. Glenanne meet Genesis and North Kildare take their winning streak to Clontarf.

Women’s Saturday fixtures

EYHL Division 1: Belfast Harlequins v Muckross, Deramore Park, 2.30pm; Cork Harlequins v Loreto, Farmers’ Cross, 1.05pm; Pegasus v Old Alex, Queens University, 4pm; Pembroke v Catholic Institute, Serpentine Avenue, 2pm; UCD v Railway Union, Belfield, 4.20pm

Irish Hockey Challenge – Quarter Finals: Athlone v Blackrock, Athlone, 1pm; Bangor v Galway, Bangor Aurora, 3pm; Cork Wanderers v Greenfields, Farmers’ Cross, 1pm; NICS v Portrane, Stormont, 1pm

Leinster Division 1: Avoca v Monkstown, Sion Hill, 2.30pm; Glenanne v Genesis, St Andrews, 1pm; Naas v Corinthian, Naas SC, 12pm; North Kildare v Clontarf, The Maws, 2pm; Trinity v Rathgar Santry Avenue, 3pm

Munster Division 1: Limerick v Ashton, Villiers, 3pm

Munster Senior Cup, semi-final: Waterford v UCC, Newtown, 12.30pm

First Round: Cork C of I v Bandon, Garryduff, 2pm

The Hook



25 years on, it’s time we had discussions on reverse stick hits in hockey

By Todd Williams


Unlike PCs, discussions on reverse stick have yet to be heard PIC: WORLD SPORT PICS

There have always been some head-scratching rules in our game that have made it, at times, a little more dangerous than it should be, writes Todd Williams

Going as far back as my father’s playing days, I recall stories of PC’s being able to be hit at any height, the only proviso being that the ball hadn’t been deliberately “undercut”. This was where the hitter had deliberately intended to lift the ball with a slicing type of swing aimed at the underside of the ball. But while doing this was illegal, it was perfectly OK for the ball to be smashed at head height into the goal with a normal swing. The stories from my Dad standing on the line to some of the great Australian fullbacks of yesteryear, like Brian Glencross and Jim Mason, with stick AND HAND at the ready still make me shudder.

Eventually it was decided that there should be some limit to the height balls could be hit into the goal at a PC and the requirement for the straight shot to hit the 18 inch backboard that we still have today came into being.
In my own career, I can remember it being legal at a point to “chip” the ball which involved a sliced hit (yes, that undercut again) that would lift the ball high and send it forward, over the heads (ideally) of the opposition. The idea I assume being that it would make the game more dynamic, as we see now with the aerial pass.

Suffice to say that idea far outshone the practicality. As any forward who played at the time will tell you, depending on who was in the opposition’s defence, the play was less dynamic more downright dangerous. One year an experimental rule allowed players to chip straight from a free hit which took it to a new level. For one angry left-half I played with, this was just the equivalent of shooting at the bobbing mechanical ducks at the fairground. He was so bad, one wounded opposition forward actually presented him with a teddy bear prize after the match. The rules’ scientists decreed shortly after it had been unsuccessful.

In the timely discussions we are now having about safety, the reverse hit issue is a recurring theme. The reverse is not the only issue in the game that warrants attention – take players on the line you see at indoor PC’s – but there are historical and technical points which should be refreshed. Fortunately, a chance catch-up with former GB player and coach Jason Lee reminded me of how and when the reverse stick hit arrived into the game. While we couldn’t remember the exact time it became legal, we worked out that it was around 1995 when international umpires just seemed to not blow their whistle when the inside edge of the stick was used. As Jason recalls it was a couple of Argentinian players who were the initial “experts”.

This is what has always worried me about the reverse hit – that it just kind of happened – and no one really said anything about it. We loved the goals but turned a blind eye to the danger. Maybe, 25 years on, you just get to a point where players and technology have moved on and you need to do something about it.

As a pretty good hitter of the ball on the forestick – you might say “real” hitting – my other concern with the reverse variety is the lack of skill that is required to execute it. If you compare the two sides, the forestick hit requires you to swing hard but at the same time with the control for the finite sweet spot on the face of the stick to make contact with a precise point on the ball. Compare that to the reverse where you simply need to get low enough to swing the blade so that you can – as coaches will say – “cut the ball in half”.

Which of course is why it is so appealing to players of all ages and abilities. So much more practice is required of junior players to hit the ball that hard on the forestick. And the fact that a slight miscalculation on the reverse can send the ball high into the net when you are shooting for goal is just an added bonus.

It’s also relevant to note why goalkeepers find the reverse stick shot so difficult. Apart from the power, the reverse is so much more difficult for them to read off the blade than from the face of the stick on the forehand side.

Outfield players know this as well and there’s an unsatisfactory logic in the fact that if the striker doesn’t know exactly where the ball is going then neither can the goalkeeper. There was a time where I know Australian defenders at the top level went completely against the coaching manual and started to channel European strikers onto their forestick, so proficient had the Dutch, Germans etc. become on the reverse side and weaker on the forestick.

And let’s not also forget the most damning of all arguments that Jason reminded me of. Shortly after the reverse stick blade became allowed, some players started doing the same on the forestick side. They’d roll their stick forward so that the stick faced the ground and then hit it with the inside edge. You should try it and see just how much harder you can hit the ball and how dangerously impossible it is to control. Which is why of course it was banned. Yes, banned.

But let’s not get too sentimental. We need to have sensible discussions of this debatable hybrid that we should have had back in the 90’s and then, as we do with PC’s, see how it impacts on our game today. Whether that bans the skill or controls it (e.g. can’t hit on the reverse into the circle) who knows. But unlike PC’s, we’ve never really gone there with the reverse hit and it’s time we did.

Todd Williams’ column appears regularly in our subscription-only newspaper

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