New Zealand cruise past Austria as hosts Poland edge Korea

01 Jun, 2024 New Zealand worked on their shortcomings from the first game and settled in at the FIH Hockey Men’s Nations Cup Poland 2023/24 with a comfortable 3-0 win over Austria. In the other game of the day, Poland earned a hard-fought 1-0 victory to get their first points in the bag against an unlucky Korean side. New Zealand 3-0 Austria  New Zealand controlled the game in the early stages, closing down and maintaining possession with some good exchanges. Halfway through the first quarter, it reflected on the score line as Isaac Houlbrooke squared an easy ball for Jonty Elmes to give them the lead. A lacklustre 30 seconds towards the end of the first quarter almost cost them, but Austria were not able to replicate their deadly penalty corner form from Friday. The Black Sticks started the second quarter finely and thought they had secured an early penalty corner, only for the video referee to say otherwise. Otherwise, there was not a lot of action near the circle despite New Zealand frustrating the Austrians with the ball. The strategy to sit back and hit on the counter did not prove to be successful for Austria, who started energetically after the first half. They managed to keep the New Zealanders quiet until a deadly 90 seconds changed the fate of the game. Elmes got his second of the day in what was almost a carbon copy of his first, with Hugo Inglis feeding him. The cherry on the cake came courtesy of a young Joseph Morrison, who scored his first international goal like a seasoned pro. Hugo Inglis of New Zealand, who was judged player of the match, said: “We stepped it up a notch today. It was a slow start against Poland yesterday and it was nice to get more rhythm today.” Korea 0-1 Poland  Korea showed intensity from the first minute of the match and deservedly earned a penalty corner in five minutes, but failed to capitalise. The Poles gifted them one more after sloppy defending and this time, it was well-saved. With five minutes to go in the first quarter, the hosts failed to find the back of the net from another penalty corner. The well-matched contest saw Poland showing more assertiveness in the second quarter and almost scored when the Koreans switched off, only for Gracjan Jarzyński to miss the target by a whisker. But they kept knocking on the door and finally broke the deadlock thanks to a lovely finish from Mikołaj Głowacki. A sensational save from Maciej Pacanowski with four minutes to go before half-time helped Poland maintain the slender lead. While both teams were lively going forward, the back line was shaky and resulted in a penalty corner each. Once again, it did not bear fruit. It was one-way traffic in the last quarter as the Koreans had nothing to lose and earned two more penalty corners that were squandered. It was a comedy of errors from both teams in Gniezno in that department as Poland did enough to secure three points. Jacek Kurowski, who won player of the match, said: “We were waiting for so long for this and we can be happy with the effort. We are making a great effort to grow our hockey in Poland. It is very difficult to play 15 minutes without one player. But in the end, we have to create more chances. We have two days off and let’s see how we can play the rest of the games.” To see the current standings in the FIH Hockey Men’s Nations Cup, click here. FIH Hockey Men’s Nations Cup  – 1 June 2024  Hockey Stadium – Gniezno, (POL) Result: Match 5 (M) New Zealand 3-0 Austria Player of the match: Hugo Inglis (NZL) Umpires: Federico Silva (ARG), Haroon Rashid (PAK),Michael Dutrieux (BEL-video) Result: Match 6 (M) Korea 0-1 Poland Player of the match: Jacek Kurowski (POL) Umpires: Munashe Mashoko (ZIM), Paul Van Den Assum (NED), Harry Collinson (ENG-video)

Goals galore on opening day of FIH Hockey Men’s Nations Cup

31 May, 2024 Malaysia 4-4 Pakistan    Pakistan came back from three goals down to draw 4-4 against Malaysia as the FIH Hockey Men’s Nations Cup Poland 2023/24 began sensationally.  It was a one-sided first quarter in Gniezno, with Malaysia barely giving any time for a nervy Pakistan to settle down. The constant pressure led to the Green Shirts conceding a penalty stroke that was thumped in by Fitri Saari. Soon after, Abu Kamal Azrai made the most of an opportunity after Pakistan lost possession in midfield. Azrai’s delightful skill before a low and powerful finish doubled the advantage. Malaysia’s third came from a penalty corner from Faizal Saari. However, there was a lengthy video referral before the umpire judged in favour of the Speedy Tigers.  Pakistan turned on the style in the third quarter, and pulled one back as Rana Waheed Ashraf’s mazy run and deflected shot was tapped in by Abdul Rehman. They looked like a rejuvenated side after the first half, but an error in the 42nd minute led to a penalty stroke for Malaysia. Fitri Saari made no mistake and scored his second of the game. It was end-to-end as Sufyan Khan sent a rocket down the middle from a penalty corner to gain momentum back. With nine minutes to go, Pakistan scored their third after a scramble near the box as Hannan Shahid was the quickest to react. The silver medallists of the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup earlier this year drew the game level in cinematic style with less than a minute to go. Desperate defending from Malaysia resulted in a penalty stroke that was converted with ease by Abu Mahmood.  Malaysian goalkeeper Zaimi Mat Deris was named player of the match and stressed on the need to be more concrete at the back. He said: “We need more discipline. We need to improve in the next game. Our players have more potential andwe need more game time to showcase that.”  France 4-0 Canada Olympic hosts France began their journey in Poland with a comfortable win over Canada despite a slow start to the game. Both teams started on the front foot and earned a penalty corner each early in the first quarter, but failed to convert. It was a recurring theme throughout the match with France unable to find the back of the net from nine penalty corners.  The first goal came in the 25th minute as Les Bleus stepped on the pedal. The Canadian defenders were frustrating the French, but the deadlock was finally broken with a cheeky finish from Gaspard Baumgarten. The next three of their goals came in the final quarter, but the match provided plenty of drama as both sides missed penalty strokes. The miss from Canada was painful for the team as Brendan Guraliuk powered through the midfield, showcasing excellent dribbling skills before being brought down, only to be outsmarted by Edgar Reynaud from the spot.    The final quarter saw France apply pressure early on and it proved crucial as Baumgarten sent a pile driver from the left. His deflected shot was tapped in by Eliot Curty. In the 53rd minute, another penalty stroke favoured the French and thistime, Victor Charlet made no mistake. A minute later, Curty did the hard work to set up Blaise Rogeau to seal the deal as the Canadians ran out of steam.  Francois Goyet of France was awarded player of the match and his teammate Baumgarten spoke about the importance of the win. He said: “We feel great because it’s the first game of the tournament. It was an important and a good win even though we took time to score the first goal and the other ones. But we didn’t have a goal against us. I am pretty happy with the first game.”  South Africa 3-4 Austria  Penalty corners were the name of the game as Austria joined the comebacks bandwagon against South Africa in an entertaining game. The start saw the higher-ranked South Africa show their class, going up only after four minutes. The lovely team goal started from the midfield as Nqobile Ntuli provided the final touch, falling backwards. They looked the better-organised side in the beginning and underlined that with a well-taken penalty corner by Mathew Guise-Brown.  What initially looked like a one-sided game switched almost instantly when a brisk counter-attack from Josef Winkler earned a penalty corner for Austria, emphatically converted by Julian Kaiser. The speed of play from the Austrians troubled their opponents, who looked like world-beaters in the first five minutes, and another penalty corner in the 20th minute saw them level the scores thanks to Fülöp Losonci. Four minutes before the half-time, Maximilian Scholz gave the Austrians the lead.  The confidence from taking the lead meant that they controlled the game soon after the restart. Drag flickers were giving South Africa a tough time and Scholz got his second of the game to put them in a comfortable position. While South Africa showed that they too could excel at penalty corners with yet another sublime finish from Guise-Brown, Austria did enough to hold on for a crucial win.      Austria’s Xaver Hasun, who was judged player of the match, said: “We went 2-0 down to one of the favourites, and we are a young team. A game like this is incredible and motivating. I am proud of the boys. I am delighted, to be honest. It is great to play with these guys. I haven’t played a lot with most of them. And they have done us proud.” New Zealand 4-2 Poland  The hosts almost gave New Zealand a run for their money as they went down 4-2 in the last match of the day. It would be unfair to say that the home crowd didn’t play their part, but in the end, it was a small difference in quality that made all the difference for the Black Sticks.  Brad Read read the game well and finished off a neat team move to give New

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FIH Hockey Men’s Nations Cup Poland 2023/24: what the captains and coaches had to say!

30 May, 2024 With just one day to go for the FIH Hockey Men’s Nations Cup Poland 2023/24, the players and coaches of the participating teams have spoken to express their expectations. Austria – Robin Rösch, Head Coach “Our team is going into the Hockey Nations Cup tournament as underdogs with a young squad. Many of our players are preparing for the U21 European Championships. It will be a huge challenge for us to keep up with such a young team at this level. However, we are looking forward to the opportunity to gain valuable experience and develop further.” Canada – Patrick Tshutshani, Head Coach “The Nations Cup will pose great challenges for us, and we look forward to the challenge. We will strive for more consistency in our play, consistency in our principles of play and consistency in our behaviours. We are looking to piece all these together. By doing this, it will put us in a good position to grow and compete.” France – Frédéric Soyez, Head Coach We’re entering the home stretch for the Olympic Games. This tournament is an important stage in our preparation. We’re going to give it our best shot to qualify for the Pro League next season. Korea – Kim JaeHyeon, Captain “The Nations Cup holds great memories for us, with a strong performance in the first tournament, finishing third, entering the Top 10 globally, and earning the Best Goalkeeper award. Since the 2024 Paris Olympic qualifiers, we’ve revamped our coaching staff and players. I promise continuous improvement and strong skills in future competitions. See you in Poland! Malaysia – Muhammad Marhan Mohd Jalil, Captain  “First of all, I can’t wait to play in Poland. Regarding the countries in the Malaysian group, we can’t look down on every team. For the Canadian & Pakistani teams, we know a little bit about the style of the game but it is different, especially Pakistan is faster for counter attack hockey compared to Canada. France is more European style and more tactical.” New Zealand – Greg Nicol, Head Coach “The Nations Cup is an important step on our journey to the Olympics in Paris. We get to test ourselves against some quality opposition and experience European conditions. We are looking forward to the challenge and the opportunity to grow our brand of hockey as we build to the pinnacle in Paris.” Poland – Jacek Kurowski, Captain “Excited and ready to execute. The opponents are demanding but we need to focus on us. We can’t wait to finally play in front of our home crowd.” South Africa – Dayaan Cassiem, Captain “We are really excited to join the Nations Cup in Poland. The team will be getting together after a while, and we can’t wait to start playing together again. We will make sure to make the country proud and we hope you will support us, wherever you are following from.” The 2nd edition of the FIH Hockey Men’s Nations Cup will be played from 31 May to 9 June 2024 in Gniezno, Poland. All information about the tournament is available here. Source; FIH.hockey

FIH Hockey Nations Cup 2023/24: Preview

Lausanne, Switzerland: The FIH Hockey Nations Cup bursts into action in four days time, as some of the best hockey nations from around the world will compete for the big prize. The men’s tournament will be played in Gniezno, Poland from 31 May to 9 June while the action runs from 3 to 9 June in the women’s competition to be played at Terrassa, Spain. In the men’s tournament there will be nine teams competing for the title and the opportunity to be promoted to the FIH Hockey Pro League. The nine teams have been divided into two pools of five and four teams. Austria, Korea, New Zealand, Poland and South Africa will compete in Pool A, while Canada, France, Malaysia and Pakistan will battle it out in Pool B. The all-Asian Pool B contest between Malaysia and Pakistan will get us underway in Gniezno at 11:30 CET on 31 May, with three further matches on the opening day. It will be France taking on Canada and South Africa facing Austria before the final game of the day where New Zealand will take on hosts Poland at 19:00 CET. The pool stage of the tournament will be played from 31 May to 6 June. The 5th placed team in Pool A will finish the tournament in 9th place. The third and fourth placed teams in each pool will play in the 5-8 classification matches, while the top two teams will go on to play in the semi-finals on 8 June, followed by the final between the winning semi-finalists on 9 June. In the women’s tournament there will be eight teams competing for the title and the opportunity to be promoted to the FIH Hockey Pro League. The eight teams have been split into two pools of four. In Pool A Ireland, Italy, Korea and Spain will compete for the top two spots that will guarantee a spot in the semi-finals, while in Pool B it’ll be Canada, Chile, Japan and New Zealand vying for the same. Pool B action between New Zealand and Chile will get the action underway in Terrassa on an opening day that will feature three more matches, between Japan and Canada, Korea and Italy, before hosts Spain face off against Ireland in the final match of the day. The pool stage of the tournament will be played from 3-6 June. Similar to the men’s tournament, the third and fourth placed teams in each pool will play in the 5-8 classification matches, while the top two teams will go on to play in the semi-finals on 8 June, followed by the final between the winning semi-finalists on 9 June. Promotion The winning teams from the FIH Hockey Nations Cup, will have the opportunity to play in the FIH Hockey Pro League for the 2024-25 season, where they will replace the teams that finish in the last position in the 2023-24 season of the FIH Hockey Pro League. Match Schedule For the complete match schedule of the FIH Hockey Men’s Nations Cup, click here. For the complete match schedule of the FIH Hockey Women’s Nations Cup, click here. Broadcast All matches from the men’s and women’s FIH Hockey Nations Cup 2023-24 will be streamed live (and available on-demand) on the Watch.Hockey app*. Passes for the men’s and women’s FIH Hockey Nations Cup 2023/24 can be purchased on Watch.Hockey for $4.99 (+VAT) each. *except on the Indian subcontinent. Tickets The tickets for the FIH Hockey Men’s Nations Cup in Gniezno, Poland can be purchased here. The tickets for the FIH Hockey Women’s Nations Cup in Terrassa, Spain can be purchased here. #FIHNationsCup #HockeyEquals #HockeyInvites For more information about FIH and hockey in general, please download the Watch.Hockey app or follow the FIH social media channels – Facebook, Instagram and Twitter – and website.

Namibia Upsets South Africa to Claim Indoor Hockey Men’s African Cup

The South African Indoor Hockey Men, backed by Tops at SPAR, aimed to reaffirm their dominance in African hockey as they sought to retain their title as African Champions. Although both teams had already qualified for the Indoor World Cup in Croatia, pride was still very much at stake, creating a tense atmosphere. The opening quarter saw few chances, with a notable save from DJ Strauss keeping the audience on the edge of their seats. The second quarter mirrored the first in its defensive intensity. South Africa had a golden opportunity with a penalty stroke, but Mustapha Cassiem’s attempt was brilliantly saved by Strauss, leaving the score level at halftime. The game’s much-needed breakthrough came from Mustapha Cassiem, who, with his back to the goal, executed a trademark roundhouse shot into the bottom corner. Cassiem soon turned provider, setting up Langford for a swift counterattack goal. Cullin de Jager’s impressive triple save was followed by Fagan Hansen pulling one back for Namibia from a penalty corner. Just before the break, Hansen equalized from another penalty corner, setting up a thrilling final 10 minutes. In the final quarter, Cassiem once again showcased his talent with a stunning finish into the roof of the net, but Namibia quickly equalized through Cody van der Merwe. The match ended in a draw, leading to a shootout. The shootout extended to five rounds, with Namibia emerging victorious. Captain DJ Strauss was the hero, leading the underdogs to a landmark win over South Africa. Individual Awards – Indoor Africa Cup 2024 Goalkeeper of the tournament – Cullin de Jager (South Africa) Player of the tournament – Ernest Jacobs (Namibia) Top Goal scorer – Mustapha Cassiem (South Africa) Final Standings – Indoor Africa Cup 2024 1 – Namibia 2 – South Africa 3 – Zimbabwe

SPAR South Africa Indoor Hockey Women Clinch African Championship for the first time in 10 Years

In a thrilling rematch of the previous Indoor African Cup Final, the SPAR South African Indoor Hockey Women emerged victorious over Namibia at the MTC Dome in Swakopmund, reclaiming their title as African Champions. Despite both teams having already secured spots at the FIH Indoor Hockey World Cup, the game was fiercely contested, driven by national pride. The game’s first significant moment saw Laylaa Davids’ attempt saved by Namibia’s Petro Stoffberg. However, Davids quickly made her mark by assisting Tegan Fourie, who scored her 71st international goal in her 71st start, putting South Africa ahead. SPAR South Africa extended their lead with a stunning goal from Jess Lardant, who fired a penalty corner into the top corner, making it 2-0 by the first break. Namibia fought back, earning a penalty corner that was cleared off the line, but an unforced error allowed South Africa to counterattack. Brisset fed Davids, who made no mistake, increasing the lead to 3-0 by halftime. Namibia’s Jivanka Kruger set up Jerrica Bartlett to pull one back, igniting the home crowd. Both teams’ goalkeepers made critical saves, maintaining the 3-1 scoreline into the final quarter. Namibia launched a comeback with Kiana Cormack scoring twice, once from a turnover and then from a penalty corner, leveling the game at 3-3 and setting the crowd alight. South Africa’s Sarah Paget made crucial saves to keep the score tied, sending the game to a shootout. In the shootout, the teams remained deadlocked after three rounds. Finally, Tegan Fourie, the 2023 SA Indoor Hockey Player of the Year, delivered the decisive goal, securing South Africa’s first continental crown in a decade. Individual Awards – Indoor Africa Cup 2024 Goalkeeper of the tournament – Sarah Paget (SPAR South Africa) Player of the tournament – Kiana Cormack (Namibia) Top Goal scorer – Azaylee Philander (Namibia) Final Standings – Indoor Africa Cup 2024 1 – SPAR South Africa 2 – Namibia 3 – Zimbabwe

SPAR South Africa Indoor Hockey Women Secure World Cup Qualification with Dominant Victory Over Zimbabwe

Swakopmund – The SPAR South Africa Indoor Hockey Women’s team clinched their place at the 2025 FIH Indoor Hockey World Cup in Croatia with a resounding 14-0 victory over Zimbabwe on the final day of pool action. Knowing a draw would suffice for qualification, the South African team left no room for doubt with a stunning display of skill and dominance. Malikah Hamza set the tone by scoring within the first 120 seconds. Cerian Fourie followed with a successful penalty corner, and Tegan Fourie capitalized on a sweeping counterattack, ending the first quarter with a 3-0 lead. Zimbabwean captain Sarah Evans made a brilliant goal-line clearance, but South Africa soon struck again with Jess Lardant’s powerful flick from a penalty corner. By halftime, South Africa extended their lead to 6-0, with further goals from Laylaa Davids, Malikah Hamza, and Tegan Fourie, who netted her 69th international goal. The team maintained their momentum in the second half, with Lardant scoring again and Cailynn den Bakker adding to the tally with a superb individual run. As the match progressed, Malikah Hamza completed her hat-trick, and the final quarter saw some of South Africa’s best play. Cailynn den Bakker, Malikah Hamza, and Tegan Fourie all found the net, with Fourie assisting her sister for a top-corner finish. Lardant capped the game with her hat-trick, equalling South Africa’s best-ever result against Zimbabwe. This emphatic victory not only secured South Africa’s top spot in the pool stage on goal difference but also guaranteed their place in the final and their qualification for the 2025 Indoor World Cup.

South African Indoor Hockey Men Secure World Cup Spot with Dominant Win Over Zimbabwe

The South African Indoor Hockey Men, powered by Tops at SPAR, clinched their place in the final of the Indoor Africa Cup and secured a qualifying spot for the FIH Indoor Hockey World Cup with a commanding victory over Zimbabwe on Saturday morning. The match began with a tense opening quarter, as both teams struggled to create clear opportunities. Zimbabwe came closest to scoring but the first period ended goalless. South Africa broke the deadlock with their third penalty corner. After chances for Nic White and Mustapha Cassiem were denied, Eustice set up Hezlett for a superb finish. This goal sparked the South African offense, and Mustapha Cassiem quickly added two more goals to extend their lead. Despite Zimbabwe’s efforts, they couldn’t match South Africa’s intensity. A disallowed goal for Zimbabwe briefly provided relief, but Cassiem soon completed his hat-trick with a powerful flick into the top left corner, making it 4-0 at halftime. The South Africans maintained their momentum in the third quarter. Dayaan Cassiem showcased excellent off-the-ball movement to score, followed by another goal from Mustapha Cassiem that slipped through Zimbabwe’s goalkeeper Chibetete. Hezlett scored his second goal from a penalty corner, increasing the lead to 7-0. Langford then netted a stunning goal off the crossbar, and Hans Neethling celebrated his first international goal from a penalty corner. Neethling also assisted Abdulla, who deftly deflected the ball into the net, bringing the score to 10-0 by the end of the third quarter. The final quarter continued in the same vein. Jethro Eustice made it 11-0, and Dalpiaz Langford added another off the crossbar from a penalty corner, rounding out the score to 12-0. The match concluded with South Africa’s dominant win, securing their qualification for the FIH Indoor World Cup in February in Croatia. With their first objective achieved, the South African team now aims to confirm their title as champions of Africa. Source: sahockey.co.za | May 25, 2024

South African Indoor Hockey Men Secure Thrilling Victory Over Namibia at Indoor Africa Cup

The South African Indoor Hockey Men’s team faced off against the hosts in Swakopmund at the Indoor Africa Cup, aiming to top the pool stage and virtually secure a spot in the tournament final, which also serves as a qualifier for the FIH Indoor World Cup 2025 in Croatia. Supported by Tops at SPAR, South Africa introduced debutants Hans Neethling, Cullin de Jager, and Lerou Ditlhakanyane. Meanwhile, veterans Jethro Eustice and Justin Domleo, the most capped players in SA Men’s Indoor Hockey history, brought their extensive experience to the game. Captain Eustice opened the scoring with a precise penalty corner shot into the bottom corner. Mustapha Cassiem then doubled the lead with a brilliant finish, marking his 34th consecutive international indoor game with a goal, ending the first quarter at 2-0. The South African defense, led by de Jager, effectively neutralized Namibia’s attacks, allowing Mustapha Cassiem to score his 79th international indoor goal from a penalty corner variation, making it 3-0. As the half neared its end, Dayaan Cassiem swiftly reacted to a loose ball, lifting it home to secure a 4-0 lead at the halftime buzzer. In the second half, Dayaan Cassiem assisted his brother, who completed his hat-trick with a spectacular over-the-shoulder shot, bringing the score to 5-0. De Jager, on debut, maintained a clean sheet with a crucial save. Namibia mounted a spirited comeback in the final quarter, energizing the crowd. JP Britz scored a penalty corner, followed by Fagan Hansen’s unselfish play to set up another goal, reducing the deficit to 5-2. Hansen then scored again, making it 5-3 with five minutes remaining. Cody van der Merwe added another, bringing the score to a tense 5-4. Despite the pressure, South Africa, led by their resolute captain Eustice, alongside Domleo and the Cassiem brothers, managed to quell the Namibian surge and secure a victory. This win virtually assures the defending champions a place in the tournament final. Remaining Fixtures: 25 May 2024 – 11:00 – South Africa vs. Zimbabwe 26 May 2024 – 14:00 – Bronze Medal Match 26 May 2024 – 17:00 – Gold Medal Match Source: sahockey.co.za | May 24, 2024

SPAR South Africa Earns Draw Against Namibia, Eyes Spot in Indoor Africa Cup Final

Swakopmund, Namibia – SPAR South Africa and Namibia renewed their long-standing rivalry in international indoor hockey at the Indoor Africa Cup on Friday. With both teams aware that a victory would virtually assure their qualification for the final—and a spot in the FIH Indoor World Cup—the stakes were high. Namibia, the defending champions, started strong with Azaylee Philander scoring the opening goal after superb setup play from Kiana Cormack. This early goal spurred SPAR South Africa into action, showcasing their resilience with several strong offensive plays. However, they were consistently denied by three outstanding saves from Namibia’s Petro Stoffberg, ending the first quarter 1-0 in favor of the hosts. SPAR South Africa found their equalizer in the second quarter when Cerian Fourie executed a brilliant run up the left side, crossing the ball for Bonolo Moabi to tap home. Despite opportunities from penalty corners, neither team was able to add to their tally, and the score remained locked at 1-1 at halftime. The third quarter saw Sarah Paget make a crucial save to deny a determined Kiana Cormack, while Cailynn den Bakker’s powerful shot was once again saved by Stoffberg. Both teams continued to struggle with converting penalty corners, keeping the score even at 1-1 as the third quarter ended. In the final quarter, SPAR South Africa had an early chance, but Malikah Hamza was unable to direct it goalwards. The game remained on a knife-edge, with both teams nearly frustrating themselves as much as each other. Ultimately, the match ended in a 1-1 draw. This result secured Namibia’s place in the final. SPAR South Africa will now aim to secure their spot by avoiding defeat against Zimbabwe in their final pool stage game on Saturday. Remaining fixtures 25 May 2024 – 11:00 – South Africa vs. Zimbabwe 26 May 2024 – 14:00 – Bronze Medal Match 26 May 2024 – 17:00 – Gold Medal Match Source: sahockey.co.za | May 24, 2024