09 Feb, 2025 The FIH Indoor Hockey World Cup came to an exhilarating conclusion on Sunday with Poland’s women getting their hands on the trophy for the first time and Germany’s men defeating Austria in a shootout to reclaim the title they last won 14 years ago. The men’s final produced a high-paced goal-fest with the scores locked on 6-6 in regulation time. It was a top-quality encounter with the sides never separated by more than one goal throughout. Austria lived dangerously around their own circle at times and Germany punished them for it. At the other end of the court, Fabian Unterkircher was at his very best, adding four goals in Austria’s losing cause. There were goals for Young Player of the Tournament Ben Hasbach, and several excellent saves from Goalkeeper of the Tournament, Germany’s Joshua Onyekwue Nnaji. The action was unrelenting and the end couldn’t have been more dramatic with both teams having opportunities to seal the deal in regulation time. First Unterkircher levelled the scores for Austria in the 36th minute. Then Austria’s goalkeeper, Mateusz Szymczyk, made a sharp save to deny Germany a winner. Unterkircher then struck the post with two minutes remaining, taking the match into a shootout where Germany held their nerve to lift the trophy for the first time since 2011. “This is not for me, it’s for the whole team,” Player of the Match Paul Dösch afterwards. “It’s incredible what we did the last 10 days. We didn’t play one day, we met 10 days ago, it’s incredible.” In sharp contrast to the men’s final, the women’s gold-medal match featured just one goal. Polish captain Marlena Rybacha got her team off to a perfect start, threading a magnificent ball through the eye of a needle for Amelia Katerla who scored in the third minute. Poland had good opportunities to double their lead in the 16th and 18th minutes, but Austrian goalkeeper Michaela Streb was alert to the danger and shut them down. Down at the other end of the court Poland’s keeper, Marta Kucharska, finished the half with top-quality saves from a penalty stroke and a penalty corner and her team carried a slender 1-0 lead to half time. The Austrians cranked up the pressure as the second half progressed, but the Poles managed the game well. With three minutes to play Austria pulled their goalkeeper out to have a last roll of the dice and it nearly paid off. Kucharska made one great save from open play and then led her defence against two penalty corners in the final 20 seconds as Poland held on for their first-ever FIH Indoor Hockey World Cup crown. Rybacha and Kurcharska were named joint Player of the Match for Poland and a delirious Rybacha, who was later also named Player of the Tournament, said afterwards: “It feels incredible. It’s just something that we cannot believe that we made it to be the world champions. You cannot describe it, it’s something that never, ever happened to Poland hockey and we’ve made history.” Earlier, South Africa’s men topped off their historic week with a 6-5 win over Belgium to take the bronze, a first medal for the country and the continent in a FIH Indoor Hockey World Cup. Mustapha Cassiem, who was later named Player of the Tournament, grabbed another hat-trick to finish on 17 goals. In the women’s third-place playoff, Czechia equalised in the last play of regulation time against Germany and went on to win the shootout for back-to-back bronze medals in the tournament. Best Players of the Tournament Men Best junior player – Ben Hasbach (GER) Best goalkeeper – Joshua Onyekwue Nnaji (GER) Top scorer – Philippe Simar (BEL) Best player – Mustapha Cassiem (RSA) Women Best junior player – Reese d’Ariano (USA) Best goalkeeper – Somlak Suttiprapa (THA) Top scorer – Ines Wanner (GER) Best player – Marlena Rybacha (POL) 9 February 2025 Results Men Result: Match 29 (M) Malaysia 6 – 4 Trinidad & Tobago Player of the match: Ashran Hamsani (MAS) Umpires: Salman (INA), Lukasz Zwierzchowski (POL) Result: Match 30 (M) Argentina 1 – 7 Croatia Player of the match: Mario Mucić (CRO) Umpires: Ayden Shrives (RSA), Lukasz Zwierzchowski (POL) Result: Match 31 (M) Iran 5 – 4 Namibia Player of the match: Hamid Nooranian (IRI) Umpires: Ben Goentgen (GER), Zeke Newman (AUS) Result: Match 32 (M) Poland 6 – 2 Australia Player of the match: Mateusz Popiołkowski (POL) Umpires: Melina Illanes (ARG), Ayden Shrives (RSA) Result: Match 33 (M) South Africa 6 – 5 Belgium Player of the match: Mustapha Cassiem (RSA) Umpires: Michelle Meister (GER), Ben Goentgen (GER) Result: Match 34 (M) Germany 6 – 6 Austria (SO: 2 – 1) Player of the match: Paul Dösch (GER) Umpires: Pieter Hembrecht (NED), Sean Edwards (ENG) Women Result: Match 31 (W) Thailand 3 – 5 United States Player of the match: Reese D’Ariano (USA) Umpires: Ana Ortega (ESP), Ivona Makar (CRO) Result: Match 32 (W) Namibia 1 – 6 Belgium Player of the match: Laurine Delforge (BEL) Umpires: Kristy Robertson (AUS), Abby Macarthur (WAL) Result: Match 33 (W) Germany 3 – 3 Czechia (SO: 2 – 3) Player of the match: Barbora Ćecháková (CZE) Umpires: Emily Carroll (AUS), Ana Ortega (ESP) Result: Match 34 (W) Austria 0 – 1 Poland Player of the match: Marlena Rybacha (POL) Umpires: Rachel Williams (ENG), Michael Pontus (BEL) Final tournament standings: Women Poland, 2. Austria, 3. Czechia, 4. Germany, 5. Belgium, 6. Namibia, 7. United States, 8. Thailand, 9. South Africa, 10. Australia, 11. New Zealand, 12. Croatia Men Germany, 2. Austria, 3. South Africa, 4. Belgium, 5. Poland, 6. Australia, 7. Iran, 8. Namibia, 9. Croatia, 10. Argentina, 11. Malaysia, 12. Trinidad & Tobago All images: ©FIH/WorldSportPics

08 Feb, 2025 Austria’s men will be gunning for a third straight crown at the FIH Indoor Hockey World Cup when they come up against Germany in the final on Sunday while there will be a guaranteed first-time winner of the women’s title as the Austrian women’s team take on Poland. The first of the men’s semifinals, played in Poreč, Croatia on Saturday, produced a contest between German structure and South African flair, with the Germans prevailing 6-1. The scoreline was a slightly flattering one for the Germans with a flurry of late goals, but their suffocating press and uncompromising defence were what set up the victory. They also finished well, while South Africa couldn’t find the target despite some excellent opportunities when the game was still in the balance. German goalkeeper Joshua Onyekwue Nnaji was again named player of the match and said afterwards: “We conceded one goal in 40 minutes in indoor hockey, it’s amazing. Amazing teamwork, amazing team effort.” Two-time defending champions Austria haven’t played to their full potential yet in the tournament, but they were approaching their best in an excellent 4-2 win over Belgium in their semifinal. The Austrians built a 3-0 lead by half time, and it could have been more were it not for some sensational goalkeeping by Romain Genet in the Red Lions’ goal. Belgium didn’t play badly and looked threatening, especially in the closing stages, but the reigning champions simply strangled them with good defence and a tight press. The player of the match went to Austria’s Benjamin Stanzl who said: “We had a pretty good plan in the beginning, and it worked from second one… If you were watching Austria in the last year it’s always about defending. We defended super well.” Later in the evening, the Austrian women showed incredible grit to come back from two goals down to then get the better of Germany in a shootout. Trailing by two goals at half time, and with the Germans in control of the match, it seemed there was no way back. But the Germans adopted a defensive mindset and paid a heavy price. Austria found some momentum in the third quarter and grabbed one goal back. They then equalised with four minutes left on the clock. Germany struggled to refire their engines and the Austrians nearly clinched the win in regulation time. They then started the shootout with their adrenaline surging and it was no surprise that they clinched it 3-1. The player of the match went to Katharina Bauer who said afterwards: “It was just a whole team effort. We improved the whole tournament, I mean, against Thailand it was such a tough game, and then we came back against Namibia, now we won against Germany. I still can’t believe it, it’s amazing.” Playing in her fourth FIH Indoor Hockey World Cup, Polish captain Marlena Rybacha fired her team to a two-goal lead inside the opening six minutes and it seemed to knock the wind out of Czechia. Poland has a well-earned reputation for solid defence and Czechia simply couldn’t make any headway against it. The Poles extended their lead in the third quarter and although Czechia did pull their goalkeeper out with six minutes remaining, they were only able to pull back one goal. An emotional Rybacha was awarded the player of the match and said afterwards: “It means the world to me. I was like thinking it’s the fourth time that we are in a World Cup with Poland and each time we got kicked out from Germany, and this time we’ve reached the final. And probably that is the end of my career and we are going to play the final!” Both men’s and women’s finals will be contested on Sunday night with the remaining playoff matches taking place throughout the day. 8 February 2025 Results Men Result: Match 25 (M) Poland 9 – 1 Iran Player of the match: Gracjan Jarzyński (POL) Umpires: Zeke Newman (AUS), Rachel Williams (ENG) Result: Match 26 (M) Australia 4 – 3 Namibia Player of the match: Thomas Miotto (AUS) Umpires: Ayden Shrives (RSA), Lukasz Zwierzchowski (POL) Result: Match 27 (M) Germany 6 – 1 South Africa Player of the match: Joshua Onyekwue Nnaji (GER) Umpires: Sean Edwards (ENG), Michael Pontus (BEL) Result: Match 28 (M) Austria 4 – 2 Belgium Player of the match: Sebastian Eitenberger (AUT) Umpires: Pieter Hembrecht (NED), Ben Goentgen (GER) Women Result: Match 25 (W) New Zealand 3 – 2 Croatia Player of the match: Kirsten Pearce (NZL) Umpires: Salman (INA), Kristy Robertson (AUS) Result: Match 26 (W) Australia 2 – 3 South Africa Player of the match: Laylaa Davids (RSA) Umpires: Melina Illanes (ARG), Abby Macarthur (WAL) Result: Match 27 (W) Thailand 2 – 3 Namibia Player of the match: Kiana-Ché Cormack (NAM) Umpires: Emily Carroll (AUS), Ivona Makar (CRO) Result: Match 28 (W) Belgium 6 – 5 United States Player of the match: Daphne Gose-Claessens (BEL) Umpires: Michelle Meister (GER), Kristy Robertson (AUS) Result: Match 29 (W) Germany 2 – 2 Austria (SO: 1 – 3) Player of the match: Katharina Bauer (AUT) Umpires: Emily Carroll (AUS), Melina Illanes (ARG) Result: Match 30 (W) Poland 3 – 1 Czechia Player of the match: Marlena Rybacha (POL) Umpires: Michelle Meister (GER), Ana Ortega (ESP) All images: ©FIH/WorldSportPics

07 Feb, 2025 History was made by South Africa, Belgium and Poland at the FIH Indoor Hockey World Cup in Poreč, Croatia on Friday as their respective sides progressed to the semifinals of the tournament for the first time. South Africa’s men will venture into unchartered territory after a resounding 6-0 win over two-time bronze medallists Iran in their quarterfinal clash. They took the game away from the Iranians in a four-minute purple patch in the third quarter, scoring two goals at one end while Anton van Loggerenberg made three good saves in goal at the other. Mustapha Cassiem added another hat-trick to take his tournament tally to 14 goals. Jethro Eustace was named player of the match and said afterwards: “Our speed and skill have got us this far. I think today we spoke about how our defensive effort is going to be needed.” Belgium’s men also advanced to an historic first semifinal with a 7-6 win over Namibia. The Red Lions carried a comfortable 7-1 lead into the final quarter, but Namibia made a fist of it with five quick unanswered goals. The Belgians endured a desperate final minute as Namibia pulled their keeper off and created one clear opportunity to level the match, but it was all too little too late. “It was really a crazy game,” admitted player of the match Dorian Thiéry afterwards. “We played very well for three quarters, then they came back, it was really terrifying, but at the end the structure was really good and I think that was the difference for today.” Meanwhile, title contenders Germany scraped through to the men’s semifinals in dramatic fashion after a sudden death shootout win against Poland. The Germans looked to be in control of the match with a 2-0 lead and just four minutes to play. Poland removed their goalkeeper to chase the game and Germany responded by doing the same, but it backfired as they conceded two late goals. Germany then missed their first shot in the shootout but recovered to prevail in a second round of sudden death. Two-time defending champions Austria also survived a sudden death shootout after their match against Australia ended 2-2. Leading by two with three minutes to play, the Austrians conceded two quick goals, the second from their own mis-trapped penalty corner against a keeperless goal at the other end of the court, but they ultimately held on for the shootout victory. Captain Fabian Unterkircher was Austria’s player of the match and said afterwards: “We knew that Australia is giving a hard fight on the pitch. I think they did a really good job in the end… Obviously a really nerve-wracking end and we’re very happy to be through.” Poland were the team to make history in the women’s tournament as they came from behind in a 2-1 win over Belgium and advanced to the semifinals for the first time. The Polish trailed for most of the first half, and had to work patiently for a winner that came with only three minutes left on the clock. A jubilant Marlena Rybacha was Poland’s player of the match and said: “We knew that the game from the start would be really, really difficult. It’s all about the details, they are going to sit low and wait for our mistakes to make a counterattack, and that was exactly the game. They were waiting, waiting, waiting but I’m super happy that we managed to score two goals and we’re going to the semifinals.” Meanwhile, Austria will be looking to go one better than their silver medal in 2023 after they secured their spot in the semifinal with a comfortable 5-1 victory over potentially tricky Namibia. Player of the match Katharina Bauer said afterwards: “I think we need to keep up the energy. I think we started really good but then we kind of lost it in the middle. But I think we need to keep our mentality high and keep our heads in the game, and I’m sure in the semifinal we’ll do it better.” Czechia, bronze medallists and current world number 2, claimed their semifinal spot with a 4-2 win over the United States and Germany met some good defensive resistance from debutantes Thailand, but ultimately they were too strong and cruised to a 7-1 victory to secure their slot in the final four. Ines Wanner’s hat-trick kept her on the top of the goal-scoring table with 13 so far in the tournament. Saturday will see Germany meeting South Africa in the men’s semifinals while Austria take on Belgium, and in the women’s event it will be Germany vs Austria and Poland going up against Czechia. 7 February 2025 Results Men Result: Match 19 (M) Argentina 6 – 2 Malaysia Player of the match: Juan Eleicegui (ARG) Umpires: Emily Carroll (AUS), Ben Goentgen (GER) Result: Match 20 (M) Croatia 12 – 3 Trinidad & Tobago Player of the match: Mario Mucić (CRO) Umpires: Ayden Shrives (RSA), Sean Edwards (ENG) Result: Match 21 (M) Germany 2 – 2 Poland (SO: 2 – 1) Player of the match: Joshua Onyekwue Nnaji (GER) Umpires: Sean Edwards (ENG), Michael Pontus (BEL) Result: Match 22 (M) South Africa 6 – 0 Iran Player of the match: Jethro Eustice (RSA) Umpires: Michelle Meister (GER), Pieter Hembrecht (NED) Result: Match 23 (M) Belgium 7 – 6 Namibia Player of the match: Dorian Thiéry (BEL) Umpires: Zeke Newman (AUS), Ayden Shrives (RSA) Result: Match 24 (M) Austria 2 – 2 Australia (SO: 3 – 2) Player of the match: Fabian Unterkircher (AUT) Umpires: Ben Goentgen (GER), Salman (INA) Women Result: Match 19 (W) Australia 3 – 1 New Zealand Player of the match: Caitlin Burns (AUS) Umpires: Ivona Makar (CRO), Rachel Williams (ENG) Result: Match 20 (W) South Africa 6 – 0 Croatia Player of the match: Daniella De Oliveira (RSA) Umpires: Melina Illanes (ARG), Lukasz Zwierzchowski (POL) Result: Match 21 (W) Namibia 1 – 5 Austria Player of the match: Katharina Bauer (AUT) Umpires: Emily

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06 Feb, 2025 The quarterfinal line-up was completed after an adrenaline-charged final day of pool matches at the FIH Indoor Hockey World Cup in Poreč, Croatia on Thursday, with several sides springing a few surprises. Thailand’s women earned an unexpected spot in the quarterfinals with a sensational 2-1 win over title contenders Austria, silver medallists at the 2023 event. The tournament debutantes opened the scoring in an excellent first quarter in which they could easily have scored several more goals. Austria struggled to get into the match but when they equalised in the 14th minute one would have expected them to assume control. Thailand had other ideas however and a mammoth defensive effort kept them in the match before they snatched the winning goal with eight minutes left on the clock. The player of the match was awarded to Thai goalkeeper Somlak Suttiprapa who spoke animatedly in her native tongue, and according to her translator it boiled down to: “My team can do it!” Poland’s women secured their quarterfinal place with a 4-2 win over South Africa. A breathless Daria Skoraszewska was their player of the match and said: “I am very proud of my team. We played very well.” With both teams already sure of their spots, the match between Germany and Namibia’s women was about top honours in their table, and the Germans romped home 8-1 to advance unbeaten. Philin Bolle bagged a hat-trick for Germany and was named the player of the match. She said afterwards: “We want to do every game more and more and more, and we may be very good but we want more, we want the final in the end.” Meanwhile, Australia’s 2-0 victory over New Zealand was in vain as Thailand’s result sent both Antipodean teams to the bottom four. In men’s action, Mustapha Cassiem bagged another hat-trick to steer South Africa to the quarterfinals with a vital 5-2 win over Poland. “They made it pretty tough for us. We knew that they’re a pretty good team as a unit, and we knew that we had to bring our A-game,” he said after being named player of the match. “We are really good on attack, we can always score goals, but our mindset in this game and games to come is definitely defence, defence, defence, we’ve tried to work on that.” Australia and Namibia played out a thrilling 5-5 draw to wrap up the group stages. With seven minutes remaining the Aussies were leading by two and had an air of control about them. Namibia fought hard to level the scores by the 37th minute, only to drop behind again a minute later. With their quarterfinal dreams hanging by a thread they dug deep for an equaliser in the 39th minute, and very nearly snatched an outright win at the death. The draw means both teams advance at Argentina’s expense. Matthew Hotchkis, playing in his fourth FIH Indoor Hockey World Cup, was named the player of the match for Australia and said: “We knew they were going to come at us, and to their credit their press put us under pressure… So it was harder when there was no space but yeah, we do our best to keep our mindset calm. It was just a genuine contest in the end and it was good fun.” Earlier in the evening, two-time defending champions Austria found themselves trailing against hosts Croatia before recovering to win 4-2. The home side went ahead in the second minute and it took the Austrians nearly 20 minutes to get their nose in front. Belgium took a while to find their feet in their 7-2 win over Trinidad & Tobago, but they got cracking in the final quarter, scoring four goals to remain unbeaten in the pool stages. Philippe Simar found the back of the net four more times to stay top of the pack with 14 goals from three games. The player of the match was Belgium’s Tanguy Zimmer who said: “We learn from these games… I hope that tomorrow we’ll play a game full gas, one hundred percent.” Friday’s men’s quarterfinal clashes will see Germany taking on Poland, South Africa facing Iran, Belgium coming up against Namibia and Austria playing Australia. In the women’s tournament, Namibia face Austria, Czechia take on the United States, Germany play Thailand and Poland are up against Belgium in a bid to reach Saturday’s semifinals. 6 February 2025 Results Men Result: Match 15 (M) Poland 2 – 5 South Africa Player of the match: Mustapha Cassiem (RSA) Umpires: Sean Edwards (ENG), Ana Ortega (ESP) Result: Match 16 (M) Austria 4 – 2 Croatia Player of the match: Fabian Unterkircher (AUT) Umpires: Emily Carroll (AUS), Ben Goentgen (GER) Result: Match 17 (M) Belgium 7 – 2 Trinidad & Tobago Player of the match: Tanguy Zimmer (BEL) Umpires: Kristy Robertson (AUS), Rachel Williams (ENG) Result: Match 18 (M) Namibia 5 – 5 Australia Player of the match: Matthew Hotchkis (AUS) Umpires: Melina Illanes (ARG), Michelle Meister (GER) Women Result: Match 15 (W) Austria 1 – 2 Thailand Player of the match: Somlak Suttiprapa (THA) Umpires: Michael Pontus (BEL), Zeke Newman (AUS) Result: Match 16 (W) Poland 4 – 2 South Africa Player of the match: Daria Skoraszewska (POL) Umpires: Pieter Hembrecht (NED), Ivona Makar (CRO) Result: Match 17 (W) Australia 2 – 0 New Zealand Player of the match: Annelyse Tevant (AUS) Umpires: Ayden Shrives (RSA), Salman (INA) Result: Match 18 (W) Namibia 1 – 8 Germany Player of the match: Philin Bolle (GER) Umpires: Abby Macarthur (WAL), Lukasz Zwierzchowski (POL) All images: ©FIH/WorldSportPics

05 Feb, 2025 Several teams secured their tickets to the quarterfinals on the third day of action at the FIH Indoor Hockey World Cup in Poreč, Croatia on Wednesday. Austria’s men, who secured their playoff spot a day earlier, will be joined by Belgium, Iran, and Germany, while in the women’s event Germany, Namibia and Belgium advanced to join Czechia in the final eight. The Belgian men made sure of their place with an emphatic 7-3 win over Australia. It was joint player of the match performances from skipper Phillippe Simar, who bagged all seven goals, and goalkeeper Romain Henet who produced three brilliant saves, that denied Australia any momentum in the match. Simar said afterwards: “That was a top performance with seven goals against the main team of the pool, so yeah, I pushed goals but Romain had a really good game, he saved three or four really, really good saves at good moments so that’s the most important thing today.” Belgium’s women followed their men into the quarterfinals after a 1-1 draw with the United States. A beaming Margaux Coudron was named player of the match and said: “The USA is really a tough team so we knew it wasn’t easy, but we managed the game. It was not the nicest game to watch because it was slow but we knew that a draw was enough so we kept calm.” Iran’s men, bronze medallists in 2023, progressed after prevailing 3-0 in their tricky clash with Malaysia. “All of the team and all of the players worked hard for this game. This game was very important for us and I give this honour to our players,” said player of the match Sajjad Mamizadeh afterwards. The German men advanced with an 8-2 win in a heated encounter against Argentina. The Argentinians desperately wanted a win to avoid the permutations involved in determining the two non-automatic places in the quarterfinals and found themselves trailing by just one goal towards the end of the third quarter. Things fell apart quickly though as they conceded two penalty strokes and a soft goal from a poor pass across the goalmouth. Player of the match Ben Hasbach did most of the damage with his five goals for Germany and said afterwards: “We started very bad, but we came in the second half very good into the game, we scored our goals, and we’re happy to be in the quarterfinals with three wins.” Meanwhile, there was another heavy defeat for Australia as Germany’s women cruised to a 7-0 win over the team ranked one place above them in the world. The victory saw the Germans booking their quarterfinal spot with skipper Fenja Poppa named the player of the match. “I’m really happy that we won the second game. We scored a lot of goals and I’m really proud of the team,” she said. The Namibian women also advance after trouncing New Zealand 7-0, so recording their first ever back-to-back wins at an FIH Indoor Hockey World Cup. Thrilled player of the match Kiana-Ché Cormack said afterwards: “It really feels amazing. I mean, we’ve ticked our first box, one of our goals was to come top two in our pool, and so now we can just go and play against Germany.” In other action, already-qualified Czechia’s women extended their unbeaten record, finishing the pool stage with a comfortable 4-1 win over hosts Croatia while Namibia’s men remain in contention for a quarterfinal place after a strong finish in their 6-3 win over Trinidad and Tobago. The United States women can only watch the permutations play out on Thursday to see whether they will advance. 5 February 2025 Results Men Result: Match 11 (M) Namibia 6 – 3 Trinidad & Tobago Player of the match: Pieter Jacobs (NAM) Umpires: Ben Goentgen (GER), Kristy Robertson (AUS) Result: Match 12 (M) Australia 3 – 7 Belgium Player of the match: Romain Henet & Philippe Simar (BEL) Umpires: Ana Ortega (ESP), Pieter Hembrecht (NED) Result: Match 13 (M) Iran 3 – 0 Malaysia Player of the match: Sajjad Mamizadeh (IRI) Umpires: Michelle Meister (GER), Michael Pontus (BEL) Result: Match 14 (M) Argentina 2 – 8 Germany Player of the match: Ben Hasbach (GER) Umpires: Zeke Newman (AUS), Lukasz Zwierzchowski (POL) Women Result: Match 11 (W) Namibia 7 – 0 New Zealand Player of the match: Kiana-Ché Cormack (NAM) Umpires: Sean Edwards (ENG), Emily Carroll (AUS) Result: Match 12 (W) Germany 7 – 0 Australia Player of the match: Fenja Poppe (GER) Umpires: Abby Macarthur (WAL), Salman (INA) Result: Match 13 (W) United States 1 – 1 Belgium Player of the match: Margaux Coudron (BEL) Umpires: Ivona Makar (CRO), Ayden Shrives (RSA) Result: Match 14 (W) Czechia 4 – 1 Croatia Player of the match: Natálie Nováková (CZE) Umpires: Melina Illanes (ARG), Rachel Williams (ENG) All images: ©FIH/WorldSportPics

04 Feb, 2025 There was plenty more excitement on the second day of the FIH Indoor Hockey World Cup in Poreč, Croatia on Tuesday, with some teams starting to lock in their quarterfinal places while others worked desperately to keep their tournament aspirations alive. Another 70 goals were scored across the 10 matches, taking the tournament tally to 177 from 22 matches in total. Two-time defending men’s champions Austria had to dig deep for their 8-6 win in a fiery encounter against South Africa. Mustapha Cassiem posted another four goals for the South Africans to shoot to the top of the tournament statistics. Austria trailed for most of the match and only snuck ahead in the final quarter. Fülöp Losonci grabbed three goals on his way to being named as the player of the match for Austria and said afterwards: “We exactly knew what they wanted to play and we had a plan, but we started with it too late so they scored two quick goals. But I think we reacted really well, we showed them that we are here.” In the corresponding women’s fixture, Austria proved far too good for South Africa and their 10-0 win boosts them to the top of their pool with a useful goal difference. Katharina Bauer grabbed a hat-trick on the night while Johanna Czech was named player of the match. Comparing the match to their draw a day earlier against Poland, Czech explained: “I think we had a little switch in our head, it was a completely different game, we were totally on from the beginning, that was very much different from yesterday.” Meanwhile, the Czechian women continued their winning form on Tuesday. Currently ranked second in the world, they booked their quarterfinal spot with an impressive 6-2 win against Belgium. Adéla Lehovcová was named player of the match and said: “We feel really good. It was a tough game but we worked really hard and we’re so happy.” Poland’s women ground out an essential 1-0 win over Thailand, scoring early and holding possession for long periods to deny the Thai side any real momentum in the match. A win or even draw against South Africa on Thursday would see Poland safely through to the quarterfinals. After a dominant 12-4 victory over Malaysia in their opener on Monday, Germany’s men extended their impressive run with a comfortable 8-3 win over Iran and currently top their pool. Captain Anton Boeckel received the player of the match award and said afterwards: “I think we had everything under control, didn’t allow much, so quite happy with that.” Argentina’s men came from behind to record a critical 5-2 win over debutants Malaysia, but it needed two Argentinian goals in the final 90 seconds to secure their first win. Argentina’s Juan Eleicegui was named the player of the match and said: “We are very happy for this victory, we needed this match.” Debutants and hosts Croatia had their dreams of progressing to the quarterfinals dashed. The men went down 7-2 to Poland, conceding a flurry of late goals after substituting their goalkeeper to chase a result. Gracjan Jarzyński bagged five goals in his player-of-the-match performance for Poland. Later in the evening, Croatia’s women lost 6-3 to the United States, who now face Belgium in a must-win match on Wednesday. 4 February 2025 Results Men Result: Match 7 (M) Argentina 5 – 2 Malaysia Player of the match: Juan Eleicegui (ARG) Umpires: Ben Goentgen (GER), Ivona Makar (CRO) Result: Match 8 (M) Germany 8 – 3 Iran Player of the match: Anton Boeckel (GER) Umpires: Rachel Williams (ENG), Ayden Shrives (RSA) Result: Match 9 (M) South Africa 6 – 8 Austria Player of the match: Fülöp Losonci (AUT) Umpires: Lukasz Zwierzchowski (POL), Michael Pontus (BEL) Result: Match 10 (M) Poland 8 – 2 Croatia Player of the match: Gracjan Jarzyński (POL) Umpires: Sean Edwards (ENG), Melina Illanes (ARG) Women Result: Match 7 (W) Poland 1 – 0 Thailand Player of the match: Monika Chmiel (POL) Umpires: Zeke Newman (AUS), Ana Ortega (ESP) Result: Match 8 (W) South Africa 0 – 10 Austria Player of the match: Johanna Czech (AUT) Umpires: Kristy Robertson (AUS), Salman (INA) Result: Match 9 (W) United States 6 – 3 Croatia Player of the match: Erin Matson (USA) Umpires: Pieter Hembrecht (NED), Emily Carroll (AUS) Result: Match 10 (W) Belgium 2 – 6 Czechia Player of the match: Adéla Lehovcová (CZE) Umpires: Michelle Meister (GER), Abby Macarthur (WAL) Source: FIH.hockey

03 Feb, 2025 An intense, action-packed and utterly thrilling spectacle was promised ahead of the FIH Indoor Hockey World Cup and the teams duly delivered on the opening day in Poreč, Croatia. An impressive total of 107 goals were scored across the opening 12 matches with Namibia’s women claiming a memorable victory over Australia and two-time defending men’s champions Austria having to dig deep to beat fellow title contenders Poland. Men: Pool B The men opened the tournament with a riveting encounter as Iran, bronze medallists at the 2023 event and currently ranked second in the world, took on 12th-ranked Argentina. Hamid Nooranian opened the scoring in fine style for Iran, showing exceptional skill in tight space down the left side. The teams went on to trade goals with Argentina looking dangerous throughout, and it was only at the end of the third quarter that Iran managed to open a two-goal lead. Argentia pulled one back, but Iran secured their hard-fought 5-3 win with a late goal. After missing the 2023 tournament, reigning European champions Germany returned to World Cup action against debutants Malaysia. The Malaysians were still in contention at 4-4 after 25 minutes, but Germany took control with eight unanswered goals for their 12-4 win, Nicolas Proske and Ben Hasbach grabbing four apiece. Women: Pool B The women’s tournament kicked off with a tight match between Austria, silver medallists at the 2023 Indoor World Cup, and Poland, silver medallists in last year’s EuroHockey Indoor Championship. A goalless first half was indicative of uncompromising defence from both teams, and it was only in the final minute of the third quarter that Austria eventually broke the deadlock with a penalty stroke. Poland grabbed a late equaliser for a share of the points, and their player of the match Marlena Rybacha put things into perspective: “Obviously you want to win all the time but at the end, I’m happy with the point. Every point counts.” Debutants Thailand and South Africa played out a 4-4 draw, leaving all four teams locked on 1 point each. Men: Pool C Belgium found themselves under pressure against Namibia with the scores locked on 4-4 at the end of the third quarter. Namibia survived a four-minute yellow card unscathed, but a green card early in the final quarter allowed the Belgians to bag two quick goals, and they added another in the closing seconds for a flattering 7-4 win. Australia then chalked up three unanswered goals in the first quarter to set up a comfortable 7-2 win over Trinidad & Tobago. Women: Pool C The Namibian women came from behind for a famous 3-2 win over Australia. The match looked set for a draw before Jivanka Kruger, Namibia’s player of the match, rounded off a series of exquisite passes to fire her team home with a little over two minutes remaining. An ecstatic Kruger warned: “Just watch us for the whole week, we never ever give up.” In the next pool game it was Germany, the reigning European champions, who were ruthless in dispatching New Zealand 9-1. The Germans are hunting a record-breaking fourth FIH Indoor Hockey World Cup title and five goals from Ines Wanner saw them wrap up the match comfortably. Men: Pool A Austria’s hunt for a third consecutive World Cup title got off to a good start with their hard-fought 6-2 win over Poland, who were silver medallists in the European championship. Poland have genuine title aspirations after beating Austria in that European campaign, and they went ahead twice in the match. The Austrians fought back to carry a slender 3-2 lead into the final quarter before showing their class with three goals to secure the win. Austria’s Fülöp Losonci was player of the match with a crucial hat-trick and said of his team’s poor start: “I think we wanted too much, we played too hectic, and then we calmed down, played our game, and we see if we play our game it’s going to be hard to stop us.” Meanwhile, tournament hosts and debutants Croatia went down 8-6 to South Africa despite Mario Mucić firing them ahead in just the second minute and Lucas Bachmann bagging five goals on the night. South Africa found themselves trailing 1-3 before surging back. Mustapha Cassiem led the charge with four goals as he extended his remarkable 42-match scoring streak while Hans Neethling contributed a hat-trick. Women: Pool A Hosts Croatia suffered a 7-1 loss in their debut against Belgium, Daphne Gose-Claessens claiming 4 goals in the process. Czechia came from behind to close out the day’s action with an exciting 5-3 win over The United States. 3 February 2025 Results Men Result: Match 1 (M) Iran 5 – 3 Argentina Player of the match: Sasan Hataminejad (IRI) Umpires: Sean Edwards (ENG), Zeke Newman (AUS) Result: Match 2 (M) Germany 12 – 4 Malaysia Player of the match: Paul Dösch (GER) Umpires: Pieter Hembrecht (NED), Salman (INA) Result: Match 3 (M) Belgium 7 – 4 Namibia Player of the match: Philippe Simar (BEL) Umpires: Salman (INA), Lukasz Zwierzchowski (POL) Result: Match 4 (M) Australia 7 – 2 Trinidad & Tobago Player of the match: Jake Staines (AUS) Umpires: Michael Pontus (BEL), Ivona Makar (CRO) Result: Match 5 (M) Austria 6 – 2 Poland Player of the match: Fülöp Losonci (AUT) Umpires: Pieter Hembrecht (NED), Abby Macarthur (WAL) Result: Match 6 (M) South Africa 8 – 6 Croatia Player of the match: Hans Neethling (RSA) Umpires: Michelle Meister (GER), Salman (INA) Women Result: Match 1 (W) Austria 1 – 1 Poland Player of the match: Marlena Rybacha (POL) Umpires: Abby Macarthur (WAL), Kristy Robertson (AUS) Result: Match 2 (W) South Africa 4 – 4 Thailand Player of the match: Somlak Suttiprapa (THA) Umpires: Michelle Meister (GER), Ana Ortega (ESP) Result: Match 3 (W) Australia 2 – 3 Namibia Player of the match: Jivanka Kruger (NAM) Umpires: Ben Goentgen (GER), Rachel Williams (ENG) Result: Match 4 (W) Germany 9 – 1 New Zealand Player of the

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The South African Indoor Hockey Men, powered by Tops at SPAR, produced a sublime performance to overturn an early deficit into victory against hosts Croatia on the opening night of the FIH Indoor Hockey World Cup in Poreč. Croatia came out firing with a brilliant goal from their captain Mario Mucic. South Africa would level with a reactive strike from Hans Neethling after a save but Croatia roared forward netting a brace through Lucas Bachmann to lead 3-1 at the first change. South Africa performed a tactical switch in the second quarter and immediately started seeing better opportunity with the ball. Captain Dayaan Cassiem was leading from the front and it was his brilliant drive that set up his brother Mustapha with the chance to pull back to 3-2, the half time score. With the wind in their sails, the South Africans came roaring forward and found the equalizer with a perfectly executed roundhouse flick from Cassiem to double his tally. South Africa had the upper hand and made it count with both Neethling and Cassiem netting again to turn a 3-1 deficit into a 5-3 advantage at the end of third quarter. Bachmann scored his second of the game in the final quarter to ignite hope for the Croatians but immediately Dayaan Cassiem pulled the strings and set up Neethling who finished his hat-trick to re-extend the lead to two. Cassiem himself then scored with a brilliant change of direction before his brother converted his fourth of the night from a penalty stroke. Croatia would score two late goals from penalty corners, one converted by Bachmann, the other by Gregor Fujs, but on the opening day it was job done for the South Africans who secured an important opening day victory against the hosts. Source: SAhockey.co.za | February 3, 2025

02 Feb, 2025 With just a few hours left till the start of the FIH Indoor Hockey World Cup Croatia 2025, we spoke to the players and coaches of the participating teams about their aims and aspirations for the event. Listen in to what they had to say on the cusp of the tournament start: Nikolas von Zech and Hagen Streit (Head coaches, Croatia): “For both of us head coaches, the tournament means the fulfillment of a long-held dream of being a coach on the sidelines at a major international tournament. We are really looking forward to the arena, the audience and all the teams from all over the world. The world is visiting Porec. We, Croatia, are certainly the team that nobody expects anything from, so we can play without any pressure. But we are not here just to be good hosts or tourists; we want to represent Croatian women’s hockey in the best possible way. We want to bring 100% passion, courage and team spirit to the field and thus win over the audience.“ Dominic Giskes (Head Coach, Germany Women): We have a very good team together and have developed a good plan. The anticipation is immense. We’ll be happy when it finally starts. I already had a lot of fun at the European Indoor Championships in Berlin. It will certainly be a cool event. Abby Burnett (Captain, United States Women): After our performance at the Rohrmax Cup, I expect our team to perform very well and compete with the top European teams. This event is very special for the entire team. We have been working very hard and playing for coach Jun Kentwell always means a lot. Personally this tournament is super special to me as I’ve been on this team for such a long time and the girls on this team mean so much to me. Our main goal or objective is to win a medal, but to also prove that USA field hockey is a dominant force. Tikhamporn Sakulpithak (Captain, Thailand Women): We are thrilled to take part in our first World Cup. Together let’s play beautiful hockey with kindness and respect! Matthias Witthaus (Head Coach, Germany Men): The anticipation is growing. Three of the boys are certainly in a very good mood. They have just become German champions indoors. The team has not yet been able to develop. But communication is going well. That’s the big challenge: we want to become a real team in the short space of time, all vanities have to be pushed aside. We want to grow together quickly, all pull together and then be successful. Robin Rösch (Head Coach, Austria Men): We are looking forward to a great world championship. For many of us, this will be the last dance. Maxi Garreta (Coach, Belgium Women): Preparation has gone very quickly, but we’re happy with the work we’ve done. The Vienna tournament was an important factor in the rest of our preparations. Our objective for the World Cup is to get through the group stage, and then we’ll see. World Cup is the most important event in indoor hockey. It’s a chance to measure ourselves against the best nations in the sport. Maxime Bergez (Coach, Belgium Men): Our preparation is based on the same large group as last year. Our tournament in Austria gave us a lot of information about how to improve. We are now ready to compete at the highest level of Indoor hockey. We want to win the 1/4 final (after losing the shootout thriller against Iran in 2023) to fight for a medal. Our team Is a balance between young talent and experienced players and we want to use it to perform. The Infoor Hockey World Cup is the biggest indoor hockey competition. The players invested a lot of time and energy to be ready for an event like that. The Indoor Red Lions showed that they can compete with the best in Europe. It is time to shine worldwide. Dayaan Cassiem (Captain, South Africa Men): I’m really excited for South African mens to be in the world cup again after a beautiful one in Pretoria. I can’t wait for it to start as we have been working hard as a group. We are here to make ourselves and the country proud. Jamie Southgate (Captain, South Africa Women): The team is really looking forward to the fierce competition and excited to go up against the best teams in the world that an event like this makes possible. I wish all the teams the best and we will make sure our team will leave everything out on the court. Juan Ignacio Eleicegui (Cpatain, Argentina Men): For us it is always a dream to represent Argentina. And to do it with such a united team makes it even more special, it is a reward for all the effort of a great group. Our main goal with this team is to place Argentina on the World Cup podium for the first time in history. We know it will be very, very difficult, but we dream of raising our flag to the top. For more information about the upcoming FIH Indoor Hockey World Cup Croatia 2025, click here. Source: FIH.hockey

31 Jan, 2025 With the FIH Indoor Hockey World Cup Croatia 2025 about to burst into action from 3-9 February, we present a quick study on indoor hockey, a dynamic, high-speed variation of traditional outdoor hockey that demands quick thinking, precise execution, and rapid decision-making. Played on a smaller, walled pitch with six players per team, indoor hockey offers a thrilling spectacle where speed and technical ability take center stage. While sharing many similarities with outdoor 11-a-side hockey, indoor hockey has unique rules and strategies that set it apart. Playing Surface and Field Size The indoor hockey pitch is rectangular in shape, with any indoor sports hall flooring appropriate to play on. The dimensions of the pitch are 40 meters long and 20 meters wide. There are boards placed on the side perimeters of the pitch (but not the backline) that keep the ball in play. The scoring circle has a 9 meter radius from the center of the goal-line and the penalty spot is marked 7 meters from the center of the goal-line. Goals The size of the goals in indoor hockey are smaller compared to outdoor hockey. The width of the goal is exactly 3 meters and it has a height of 2 meters. Goal-sideboards and goal-backboards are not necessary in indoor hockey. Team Size and Game Duration Indoor hockey teams consist of six players (five field players and a goalkeeper), compared to 11-a-side in outdoor hockey. The total size of a squad in indoor hockey is 12 players and rolling substitutions are permitted. Matches are also shorter, typically played in four quarters of 10 minutes each, leading to high-intensity action from start to finish. No Hitting, Only Pushes Perhaps the most fundamental rule difference is that players are not allowed to hit or sweep the ball in indoor hockey. Instead, only pushes are permitted, requiring players to develop strong wrist control and quick flicks to generate power. Lifting the ball is only permitted when a player attempts to score a goal from inside the scoring circle, by the use of a flicking motion. The flicking motion is defined as: raising the ball off the ground by placing the head of the stick under the ball and using a lifting movement. Christopher Rühr, a key player for Germany’s men’s team, highlights this unique challenge: “Indoors, you’re obviously not allowed to hit or sweep, which means that the little flick just from the wrists needs to be quick and powerful in order to score goals. Defending-wise, being really low with a big span is a quality needed, as the attacker can’t lift the ball over your stick to win a duel.” Fast-Paced Strategy and Close Control With a smaller playing area and no lifted passes, indoor hockey emphasizes quick, precise passing and intelligent movement. Players need excellent stick skills to maneuver in tight spaces, constantly looking for gaps in the opposition’s defense. Belgian Indoor Red Panthers star, Laurine Delforge, describes the tactical demands of indoor hockey: “Indoor hockey is a concentration of intensity, skill, and strategy. It’s all about speed of execution and precision. You have to be smart to use small spaces, be creative to surprise the opponent, and multiply quick passes to create chances.” Tactical Play and Defensive Awareness Unlike outdoor hockey, where long aerial passes and expansive play are common, indoor hockey requires players to be more compact and disciplined. Quick turnovers mean defenses must be alert at all times, with tight marking and low-body positioning critical for success. Growing popularity of Indoor Hockey Indoor hockey provides an exciting alternative to outdoor hockey in colder regions where playing conditions can be challenging in winter. The game’s high-energy nature and non-stop action make it a thrilling spectacle for fans, while the emphasis on technical skill helps players refine their abilities for both formats of the game. As more nations invest in indoor hockey, the sport continues to gain traction worldwide. With the FIH Indoor Hockey World Cup showcasing the very best in the game, the format is proving to be a vital part of hockey’s evolution—fast, skillful, and always unpredictable! The complete rules of Indoor Hockey can be found here. For more information about the upcoming FIH Indoor Hockey World Cup Croatia 2025, click here. Source: FIH.hockey