Pool A and Pool D got underway on day 1 of the FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023 as the action began in Bhubaneswar and finished in Rourkela. In Bhubaneswar, Argentina were the first to get on the board, registering a close 1-0 win against South Africa. Australia then went top of Pool A with a dominant 8-0 win against France, who played well despite the unflattering scoreline. Action then shifted to Rourkela where England got the better of neighbours Wales, winning 5-0. It was then home team India’s turn against a tricky Spanish team that has caused them some trouble over the past year in the FIH Hockey Pro League. But after overcoming early nerves, the Indian attack dominated and claimed a 2-0 win to get 3 crucial points in the Pool D encounter. Match 1: Argentina vs South Africa 1-0 Both Argentina and South Africa set a fast tone for the World Cup playing all-out attacking hockey in the first quarter. Both goalkeepers had to be on constant alert as the ball entered the circle multiple times for both teams, but neither team could produce a real threat on the goal. Argentina came out in attack in the second quarter however, earning 3 quick penalty corners, but Gowan Jones stepped up in the South African goal and kept the scores tied. Two yellow cards for Keenan and Catan in the 2nd quarter arrested Argentina’s momentum and the teams went into the break on level terms. Argentina started the second half brighter but couldn’t open the scoring despite earning their 5th and 6th penalty corners early in the half. Argentina did finally manage to break the deadlock in the 43rd minute through a field goal as Maico Casella got in front of Gowan Jones and a slight deflection on a shot by Toscani unsighted the in-form keeper. Argentina held on to the slender lead, as the South African attack lacked penetration, till the very end and took all 3 points. Maico Casella was awarded the player of the match and said: “Good to win the first match, we played well enough. I think the positive we take is the number of penalty corners we won, and we will start converting more going forward.” Match 2: Australia vs France 8-0  Australia were quick off the blocks showing why they are the early tournament favourites. They got the first goal of the game thanks to a brilliant run by Tom Craig as he split the defence, passed to Tim Brand and got a deflection on Craig’s shot to cap off the fantastic move. France were much better in the second quarter but failed to capitalise on their chances and Australia made them pay with 3 goals in the final 4 minutes. Australia had all the momentum going into the half and were quick to get going in the second half as a beautiful team move saw 4 players touch the ball in the circle before it was tapped home by Tom Craig. Jeremy Hayward then scored his third penalty corner goal to complete a smashing hattrick. Tom Brand added a third as well in the 45th minute to become the second Australian to grab a hattrick in the same game! Australia cruised through the final quarter adding one more goal through Tom Wickham to cap off a great 8-0 win and take all 3 points. Hattrick hero Tom Craig was awarded player of the match and said: “Good to get the goals but better feeling winning. We haven’t played tournament hockey since July last year, but we prepared well for this and hopefully we get even better going forward.” Match 3: England vs Wales 5-0 England made a fantastic start to the game as Nicholas Park scored within the first 20 seconds to stun Wales and grab an early lead. But Wales were quick to get up to speed and the remainder of the half was an even contest with both teams trading attacks. England scored at the perfect time again, doubling their lead through a Liam Ansell penalty corner goal with just 2 minutes left in the half, leaving Wales to try and chase the game in the 2nd half. England scored twice in the 3rd quarter to gain total control of the game. Liam Ansel scored his second goal of the game in the 38th minute from a penalty corner, and Phil Roper opened his account with a field goal in the 42nd minute to put the game beyond Wales’ reach. Wales committed heavily to the attack in the final quarter trying to claw a goal back, but England stood firm and scored a 5th goal through Nicholas Bandurak in the 57th minute to seal a perfect win and 3 points for England. Sam Ward was awarded player of the match and said: “Could not have asked for a better start to the tournament. Just want to keep the momentum going from here on out and into the next game against India.” Match 4: India vs Spain 2-0  The Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium in Rourkela was packed to the rafters as home team India took on rivals Spain in a big Pool D encounter to close day 1 of the World Cup. The game was also attended by Shri Naveen Patnaik, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Odisha, Shri Prem Singh Tamang, Hon’ble Chief minister of Sikkim, Shri Tayyab Ikram, President – International Hockey Federation, Padma Shri Dr. Dilip Tirkey, President – Hockey India, accompanied by Cdr RK Srivastava, Executive Director, Hockey India. Spain started the game on the front foot causing India some nervy moments, but India settled down soon and were in front by the end of first quarter as Amit Rohidas capitalised on a blocked drag flick by Harmanpreet to bury a shot in the goal, which was India’s 200th goal in the competition! India struck again before the half through a goal by Hardik to take a solid 2-0 lead into the half. India had

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Since Belgium lifted their first ever FIH Hockey World Cup title at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar, the same venue played host to the opening game of the next edition. FIH Hockey Nations Cup champions South Africa taking on the 2016 Olympic champions Argentina. The opening exchanges had an element of early tournament jitters as neither side were able to create any significant moment of quality, with both offering a glimmer of the threat available as a potential warning sign. Nic Spooner was instrumental for the African champions in curtailing the Argentinean threat in the middle of the park. Argentina ramped up the pressure in the second quarter and were awarded a penalty corner that was superbly saved by Gowan Jones before the next awarded was well defended by Eustice. Argentina was clearly gaining the upper hand, but Gowan Jones was marshalling the defense in the same superb way he did at the Commonwealth Games last year. That period of dominance was halted by Argentina being shown the first card of the game when Nicolas Keenan was given a yellow card for foul play and the South Africans would see out the first half with a player advantage. They were disappointingly not able to capitalize on the number supremacy with the best moment seeing a Bili Ntuli cross narrowly miss the diving attention of Keenan Horne. At half time the tournament was still waiting its first goal. Argentina won a fortuitous penalty corner early in the second half but a poor execution from the Argentines saw Jones untroubled in the goal for the Africans. The South Africans were doing well at extinguishing the Argentine and finally had their first penalty corner opportunity in the 40th minute. The attempted variation was defended by the Argentines and the stalemate continued. It was Argentina who struck first when Maica Casella inched in front of Gowan Jones with the slightest touch and the ball bundled home to give the South Americans the lead. They had the opportunity before the break with another penalty corner, but they wasted it again. 15 minutes remained in the opening match. South Africa won a penalty corner after a superb referral from Dayaan Cassiem. The first was charged down with a foot. But the second saw Jacques van Tonder effort charged down superbly. Although they had the opportunity to create on the break the Argentines were frustrated by their lack of effectiveness. They were however awarded two penalty corners with the chance to stretch the lead, but they failed to add to the score line. Ryan Julius created his own pocket of space and went for the slap finish, but it was easily saved by Santiago. Tevin Kok then had a reverse stick shot saved, this one a lot tougher for Santiago as the Africans desperately looked for and equalizer. Dayaan Cassiem asked the next question and was rewarded with a penalty corner. The run was charged down and blown for danger, but the South Africans immediately referred but the on-field decision was upheld with four minutes remaining. Argentina slowed the game down at every opportunity as the final minutes approached. There was time for the South Africans to ask one more question but the Argentines were able to answer it and seal an opening day victory. South Africa next play France on Monday in a pivotal game of Pool A. Source: SAHockey.co.za

Bhubaneswar, India – With just 1 day to go for the FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023 Bhubaneswar-Rourkela, the players and coaches of all teams have spoken to express their expectations. David Ames, Captain (England) “India is always an exciting place to come and play hockey. We are looking forward to playing against big teams and registering some famous victories in the tournament. I think we are a contender for the FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023 Bhubaneswar-Rourkela trophy. There is a lot of belief in our camp as everyone is confident about their abilities.” Thierry Brinkman, Captain (Netherlands)  “The last few months in the build-up to the FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023 Bhubaneswar-Rourkela have been pretty good for us. The team is completely ready for the tournament. It is amazing to be here again and we are excited to play in front of the hockey fans in the tournament.” Jorge Dabanch, Head Coach (Chile) “It will be interesting to play in Rourkela as they have built a new stadium here and the crowd is amazing as well. There are many top teams in the FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023 Bhubaneswar-Rourkela and we will look to register a win against these top sides in the tournament.” Akira Takahashi, Head Coach (Japan) “We have played in India before and are excited to be here for the FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023 Bhubaneswar-Rourkela. Our team has some good players who can play well against the top sides in the tournament and it will be a pleasure to play in front of such a big crowd. The tournament is filled with top teams and we are ready to face them and produce exciting results.” Frederic Soyez, Head Coach (France) “We are not looking for the title at the moment. Our team is focused on the first match of the tournament right now and then we will see where we end up. We prepared for this tournament with an aim to do better than last year and I think we have the quality to perform well against the top teams.” Alvaro Iglesias, Captain (Spain)  “We know the stadium in Rourkela is bigger. We know there will be a lot more crowd there. It will be hard to listen to our teammates and the instructions from the referee as well. But it will be an incredibly exciting atmosphere and we are really looking forward to playing here,” Lee Namyong, Captain (Korea)  “Our players are excited to be here and we have big ambitions in the tournament. We want to do well and have confidence that we will be able to win the big matches in FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023 Bhubaneswar-Rourkela. Our team has a lot of experience and it will be crucial for us.” Rupert Shipperley, Captain (Wales)  “We are here to win, it’s as simple as that. We are not here to just make up the numbers, we are here to cause an upset. We are looking forward to playing India in front of their fans, it is going to be a special occasion. We have faced all the teams in our pool before and we know what to expect, we are just raring to go now.” Greg Nicol, Head Coach (New Zealand) “We came to Bhubaneswar not so long ago to play in the FIH Pro League and are excited to come to Odisha again for the FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023 Bhubaneswar-Rourkela. The crowd here is fantastic and our team really enjoys playing in this atmosphere, especially in the World Cup. It’s a major tournament for our sport and hopefully, we can play well and get some wins.” Marhan Jalil, Captain (Malaysia) “We are fully prepared for the World Cup and will look to do our best on the pitch. Our group is tough as we have teams like the Netherlands and New Zealand in it and it will be an uphill task to beat them. However, we have full belief in ourselves and the matches will be exciting for the players.” Andre Henning, Head Coach (Germany)  “We had a strong year as we won 13 FIH Pro League matches and were between 5th and 6th in the World Rankings. So, we are looking forward to playing in the tournament and if we reach the semis that would be a big success. However, our ultimate aim is to win the World Cup trophy.” Eddie Ockenden, Captain (Australia)   “Our players are really excited to be here and we have big ambitions in the tournament. We want to do well and have confidence that we will be able to win the FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023 Bhubaneswar-Rourkela title. Our team has a lot of experience and it will be really crucial for us.” Cheslyn Gie, Head Coach (South Africa) “We think the games against Australia and Argentina will definitely be the toughest for us in the FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023 Bhubaneswar-Rourkela. It is an exciting prospect for the players to have two venues, and if we get to play India it will be an experience as the whole stadium becomes very vibrant due to the fans.” Matias Rey, Captain (Argentina) “We take inspiration from Lionel Messi and our football team who won the FIFA World Cup in Qatar. They did a great job and we will try to repeat the same thing at the FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023 Bhubaneswar-Rourkela, it will be difficult but we are motivated and want to win the tournament and make the country proud.” Felix Denayer, Captain (Belgium) “I think the tournament will be a challenge, but we also have the experience so we feel confident and we are very hungry to retain the trophy. We are an ambitious group. And I think we need these kinds of challenges to perform at our best level,” Harmanpreet Singh, Captain (India) “There is anticipation and excitement in equal measure. As

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11 January 2023 The festivities of the FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023 Bhubaneswar-Rourkela will get underway today at 6pm (IST) as some of the biggest performers of India will headline the Trophy Celebrations at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack, Odisha. The celebrations will see global and local celebrities light up the stadium with their musical and dance performances. Bollywood superstars Ranveer Singh and Disha Patani will perform in front of a packed stadium that will seat over 40,000 spectators. Not just those in the stadium will get to witness the spectacle, but fans all around the city will also be able to watch on Giant LED screens in the 16 Hockey Fan Parks for live streaming of the celebrations. The fans will also get to sway to the musical stylings of internationally acclaimed K-Pop band: Black Swan, which includes local Odisha singer Shreya Lenka! Popular Indian musician/composer Pritam, who composed the official anthem of the World Cup “Hockey Hai Dil Mera”, will also take stage along with the 11 singers who sang the anthem. The rich night of music will be further enhanced by the rock and roll music of iconic bollywood singers Benny Dayal and Neeti Mohan. Talented performers from the state of Odisha will also add in a local flavour, led by Odissi dancing legend: Guru Aruna Mohanty. The Trophy Celebrations will showcase India’s rich culture and history, while also highlighting its recent advancements. It will also signal the start of the 15th edition of the FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup, which will get underway on 13 January 2023, with the first two matches of the day being played in Bhubaneswar followed by two more matches in the evening, in the brand-new Birsa Munda International Hockey stadium in Rourkela. The FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023 Bhubaneswar-Rourkela Trophy Celebrations start at 18:00 local time (13:30 CET) and can be watched by hockey fans all around the world on Watch.Hockey. #HWC2023 #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.

06 January, 2023 The 16 best men’s teams from around the world are converging in Odisha, India as we countdown to the final few days till the start of the FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023! Each team comes with the aim of becoming world champions, but only one team can earn the highest honour at the end of the World Cup. The first obstacle for all 16 teams in the event come in the form of their pool opponents. Winning the pool gives the teams a huge advantage, as it leads to straight qualification into the quarterfinals, while second and third placed teams play an additional cross-over round. In today’s preview, meet the teams in Pool A, and find out the unique playing styles they will bring to the World Cup. Argentina The Olympic champions from Rio 2016 are Pan American hockey’s most potent force, having been crowned continental champions on 14 separate occasions. With a swashbuckling style and incredible technical ability, Los Leones can match any team on the planet. The team is coached by former Argentina goalkeeper Mariano Ronconi, who will do all he can to lead his talented group to a first men’s World Cup title. Agustin Mazzilli, Lucas Vila and team captain Matias Rey – named Player of the Tournament as his team swept to victory in the 2022 Men’s Pan American Cup in Santiago, Chile to seal their ticket to this event – remain outstanding performers despite being well into their 30s. The team recorded a notable 2-1 victory over reigning Olympic and World champions Belgium in November, providing a timely reminder that they can match the best in the business. Can Argentina emulate their men’s football team by winning a World Cup on Asian soil? Australia The Kookaburras are the most consistently outstanding men’s hockey team of the last 30 years, having remained in the top four of the FIH World Rankings for the duration of that period. They have won every prize available, including Olympic, World Cup, FIH Hockey Pro League and Oceania Cup titles. In 2022, the side coached by former striker Colin Batch claimed a sensational seventh Commonwealth Games title, obliterating a hugely talented India team 7-0 in the event final in Birmingham. Nathan Ephraums and Jacob Anderson, the latter a travelling reserve for this event, both scored twice with Blake Govers, Tom Wickham and Flynn Ogilvie also netting in typically devastating displays from the brilliant Aussies. A shoot-out loss to Belgium in the gold medal match at the delayed Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 was painful, but may serve as motivation as the brilliant Aussies go in search of a record-equalling fourth world title. France In 2018, France arrived in Bhubaneswar for their first FIH Men’s World Cup for 28 years, with their last appearance coming at 1990 competition in Lahore, Pakistan, where they finished seventh. Having been drawn in the same pool as Rio 2016 Olympic champions Argentina, Spain, and New Zealand, many expected them to be on the first plane out of India. However, after suffering a narrow defeat against the Black Sticks, Les Bleus achieved a set of results which would see them go all the way to the World Cup quarter finals. A draw with higher-ranked Spain was followed by a stunning 5-3 victory over Argentina, sealing their place in the knock-out stages of the competition, where they beat China to set up a last eight meeting with Australia. Although the mighty Kookaburras brought France’s magnificent run to an end, they left the competition with their heads held high, having earned respect from everyone who saw them in action. Since then, France – who are building towards the Olympic Games Paris 2024, where they will compete as hosts – have been going from strength to strength. They competed in the 2021-22 edition of the FIH Hockey Pro League, registering wins against India, South Africa, and Argentina before earning their ticket to this event with a second-place finish at the European Qualification event in Cardiff, won by hosts Wales. A fifth-place finish at the recent FIH Hockey Men’s Nations Cup South Africa 2022 event was perhaps below expectations, but with the likes of penalty corner ace Victor Charlet and seasoned talent Gaspard Baumgarten, France will be a dangerous outfit here in Odisha. South Africa Following their superb title victory in the recent FIH Hockey Men’s Nations Cup, earning them a ticket to the next edition of the elite FIH Hockey Pro League, South Africa have every reason to believe that they can achieve big things here in Odisha. The tournament hosts finished top of the pile on home soil in Potchefstroom, recording victories over Pakistan, France, and Korea before claiming a thrilling 4-3 win against Ireland – who they had lost to earlier in the competition – in the competition final. Inspirational 23-year-old captain Dayaan Cassiem scored twice in the title match, with younger sibling Mustaphaa netting a penalty stroke won by his big brother. The outrageously gifted Cassiem brothers may be the poster boys of this hugely exciting new generation, but the team is far from reliant on them. Striker Tevin Kok is proving himself to be a reliable source of goals, while 33-year-old defender Jethro Eustice brings a steady, experienced head to a group brimming with youth and talent. The 15th edition of FIH’s flagship event for men will be played from 13 to 29 January in Odisha, India. All information about the tournament is available on www.worldcup.hockey. #HWC2023 #HockeyEquals #HockeyInvites