25 January 2022 Lausanne, Switzerland: The International Hockey Federation (FIH) is pleased to announce that France will join the third edition of the Men’s FIH Hockey Pro League. After Canada eventually pulled out due to COVID-related issues, FIH had contacted the next best teams, according to the FIH World Rankings, to invite one of them to replace Canada. France have accepted the invitation and, as the highest-ranked team having done so, will join the global home-and-away league – ‘Hockey at its Best’ – for this season. As communicated earlier, France’s participation in the FIH Hockey Pro League is planned for this third edition only. Indeed, Australia and New Zealand, who are not playing the current season due to COVID-related international travel constraints, are expected to come back for the fourth edition (2022-2023). The French team will play their first match on 8 February against India, in Potchefstroom (South Africa). The full match schedule of the third edition of the FIH Hockey Pro League is available here. France have qualified for the next FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup, which will be played in January 2023 in Bhubaneswar and Rourkela (India). The French Men’s Junior team recently claimed the bronze medal at the FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s Junior World Cup Bhubaneswar 2021, with France captain Timothée Clément crowned Best Player of the Tournament. France will also host the Paris 2024 Olympic events in 2 years’ time. “It is great news that France are joining the FIH Hockey Pro League for the current season. As hosts of the next Olympic Games, being part of such a top-flight competition involving the best teams in the world can only be a positive move for the French team as well as for the growth of hockey in the country”, FIH CEO Thierry Weil commented. The first FIH Hockey Pro League matches of the year will involve the Women’s teams of China and India. They will take place on 31 January and 1 February in Muscat, Oman, where both teams are currently playing the Women’s Asia Cup 2022. Keep up to date with all the latest news on the FIH Hockey Pro League via the Watch.Hockey app, event website and through FIH social media channels – Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. #FIHProLeague #HockeyInvites
Asia Women’s Cup: Quartet seal qualification for FIH Hockey Women’s World Cup, Spain and Netherlands
4 January 2022 Lausanne, Switzerland: As the 2022 Asia Women’s Cup reaches the half-way stage in Muscat, Oman, four teams have secured their places at the FIH Hockey Women’s World Cup Spain and Netherlands 2022. By finishing in the top two positions in their respective pools, Japan (FIH World Ranking: 13), India (WR:9), China (WR:12) and Korea (WR:10) will now meet in the semi-finals of the competition and have also secured the four automatic qualification spots available from this continental qualifier. It is currently Japan and Korea who are flying high. Both teams are undefeated so far, with Japan putting in the most striking performance when they defeated reigning champions India 2-0 in a pool A match. Korea’s 4-0 demolition of China was also an impressive performance, which left Korea top of Pool B. In the final day of pool action, China defeated Indonesia (WR:7-0; Korea beat Thailand (WR:29) 6-0; Japan were 8-0 victors against Malaysia (WR:20); and India put nine goals past Singapore (WR:41), to win 9-1. At this stage of the competition, Korea’s Cheon Eunbi is topping the goal scorers’ table with five goals; Japan’s Shihori Oikawa is currently one goal behind. The semi-finals will take place on Wednesday 26 January, with Korea facing India and Japan taking on China. Earlier on the same day in the fifth to eighth place matches, Malaysia will face Indonesia and Thailand will play Singapore. India’s captain Savita was in an ebullient mood after her team’s victory over Singapore: ’Our first match wasn’t very good and I think the second match, against Japan, we played better. ‘Today it was an okay performance. We know we can do better but we have qualified [for the World Cup] so now we have to focus on the semi-finals. ‘Qualifying in tournaments for events is always good. We did that for the 2016 Olympic Games and the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games This is my fourth Asia Cup and my first as captain. It is always a great honour for me and my team to play for our country, whether it is the Asia Cup, the Commonwealth Games or the World Cup. ‘I was more happy for our coach., We really worked hard and our coach Janneke [Schopman] really inspires us.’ Asia Women’s Cup 2022 match schedule for Wednesday 26 January: (All times are India Standard Time) 5-8th place 11:30: Thailand v Singapore 14:00: Malaysia v Indonesia Semi-finals 16:30 Korea v India 19:00 Japan v China #WAC2022 #WomensAsiaCup 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. #HWC2022 #HockeyInvites
South Africa’s World Cup adventures underway after success in Accra
23 January 2022 Lausanne, Switzerland: The Africa Cup of Nations saw a week of exciting hockey action culminate in a double victory for South Africa, giving the top ranked teams in both the men’s and women’s competition automatic qualification for the respective FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023 Bhubaneswar and Rourkela and the FIH Hockey Women’s World Cup, Spain and Netherlands 2022. The seven days of action took place at the Theodosia Okoh Stadium in Accra, Ghana, with seven men’s and eight women’s teams competing for the continental crown as well as a coveted qualification spot at the FIH blue riband events. Although South Africa men’s and women’s hockey teams continue their dominance at this event, both finals were tough contests. The women went behind to a well-organised and hard-working Ghana team before rallying and winning 3-1. The men were held to a 1-1 scoreline by a resilient and skilful Egypt, but held their nerve to win the shoot-out by a 3-1 scoreline. In the women’s final, the host nation was hoping that home advantage would serve the players well as they faced South Africa in the final. This was the fifth consecutive final in which the two teams had faced each other, with South Africa emerging the victor on each of the previous occasions. Both teams had shown good form going into the final: South Africa were unbeaten and had conceded no goals to that point. Ghana had drawn with Nigeria and won their other two matches with ease. An early goal from Elizabeth Opoku – following the award of a penalty stroke against South Africa – gave Ghana the lead in the sixth minute. The noise levels among the spectators rose as they sensed the opportunity for an upset. However, South Africa responded well and were 2-1 ahead at half-time, courtesy of goals from Charne Maddocks and Kristen Paton. The match was put beyond doubt in the final quarter when Lillian du Plessis scored a penalty stroke to give her side a 3-1 lead. Tarryn Glasby of South Africa was the competition’s overall top scorer with nine goals. Speaking after the match, she said: ‘It is nice to get a win in Ghana. As a striker you are supposed to score goals, so I am happy to be the top scorer. Looking forward to the World Cup, it is all about trusting our processes.’ The captain of Ghana women, Nafisatu Umara, said: ’We are impressed with our performance. We took the lead in the first quarter, which shows how much we have really improved. We now have the courage to carry the ball, so we are happy with our performance. The last time we played South Africa we lost 6-0, so this was a big improvement. We will look at what happened today, we will do our homework and next time we will beat them.’ South Africa’s Head Coach Inky Zondy said: ‘I am really excited and really happy with the game. It was a tough game, so thank you to Ghana. We have really enjoyed our week here. We are a team that has changed, so we have to learn from what has happened this week and represent Africa well at the World Cup.’ In the men’s final, it was a repeat of the previous five editions, with reigning champions South Africa facing Egypt. Any hope Egypt had of hitting South Africa hard in the early stages was dashed when Matt Guise-Brown stepped up to fire home a penalty corner in the 12th minute. South Africa looked comfortably in control of the game for much of the first half but they failed to capitalise on a number of chances. With seven minutes of the half remaining, Egypt’s Ziad Adel took the opportunity to even the scores with a well-taken goal that eluded Siyavuya Nolutshungu in the South African goal. The teams continued to probe and seek a breakthrough throughout the third quarter but neither team could find the goal. With 15 minutes left, South Africa turned up the pressure a notch. An early penalty corner attempt flew wide and a devastating run from Nqobile Ntuli ended with a tame shot. Egypt continued to dig deep defensively and the team’s resilience paid off as the final whistle blew and the match went to shoot-out for the first time since 2005 [when South Africa beat Egypt 3-2 on penalty strokes]. Clinical finishing by the South African attackers and some great goalkeeping by Nolutshungu saw the higher ranked team finally break down their Egyptian rivals as South Africa won the shoot-out 3-1. Speaking after the match, South Africa’s Head Coach Gareth Ewing said: ’I’m shattered. That was too close for comfort. Ghana is such a great host, there was such a great atmosphere in the stadium, it was great to win. Based on tonight’s performance, we have a lot to do before the World Cup.’ Captain of South Africa, Tim Drummond said: ’We are ecstatic. That was tough but we are missing some players so that shows that we have depth in the squad. There is a long way to go before the World Cup but we hope to make a lot of improvement and finish in the top ten.’ Egypt’s Head Coach Zaman Tahir, said: ‘That was heartbreaking for all the boys. South Africa’s experience to handle this sort of pressure is huge. Shoot-out is down to nerves and South Africa had an advantage. Losing on shoot-out – it could have been any one’s game.’ South Africa’s penalty corner specialist Matthew Guise-Brown was top goalscorer with six goals. Earlier in the day, Kenya women had taken third place after they beat Zimbabwe in a tense match that had finished goalless at full time. Kenya’s goal keeper Milicent Adhiambo performed heroics to keep the Zimbabwe attackers at bay and the Kenyan team were able to finished one place higher than their previous fourth place in 2017. In the men’s match to decide third place, Nigeria put in an energetic
ACN 2022 | Pictures
ACN 2022 – Match Schedule | Day 7
ACN 2022 – Match Schedule | Day 6
ACN 2022 – South Africa prepare for Semi-Final with ruthless win
The South African women’s hockey team had already qualified for the semi-finals having scored 9 unanswered goals in the tournament, but they were looking to step up their cutting edge in front of goal in todays final Pool A match against Uganda. They were also looking to celebrate Tarryn Lombard’s 50th game in style. They produced a clinical opening quarter of the game with some beautiful symmetry to the timing of their goals. They scored 4 goals, each split by three minutes to lead the opening quarter 4-0. Tarryn Lombard opened the scoring in the 6th minute to start her 50th test on a high and she was joined on the scoresheet by Tegan Fourie, Shirndre-Lee Simmons (With her first international goal) and Lilian du Plessis. Despite their ongoing domination the South Africans were disappointed that they failed to add to the scoresheet in the second quarter, although Uganda will be proud of the defensive effort, they put in to keep the score at 4-0 at the half time break They could do nothing to stop the South Africans though as Quanita Bobbs made it 5-0 before Lilian du Plessis scored her 38th career goal at African Continental Tournaments. The apt cherry on the cake though came in the final quarter when Tarryn Lombard added her 2nd, 3rd and 4th goals in an incredibly memorable game for her. Bernadette Coston got her own goal as well to take South Africa into double figures, the first to do so at this tournament. Inky Zondi, Head Coach of the SA Women: “We played very well today and nice to score some goals. Uganda plays with tremendous spirit and it’s a really great addition to the tournament to have them here. From here we focus on the semi-final tomorrow!” The South Africans next take on Kenya in the Semi-Final tomorrow 17;45 South African time, while the second semi-final will see Ghana take on Zimbabwe straight afterwards. AFCON 2022 – Day 4 Results Women Pool A South Africa 10-0 Uganda Zimbabwe 1-1 Namibia Pool B Ghana 4-0 Zambia Nigeria 1-2 Kenya Source: SAHockey.co.za
ACN 2022 – Match Schedule | Day 5
ACN 2022 – Pool Standings after Day 3 (M/W)
ACN 2022 | South Africa seal top spot of Pool A in Kenya victory
With both South Africa and Kenya having already qualified from Pool A for the Semi-Finals following respective victories against Namibia. The two sides have played some classic matches over the years, none more than the 2-1 victory for South Africa at the 2015 Greenfields African Championships. Both teams were keen to secure top spot and the favourable draw in the Semi-Finals. For South Africa the match marked goalkeepers 50th cap for the country. Kenya started the game a little bit faster than the South Africans and won an early penalty corner. What would become a theme of the game on an inconsistent turf was the opportunity was lost. But it hardly mattered, and Kenya created another chance from the resultant play which Festus Onyango should have done better with. South Africa then created arguably the finest opportunity of the opening interchanges when a ball fell to Keenan Horne. The opportunity looked like a replica of his opportunity against Germany at the Tokyo Olympics, but it was well saved by Shidogo in the Kenyan goal. A brilliant defensive block denied Brad Sherwood his third international goal after a scintillating run by the South African co vice-captain Bili Ntuli. South Africa and Kenya were awarded a number of penalty corners, but the titanic chess match played out as a goalless first half, much like a match between two teams already qualified for the semi-finals. The second half saw South Africa take the lead, which was probably deserved on the balance of play. Keenan Horne called for a quick ball from the sideline that caught the Kenyan defenders napping and a selfless ball to Bili Ntuli left the striker a simple job of tapping in. Ntuli and Spooner, a combination that works well for Harvestehuder in Germany, worked again for the South Africans as Spooner fired in a pinpoint cross and Ntuli was on hand to steer it home to give the South Africans a 2-0 lead. With the number of penalty corners being given away, it felt like one would eventually go in for one of the teams. And to the disappointment of the South Africans, it was the Kenyans who scored it. Captain Constance Wankgura fired it past Siya Nolutshungu to set up a grandstand finish. But rather than ending in a storm the game petered out with errors more telling than moments of brilliance. As a result, South Africa will now watch the action tomorrow to find out who they take on in the Semi-Finals on Saturday, while a date with Egypt is looming for the Kenyan Men. Tim Drummond, captain of South Africa. “Its always a physical game against Kenya. They are fit and a good team. We pride ourselves on our defence we will look at the video afterwards and see the areas that we need to improve. We always want to score goals and we will see different things we can do in the Semi-Final on Saturday.’