African Hockey Federation | Olympic Games Archives - Page 6 of 6

FIH Pro League | Olympic Champions given a scare by South Africa

South Africa concluded their FIH Pro League tournament against Olympic Champions Belgium. The SA Men knew they would have a massive challenge ahead of them as the Belgians had won the previous four encounters with a combined 28-6 score line including the 5-0 victory yesterday. The game started off sensationally with South Africa winning an early penalty corner following some good work by the returning Dayaan Cassiem. The penalty corner itself was nothing short of perfection as Connor Beauchamp rifled the ball into the roof of the net. It was a rocket of a penalty corner and gave the African Champions a massive lift. Belgium would level but it would take a remarkable team goal of quick incisive play to create the goal finished off coolly by Nelson Onana. South Africa though continued to trouble the Belgians and were a good value opposition with Mustapha Cassiem enjoying making a nuisance of himself. The second quarter continued to follow the pattern of the first with both sides having opportunities and the South Africans looking very dangerous on the counter as the likes of Bili Ntuli, Dayaan Cassiem and Keenan Horne combined fluidly throughout. But the half reached its conclusion with a probably fair score line of 1-1. Early in the third quarter South Africa had a big chance through skipper Keenan Horne. The Striker was afforded space, but his tomahawk shot flew narrowly over the bar. The Belgians would take that lifeline and in 5 intense minutes push the pressure home. Florent van Aubel took advantage of a lapse in concentration in the South African defence to leap onto the ball and finish into the back of the net. Tom Boon then followed suite by robbing the ball from Tyson Dlungwana and finishing with incredible pace and added his second from a penalty corner. 4-1 at the end of the third quarter. South Africa continued to trouble the Belgians and ask questions which led to a reward for the team. Another penalty corner was awarded and the South Africans once again turned to Connor Beauchamp who took the opportunity like a season professional. It was a consolation, but it was a massively deserving one for a superb performance. For the South Africans all eyes now turn to the Commonwealth Games in 50 days where they will be looking to emulate or improve on their performances from previous tournaments, while applying the lessons taught throughout an incredible FIH Pro League experience.

Tokyo 2020: Netherlands defeat Argentina to take women’s Olympic crown

6 August 2021 Day 14 (Evening): The Netherlands added the Olympic gold medal to their World, European and FIH Hockey Pro League titles thanks to a 3-1 victory over Argentina, bringing a wonderful Hockey competition at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 to a close. The win gave the Oranje their fourth Olympic crown, with the 2020 gold medal being added to those collected at Los Angeles 1984, Beijing 2008 and London 2012. For team captain Eva de Goede and star attacker Lidewij Welten, it is a third Olympic gold medal and a fourth in total, with both players having been part of the triumphant campaigns in 2008 and 2012 as well as winning silver at Rio 2016. It is a fitting reward for a Netherlands side that has been the dominant force of women’s international hockey for the past five years, with the team coached by Alyson Annan – herself a double Olympic hockey gold medallist with Australia – absolutely justifying their position as pre-competition favourites. Argentina made life incredibly difficult for the Netherlands in the first period, although Caia van Maasakker came close to opening the scoring when her penalty corner drag-flick rattled the Argentine crossbar. The third quarter was decisive, with the Oranje opening up a three-goal lead that would prove too great a mountain for Las Leonas to climb. Margot van Geffen’s superb penalty corner tip-in broke the deadlock in the 23rd minute, before van Maasakker scored two unstoppable penalty corner drag-flicks to put the Dutch into a commanding lead. However, Argentina hit back almost immediately when Agustina Gorzelany’s powerful penalty corner drag-flick squeezed between the legs of Netherlands goalkeeper Josine Koning, giving the South American giants a lifeline going into the final 30 minutes. Argentina battled hard in an attempt to claw back the situation but found clear goal-scoring opportunities few and far between thanks to the magnificent Dutch defensive line, which only conceded four times in their eight matches here in Tokyo. It was a deserved success for a team that is without question the best in the world, with Argentina having to settle for a third Olympic silver following their final defeats at Sydney 2000 and London 2012. “It’s amazing – I’m a bit speechless, I’m sorry, I just can’t believe that we actually did it”, said Netherlands captain Eva de Goede after the match. “We worked so hard for it, just like every other team. My fourth Olympics, fourth time in the final, and to win my third gold medal is just something that you not even dare to dream of. “And I’m so happy that after five years ago when we won the silver medal that I can give this gold medal now to the team, to the girls who won the silver there. It’s just the best feeling ever.” When asked about how proud she was to captain this team, de Goede said: “It’s almost an easy job for me. It’s just great to play in a team that’s willing to do better every training, every time we see each other we invest so much time in each other. We are each other’s friends, we have each other’s backs, just can’t be better than this. “You really see a team playing every single time you step on the pitch and that’s what I’m most proud of, and that’s why I actually started to play hockey because it was most fun to play in a team, and this is it for me.” Argentina captain Noel Barrionuevo said: “I’m feeling sad, but at the same time I’m also feeling happy because at the end we were able to reach an Olympic final, this is something amazing, and we were also able to take the silver home. It was a pretty close game. We were facing a very dynamic rival. They scored their goals very quickly, so we were not able to recover from that.” On how proud she is to win a silver medal for Argentina, Barrionuevo said: “I’m feeling proud, really proud. I’m very proud to represent Argentina here. I’m also proud of the team, and at the end right now I’m feeling like a privileged person.” More information about the match can be found by clicking here. Earlier in the day, Great Britain’s women secured their third successive Olympic medal by edging India 4-3 in a hugely entertaining bronze medal match. The London 2012 bronze and Rio 2016 gold medallists were given a huge test by the Indian team, fighting back from 3-2 down to win 4-3 thanks to strikes from captain Hollie Pearne-Webb and Grace Balsdon in a contest played in sweltering conditions. It is Great Britain’s fourth Olympic medal, having also medalled at Barcelona 1992 with a 4-3 victory against Korea. It is also a first Olympic medal for Great Britain head coach Mark Hager, who took New Zealand’s women to the bronze medal games at both the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Olympics but suffered defeat on both occasions. It is a third Olympic medal for defender Laura Unsworth, who was also part of the London and Rio campaigns. While defeat left India’s players and coaching staff clearly heartbroken, the team captained by Rani and coached by Sjoerd Marijne can leave Tokyo feeling incredibly proud of their achievement, matching their previous best Olympic finish of fourth, which came at Moscow 1980. More information about the match can be found by clicking here. For all information about the hockey competitions at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, visit https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/olympic-games/en/results/hockey/olympic-schedule-and-results.htm. Make sure that you use #Tokyo2020, #Hockey, #StrongerTogether, #HockeyInvites @Tokyo2020 and @olympics on social media when showing your support for your nation. Be sure to follow FIH for all the latest updates as teams and fans get ready for the biggest show on earth – the Olympic Games. Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 – Hockey competitions 6 August 2021 – Day 14 Results Bronze – Great Britain 4-3 India Gold – Netherlands 3-1 Argentina Final Standings – Men Gold – Belgium Silver – Australia Bronze – India 4 – Germany 5 – Great Britain 6 – Netherlands 7 – Argentina 8 – Spain

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Tokyo 2020: Great Britain secure women’s bronze with narrow win over India

6 August 2021 Day 14 (Morning): Great Britain’s women secured their third successive Olympic medal by edging India 4-3 in a hugely entertaining bronze medal match at the Oi Hockey Stadium this morning. The London 2012 bronze and Rio 2016 gold medallists were given a huge test by the Indian team, fighting back from 3-2 down to win 4-3 thanks to strikes from captain Hollie Pearne-Webb and Grace Balsdon in a contest played in sweltering conditions. It is Great Britain’s fourth Olympic medal, having also medalled at Barcelona 1992 with a 4-3 victory against South Africa. It was also a first medal for Great Britain head coach Mark Hager, who took New Zealand’s women to the bronze medal games at both the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Olympics but suffering defeat on both occasions. It is a third Olympic medal for defender Laura Unsworth, who was also part of the London and Rio campaigns. While defeat left India’s players and coaching staff clearly heartbroken, the team captained by Rani and coached by Sjoerd Marijne can leave Tokyo feeling incredibly proud of their achievement, matching their previous best Olympic finish of fourth, which came at Moscow 1980. Despite the on-field temperature reaching 43 degrees Celsius – a situation that lead to the implementation of not only extended quarter time breaks but also mid-quarter hydration breaks – the contest between the two teams was nothing short of thrilling. Both teams had chances to score in a goal-less first quarter before a flurry of goals arrived in the second period, with Great Britain’s Ellie Rayer and Sarah Robertson – who struck a diving backhand into the goal via the left post – opening up a 2-0 lead. Incredibly, India responded with three goals in just four minutes, as Gurjit Kaur bagged two penalty corners before Vandana Katariya scored from open play to leave Great Britain trailing at half time. A captain’s goal from Hollie Pearne-Webb levelled the scores with a rare but high-quality strike from open play five minutes after half time, with the game’s decisive moment coming from the stick of Grace Balsdon early in the fourth quarter, sending a low penalty corner drag-flick between the legs of India goalkeeper Savita. India fought until the very last second, but Great Britain’s defence – coupled with another excellent goalkeeping display from Maddie Hinch – held firm to seal the bronze medal. “This is definitely up there”, said GB’s Laura Unsworth on winning her third Olympic medal. “This has probably been my most challenging cycle since I first started, so on a personal note this is probably the most special medal out of all three of them. It has been a tough five years and to come away with a bronze medal to top it all off is just what dreams are made of.” Talking about his message to his team after the defeat, India head coach Sjoerd Marijne said: “The first thing I said, like for me personal, first the emotion is about losing, yeah you want to win, but really first off that I feel proud. Pride. I’m proud of the girls, how they again showed their fight and skills. And normally when Indian woman team came 2-0 behind they always went 3-0, 4-0, and now they kept fighting. We came back in the match, we even were one up. “And I said to the girls, ‘Listen, I can’t take away your tears. No words will help for that. We didn’t win the medal, but I think we achieved something bigger, and it’s inspiring a country and make the country proud.’ And I’ve shown many messages of people who were saying that, and I think the world have seen another Indian team, and I’m really proud of that.” More information about the match can be found by clicking here. The women’s Hockey gold medal match begins at 19:00 and will see hot favourites the Netherlands taking on Argentina. The Dutch are now just one win away from being in possession of the World, European, FIH Hockey Pro League and Olympic titles. However, they are not expected to have everything their own way against Las Leonas. Fascinatingly, Argentina were the last team to beat the Netherlands, inflicting defeat on the Dutch during their FIH Hockey Pro League encounter in Buenos Aires in February 2020, with the Oranje claiming a 3-1 victory the following day. The gold medal game will be umpired by Laurine Delforge (BEL) and Sarah Wilson (SCO), with Amber Church (NZL) and Kelly Hudson (NZL) the reserve umpire and video umpire respectively. The hockey competitions at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 take place from Saturday 24 July to Friday 6 August 2021. Both the men’s and women’s competitions featured 12 teams, split into two pools of six ahead of quarter-finals, semi-finals and medal matches. For more information about the hockey competitions at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, visit https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/olympic-games/en/results/hockey/olympic-schedule-and-results.htm. Make sure that you use #Tokyo2020, #Hockey, #StrongerTogether, #HockeyInvites @Tokyo2020 and @olympics on social media when showing your support for your nation. Be sure to follow FIH for all the latest updates as teams and fans get ready for the biggest show on earth – the Olympic Games. Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 – Hockey competitions 6 August 2021 – Day 14 (Morning) Result – Bronze medal match Great Britain 4-3 India Upcoming fixtures All times Japan Standard Time (UTC/GMT+9) 6 August 2021 19:00 – Gold – Netherlands v Argentina Final Standings – Men Gold – Belgium Silver – Australia Bronze – India 4 – Germany 5 – Great Britain 6 – Netherlands 7 – Argentina 8 – Spain 9 – New Zealand 10 – South Africa 11 – Japan 12 – Canada Final Standings – Women Gold – Silver – Bronze – Great Britain 4 – India 5 – Australia 6 – Germany 7 – Spain 8 – New Zealand 9 – China 10 – Ireland 11 – Japan 12 – South Africa #Tokyo2020 #StrongerTogether #HockeyInvites

Tokyo 2020: Belgium men crowned Olympic champions in Tokyo

5 August 2021 Day 13 (Evening): The winners of the men’s Olympic gold medal at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 are Belgium, who claimed a dramatic shoot-out victory against Australia thanks to a heroic goalkeeping performance from Vincent Vanasch. The Olympic silver medallists from Rio 2016 went one step higher up the podium this time around, with Vanasch – a two-times FIH Men’s Goalkeeper of the Year – denying three Australian players in the one-on-ones as the Red Lions added the Olympic crown to the World Cup they won in India three years ago. As well as earning that much coveted Olympic gold medal, the result means that Belgium have moved back to number one in the FIH World Rankings. The gold medal match itself was incredibly tense throughout, with the two finest men’s hockey teams on the planet proving themselves inseparable for the vast majority of a fierce, high-quality contest. Both Vanasch and Andrew Charter, his opposite number in the Australian goal, made some stunning saves in the game before the deadlock was finally broken early in the third quarter when Florent Van Aubel pounced from close range with a cunning, lifted finish. Australia pulled level thanks to Tom Wickham’s brilliant overhead tap-in, showing his predatory instincts to force the ball over the line after both Flynn Ogilvie and Aran Zalewski kept the ball alive in the Belgian circle. Both teams had chances late on, but in the end, it came down to a shoot-out to separate the two highest ranked teams in the world, giving the sensational Vanasch a chance to shine. The shot-stopper gave Belgium an early advantage when he saved Australia’s first attempt, slapping the ball away from the stick of Blake Govers before Van Aubel and Arthur de Sloover netted either side of Flynn Ogilvie to give Belgium a 2-1 lead. Australia’s Tim Brand scored to keep the pressure on the Belgians, who then missed their next attempt when the usually calm and collected Felix Denayer lost control, with Australia’s Andrew Charter making the save. However, when Vanasch denied the effort of Joshua Simmonds and competition top scorer Alexander Hendrickx slotted home a penalty stroke after Charter had fouled Victor Wegnez, the pressure was all on Australia’s midfield dynamo Jake Whetton. When the Australian player hit the post, Belgium’s players exploded in celebration, but an Australian video referral ruled that Vanasch had accidently fouled Whetton before his shot, resulting in a re-award. However, Vanasch took the moment in his stride, stepping out to save Whetton’s second attempt and spark scenes of utter jubilation from all members of the Belgian contingent, and leave level-headed coach Shane McLeod unable to control his emotions, crying tears of joy. “It’s history again”, said shoot-out hero Vincent Vanasch. “It was history at the World Cup, at the European Championships and now it’s history at the Olympics. I will cherish that moment for a long time. This team is a dream team.” Commenting on his performance and how he handles himself in shoot-out situations, Vanasch said: “It’s just that we train so much. I’m like a musician, it’s a rehearsal and then you come to the concert and it comes naturally. That’s how I come on the pitch. I’m composed, but also I trust myself, I trust my reflexes and you can learn that from experience and that’s why today I did something like this.” Australia captain Eddie Ockenden said: “It was a tough match. It was a close game but I thought we had the running at the end and couldn’t quite get there. Shoot-outs are tough. I prefer extra time. We couldn’t get it done in the shootout.” A shoot-out defeat was a tough ending to a superb Australian campaign here in Tokyo, but they will be determined to upgrade silver for gold at the Olympic Games Paris 2024, just as Belgium have done this evening here at the Oi Hockey Stadium. More information about the match can be found by clicking here. Earlier in the day, India claimed an Olympic medal for the first time since winning gold at Moscow 1980, beating Germany 5-4 in one of the most dramatic bronze medal matches in Olympic history. India fought back from 3-1 down to claim a sensational 5-4 victory over Die Honamas to seal their place on the podium this evening, with goals from Simranjeet Singh (2), Harmanpreet Singh, Rupinder Pal Singh and Hardik Singh denying Germany a medal at a fourth successive Olympic Games (Gold: Beijing 2008, London 2012, Bronze: Rio 2016). More information about the bronze medal match can be found by clicking here. The Hockey competition of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 enters its final day tomorrow, with the women’s medals being decided. The bronze medal match will take place on Friday 6 August, with Great Britain and India going-head-to head at 10:30 Japan Standard Time (UTC/GMT +9). GB are targeting a third Olympic medal on the bounce following bronze at London 2012 and gold at Rio 2016, while India, already guaranteed to match their previous best finish (4th – Moscow 1980), have the chance to create a moment of sporting history by claiming a first Olympic medal in women’s hockey. The match will be umpired by Michelle Joubert (RSA) and Michelle Meister (GER), with Irene Presenqui (ARG) and Kelly Hudson (NZL) the reserve umpire and video umpire respectively. The women’s Hockey gold medal match takes place at 19:00 will see hot favourites the Netherlands taking on Argentina. The Dutch are now just one win away from being in possession of the World, European, FIH Hockey Pro League and Olympic titles. However, they are not expected to have everything their own way against Las Leonas. Fascinatingly, Argentina were the last team to beat the Netherlands, inflicting defeat on the Dutch during their FIH Hockey Pro League encounter in Buenos Aires in February 2020, with the Oranje claiming a 3-1 victory the following day. The gold medal game will be umpired by Laurine Delforge (BEL) and Sarah Wilson (SCO), with Amber Church (NZL) and

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Media Release – Tokyo 2020: India men beat Germany in thriller to claim first Olympic medal in 41 years

5 August 2021 Tokyo 2020: India men beat Germany in thriller to claim first Olympic medal in 41 years Day 13 (Morning): India have claimed an Olympic medal for the first time since winning gold at Moscow 1980, beating Germany 5-4 in one of the most dramatic bronze medal matches in Olympic history. India fought back from 3-1 down to claim a sensational 5-4 victory over Die Honamas to seal their place on the podium this evening, with goals from Simranjeet Singh (2), Harmanpreet Singh, Rupinder Pal Singh and Hardik Singh denying Germany a medal at a fourth successive Olympic Games (Gold: Beijing 2008, London 2012, Bronze: Rio 2016). Timur Oruz put Germany into the lead just two minutes into the contest after India failed to clear their defensive lines before Simranjeet Singh levelled the scores early in the second quarter with a fierce backhand strike. Simranjeet’s effort was the first of five goals in the second quarter, with Germany dominating to open up a fully deserved 3-1 lead thanks to goals from Niklas Wellen and Benedikt Furk before India hit a quick-fire double through Hardik Singh and the exceptional Harmanpreet Singh to take the score to 3-3 at half time. India’s momentum was not interrupted by the half time break, with Rupinder Pal Singh scoring a penalty stroke before Simranjeet Singh chipped home a fifth to put the eight-times Olympic gold medallists into a commanding 5-3 lead going into the final quarter. Germany have proven time and time again that they never know when they are beaten, and set about the task of attempting a comeback with typical determination. They reduced the deficit 12 minutes from time when Lukas Windfeder slammed home a low penalty corner, setting up a dramatic climax to the contest. Die Honamas threw everything they had at their opponents, and were given one final chance to salvage the contest when they were awarded a penalty corner with just six seconds remaining. However, the drag-flick from the top of the circle was brilliantly saved by India goalkeeper PR Sreejesh, becoming the hero that sealed India’s bronze medal here at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020. “That is something which I never felt in my life until today”, said Sreejesh after the match. “That’s a great feeling. I think I need to go back to my home to realise what it is actually. Just waiting for that. I just called my dad because he was the reason behind me being here and I just wanted to tell him that I achieved it.” India captain Manpreet Singh said: “I don’t know what to say right now. It was fantastic, the way we played today. I think we deserved this medal as we have worked so hard, and the last 15 months has been so difficult for us, being in Bangalore away from our families. From the whole team and the coaches we would like to dedicate this medal to our doctors and front-line warriors who have been checking us and saved so many people’s lives in India.” It was a heart-breaking finish to the contest for Germany and their legendary captain Tobias Hauke, with the double Olympic gold medallist unable to add a second bronze to that which he collected at Rio 2016 during the final match of his extraordinary playing career. More information about the match can be found by clicking here. The men’s Hockey gold medal match will be contested between the two highest ranked teams in the world, with Australia, Olympic champions at Athens 2004, set to face reigning World champions Belgium, silver medallists at Rio 2016, at 19:00 in a dream title match here at the magnificent Oi Hockey Stadium. Marcin Grochal (POL) and Coen van Bunge (NED) will umpire the showpiece match, with German Montes de Oca (ARG) being reserve umpire and Benjamin Gontgen (GER) the video umpire. The hockey competitions at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 take place from Saturday 24 July to Friday 6 August 2021. Both the men’s and women’s competitions featured 12 teams, split into two pools of six ahead of quarter-finals, semi-finals and medal matches. For more information about the hockey competitions at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, visit https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/olympic-games/en/results/hockey/olympic-schedule-and-results.htm. Make sure that you use #Tokyo2020, #Hockey, #StrongerTogether, #HockeyInvites @Tokyo2020 and @olympics on social media when showing your support for your nation. Be sure to follow FIH for all the latest updates as teams and fans get ready for the biggest show on earth – the Olympic Games. Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 – Hockey competitions 5 August 2021 – Day 13 (Morning) Result – Bronze medal match Germany 4-5 India Upcoming fixtures All times Japan Standard Time (UTC/GMT+9) 5 August 2021 (Evening) 19:00 – Gold – Australia v Belgium Women’s medal matches – 6 August 2021 10:30 – Bronze – Great Britain v India 19:00 – Gold – Netherlands v Argentina Final Standings – Men Gold – Silver – Bronze – India 4 – Germany 5 – Great Britain 6 – Netherlands 7 – Argentina 8 – Spain 9 – New Zealand 10 – South Africa 11 – Japan 12 – Canada Final Standings – Women Gold – Silver – Bronze – 4 – 5 – Australia 6 – Germany 7 – Spain 8 – New Zealand 9 – China 10 – Ireland 11 – Japan 12 – South Africa #Tokyo2020 #StrongerTogether #HockeyInvites

Media Release – Tokyo 2020: Spain men & India women keep Olympic dreams alive

30 July 2021 Tokyo 2020: Spain men & India women keep Olympic dreams alive Day 7 (Morning): A torrential downpour may have been enough to delay the start of the day’s play, but it certainly could not stop the drama as Spain’s men and India’s women kept their Olympic dreams alive at the Oi Hockey Stadium. A late Pau Quemada strike earned Spain a shock 1-1 draw against Pool A winners Australia to seal their place in the competition quarter-finals, while India’s women also left it late, with Navneet Kaur’s winner against Ireland keeping her side in the competition just when elimination seemed certain. South Africa’s men and women were also in action, but could not find the results they needed to reach the knock-out stages. More information about the matches can be found below. Results (Morning) Women’s Pool A South Africa 1-4 Germany Germany proved too strong for Pool A rivals South Africa, cruising to a 4-1 victory over their opponents in a match that was delayed by over an hour due to a torrential downpour here in Tokyo. The result moves Die Danas level on points with the Netherlands, who they face tomorrow to determine the winner of Pool B. Defeat for South Africa means they can no longer qualify for the quarter-finals. The delayed start did not stop Germany from exploding out of the blocks once the match finally started, with Lisa Altenburg’s flicked effort putting Die Danas into the lead with just 75 seconds played. A penalty corner from Sonja Zimmerman and a second for Altenburg gave Germany a richly deserved 3-0 advantage at half time. Anne Schroder made it 4-0 with a superb reverse deflection that beat unsighted South Africa goalkeeper Phumelela Mbande at her near post before Toni Marks netted a well-worked team goal to give South Africa a consolation goal. Commenting on singing the national anthem in the middle of a torrential downpour, South Africa’s Marizen Marais said: “We all had a little bit of a laugh because we could not sing it was raining so hard”, with Germany’s Viktoria Huse describing the weather conditions as “so crazy”. Match information and statistics can be found on Olympics.com by clicking here. Ireland 0-1 India India claimed a dramatic victory over Ireland to keep their quarter-final qualification hopes alive, with Navneet Kaur netting three minutes from time to earn the Asians their first points of the competition. A draw or defeat would have resulted in India’s elimination, but Kaur’s fine close-range deflection proved to be enough for a crucial three points against a team who now sit above them only on goal difference. Ireland – who needed a point to secure their progress into the knock-out stage – produced a magnificent defensive display throughout the match, with goalkeeper Ayeisha McFerran the star of the show as her team kept out a staggering 14 penalty corner opportunities. It seemed that their wastefulness was going to cost them dearly, but Navneet Kaur’s clever touch on team captain Rani’s dangerous cross-shot was enough to maintain India’s dreams of reaching the competition quarter finals with one round of matches left to play. India take on the already eliminated South Africa in their final pool match, with Ireland facing a tough encounter against Great Britain. “We had so many penalty corners and Ireland defended well”, said India captain Rani. “We had so many opportunities and we missed so many opportunities. There was a lot of pressure because this was a must-win game for both teams. And I am so proud because we stayed calm.” Ireland’s Deirdrie Duke said: “That was a game that we needed to win and we didn’t so that’s my overwhelming feeling. Quick turnaround tomorrow. Depending on other results now, that quarter final spot is still up for grabs, so we’re going to have to park this pretty quick and get ourselves up for a big one tomorrow.” Match information and statistics can be found on Olympics.com by clicking here. Men’s Pool A Australia 1-1 Spain A last gasp equaliser from Pau Quemada booked Spain’s place in the quarter finals, earning his team a dramatic 1-1 draw against Pool A winners Australia, who dropped their first points of the competition. It was a sensational result for the Red Sticks, claiming the vital point that the needed to seal a berth in the knock-out phase, with Argentina and New Zealand – the only teams mathematically capable of catching them – playing each other this evening. Australia’s first place finish in Pool A means they will face a cross-over quarter-final match against the team that finishes fourth in Pool B, which will be concluded this evening. Australia took the lead the lead three minutes into the second quarter when Tom Wickham pounced from close range after Spain shot-stopper Quico Cortes saved a penalty corner effort. However, the Red Sticks produced their best performance of the competition to stay within touching distance of the mighty Kookaburras, who dominated possession but could not kill the game off before Quemada’s dramatic late intervention, with the 36-year-old somehow finding a route to goal with a deflected penalty corner effort. “It was important because it gave us one point and we really need that point”, said Spain hero Pau Quemada. “It wasn’t a pretty goal, but a goal is a goal. It is what we needed to qualify for the quarter-finals.” Reflecting on the result, Australia’s Aran Zelewski said: “We wanted to make the quarterfinal and finish on top of our ladder. It puts us in the best position for the quarter-final on Sunday. We will go back in and learn from what happened at the end. The main thing is we finished on top.” Match information and statistics can be found on Olympics.com by clicking here. Canada 4-4 South Africa South Africa’s slim hopes of reaching the competition quarter finals were ended when they could only claim one point against Canada, who earned their first point of the tournament in a thrilling 4-4 draw. The African continental champions needed

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Media Release – Tokyo 2020: South Africa men stun Olympic giants Germany

29 July 2021 Tokyo 2020: South Africa men stun Olympic giants Germany Day 6 (Morning): The Netherlands and Great Britain have both joined Men’s Pool B leaders Belgium in the quarter-finals of the hockey competition of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020. A fourth successive win for Belgium sees them remain clear at the top of Pool B, with a thrilling draw between the Dutch and GB earning them a point apiece to confirm their respective berths in the knock-out stages. However, a shock defeat for Germany at the hands of South Africa means that their place in the last eight is not yet sealed, with the excellent South Africans still having a slim chance of progressing. In Men’s Pool A, India defeated reigning Olympic champions Argentina to book a ticket to the knock-out phases, with Los Leones currently outside of those all-important top four positions with one round of matches remaining. More information about the matches can be found below. Results (Morning) Men’s Pool A India 3-1 Argentina A tense encounter between India and Argentina was eventually won by the eight times Olympic gold medallists, who came away with a 3-1 victory against the reigning Olympic champions. India are now certain of a top two finish in Pool A, although Australia’s three point lead – and a vastly superior goal-difference – would make a first place finish unlikely going into the final round of matches. India did most of the attacking in the first two periods, but Argentina produced an excellent defensive performance to keep the Asian giants off the scoreboard. The pressure eventually told when Varun Kumar’s deflected penalty corner drag-flick deceived Argentina goalkeeper Juan Vivaldi and flew into the net. Argentina hit back thanks to Maico Casella, who ripped a high and powerful penalty corner drag-flick into the goal to restore parity with 12 minutes of the match remaining. However, late goals from Vivek Prasad and Harmanpreet Singh wrapped up the points for India and inflicted another blow to Argentina’s hopes of defending their Olympic title. Reflecting on the victory, India’s Rupinder Pal Singh said: “Feeling great after the win but there’s a lot of things to improve yet because the important games are coming in a few days.” Argentina’s Maico Casella said: “It was a tough game. We defended a lot. We knew that the game was going to be like this. We played the game we had to play but they did well also. We have to play against New Zealand and we have to win. Our mind now is there.” Match information and statistics can be found on Olympics.com by clicking here. Men’s Pool B Belgium 9-1 Canada Reigning World champions Belgium thrashed Canada to earn a fourth win on the bounce, maintaining their three-point lead at the top of the Pool B standings while eliminating the Canadians from the competition in the process. Canada are now unable to qualify for the quarter-finals, being six points away from the qualification positions with just one match, against fifth-placed South Africa, remaining. Canada kept the brilliant Belgians under control for large periods of the opening two quarters, with Alexander Hendrickx’s 12th minute opener being cancelled out by a superb run and backhand strike from Mark Pearson. The Red Lions had to wait until the 29th minute before taking the lead, with Sebastian Dockier on target ahead of a rampant display after half time. Dockier and Hendrickx both claimed second goals either side of an effort from Felix Denayer, with Simon Gougnard and Cedric Charlier pushing the score to 7-1 at the end of the third quarter. Tom Boon and a stunning deflection from Florent Van Aubel – playing his 250th match for Belgium – completed the scoring, as Belgium hit nine goals for the second successive match; an ominous sign for their gold medal rivals here in Tokyo. “We’ve got it all in our hands and that was the number one priority, and now we know how this kind of tournament works”, said Belgium’s Florent Van Aubel. “We’re qualified for the quarter-finals and it’s now that we have to do it. So we have one game against GB (Great Britain), an important game, and then it’s do or die, three games in a row. That’s what we play for.” Canada goalkeeper Antoni Kindler said: “Obviously disappointed. We’re playing the world champions so to be competitive with those guys you have to play your best hockey for 60 minutes. Unfortunately we let it slip there in the third quarter. With a team of their quality, every opportunity they have they capitalise.” Match information and statistics can be found on Olympics.com by clicking here. South Africa 4-3 Germany South Africa produced unquestionably the biggest shock of the tournament so far with a stunning 4-3 victory over the much-fancied Germany. While the result keeps South Africa’s chances of qualifying for the competition quarter-finals technically alive, they would need not only for results to go in their favour but also for a dramatic change in goal-difference if they are to catch the Germans, who ended the day fourth in the Pool B standings. Germany justified their status as pre-match favourites when Timm Herzbruch fired home a messy penalty corner, but South Africa were level just a minute later thanks to a penalty corner of their own, with Matt Guise-Brown slamming a rocket against the backboard. Keenan Horne put South Africa ahead on the stroke of quarter time, but goals from Lukas Windfeder and Constantin Staib swung the match back in Germany’s favour, earning them a 3-2 half-time lead. Germany battered South Africa throughout the third period, but a superb counter-attack goal inspired by the exceptional Dayaan Cassiem resulted in Nicolas Spooner levelling the scores at 3-3. The winner came from the stick of Dayaan’s younger brother Mustaphaa Cassiem, with the 19-year-old – who was crying tears of joy at the end – seeing his speculative cross end up in the goal via a Germany stick, giving South Africa a famous victory over the European giants. “It’s awesome”, said South Africa captain Tim Drummond. “It’s something we’ve trained really hard

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