Lausanne, Switzerland – With just one month to go until the inaugural edition of the FIH Hockey Men’s Nations Cup 2 Oman 2025, excitement is reaching fever pitch in the hockey world. From February 17 to 23, Muscat, Oman, will play host to this groundbreaking tournament, marking a significant milestone for emerging hockey nations. A New Chapter for International Hockey The FIH Hockey Men’s Nations Cup 2 represents a fresh opportunity for eight ambitious teams, ranked below the teams playing in the FIH Hockey Nations Cup to make their mark on the international stage. The tournament is more than just a competition; it’s a pathway for these teams to ascend to the FIH Hockey Nations Cup and through it ultimately to the FIH Hockey Pro League, offering them a chance to test their mettle against some of the best in the sport.   The Teams Set to Compete This inaugural event will see eight teams battling it out for the title and promotion to the FIH Hockey Nations Cup in 2026.  Pool A: Egypt, Chile, China, Poland Pool B: Austria, Oman, Scotland, United States The Teams Set to Compete This inaugural event will see eight teams battling it out for the title and promotion to the FIH Hockey Nations Cup in 2026.  Pool A: Egypt, Chile, China, Poland Pool B: Austria, Oman, Scotland, United States These teams, hailing from diverse hockey regions, will bring their unique styles and strategies to the field, promising an exhilarating display of hockey. Tournament Format The competition kicks off with pool matches, where teams are divided into two groups of four. Each team will play against every other team in their pool, striving to secure a spot in the semi-finals. From there, the top two teams from each pool will advance to the knockout stage, culminating in the grand final on February 23, where the first-ever FIH Hockey Men’s Nations Cup 2 champion will be crowned. Oman: A Perfect Host Oman’s vibrant capital, Muscat, is gearing up to welcome athletes, officials, and fans from around the globe. The nation has been investing in hockey infrastructure and development, having hosted the FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers and the inaugural edition of the FIH Hockey5s World Cup in 2024, making it an ideal venue for such a prestigious event. The local organizing committee, alongside the Oman Hockey Association, has been working tirelessly to ensure a world-class experience for all participants. FIH President Tayyab Ikram, speaking about the upcoming inaugural edition of the FIH Hockey Men’s Nations Cup 2, said: “The FIH Hockey Nations Cup 2 offers a unique opportunity for teams ranked just below the FIH Hockey Nations Cup to showcase their talent in a global competition. This new event enables us to further promote growth and competitiveness within the sport as we bring international exposure to more and more countries around the world. I am sure their performances will not only highlight the skill and talent they possess, but also set a new benchmark for future editions of the competition.  On behalf of FIH, I would like to express our sincerest gratitude to the Sultanate of Oman and in particular His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tariq, as well the Local Organising Committee led by the Oman Hockey Federation Chairman, Dr. Marwan Juma Al Juma, for welcoming us once more in their beautiful country.” Rashad Al Fazari of the Oman national team said: “Participating in the inaugural FIH Nations Cup 2 in Oman is a significant moment for us, particularly as we encounter some teams for the first time. Hosting this tournament & Competing before our home crowd fills us with immense pride and motivation.” For more details on the event, including the complete match schedule, click here. #MadeForHockey #FIHNationsCup2  Keep up to date with all the latest hockey news on the FIH website and through the FIH social media channels – Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.  Source: FIH.hockey Related posts: Malaysia eliminated as Germany top Pool D on Day 12 of Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup Bhubaneswar 2018 FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023 Bhubaneswar – Rourkela: draw scheduled on 8 September FIH Hockey Men’s World Cup: what do stats tell? Unsung Heroes of Olympic Hockey: the Umpires

15 Jul, 2024 The Olympics are a grand spectacle, showcasing the pinnacle of athletic achievement. Yet, behind every stunning goal and breathtaking save lies the tireless work of hockey umpires, a key part of the officiating team, ensuring the smooth operation and fairness of the matches. This officiating team, all of whom are volunteers, includes the Technical Delegates, Technical Officials, Umpire Managers, Umpires and Medical Officers, who act together as crucial cogs in creating the global spectacle that is Olympic Hockey. In today’s story, we delve into the crucial roles that umpires play, enriched with insights from Xiaoying Liu from China and Martin Madden from Scotland, two esteemed umpires with decades of experience umpiring at the top level. The Journey to Becoming an Umpire The path to becoming a hockey umpire often begins with a deep-rooted love for the sport. Xiaoying Liu’s story is a testament to this passion. “I played hockey for 12 years and after I retired, I didn’t want to leave this group. I chose to be an umpire because I can stay connected with the people and the sport and give back to it,” Xiaoying shared. Her transition from player to umpire highlights a common trajectory where former athletes find a new way to stay connected to the game they love. Similarly, Martin Madden’s journey was influenced by family and opportunity. “I started umpiring when I was 15. My dad, an international hockey umpire, suggested I give it a try, and it turned out I had a natural ability for it,” Martin recalled. His early start and familial encouragement were pivotal in his umpiring career, underscoring the diverse routes individuals take towards becoming an international umpire. Balancing Life and Officiating: The Second Family Being an umpire is a commitment that requires balancing personal life with professional responsibilities. Xiaoying articulated this challenge: “We need to balance family, our professional careers and hockey careers. As a female umpire with a family and two children, it’s difficult to leave them for long periods. But we want to continue following our passion and perform at a high level to set an example for our kids.” For Martin, the camaraderie among umpires helps alleviate some of these challenges. “It’s all the shared experience. We spend a lot of time together at tournaments, helping each other through tough days and celebrating good ones. It’s unique because it’s not just feedback before and after matches. During the matches, the level of conversations between the two umpires on field and the feedback we share with each other in the immediate moment is not something I think we see in other sports. This creates a strong bond, making us feel like a family,” he explained. This sense of family among officials is a distinctive aspect of the hockey umpiring community, fostering a supportive environment both on and off the field. The Olympic Experience Umpiring at the Olympics is a dream come true for many umpires, but it also presents unique challenges and experiences. Xiaoying’s first Olympic experience in Tokyo was marked by strict COVID-19 protocols. “It was very special but also very different because of the restrictions. We couldn’t go out or watch other sports, and it was totally different from every other tournament,” she reflected. Without these limitations, and with sell out crowds, Xiaoying is looking forward to Paris 2024 with optimism, hoping to showcase her true abilities. Martin, who has umpired at many high-profile events including multiple World Cups and Olympic Games, mentions the stark contrast in the scale of the overall event. “The absolute size and scale of the Olympics compared to any other event is phenomenal. You realize you’re a small part of a massive movement,” he noted. As he approaches his final Olympic tournament before retirement, Martin aims to leave on a high note, cherishing the time spent with fellow umpires and striving to perform his best. The collaborative environment among umpires enhances the quality of umpiring at all levels. This is especially relevant at an event of the Olympic scale which comes with its unique challenges as the eyes of the world are set firmly on every minute of the action. “We develop strong relationships and bonds through feedback and support. This helps us manage the pressures, improve our skills and ensures the best for the sport,” Martin emphasized. The honesty and mutual respect within the umpiring community contribute significantly to the high standards expected at the Olympics. Team Building and Preparation for Paris 2024 To ensure optimal performance at the Olympic Game Paris 2024, the umpires will arrive early for a pre-Games training camp. Having taken the initiative, 28 umpires and 4 umpire managers will gather in Cergy, north-west of Paris, from 21-24 July and participate in the camp designed for team-building activities and final preparations. This will help them acclimate to the conditions and get over their travel and jet lag, which will contribute towards better performances during the matches. Such initiatives enhance their readiness and are a direct result of the familial bonds built over the years. The dedication and hard work of hockey umpires and officials are pivotal to the success of the Olympic Games. Through their stories, we gain insight into their journeys, challenges, and the camaraderie that defines their community. As they prepare for Paris 2024, their commitment to excellence and their roles as unsung heroes of the sport will undoubtedly contribute to another memorable Olympic Games. The Olympic Games Paris 2024 will be played from 27 July to 9 August. For more details about the competition, visit Olympics.Hockey. The view the complete list of officials for Hockey at Paris 2024, click here. Source: FIH.hockey Related posts: India storm to top of Pool C; Belgium finish second and Canada third in Pool C on Day 11 of Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup Bhubaneswar 2018 Netherlands break Indian hearts at Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup Bhubaneswar 2018 FIH Hockey Mens World Cup | Australia show why they are the World Number 1 Hockey

Continue Reading →

28 Jun, 2024 The 2026 FIH Hockey World Cup, that will be co-organised by Belgium and the Netherlands, added a new chapter to its history today with the official signing of the hosting agreement at a ceremony involving FIH President Tayyab Ikram, Dutch Hockey Association President Erik Klein Nagelvoort and CEO Erik Gerritsen as well as Belgian Hockey Association President Patrick Keusters and CEO Serge Pilet. The signing took place on the occasion of the FIH Hockey Pro League matches currently being played at the Wagener Stadium in Amsterdam, Netherlands, one of the two venues of the 2026 FIH Hockey World Cup, together with the stadium of Wavre, in Belgium, that is currently under construction. The 2026 FIH Hockey World Cup will combine the women’s and the men’s tournaments, and will be played in the host countries’ summertime, from 14 to 30 August 2026. FIH President Tayyab Ikram said: “I would like to start with a heartfelt thank you to the Belgian and Dutch Hockey Associations and authorities for having committed to organising the next edition of the FIH Hockey World Cup – an event that will unite our best women’s and men’s teams from around the world in one big, fantastic joint event, 12 years after the last joint World Cup in The Hague, which was a spectacular success. The Hockey World Cup holds special significance as the global hallmark event of our sport, where the best hockey athletes show their talent and skill, and taking place every four years and between Olympic Games, it is also a great opportunity to witness the changing of the guard and see up-and-coming new contenders and emerging talents. The Netherlands and Belgium are two countries where hockey is alive and thriving, and will undoubtedly make this World Cup an outstanding spectacle that will be an event to remember, and the renovations planned at the iconic Wagener Stadium and the construction of a brand-new hockey stadium in Wavre ensure a lasting legacy for hockey for years to come. I look forward to working with the two countries’ National Associations, together with the FIH professional staff, and supporting them to make this the best Hockey World Cup ever. So, I am pleased to invite all hockey fans from around the world to join us in Belgium and the Netherlands in 2 years’ time to experience the incredible show that the local organisers will undoubtedly put together and the wonderful hospitality of our hosts, but most importantly of course, to see, to admire and to cheer for your heroes, the amazing athletes at the heart of our sport”. KNHB President Erik Klein Nagelvoort said: “We are delighted to host the combined Men’s and Women’s World Cup together with Belgium. We are looking forward to two weeks of great hockey in a packed Wagener Stadion in Amsterdam/Amstelveen in August 2026. Together with Belgium and FIH we are aiming for reaching millions of existing and new hockey fans both in Netherlands and around the world and to promote hockey better than ever before.” Hockey Belgium President Patrick Keusters is enthusiastic: “I’m really happy the hosting agreement with FIH is signed now. This means we can officially kick off the organisation of the biggest international hockey event ever organised on Belgian soil. Our new stadium in Wavre will be the theatre of world class hockey games, showcasing our sport, but also our event organising know-how to millions of Belgian and international spectators. I’m really looking forward to the collaboration with our friends and colleagues of the Dutch federation. I am convinced that together we will be able to put the “Lowlands” on the top of the world once again!” #HWC2026 #HockeyInvites #HockeyEquals Related posts: India storm to top of Pool C; Belgium finish second and Canada third in Pool C on Day 11 of Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup Bhubaneswar 2018 Malaysia eliminated as Germany top Pool D on Day 12 of Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup Bhubaneswar 2018 Netherlands break Indian hearts at Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup Bhubaneswar 2018 Germany crowned World Champions at the FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023

FIH President Tayyab Ikram and FIH CEO Thierry Weil addressed the media at a press conference today at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar. Both answered questions relating to the overall development of hockey and the 2023 FIH Hockey Men’s World Cup. “I congratulate all stakeholders involved in making this Hockey World Cup a grand success. The global hockey family is delighted that the World Cup was organised in Odisha. Our sincere gratitude to Hon’ble Chief Minister Sri Naveen Patnaik and his dynamic team as they put in one of the best platforms for our athletes to perform”, said the FIH President in his opening remarks. “We are in touch with the Odisha government to hold more tournaments here. The investment that has been done here is simply outstanding and we will make sure that we have the proper use of it,” he added. Here are some of the excerpts from the media interaction: India holding most of the FIH events: FIH President: “We are not only focusing on India. As you know, the next World Cup will be held in Belgium and the Netherlands. But India is a big market and we’re fortunate that some of our events have been held here.” Making the sport financially sustainable: FIH CEO: “Hockey hasn’t got the needed commercial value yet. Once we get it, our sport will become financially sustainable. Media and marketing play a key role to promote our sport at the highest level. We are trying hard with broadcasters and other stakeholders to make our sport reach out to a global audience.” Teams ranked on the same position (for example, two teams ranked 9th): FIH President: “We are happy with how the ranking or classification system is right now. For us, the most important thing is the players’ well-being and mental health. Also, we need to make the sport cost-effective for all teams.” Injuries: FIH President: “As per my knowledge, injuries mostly happen when a player has a very short reaction time. Therefore, it’s more about making the game safer for all and we at FIH are working on that.” India’s matches not being telecast on television: FIH CEO: “We have been working hard on how to get more viewership on television. Also, as you all know, we have launched our Watch.Hockey app where all the matches are streamed live, but it’s not available in India because of some contractual obligations. Our efforts have always been to make hockey accessible to all and probably in the next few months you won’t miss a single match where your country plays.” On new surfaces coming into play: FIH CEO: “We want to thank our partners and suppliers, who have worked hard to develop a surface where we can play hockey without water. We used it for our Hockey5s event in Lausanne last year. In the future, pitches won’t need water. For sustainability, it’s very important to save water.” Related posts: FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023 Bhubaneswar-Rourkela: 10 days to go! FIH Hockey Men’s World Cup | Argentina edge South Africa in opener Malaysia, Netherlands and France earn important wins as Leones and Kookaburras play a thrilling draw FIH partners with JSP Foundation for hockey development and Men’s World Cup

29 January, 2023 The final day of the FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023 was played in the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar as Germany were crowned the champions of the world, defeating the defending champions Belgium in a thrilling finals, where they went down by 2 goals early in the first quarter but fought their way back again and took the game into a shoot-out, where they held their nerves in the sudden deaths, winning 5-4. With the win Germany also claimed the top spot in the FIH Men’s World Outdoor Rankings. Earlier in the day Netherlands and Australia went head-to-head in the bronze medal match, where Jeremy Hayward gave them an early lead, but an incredible 3-goal burst in 8 minutes in the third quarter, with captain Thierry Brinkman scoring twice, gave Netherlands the lead that they would take to the end and win the bronze medal. With the win, followed by Belgium’s loss in the finals, Netherlands move up to the second position in the FIH Men’s World Outdoor Rankings, followed by silver medalists Belgium who are now ranked third ahead of Australia, who end the tournament ranked fourth. Bronze Medal Match: Australia vs Netherlands 1-3 Netherlands started the game on the front foot, with Theijs van Dam getting a powerful shot into the circle looking for a Dutch deflection, but Hoedemakers couldn’t get on the end of the cross and Australia survived an early scare. Australia started settling into the game midway through the first quarter and a pass into the circle by Jeremy Hayward found captain Zalewski open on the right of the goal, but his shot/cross went wide off the mark with Blake Govers missing a deflection from point blank range. Australia scored the opening goal of the game through Jeremy Hayward who scored his 100th goal in his 200th appearance for Australia. It was a double blow for the Dutch who had referred the penalty corner and lost their review early in the first quarter. Netherlands won their first penalty corner of the game in the 20th minute but Jip Janssen’s powerful flick went straight as an arrow and Charter managed to pull off a comfortable save to deny Netherlands from their first big chance since the opening minute. Both teams traded opportunities to close the opening half, with big chances falling to Koen Bijen for the Dutch and Blake Govers for the Kookaburras, but both star forwards were off targets with their running shots and the teams headed into the break with Australia holding a slender one-goal advantage against Netherlands. Netherlands started the second half with a high press, which was a tactic that worked quite well for Germany in the semi-finals. The ploy seemed to work well for Netherlands as well as they earned three quick penalty corners inside the first two minutes of the second half, and with the third attempt, Jip Janssen opened his account in the game with a powerful drag to the right of Charter to bring the teams level. Two minutes later, Netherlands were in the lead as a clearance attempt by Tim Howard was blocked by Wortelboer in the circle and the resulting loose ball was put into the goal by Dutch captain Thierry Brinkman. Australia started to press higher in search for an equaliser, but it was Netherlands again who capitalised with a quick counter as van Dam’s run from the half line produced a cross that found Brinkman unmarked at the back post and he made no mistake in doubling Netherlands lead. Australia entered the final 15 minutes needing to score at least 2 goals to keep their hopes of winning a medal at the World Cup alive. Their high press gave Netherlands a lot to do in defence, but Jorrit Croon, along with Blok and Jansen, were stellar in the Dutch defensive circle, stopping waves of Australian crosses into the circle. Netherlands believed they had scored the 4th goal of the game midway through the quarter with Koen Bijen knocking the ball into the goal on the back post, but a foul in the build up reversed the goal as Australia breathed a sigh of relief. But Netherlands continued their excellent defence and as time ran out, they ran out winners, earning their third bronze medal at the men’s World Cups. Captain Thierry Brinkman was awarded player of the match and said: “We were playing quite well in the first half but couldn’t convert our chances. We didn’t change anything in the second half, we were just better at converting our opportunities and the way we have played today and through the tournament, we deserve this bronze medal.” Gold Medal Match: Germany vs Belgium 3-3 (SO: 5-4) Germany took on Belgium in the finals hoping to win their 3rd gold medal at the FIH Hockey Men’s World Cups to go level with Australia and Netherlands and one behind Pakistan who have won the event 4 times; while Belgium aimed to become just the 4th team, after Pakistan, Germany & Australia, to defend their title successfully. Belgium started the game on the front foot, creating an early circle entry, but Tom Grambusch was alert to the chance and intercepted a cross right in front of the goal and cleared the danger. Germany won a penalty corner in the 6th minute, referring the original decision which had gone against them. The resulting penalty corner was well defended by first rusher Cosyns who blocked Gonzalo Peillat’s attempted flick. Belgium opened the scoring in the 10th minute as a long corner deflected high off a German stick and fell to Florent van Aubel at the top of the circle and he took the shot on in his stride and smashed the ball into the goal before Stadler could react! Less than a minute later Belgium had doubled their lead as a cross from the left deflected off a German stick and fell to Simon Gougnard who had to get the slightest of touches to put

Continue Reading →

BHUBANESWAR: At 0-2 down in a World Cup final, comebacks need nerves of steel. Germany and Belgium took turns to show that in a test that refused to end, until Belgium died a ‘sudden death’, which gave the Germans a third Men’s Hockey World Cup title — first since 2006. It was Germany first who put the game on a knife’s edge by erasing a two-goal deficit to level it 2-2 and then go into the lead at 3-2. It was then the turn of the defending champions. They did it! The COMEBACK KINGS of #HWC2023 are crowned WORLD CHAMPIONS 💪 Insane scenes after the win #HockeyInvites #HockeyEquals #Germany #WorldCup @DHB_hockey pic.twitter.com/TSD1RGPkKo — International Hockey Federation (@FIH_Hockey) January 29, 2023   ON THE TOP OF THE WORLD 👑 Congratulate Die Homonas on their finale victory over #HWC2018 Champions @BELRedLions! FT: 🇩🇪 GER 3️⃣-3️⃣ BEL 🇧🇪(SO) 5️⃣-4️⃣#HWC2023 #GERvsBEL #HockeyComesHome #HockeyHaiDilMera pic.twitter.com/2tMHPq9hkE — Odisha Sports (@sports_odisha) January 29, 2023 The Red Lions’ refusal to give up earned them a penalty corner and Gonzalo Peillat once again came to the party to make it 3-3 and push the game into a shootout. Full Time: GER 3-3 BEL Shoot-out:BEL : ✅ ❌ ❌ ✅ ✅ ✅ ❌GER : ✅ ✅ ❌ ✅ ❌✅ ✅ GERMANY ARE THE CHAMPIONS OF THE WORLD! Germany get the better of the defending champions Belgium in the shoot-outs and win their 3rd FIH Hockey Men's World Cup title!#HWC2023 — International Hockey Federation (@FIH_Hockey) January 29, 2023   Niklas Wellen is your Player of the Match for scoring two penalties and a penalty corner to become World Champions 🌏🏆 🇩🇪 GER 3-3 BEL 🇧🇪 (SO 5-4)#HockeyIndia #HWC2023 #HockeyWorldCup #StarsBecomeLegends #GERvsBEL @CMO_Odisha @sports_odisha @IndiaSports @Media_SAI @DHB_hockey pic.twitter.com/6cdu9EJFsR — Hockey India (@TheHockeyIndia) January 29, 2023   But that wasn’t enough to give the 15th edition of the World Cup its winner. It remained 3-3 in the shootout as well, until Tanguy Cosyns missed for Belgium in sudden death to see the Germans, clad in black shirts, running towards goalkeeper Jean-Paul Danneberg. Had Belgium won, they would have been the fourth team to successfully defend the title after Pakistan (1978 and 1982), Germany (2002 and 2006) and Australia (2010 and 2014). The game of fine margins didn’t open that way. The Germans defended for most part of the first five minutes, until their first meaningful entry into the Belgian circle earned them a penalty corner after a video referral. But Peillat, who hit a hat-trick against Australia in the semifinal, wasn’t in his elements by then. His drag-flicks were sorted out by the Belgian rushers. It was the 10th minute when the Belgian ascendancy resulted in a goal. Tom Boon got a loose ball and went for a tomahawk, but the ball took a deflection from a German stick to go out for a long corner. Belgium didn’t waste time to restart, and Florent van Aubel managed to control a bouncing ball from Antoine Kina, which he slammed into the German post on the bounce. A minute later, Kina once again came up with an assist that turned into a goal. Cosyns placed himself beautifully at the end of Kina’s cross from inside the circle to cutely deflect the ball in behind goalkeeper Alexander Stadler to increase Belgium’s lead to 2-0.  Vanasch continued to keep the Germans at bay, coming up with brilliant saves, including a penalty stroke in the 19th minute. A push challenge from behind on Moritz Trompertz by Arthur van Doren inside the circle resulted in the referee awarding a penalty stroke. But Vanasch didn’t let Tom Grambusch’s attempt go past him. Four minutes after that, Marco Miltkau tried a cheeky deflection off a slap from the edge of the 23-yard line but it sailed harmlessly over Vanasch and the crossbar. Looking desperately for a goal before half-time, it was Niklas Wellen, who became a father during the tournament, provided that for Germany off a variation on a penalty corner. Controlling a ricochet that tapped twice on his stick, Wellen smashed it into the goal to make it 2-1. Belgium were down to 10 men in, when Nicolas de Kerpel was shown a green card in the 40th minute. The next minute the Germans took advantage and made it 2-2, with Peillat’s shot finally finding a way through on a penalty corner to sound the board.  And when Mats Grambusch pulled off a stunning goal out of nowhere from an acute angle in the 48th minute, the chants of ‘Belgium, Belgium’ from a small group of the Red Lions’ supporters were hushed. The Germans were now leading 3-2, after being down 0-2. The defending champions had no choice left than to pull out all stops, which is what they did to up the ante in the last five minutes.  Back-to-back penalty corners for Belgium put the German defence under pressure. And just when the Germans had one hand on the trophy, Boon deposited the ball into the net in the 59th minute to make it 3-3, which is what the score remained at the end of 60 minutes. The shootout extended to 14 attempts each from the customary five as the World Cup final required a sudden-death tie-breaker to find the winner.Belgian custodian Vanasch and Danneberg, who replaced Stadler in the German post for the shootouts, were now in focus and both did their job by saving two attempts each, which ended the shootout at 3-3 as well. Man-of-the-Match Wellen and Thies Prinz converted for Germany in sudden-death but only van Aubel could score for the defending champions. And when Cosyns failed to beat Danneberg, the 15th edition of the Men’s World Cup had its champion – Germany. List of Awards Fair Play Award: Team Belgium Maximum Team Goals: Netherlands Best Team Goal Celebration: Korea Fan’s Choice Award: Christopher Rühr (Germany) JSP Foundation Best Junior Player of the Tournament: Mustaphaa Cassiem (South Africa) Hero Top Scorer: Jeremy Hayward (Australia) JSW Best Goalkeeper: Vincent Vanasch (Belgium) Best Defender: Jeremy Hayward

Continue Reading →

The final day of the FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023 was played in the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar as Germany were crowned the champions of the world, defeating the defending champions Belgium in a thrilling finals, where they went down by 2 goals early in the first quarter but fought their way back again and took the game into a shoot-out, where they held their nerves in the sudden deaths, winning 5-4. With the win Germany also claimed the top spot in the FIH Men’s World Outdoor Rankings. Earlier in the day Netherlands and Australia went head-to-head in the bronze medal match, where Jeremy Hayward gave them an early lead, but an incredible 3-goal burst in 8 minutes in the third quarter, with captain Thierry Brinkman scoring twice, gave Netherlands the lead that they would take to the end and win the bronze medal. With the win, followed by Belgium’s loss in the finals, Netherlands move up to the second position in the FIH Men’s World Outdoor Rankings, followed by silver medalists Belgium who are now ranked third ahead of Australia, who end the tournament ranked fourth. Bronze Medal Match: Australia vs Netherlands 1-3 Netherlands started the game on the front foot, with Theijs van Dam getting a powerful shot into the circle looking for a Dutch deflection, but Hoedemakers couldn’t get on the end of the cross and Australia survived an early scare. Australia started settling into the game midway through the first quarter and a pass into the circle by Jeremy Hayward found captain Zalewski open on the right of the goal, but his shot/cross went wide off the mark with Blake Govers missing a deflection from point blank range. Australia scored the opening goal of the game through Jeremy Hayward who scored his 100th goal in his 200th appearance for Australia. It was a double blow for the Dutch who had referred the penalty corner and lost their review early in the first quarter. Netherlands won their first penalty corner of the game in the 20th minute but Jip Janssen’s powerful flick went straight as an arrow and Charter managed to pull off a comfortable save to deny Netherlands from their first big chance since the opening minute. Both teams traded opportunities to close the opening half, with big chances falling to Koen Bijen for the Dutch and Blake Govers for the Kookaburras, but both star forwards were off targets with their running shots and the teams headed into the break with Australia holding a slender one-goal advantage against Netherlands. Netherlands started the second half with a high press, which was a tactic that worked quite well for Germany in the semi-finals. The ploy seemed to work well for Netherlands as well as they earned three quick penalty corners inside the first two minutes of the second half, and with the third attempt, Jip Janssen opened his account in the game with a powerful drag to the right of Charter to bring the teams level. Two minutes later, Netherlands were in the lead as a clearance attempt by Tim Howard was blocked by Wortelboer in the circle and the resulting loose ball was put into the goal by Dutch captain Thierry Brinkman. Australia started to press higher in search for an equaliser, but it was Netherlands again who capitalised with a quick counter as van Dam’s run from the half line produced a cross that found Brinkman unmarked at the back post and he made no mistake in doubling Netherlands lead. Australia entered the final 15 minutes needing to score at least 2 goals to keep their hopes of winning a medal at the World Cup alive. Their high press gave Netherlands a lot to do in defence, but Jorrit Croon, along with Blok and Jansen, were stellar in the Dutch defensive circle, stopping waves of Australian crosses into the circle. Netherlands believed they had scored the 4th goal of the game midway through the quarter with Koen Bijen knocking the ball into the goal on the back post, but a foul in the build up reversed the goal as Australia breathed a sigh of relief. But Netherlands continued their excellent defence and as time ran out, they ran out winners, earning their third bronze medal at the men’s World Cups. Captain Thierry Brinkman was awarded player of the match and said: “We were playing quite well in the first half but couldn’t convert our chances. We didn’t change anything in the second half, we were just better at converting our opportunities and the way we have played today and through the tournament, we deserve this bronze medal.” Gold Medal Match: Germany vs Belgium 3-3 (SO: 5-4) Germany took on Belgium in the finals hoping to win their 3rd gold medal at the FIH Hockey Men’s World Cups to go level with Australia and Netherlands and one behind Pakistan who have won the event 4 times; while Belgium aimed to become just the 4th team, after Pakistan, Germany & Australia, to defend their title successfully. Belgium started the game on the front foot, creating an early circle entry, but Tom Grambusch was alert to the chance and intercepted a cross right in front of the goal and cleared the danger. Germany won a penalty corner in the 6th minute, referring the original decision which had gone against them. The resulting penalty corner was well defended by first rusher Cosyns who blocked Gonzalo Peillat’s attempted flick. Belgium opened the scoring in the 10th minute as a long corner deflected high off a German stick and fell to Florent van Aubel at the top of the circle and he took the shot on in his stride and smashed the ball into the goal before Stadler could react! Less than a minute later Belgium had doubled their lead as a cross from the left deflected off a German stick and fell to Simon Gougnard who had to get the slightest of touches to put it in the

Continue Reading →

BHUBANESWAR: Captain Thierry Brinkman struck twice as Netherlands dished out a superb show of attacking hockey to beat world no.1 Australia 3-1 and clinch the bronze medal in the FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup on Sunday. Brinkman struck in the 35th and 40th minutes while penalty corner expert Jip Janssen scored the other goal for Netherlands in the 33rd minute. Australia’s lone goal came from their penalty corner expert Jeremy Hayward in the 13th minute. The bronze meant that Netherlands finished on the podium for the fourth time in succession and they are also equal with Australia on the maximum number of medals won in the showpiece event. Both Netherlands and Australia have now won 10 medals each in the 15 editions of the World Cup. The Dutch finished third in 2010 and runners-up in 2014 and 2018. They have won the title in 1973, 1990 and 1998. For three-time champions Australia, this was the first time they are returning home without a medal after they finished fourth in the 1998 edition. They had won a bronze in the last edition here. Australia dominated the first quarter of the third-fourth place match between the losing semifinalists with more circle entries while the young Netherlands side relied on counter-attacks. Blake Govers had a go at the Dutch goal in the seventh minute but his shot went wide. Four minutes later, captain Aran Zalewski also missed the target from a fine pass from a Hayward pass. The Kookaburras earned two penalty corners and took the lead from the second PC two minutes before the end of the first quarter with Hayward sounding the board for his ninth goal of the tournament. Netherlands, considered the most attacking side in the tournament, began to grow from the second quarter, which did not yield any goal, and Koen Bijen’s opportunistic attempt went just wide in the 22nd minute. Australia led 1-0 at the breather but the Dutch turned up a completely different side in the second half as they pumped in three goals in the third quarter. Captain Brinkman was at his absolute best, lording the midfield play, supplying the forwards and even scoring goals himself.  After Janssen struck from Netherlands’ fourth PC of the match, Brinkman scored two brilliant field goals in the 35th and 40th minutes to give his side a 3-1 lead.  The young Netherlands side were quick on counterattacks and on many occasions, the Australian defence was caught napping by the sheer speed of the Dutchmen. Brinkman’s second goal — and Netherlands’ third — though resulted from a defensive blunder from Australia’s Tim Howard, who failed to clear the ball from inside his own circle properly. Netherlands thought they had scored another goal seven minutes before the final hooter but the video umpire ruled otherwise.   Source: TIMESOFINDIA.COM | January 29, 2023 Related posts: World AIDS Day marked at Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup Bhubaneswar 2018 England and France book quarter-final tickets on Day 13 of Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup Bhubaneswar 2018 FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023 Bhubaneswar-Rourkela: 10 days to go! FIH Hockey Men’s World Cup | Argentina edge South Africa in opener

A cracker of a contest on the cards BHUBANESWAR: At the 2012 London Olympics, as the Germany hockey team celebrated their gold-medal feat, Belgium were on their way home, having finished fifth. The Red Lions went back to the drawing board. Over six years they reinforced their strengths, worked on their weaknesses and did not stop until they achieved their goal of being the best in the world. The skills. The goals. The last-minute drama. This is how we got here 🤯 The stage is set for the biggest game of all. Germany vs Belgium in the FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023 🇩🇪🏆🇧🇪 Watch the #HWC2023 final tomorrow at 14:30 CET on the https://t.co/igjqkvzwmV app 📲 pic.twitter.com/Kt6dx4GIlx — International Hockey Federation (@FIH_Hockey) January 28, 2023 Germany, on the other hand, are still looking for a major championship title a decade later. From a country with virtually no hockey culture, the defending champions became the most talked about with World Cup (2018), European Championship (2019) and Olympic (2020) title triumphs. Belgium’s walk of champions began at the same venue in 2018 and they will hope to win their second title in as many appearances in the final. Come Sunday night at the Kalinga stadium here, the two teams will seek to stake claim for the FIH World Cup. The golden generation of Belgian hockey will eye a final hurrah and who better than the giant-killers from Germany to stand in their way. The teams have played tough semifinal matches. While Germany snatched victory from the jaws of defeat in the last seven seconds against Australia, Belgium showed nerves of steel to eliminate Netherlands. One more sleep ⏳⌛️#HWC2023 Final | January 29 | https://t.co/jG4WwmGdQe pic.twitter.com/KjSo38jkX8 — Watch.Hockey (@watchdothockey) January 28, 2023 There are many subplots to the stirring all-European contest, age being one of them. Belgium is the oldest team in the competition with 11 players above the age of 30. Five among the Germans feature in the 30+ category, six if you count their 39-year-old coach Andre Henning. But Felix Denayer and his Belgium team are no picture of ageing legs or aching limbs. They have outpaced and outplayed younger teams time and again. The finale will be won as much on tactics and technique as it will be on mental strength. Henning is aware of what his men are up against. “At the moment, they are the best team. We respect them for what they have achieved. I have coached them at the U-18 level and they were already the strongest team in Europe at that time so I saw this coming. We would like to stop them but I don’t think they are vulnerable or have any disadvantage, so it won’t be easy,” explained the German coach. One factor that could play on the mind of the Belgians is the momentum which favours Germany. Belgium weren’t really tested up until Netherlands almost ousted them. Germany has been like instant noodles. In their previous two matches, it’s taken them just two minutes to convert their undercooked performance to match-winning shows. Here is how the teams finished at #HWC2023:9th – 🇮🇳🇦🇷11th – 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🇿🇦13th – 🇫🇷🇲🇾15th – 🇨🇱🇯🇵 More details on the classification here: https://t.co/9XCLnbCRIE (2/2)@TheHockeyIndia @ArgFieldHockey @SA_Hockey @HockeyWales @FF_Hockey @hockeymalaysia @chile_hockey @jha_hockey pic.twitter.com/bmsgiScb3L — International Hockey Federation (@FIH_Hockey) January 28, 2023 Germany’s spirit is not lost on Belgium’s coach Michel Van Den Heuvel, who knows how the slow starts can turn the match on its head in a few seconds. “As a natural character Germany are able to finish well. There is an old saying in Holland, you always win from the Germans when they are on the bus.” The match promises to be a great advertisement for hockey with the starry line-ups. Belgium’s citadel is well protected with Vincent Vanasch under the bar. Tom Boon, has been the live wire and their top-scorer while the likes of Arthur Van Doren, Victor Wegnez, John-John Dohmen and Arthur de Sloover are all match-winners. Source: TIMESOFINDIA.COM | January 29, 2023 Related posts: FIH Hockey Mens World Cup | Australia show why they are the World Number 1 Hockey World Cup: Brother power comes to the fore as Germany ‘Grambusch’ England Hockey World Cup: India beat South Africa, finish joint 9th, lowest ever by a host nation Hockey World Cup: Germany dethrone Belgium in sudden-death thriller to end 17-year wait for third title

Bhubaneswar, 29 January: In a ceremony held on the eve of the FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023 Bhubaneswar-Rourkela final, FIH President Tayyab Ikram presented the FIH President’s Award to Mr. V.K Pandian, Secretary (5T) to the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Odisha, for his outstanding contribution to hockey. “What we have witnessed here in Odisha in the last 2 weeks is truly exceptional! Not only the state-of-the-art facilities but also the passion showcased by the Odisha people for hockey – as much for the Indian team as for the others – has been an absolute delight to experience. Together with Hon’ble Chief Minister of Odisha Naveen Patnaik, Mr. Pandian has played a pivotal role in making this World Cup such a resounding success globally! I’m very honored to present him the FIH President’s Award as a mark of deep gratitude from FIH and myself for his personal support and that of the State of Odisha”, the FIH President stated. On receiving the prestigious award, Mr. Pandian said: “I am deeply honoured and humbled to receive the FIH President’s Award. I am not the recipient of this Award, I am only the representative of Team Odisha which has put its heart and soul in making this World Cup a grand success. We are inspired by the vision of Hon’ble Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik”. Hockey India President Dilip Tirkey said: “I have seen the contribution of Mr Pandian over last two decades towards the field of sports, especially hockey. Since he himself is a sports person, he understands the requirements and always strive to provide the best facilities for the sportspersons. His role is most critical in translating into reality the vision of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to make Odisha as a major sports destination”. The FIH President’s Award recognises individuals or National Associations or other organisations for valuable services to hockey, whether direct or indirect, or initiatives which have had a significant effect on hockey at international level. Related posts: Netherlands stunned by Germany on Day 8 of Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup Bhubaneswar 2018 BELGIUM AND NETHERLANDS TO FIGHT FOR TITLE AT ODISHA HOCKEY MEN’S WORLD CUP BHUBANESWAR 2018 South Africa’s World Cup adventures underway after success in Accra Smooth sailing for Honamas while Korea win 10-goal thriller in the shoot-outs

It was a venue and crowed befitting a World Cup final as 20 000 fans packed into Rourkela to watch South Africa and India play for a top 10 spot at the global showpiece. The game marked the 200th game for Mandeep Singh, a remarkable achievement. The African Champions will be disappointed by their slow start to the game and found themselves trailing five minutes in. Abishek received the ball at the top of the circle, created space with his first touch and fired a blistering strike into the backboard. The crowd were superb in supporting every foray forward by the host nation and their players were clearly buoyed by the support. They continued to furrow forward and found themselves a penalty corner which was smashed home by Harmanpreet Singh. South Africa settled into the game and were unlucky not to pull a goal back when Bili Ntuli hit the outside of the goal post. South Africa consistently broke up play and tried their best to get a goal back, while Gowan Jones was on form whenever he was called on. South Africa had three penalty corners as they pushed the Indian defense and continued to ask questions. But despite the circle entries, the clear-cut chances were limited outside of the penalty corners as the game trudged its way to the end of the third quarter. But just before the hooter ending the third quarter Shamsher Singh peeled off the back of the defenders and tapped in unmarked on the back post. They made it 4-0 with an instinctive finish by Akashdeep Singh early in the fourth quarter before the outstanding goal of the game arrived. It was however from the stick of the South Africans. An overhead ball to Samkelo Mvimbi was brought down brilliantly and he roofed the ball superbly. South Africa continued to search for a second, but India scored on the counterattack. South Africa would have the opportunity for a last laugh as Mustapha Cassiem stood up and finished a sensational stroke. That would be that and the game would end 5-2 to the Indians who ended a disappointing World cup on a high. For the South Africans and 11th place finish, above their ranking of 14th shows the continued progress being made.   Source: SAHockey.co.za | January 28, 2023 Related posts: India and Belgium in thrilling draw on Day Five of Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup Bhubaneswar 2018 Belgium and Netherlands complete quarter-final line-up on Day 14 of Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup Bhubaneswar 2018 AfHF 2021 – Revised Roadmap FIH Hockey Women’s World Cup: One Month To Go!

The final day of classification matches of the FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023 were played in the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium in Rourkela as Argentina and India registered wins to end their campaigns in the 9th position, while Malaysia and France finished on wins as well, ending their campaigns in the 13th position. Losses for Wales and South Africa, saw them finish 11th, while Japan and Wales ended their campaigns in 15th place. Match 1: Malaysia vs Japan 3-2 Malaysia struck early in the battle of the two Asian teams as a penalty corner won by Ashari was scored by Shello Silverius with Malaysia opting for a variation as Razie Rahim pushed the ball wide for a deflection that beat the post defender and goalkeeper. Both keepers were immense in the first quarter saving attempts that looked like they were destined to find the goal. Malaysia captain Marhan Jalil was shown a yellow card in the second half as the team had 12 players on the field and Japan took advantage earning 2 penalty corners and scoring from the resulting side out after the Malaysian rusher had chased down the second penalty corner. Japan and Malaysia traded goals early in the 32nd minute with Seren Tanaka scoring for Japan, and Shello Silverius scoring his second of the game for Malaysia, to keep the teams on level terms. Two minutes later Malaysia were back in the lead as Faiz Jali found Irfan all alone in the circle on the left and his flat snuck under the Japanese keeper. Japan had a good spell of pressure to end the third quarter but couldn’t make it count, not finding the mark from 3 penalty corners. Japan tried to find an equaliser in the final quarter and received a boost when Malaysia were reduced to 10 players with Najmi Jazlan receiving a yellow card, but the experienced pair of Razie Rahim and Marhan Jalil kept Japan out brilliantly as Malaysia edged them for a narrow win. Shello Silverius was awarded player of the match and said: “We wanted to finish higher than this overall but for today we wanted to end this tournament on a high and we dedicate this win to our supporters back in Malaysia.” Match 2: Chile vs France 2-4 Chile were coming into the game on the back of two big losses, but showed a lot of heart early in the contest to take the game to France. They created circle entries but the French deep defence held strong to stop the Chilean attackers from getting their shots away. France primarily looked to capitalise on counter attacks with Chile leaving plenty of space behind their last line of defence. France opened the scoring on one such counter through Eliot Curty and added two more in quick succession through Victor Charlet to stun Chile. Chile kept coming at France and pulled a goal back from a penalty corner of their own, with Franco Beccera getting on the scoresheet to go into the half-time break down 1-3. The third quarter followed a similar pattern to the first as Chile pressed high in search of a goal while France defended deep and looked for counter attacking opportunities. France scored first in the second half as a cross by Xavier Gaspard deflected off the keeper’s boot and snuck into the goal. Chile scored one of their own as a long cross from the left found Andres Pizzaro completely unmarked in the back post and he tapped the ball into an empty goal. Chile’s push for another goal went until the final whistle, but while they created plenty of circle entries, they lacked the final shots at the end of it and the game finished at 4-2. Victor Charlet was awarded player of the match and said: “It’s always good to finish with a win. Our target was making quarterfinals and we didn’t make that, but at least we ended the tournament with a good performance.” Match 3: Argentina vs Wales 6-0 Before the game Wales coach Daniel Newcombe said that playing in the 9th/11th place game was a great achievement for the team in their debut campaign but they wouldn’t be happy with just that and wanted to end the campaign with a win. The Welsh team answered their coach’s call and started the game with a lot of attacking intent. Argentina were stifled for the first quarter as Wales dominated possession in the Argentine half, but they couldn’t find the goal to cap off a great quarter. Argentina were much improved in the second quarter and scored early through Lucas Toscani. They added a second when Martin Ferreiro’s cross from the left side of the circle was inadvertently deflected into his own goal by Joan Wall, to give Argentina a 2-goal lead going into the break. Argentina set the tone early in the third quarter with Agustin Bugallo scoring an absolute ripper on the reverse from the top of the circle. And soon they added a fourth from a penalty corner as Santiago Tarazona pounced on the rebound from the initial save and tapped the ball into the goal. Welsh shoulders started to drop, as despite the competitive nature of the game, Argentina had played the big moments well and put the game beyond the European debutants. Maico Casella, who has been Argentina’s best player in the World Cup added a 5th goal for the Leones and Ferreiro scored his second to make it 6 in the final quarter. Martin Ferreiro was awarded player of the match and said: “It’s a great feeling to win two games back to back, even though we didn’t meet our targets overall. You take two big wins on the trot to wrap up a World Cup.” Match 4: South Africa vs India 2-5 India took on South Africa in their final game of the FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023, in front of yet another packed crowd in the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium

Continue Reading →

Bhubaneswar, India: The Executive Board (EB) of the International Hockey Federation (FIH) took the opportunity of the FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023 to hold its first meeting of the year today in Bhubaneswar, India, under the chairmanship of FIH President Tayyab Ikram. A few National Associations Presidents present in Bhubaneswar were invited to attend the start of the meeting and exchange with the EB members. The FIH President opened the meeting by extending the sincerest gratitude of the EB to the Odisha government, Hockey India and the FIH team for their excellent work and commitment to deliver such an outstanding FIH Hockey Men’s World Cup. He added that his first 60 days in his new capacity had been made of “hockey, hockey and more hockey!”. Tayyab Ikram also informed the EB that he used his first weeks as FIH President to engage a large consultation process, with athletes, Continental Federations, National Associations, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) or the FIH team in particular. With development being at the heart of the FIH mission, the EB approved a first-of-a-kind project aiming at better engaging with and empowering the National Associations (NAs) around the world. Concrete measures in key focus areas – more hockey pitches, a boost to coaching, more opportunities to compete, more tools to empower NAs – will be implemented shortly. With a view to cover more inclusion topics than gender, the EB has decided to rename the Women in Sports Committee into “Gender Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee”. Furthermore, the EB members received detailed reports and updates about a wide range of topics, including hockey development, finance, events, sports, commercial, broadcast or marketing-communications. 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. #HockeyEquals #HockeyInvites Related posts: Olympic champions Argentina win again at Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup Bhubaneswar 2018 Netherlands stunned by Germany on Day 8 of Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup Bhubaneswar 2018 England end Argentina’s title ambitions at Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup Bhubaneswar 2018 South Africa’s World Cup adventures underway after success in Accra

On 16 January 2023, the International Hockey Federation (FIH) announced that Krzysztof Glodowski (Poland) and Saurabh Vinayak (India) were the lucky winners of the contest organised by FIH and its Global Partner Odisha, where all fans around the world were invited to try their luck, through a simple draw, and win a trip – for two people – to Odisha during the FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023 Bhubaneswar-Rourkela. The contest winners Krzysztof Glodowski and Saurabh Vinayak arrived in Bhubaneswar, Odisha on 23 January, along with their guests, Krzysztof’s wife Stefania Glodowska and Saurabh’s mother Rakhi Vinayak, and have been thoroughly enjoying the immersive sporting and cultural experience in the eastern state of India. The sporting experience has been unparalleled, watching the best teams in the world play their FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023 matches at the Kalinga stadium in Bhubaneswar. The group were in the stands as Australia, Belgium, Germany and Netherlands played pulsating hockey, and qualified for the World Cup semi-finals, and as Belgium and Germany won their respective semi-finals and qualified for the finals. During the non-match days in Bhubaneswar, the group has also stayed busy, experiencing the delights that the decked-up city of Bhubaneswar has to offer. Starting with Olly Land that has been a huge hit with local as well as travelling hockey fans, the quartet visited many local attractions, including the international food festival and Ekamra Haat, with visits planned to local temples including the Lingaraj temple on 28 January. On 26 January the group also travelled to Konark and Puri, two popular tourist destinations 70 kilometres south of Bhubaneswar. In Konark they visited the Sun Temple, which is a Hindu worship site of the Sun God “Surya”. The temple which has stood the test of time, was built in the year 1250 CE, is recognised as a UNESCO heritage site and remains a major pilgrimage site for Hindus, who gather there every year for the “Chandrabhaga Mela” around the month of February. Following the visit to Konark the group travelled to Puri, a coastal city hugely popular with tourists from all over the world. The city is known for its pristine beaches, along the shores of the Bay of Bengal sea. After a stroll across the Puri beach the group then visited the Jagannath temple in Puri. The Jagannath Temple is an important Hindu temple dedicated to Jagannath, a form of Vishnu – one of the trinity of supreme divinity in Hinduism. The present temple was rebuilt from the tenth century onwards, making it one of the oldest temples in India. Apart from further culturally immersive experiences in Odisha, the group of lucky winners will also watch the finals of the FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023, before they depart on 30 January, with a lifetime of memories. FIH would like to thank Odisha state for their hospitality and for their help in making this trip a unique and extremely memorable experience for our lucky winners. Related posts: India and Belgium in thrilling draw on Day Five of Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup Bhubaneswar 2018 Belgium and Netherlands complete quarter-final line-up on Day 14 of Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup Bhubaneswar 2018 AfHF 2021 – Revised Roadmap FIH Hockey Women’s World Cup: One Month To Go!

BHUBANESWAR: India’s campaign in the Men’s Hockey World Cup ended with a second consecutive win in the placement playoffs at the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium in Rourkela on Saturday. Fans in Odisha once again took every available seat in the 20,000-capacity stadium to stand with the home team in what has been an otherwise sorry campaign for India, who beat South Africa 5-2 to end in joint-9th position along with Argentina. It’s the worst ever finish by a host nation in a men’s World Cup. India broke its own record of an 8th-place finish in Delhi 2010, which it held jointly with Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur 2002) and Argentina (Buenos Aires 1978). As it happened: India vs South Africa Like against Japan, India dominated the South Africans as well. But while Japan’s open play allowed the Indians more turnovers and chances to score, the Africans looked focused on their defensive structure, until Samkelo Mvimbi scored the first of SA’s two consolation goals in the 49th minute, followed by Mustaphaa Cassiem converting a penalty stroke in the 60th. India’s opening goal came off the stick of last-match hero Abhishek. After his two goals against Japan, Abhishek put the hosts ahead as early as the fifth minute. Here's a glimpse of how team India ends the FIH Odisha Men's Hockey World Cup Bhubaneswar-Rourkela journey in style. ❤️ 🇿🇦RSA 2-5 IND🇮🇳#HockeyIndia #HWC2023 #HockeyWorldCup2023 #StarsBecomeLegends #RSAvsIND @CMO_Odisha @sports_odisha @IndiaSports @Media_SAI @SA_Hockey pic.twitter.com/cFjEngroRC — Hockey India (@TheHockeyIndia) January 28, 2023 Skipper Harmanpreet Singh’s return to form on drag-flicks saw him providing India a cushion in the 12th minute.  The scoreline remained 2-0 for the next 33 minutes, which painted a story of hits and misses, with the number of India’s circle entries increasing but not the number of goals.  It was in the 45th minute that Shamsher Singh made it 3-0. India's valiant efforts pay off as they secure a win over South Africa in the final showdown. 🇿🇦RSA 2-5 IND🇮🇳#HockeyIndia #HWC2023 #HockeyWorldCup2023 #StarsBecomeLegends #RSAvsIND @CMO_Odisha @sports_odisha @IndiaSports @Media_SAI @SA_Hockey pic.twitter.com/M63dTt9a65 — Hockey India (@TheHockeyIndia) January 28, 2023 The last 15 minutes were the most entertaining of the four quarters. It saw four goals, starting with two in the 49th minute, when Akashdeep Singh made it 4-0 and Samkelo then cut that down to 4-1 for South Africa. Sukhjeet Singh restored the four-goal lead with India’s fifth strike in the 59th minute, but a strong challenge by goalkeeper PR Sreejesh in the circle saw the visitors being awarded a penalty stroke in the last minute, which Cassiem converted to end the game at 5-2. Source: TIMESOFINDIA.COM | January 28, 2023 Related posts: India storm to top of Pool C; Belgium finish second and Canada third in Pool C on Day 11 of Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup Bhubaneswar 2018 Netherlands break Indian hearts at Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup Bhubaneswar 2018 FIH Hockey Mens World Cup | Australia show why they are the World Number 1 Hockey World Cup: Brother power comes to the fore as Germany ‘Grambusch’ England

BHUBANESWAR: Defending champions Belgium beat the last two editions’ runners-up Netherlands in penalty shootout 3-2 to set up a summit clash against Germany in the FIH Men’s World Cup on Friday. Reigning Olympic champions Belgium and the Dutch were locked 2-2 in regulation time at the Kalinga Stadium. The match between the oldest side, Belgium, and a young Dutch team was contested equally, but the more experienced defending champions ran away winners in the shootout. Belgium have 11 players over 30 years of age, while the Netherlands have eight players below 25 and just two above 30. The Red Sticks, who have come with almost the same set of players that won the Tokyo Olympics gold, are among the fittest and most experienced sides. Star striker Tom Boon (27th) and Nicolas de Kerpel (45th) scored for Belgium in the regulation time while penalty-corner expert Jip Janssen (12th and 36th) struck a brace for Netherlands. In the first semi-final, star drag-flicker Gonzalo Peillat struck a second half hat-trick as Germany made a sensational comeback after being two goals down to beat Australia 4-3 and enter the final for the fifth time. Peillat scored from penalty corners in the 43rd, 52nd and 59th minutes while ‘Player of the Match’ Niklas Wellen (60th) struck with just a few seconds left in the match to stun Australia, who squandered a 2-0 half-time lead in a dramatic semi-final. Jeremy Hayward (12th), Nathan Ephraums (27th) and Blake Govers (58th) scored for Australia, who will now play for the bronze medal on Sunday. This was two-time champions Germany’s first entry into the final after the 2010 edition in New Delhi where they had finished runners-up. They had won silver in 1982 before winning titles in 2002 and 2006. Germany also took revenge for their 1-3 loss to Australia in the Tokyo Olympics semifinal. For three-time champions Australia, this was their second consecutive failure to enter the final. They had lost to the Netherlands at the same stage in 2018, finishing with a bronze after consecutive titles in 2010 and 2014. Australia were leading 2-0 till the 42nd minute and it looked like they would run away with the match. But the three drag-flick goals from Peillat, who has played more than 100 matches for Argentina and won the 2016 Rio Olympics gold for the Las Leonas before becoming a German citizen, changed the complexion of the game. In the second semi-final, Jip Janssen gave the Dutch the lead in the 12th minute from the side’s second penalty corner as he sent a low drag flick past Belgium goalkeeper Vincent Vanasch. The Netherlands were doing most of the attack with Floris Wortelboer making a fine run into the Belgium circle but his cross from the baseline could not find anybody near the goalmouth.  Belgium struck back three minutes before half time with their star player Tom Boon scoring from a penalty corner as the scoreline read 1-1 at the breather. Younger and hence faster on their feet, the Dutch once again took the lead in the third quarter with Janssen completing his brace from a penalty corner. Captain Felix Denayer had two hits at the Dutch goal in the 43rd minute in a wave of attacks but goalkeeper Pirmin Blaak blocked both of them.  It was end-to-end stuff for a while and Belgium equalised just when a few seconds were left in the third quarter, with Nicolas de Kerpel firing a field goal. In a dramatic fourth quarter, Boon wasted a penalty stroke in the 50th minute with Blaak bending down to his right to block the shot.   Source: TIMESOFINDIA.COM | January 27, 2023 Related posts: India and Belgium in thrilling draw on Day Five of Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup Bhubaneswar 2018 Belgium and Netherlands complete quarter-final line-up on Day 14 of Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup Bhubaneswar 2018 AfHF 2021 – Revised Roadmap FIH Hockey Women’s World Cup: One Month To Go!

Germany and Belgium are the finalists of the FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023, registering wins in closely contested semi-finals against Australia and Netherlands respectively. Australia and Netherlands will play in the bronze medal match, followed by the finals between Germany and Belgium on 29 January, at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. Match 1: Australia vs Germany 3-4 Australia came racing off the blocks winning a penalty corner inside the first minute of the first semi-final against Germany. But Hayward’s drag flick was well saved by Stadler to prevent Germany from starting the game on the back foot. Germany settled into the game and tried to play out of the back with long aerial balls. Mats Grambusch found the best chance of the opening 10 minutes as Prinz received the ball on the left and passed it to the German captain at the top of the circle, but his shot hit the turf before hitting the ball and the chance was gone. Less than a minute later Australia were ahead as Hayward’s drag flick pierced the German defence from a penalty corner conceded by Mats Grambusch. Germany were dominant in the second quarter, launching wave after wave of attacks, with Prinz finding a lot of space on the left flank. Germany managed to win 3 penalty corners through the first 20 minutes that were referred by the Australians and overturned. Jake Harvie was the best player in the opening half for the Kookaburras frequently thwarting German attacks once they got inside the circle. On Germany’s 12th circle entry, Prinz forced a save from Charter and Australia launched a counter from their left side and Nathan Ephraums got on the end of a cross from the left to deflect the ball in as Australia ended the half up 2 goals, despite Germany dominating most of the attacking stats. Germany started the second half just as they had ended their first. They won an early penalty corner but Charter saved and the resulting play was blown as a penalty stroke for Germany, but Australia reviewed again and the decision was overturned! Australia had a huge chance midway through the third quarter as a counter attack from Australia allowed Whetton to run at the circle with just Stadler to beat, but Stadler sensed the danger and came rushing out and tackled Whetton but crucially got the ball with his stick to keep Germany in the game. Germany continued peppering the Australian circle and won five consecutive penalty corners, with Peillat finally converting on the 5th to bring Germany back in the game and setting up an exciting final quarter. Germany had comfortably been the dominant team in the 2nd and 3rd quarter and they kept the pressure up in the 4th. Tom Craig earned himself an unnecessary green card while Australia were in the attack and Australia had 2 crucial minutes to survive being a player short. Germany won a penalty corner with a little over 8 minutes left in the game and a high drag flick by Peillat hit Charter’s stick and went into the goal to wild German celebrations as they completed a 2-goal comeback for a second straight game. Australia started to find space in the midfield as Germany reduced the inensity of their press. The Kookaburras won a penalty corner with a little over 2 minutes to go and Blake Govers hit the target to give Australia a crucial lead. Less than a minute later Germany were back level again as Peillat completed his first hat-trick for the Honamas to bring them level again. With less than a minute left Germany looked like they were content to take the game to a shoot-out, but space in the center of the field opened up and Trompertz looked to take advantage. A deliberate foul by Tom Craig earned him a yellow card with just 12 seconds to go and Peillat’s ball across the circle bobbled off two Australian sticks and fell to Wellen, who had an open goal to tap the ball into, winning the game for Germany with just 6 seconds left on the clock and sending them to the finals of the World Cup! Niklas Wellen was awarded player of the match and said: “This team is unbelievable. We hadn’t played well against England until the final 5 minutes. Today was much different, despite being 2 goals down in this game too. And then going down 3-2 in the final 2 minutes and managing to not just draw but also win the game in 60 minutes is just incredible from our boys.” Match 2: Belgium vs Netherlands 2-2 (SO: 3-2) Belgium faced Netherlands in the finals rematch from the 2018 Men’s World Cup and while Belgium retain a major part of their core from that campaign, only 4 Dutch players in the squad playing in the semi-finals were part of the team that won silver at the 2018 World Cup. Belgium had the first clear chance of the game as a missed trap by Reyenga allowed Tom Boon to get into the circle with a chance to shoot, but Lars Balk nicked the ball off him before he could get his shot away. Koen Bijen who starred in the quarterfinals for the Dutch won the first penalty corner of the game and nearly scored it via a deflection, but his shot was just wide off the target as Belgium survived the first big chance of the game. Netherlands won the second penalty corner of the game as well and this time it was Janssen who took it on and his slinging flick low to the right of Vanasch thudded against the backboard and gave the Dutch a deserved early lead. Netherlands continued to probe in the second half while Belgium looked for counter attacking opportunities. The Dutch had a good opportunity midway through the quarter, as Brinkman received the ball just outside the Belgian circle, but the Dutch captain couldn’t bring the ball fully under his

Continue Reading →

BHUBANESWAR: Hockey remains one the cleanest sport in the world with just eight players being suspended for dope-related offences in the last five years, and the international hockey federation (FIH) wants to keep it that way by remaining vigilant. Since January 2017, only 14 dope violations (adverse analytical findings) have been reported, of which eight have been sanctioned. Almost all the cases related to recreational drugs and not performance-enhancing substances. According to FIH, there was just one “potential anti-doping rule violation (ADRV)” in 2021 but no sanction was imposed. “In line with the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) aims and ambitions, FIH takes its commitment to running a clean sport extremely seriously and works to ensure that it stays abreast of any developments in doping, testing and education around the subject,” FIH senior communications manager Nicolas Maingot told PTI. The number of dope tests conducted in a year is, however, very low as compared to other sports like athletics, swimming, weightlifting and even a team sport like football. Due to the low number of positive cases over the years in hockey, there may not be the need to test a lot of samples.  Around 20 samples had been collected in the ongoing World Cup till the end of crossover matches, which is very low for a global showpiece. Twenty-eight matches out of a total 44 had been played till the crossovers stage. Compared to this, the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar saw more than 1,600 dope samples being collected. The FIH, however, said that “more samples may be collected” in the remaining matches (16 matches). It also said that the participating players have already been tested earlier. The samples were collected by the officers of the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA).  “All the teams were already tested. Players to be tested are drawn and this is conducted by NADO (National Anti-Doping Organisation),” Maingot said. “The process is managed by ITA (International Testing Agency) but the Indian NADO is the one responsible for the sample collection.” In 2021, 200 samples from 177 players were collected, out of which 127 were in-competition and 73 out-of-competition. Urine samples numbered 183, while 17 were blood samples. Fifty-one per cent of the samples were of male players. The players from whom samples were collected in 2021 belonged to 32 countries. India was among 10 countries whose players were tested the most in 2021. In 2020, the FIH contractually delegated the management and implementation of parts of its anti-doping programme to Switzerland-based ITA. The FIH said that since 2016, the number of tests per year has been increasing in order to maintain its status as one of the cleanest sports in the world. Every athlete who competes in an FIH event must have completed an Anti-Doping online educational course within the previous two years and this was included in tournament regulations. “Since July 2015, the FIH has made it a requirement that all players must have completed an approved anti-doping education programme to be able to compete in FIH events. Any players who do not hold a valid Anti-Doping Certificate (valid for 2 years) will not be allowed to play in the competition until they have done so.” On-site anti-doping education booths were to be set up at events like the FIH Men’s World Cup 2023, but it could not be implemented this time in Bhubaneswar and Rourkela. “Not for this event due to the complexity of the travels and time limitations. However, all athletes had to pass through an anti-doping education course to participate in this event,” Maingot said. Despite the low number of positive and sanctioned cases, there was a famous doping case in world hockey more than a decade ago and the Spanish women’s team was on the verge of missing the 2008 Olympic Games after winning the qualifying event in Baku, Azerbaijan. Two of their players had tested positive for party drug MDMA (methylenedioxy methamphetamine) also known as ‘Ecstasy’ or ‘Molly’. Spain alleged sabotage in Baku. According to FIH rules at the time, if more than one member tested positive, the whole team could be disqualified. However, the FIH disciplinary commission found that only one player was guilty of doping violation. Azerbaijan appealed against the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS), but Spain won the case. In India, Jarmanpreet Singh, who is in the India team for the ongoing World Cup, was handed a two-year suspension after failing a random dope test in 2015 when he was playing in the Hockey India League. Former India goalkeeper Akash Chikte was suspended for two years in 2018 but the ban period was reduced to 13 months later after the appeal panel of the National Anti-Doping Agency concluded that he did not take the prohibited substance intentionally.   Source: TIMESOFINDIA.COM | January 27, 2023 Related posts: World AIDS Day marked at Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup Bhubaneswar 2018 England and France book quarter-final tickets on Day 13 of Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup Bhubaneswar 2018 FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023 Bhubaneswar-Rourkela: 10 days to go! FIH Hockey Men’s World Cup | Argentina edge South Africa in opener

BHUBANESWAR: Star drag-flicker Gonzalo Peillat struck a second-half hat-trick as Germany made a sensational comeback after being two goals down to beat Australia 4-3 and enter the FIH Men’s World Cup final for the fifth time on Friday. Peillat scored from penalty corners in the 43rd, 52nd and 59th minutes, while ‘Player of the Match’ Niklas Wellen (60th) struck with just a few seconds left in the game to stun Australia, who squandered a 2-0 half-time lead in the semi-final at the Kalinga Stadium. Jeremy Hayward (12th), Nathan Ephraums (27th) and Blake Govers (58th) scored for Australia, who will now play for the bronze medal on Sunday. This was Germany’s second comeback win after being 0-2 down against England as well in the quarter-final match. They had scored twice in the last three minutes to equalise and then beat England in penalty shootout to enter the semi-finals. Two-time champions Germany recorded their first entry into the final after the 2010 edition in New Delhi, where they had finished runners-up. They had won the silver medal in 1982 as well before winning the titles in 2002 and 2006. Germany also took revenge for their 1-3 loss to Australia in the Tokyo Olympics semi-finals. For three-time champions Australia, this was their second consecutive failure to enter the final. They had lost to the Netherlands at the same stage in 2018, finishing with a bronze after consecutive titles in 2010 and 2014. Australia were leading 2-0 till the 42nd minute and it looked like they would run away with the match but the three drag-flick goals from Peillat, who has played more than 100 matches for Argentina and won the 2016 Rio Olympics gold for the Las Leonas but is now a German citizen, changed the complexion of the game. Australia took the lead in the 12th minute from the second penalty corner they earned with Jeremy Hayward cementing his position at the top of the goal-scoring chart. He sounded the board by sending the ball to the left of goalkeeper Alexander Stadler. A few seconds later, Stadler made a miraculous save by blocking a shot from Tim Brand. Australia goalkeeper Andrew Charter too was tested in the second quarter as he palmed away a stinging drag-flick from Tom Grambusch off a penalty corner. Germany exerted more pressure in the second quarter and entered the Australian ‘D’ several times but they could not create a clear opening. The Australians also won three video referrals against penalty corner decisions. It was the Germans who were attacking all along but Australia needed just one counter attack to double their lead three minutes from half time. Lachlan Sharp found acres of space inside the German circle after a long ball from Australia’s deep defence searched him out. He sent a cross for Nathan Ephraums to make a one touch before pushing it past Stadler, who was doing a fantastic job under the German goal. Misfortune for Germany continued as a penalty stroke awarded to them in the third minute of the third quarter was overturned after Australia took a video referral. Australia got a golden chance to increase their lead in the 42nd minute but Jake Whetton’s push from the middle of the striking circle went wide. Germany were not to be denied for long after they earned five back-to-back PCs. Gonzalo Peillat finally sounded the board to pull one back for the European side. The German siege of the Australian citadel continued and Flynn Ogilvie made a goal-line save in the 53rd minute before goalkeeper Charter did the same with a few seconds left in the quarter. The German onslaught continued as Peillat scored his second goal of the match from their 12th PC of the day, sending a high flick into the goal. Drama unfolded towards the end of the match as Blake Govers gave Australia a 3-2 lead in the 58th minute from his drag-flick. But Germany responded the next minute with Peillat completing his hat-trick from a penalty corner as the scores were level at 3-3. With less than 20 seconds left in the match, Niklas Wellen, the lynchpin of the German attack, fired the ball home to seal a famous win for the Die Honamas.   Source: TIMESOFINDIA.COM | January 27, 2023 Related posts: India storm to top of Pool C; Belgium finish second and Canada third in Pool C on Day 11 of Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup Bhubaneswar 2018 Netherlands break Indian hearts at Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup Bhubaneswar 2018 FIH Hockey Mens World Cup | Australia show why they are the World Number 1 Hockey World Cup: Brother power comes to the fore as Germany ‘Grambusch’ England

The 9-12 and 13-16 classification matches are set as South Africa, Wales, Argentina and India register wins in the first round of classification matches to head into the 9-12 playoff matches while losses for Malaysia, France, Chile and Japan see them go to the 13-16 playoff matches. All classification matches will take place on 28 January at the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium in Rourkela. Match 1: South Africa vs Malaysia 6-3 Malaysia were quicker off the blocks with form man Faizal Saari managing to get a shot in the circle inside the first minute, but South Africa survived that early chance and started to get in the game on counter attacks. They got the first goal through Bradley Sherwood who attacked a cross from the left by Nqobile. With the impetus now on Malaysia, they tried to press higher up the field, allowing South Africa to play on the counter, which is their preferred style. South Africa won 6 penalty corners in the first half and managed to convert one in the 17th minute as Guy Morgan pounced on the rebound after Eustice’s flick was blocked by the first rusher. They added a 3rd in the 26th minute through Nqobile to cap off a perfect half. Malaysia got the early goal they desperately needed at the start of the 3rd quarter, with Razie Rahim finding the mark from a penalty corner. South Africa got the next goal of the game as fabulous work by Mvimbi required the easiest of touches from Keenan Horne in front of the goal to restore South Africa’s 3 goal lead. A minute later South Africa extended the lead further as Mustapha Cassiem dispatched a penalty stroke won by Mvimbi. With just one second left in the 3rd quarter South Africa conceded a penalty stroke and Rahim scored his second of the game to reduce the deficit back down to 3. South Africa and Malaysia traded one late goal each as South Africa ran out winners to advance to the 9-12 place playoffs while Malaysia will play in the 12-16 place classification match. Nqobile Ntuli was awarded player of the match and said: “We were disappointed to not progress to the top-8 after the pool stage, but we reset our targets for the second part of the tournament and we executed our plans to meet those targets today, so we are happy with that.” Match 2: Wales vs France 2-2 (SO: 2-1) France were the higher ranked team in the match-up, but Wales looked like the more likely team to score early in the game as they committed a bulk of their players into the attack. They were rewarded for their adventurous play as a quick move from the left by James Carson left the French defence exposed and his cross was deftly touched into the goal by Luke Hawker. France equalised with 6 seconds left in the opening quarter as Draper turned over possession in a dangerous position and van Straaten found Sellier who scored to bring France level. Pieter van Straaten and Sellier connected again quickly after the break to give France the lead, with Sellier getting his second of the game. Gareth Furlong equalised for Wales, converting on their 4th penalty corner of the game as the teams headed into the break on level terms. No goals were scored in the third quarter as both teams struggled with clinicality in the opposition circle. France won 2 penalty corners in the 3rd quarter and two more in the final quarter but a combination of sloppy stopping at the top of the circle and captain Victor Charlet’s inability to find the target meant the score stayed level and the teams headed into a shoot-out. France struggled in the shoot-outs, with Clement the only scorer from their 5 attempts as Reynolds-Cotterill stopped the other 4 French attempts, while Benjamin Francis and Rupert Shipperly scored 2 of the 4 attempts, and that was enough to see them over the line. Gareth Furlong was awarded player of the match and said: “It has been a good tournament for us and this is the highlight. We had a tough group but we played well against India in the previous game, so we knew we could get a result here today. We were confident in the shoot-outs, we qualified for the World Cup with a shoot-out win and having Toby in the goal helps too.” Match 3: Chile vs Argentina 0-8 Chile started their game against South American rivals Argentina, looking to attack and had two early circle penetrations, but it didn’t lead to shots. Argentina slowly got into the game and started to dominate possession in the Chilean half. Their first goal for Argentina came from Nicolas della Torre through a penalty corner. The goal seemed to deflate the Chilean team as Argentina started to dominate in attack. Before the half time whistle went, Argentina had added 4 more goals to take a huge 5-goal lead into the break. Argentina kept up their high press to start the second half and Miaco Casella scored the goal of the game, getting in front of his marker and the Chilean keeper in the circle and deflecting a cross between his legs, with his back to the goal, that nutmegged the keeper and crashed into the goal. Martin Ferreiro and Tomas Domene added two more goals for Argentina in the final quarter of the game to push the final score to 8-0, earning Argentina a great win after the disappointment of the loss in the crossovers to Korea. Maico Casella was awarded player of the match and said: “It was good to get a big win today after the disappointment of losing the crossover match. We were good going forward and managed to score plenty of times, so happy with the overall effort from the team.” Match 4: Japan vs India 0-8 Japan and India played an even contest in the first quarter with both teams showing offensive intent but neither

Continue Reading →