FIH: Captain Cassiem Conjures up South Africa To The Title In The Inaugural FIH Hockey Males’s Nations Cup 

A Dayaan Cassiem masterclass leads South Africa to victory over Eire within the thrilling remaining of the inaugural FIH Hockey Males’s Nations Cup South Africa 2022, securing qualification into the FIH Hockey Professional League 2023/24 season for the hosts. 

The packed crowd in Potchefstroom was handled to an end-to-end show of attacking hockey in a intently fought match that led to a 4-3 win in favor of South Africa. The attacking stars from each groups confirmed up within the massive finals with Dayaan Cassiem and Shane O’Donoghue scoring twice, whereas Tevin Kok, Mustaphaa Cassiem and John McKee additionally getting on the scorecard. Dayaan Cassiem was particularly sensible, scoring two incredible objectives for the hosts within the first half earlier than profitable the penalty stroke, scored by youthful brother Mustaphaa, that gave South Africa the win within the remaining quarter. 

Eire piled the stress on the South African aim seeking a late equalizer, however the skilled heads of Jethro Eustice, Keenan Horne and goalkeeper Hendrik Kriek stored the Irish at bay and sealed a historic win for South Africa in entrance of a raucous dwelling crowd. 

Earlier within the day Korea obtained the higher of Malaysia within the all-Asian affair within the bronze medal match. Korea had been dominant from begin to end, not permitting Malaysia any alternative to get within the sport, scoring twice within the first half and twice once more within the second. Jonghyun Jang continued his purple streak from the penalty corners, scoring his seventh aim of the marketing campaign to complete as the highest scorer of the match. 

France completed their marketing campaign within the fifth place, edging Japan within the shoot-outs after a intently contested match the place France scored two first quarter objectives, however Japan got here again to stage the scores and had nice possibilities within the dying moments of the ultimate quarter to say a win. French captain Victor Charlet scored two penalty strokes within the shoot-out and French keeper Arthur Thieffry saved two Japanese shoot-out makes an attempt to seal the win for the European crew. 

Within the seventh place playoff Canada and Pakistan performed a 9-goal thriller, that swung a number of occasions and was lastly settled by means of a 58th minute aim by Usama Bashir to earn Pakistan their first win within the match. 

seventh Place Match: Canada vs Pakistan 4-5 

Pakistan began the seventh place playoff sport on the assault, scoring two objectives inside the primary 6 minutes of the sport. Canada didn’t let Pakistan run away with the sport, and located two objectives of their very own to finish the primary half on stage phrases. Each groups scored a aim every from penalty corners and open play. 

The second half continued to comply with a backwards and forwards sample. Pakistan struck first within the 4th quarter after a scoreless third, however Canada answered again inside a minute. Canada then took the lead for the primary time within the sport with 6 minutes left, by means of a second Sean Murray aim, from a penalty nook. Pakistan responded immediately as a superb transfer from the correct by Abdul Rana cut up the protection and allowed him to carry the ball over the keeper, into the web. Pakistan carried the momentum into the ultimate minutes and a superb counter attacking transfer resulted in a aim scored by a diving Usama Bashir, to provide Pakistan the lead with 3 minutes left to play that they carried to the top. 

Usama Bashir, the profitable aim scorer for Pakistan, was awarded the participant of the match and stated: “It got here a bit late however because the match went on we began implementing the plan that coach Aikman had devised for us. That’s what has obtained us the win in the present day and we are going to enhance additional sooner or later.” 

fifth Place Match: France vs Japan 2-2 (Shoot-out: 4-2)

The French resurgence on the FIH Hockey Males’s Nations Cup continued as they completed their marketing campaign on a excessive with a shoot-out win towards Japan to say the fifth place. Japan end within the sixth place on the finish of a superb marketing campaign that might’ve ended very in another way had a number of key moments gone their means. 

France had been faster off the block and threatened to run away with the sport, scoring twice within the first quarter. Captain Victor Charlet added the fifth aim of his marketing campaign from a thundering penalty nook and Timothée Clément scored his first aim, diving throughout the aim to deflect a cross despatched in by Gaspard Xavier. 

Japan disregarded the primary quarter and confirmed improved efficiency within the remaining three quarters to finish the regulation time tied at 2 objectives apiece. Kentaro Fukuda obtained the primary aim for Japan and Ken Nagayoshi added a second from a penalty nook. 

France had been excellent from the shoot-out, scoring from their 4 makes an attempt, of which two had been awarded as penalty strokes, which captain Victor Charlet dispatched with unbelievable ease. Arthur Thieffry, taking part in in his one centesimal sport for France made 2 nice saves on the third and 4th Japanese makes an attempt, with the second save profitable the sport for France.

Corentin Sellier was awarded the participant of the match, and talking of his crew’s general marketing campaign stated: “We had a gradual begin to the match with a number of members of our crew carrying accidents, so we couldn’t make the semi-finals. However it’s good to indicate what we are able to do at full power and end at the absolute best place outdoors of the highest 4 spots.”

Bronze medal match: Malaysia vs Korea 0-4 

The Bronze medal match set-up a replay of the opening day match between Korea and Malaysia, the place Korea had edged Malaysia in a slender 1-0 win. Whereas Korea as soon as once more emerged victors within the repeat contest, the margin between the 2 groups was a lot wider this time, because of the offensive masterclass the Korean assault put in. 

After a goalless first quarter, Korea added two objectives that gave them a lead they absolutely deserved. Search engine marketing Inwoo scored the opener earlier than captain Namyong Lee doubled the lead with an excellent deflection on the again submit. If Malaysia had been on the lookout for a reset on the interval, they didn’t get one. It was all Korea once more within the 2nd half and so they additional added to their lead from a thirty ninth minute penalty nook. The Malaysian rushers went straight for Jonghyun Jang, the highest scorer on the Nations Cup, however Korea went for a variation with Jang passing it off to Jeon, and his move to the far submit was deflected in by Taeil Hwang. Jang nonetheless managed to get his seventh aim of the match although, with Korea profitable a penalty nook within the 59th minute that Jang dispatched into the underside left nook of the aim placing a cherry on prime of the Korean win. 

Korea keeper Jaehan Kim was awarded the participant of the match. Korea captain Namyong Lee, who scored his forty ninth aim for Korea in the present day, discussing his crew’s efficiency, stated: “We promised to provide it our all in the present day and we did that. We modified some issues from the final sport and obtained the win and extra importantly we overtake Malaysia on the planet rankings with this win, in order that was actually vital for us as effectively.” 

Gold medal match: Eire vs South Africa 3-4

South African coach Cheslyn Gie stated earlier than the sport that his crew had a number of tips left up their sleeve that they’d be taking part in within the finals and his crew delivered on his promise nearly immediately. South Africa got here flying out of the gate, and blitzed the Irish protection that had confirmed itself to be the very best within the match. It was captain incredible Dayaan Cassiem who scored the opening aim inside 4 minutes with a incredible solo run and hit. The ever dependable Shane O’Dnoghue pulled Eire again stage within the nineteenth minute by means of a penalty nook, however Cassiem wasn’t finished, giving South Africa the lead proper on the finish of the primary half with one other rollicking shot from the sting of the circle. 

South Africa began the second half strongly as soon as once more, and doubled their lead within the opening minute by means of a bit of particular person brilliance by Tevin Kok who discovered the ball in a crowded house contained in the circle, however calmly tapped it up, on to his stick, and lifted it over the keeper to double South Africa’s lead. South Africa may have sealed the win with one other aim, however it was the Irish who scored the following aim of the sport, with Shane O’Donoghue scoring his fifth aim of the marketing campaign. 

John McKee then introduced Eire stage with a aim proper on the stroke of the third quarter buzzer, that took a deflection off Keenan Horne’s stick and sailed over the pinnacle of Kriek who was left stranded by the deflection. 

With quarter-hour left for each groups to search for a winner, Eire dedicated too many gamers ahead and an errant again move was intercepted by the sharp Dayaan Cassiem who charged on the Irish aim with simply the keeper to beat, however was introduced down by O’Donoghue, leading to a penalty stroke. 

It was Dayaan’s youthful brother, Mustaphaa Cassiem who stepped as much as take the penalty stroke and calmly slotted the ball previous David Fitzgerald to get the lead again for South Africa. 

Eire threw every part they’d seeking an equalizer, however South Africa’s protection, led by veteran Jethro Eustice and keeper Hendrik Kriek pulled off sensible blocks and saves to carry on to the lead and safe a well-known victory and qualification to the FIH Hockey Professional League 2023-24 for South Africa.

Captain Dayaan Cassiem was extraordinarily emotional after the massive win as he obtained the participant of the match award and stated: “I’m extraordinarily emotional as you’ll be able to see. This can be a big win for us, giving us the chance to qualify for the Professional League. I’m so grateful to the followers who got here out in such big numbers to help us. It’s nice for South African hockey to get the help of so many followers and all I can say is, in case you preserve supporting us like this it would encourage us to even better heights sooner or later, so thanks to all of the followers.”

FIH Hockey Males’s Nations Cup South Africa 2022 

Particular person Awards

Greatest Participant: Dayaan Cassiem (RSA)

Greatest Junior Participant: Corentin Sellier (FRA)

Greatest Goalkeeper: Kim Jaehyeon (KOR)

Hero Prime Scorer: Jang Jonghyun (KOR)

4 December 2022 Outcomes

End result: Match 1

Canada 4-5 Pakistan

Participant of the Recreation: Usama Bashir (PAK)

Umpires: Aziz Adimah (GHA), Ayden Shrives (RSA), Hideki Kinoshita (JPN-reserve), Tim Meissner (GER-video)

End result: Match 2

France 2-2 Japan (shoot-out: 4-2)

Participant of the Recreation: Corentin Sellier (FRA)

Umpires: Zeke Newman (AUS), Benjamin Peters (USA), Nazmi Kamaruddin (MAS-reserve), Aziz Adimah (GHA-video)

End result: Match 3

Malaysia 0-4 Korea

Participant of the Recreation: Jaehan Kim (KOR)

Umpires: Hideki Kinoshita (JPN), Bevan Nichol (NZL), Tim Meissner (GER-reserve), Ayden Shrives (RSA-video)

End result: Match 4

Eire 3-4 South Africa 

Participant of the Recreation: Dayaan Cassiem (RSA)

Umpires: Gabriel Labate (ARG), Sébastien Michielsen (BEL), Nazmi Kamaruddin (MAS-reserve), Benjamin Peters (USA-video)