As we come to the end of 2022, the Half Court Press takes a look back at twelve months of hockey. We have had several international tournaments including the Commonwealth Games and the Women’s World Cup. The FIH Pro League has had mixed reviews, but we have seen the start of a much needed promotion and relegation system, with the first ever Nations Cup event. There has been a variety of memorable sporting moments for fans and players alike to remember. Here, we want to celebrate the best of what this sport has to offer.
Women’s Hockey World Cup – July
Netherlands 3 – 1 Chile
Francisca Tala scores against the Netherlands
In what became one of the most fun and heart warming stories of the summer, this moment made many within the hockey community smile. The World Cup was held during July and saw debutants Chile add to their hockey history in a unique way. The Latinas had become a neutrals favourite during the early stages of the tournament, with their charismatic coach and swash buckling players. Before the tournament Francisca Tala, a senior forward within the team, scored a good goal during a training session. One of her friends in the side dared her to do it again, but when it mattered. As the draw for the World Cup had already been made, the South American champions knew that they had a tough encounter ahead of them. A bet was made that if she scored against 2018 World Champions the Netherlands, then Francisca would have to marry her boyfriend. A phone call was made, the man in question was informed and nothing more was thought of it. That was until their first round match against the Dutch.
As per usual, the Netherlands dominated most of the games that they played in. They had beaten the Irish by five goals to one, before getting the upper hand over their Central European rivals, Germany, three-one. Chile, on the other hand, had mixed fortunes up till this point. They had lost their first match against the Germans four-one, but were able to win against Ireland, with just one goal between the two sides. Denise Krimerman had scored both of the goals for Las Diablas. Throughout the first two games, Tala’s boyfriend had been one of the more vocal Chilean fans, with the TV cameras repeatedly finding him and his friends in the crowd.
On the 6th of July, the two sides met in the last match of Pool A. The Netherlands took an early lead, through Lidewij Welten in the 14th minute. The typical hockey fan might have thought that this would be it, game over, and that the Dutch would run away with things. However, just after the start of the second quarter the Chileans come forward. An attack down the left wing, saw the ball sent towards the goal. A miss trap from a Dutch defender saw the ball pop out into space. Francisca found herself with the ball on the end of her stick, in space, at the back post. It was easier to score than to miss and she duly found the equaliser. Her team mates surrounded the goalscorer, reminding Tala of the bet that she had made with them. The Dutch went on to win the game by three goals to one, but the Chileans celebrated like they had won, lifting their forward onto their shoulders, much to the bemusement of their opponents.
Francisca Tala recently appeared on the Half Court Press Podcast, in our Hockey Player Profile series. You can listen here, as she tells the story in her own words.
Commonwealth Games (Men) – August
Australia 3 – 2 England
The Semi Final that should have been the Final
The ‘Friendly Games’, is a multi sports event held every four years, that involves national teams and athletes that hail from the British Commonwealth. With a focus on friendship and fair play, some of the match ups in the early rounds of the hockey tournament can be a bit uncompetitive. This can still be enjoyable as fans, like myself, can see teams from around the world that don’t necessarily get a lot of television coverage. However, it’s also good to watch hockey at its best, which is what we got in the in the second of the men’s semi finals, between Australia and England.
Held in the English city of Birmingham, England had the advantage of a home crowd. However, the Aussies were firm favourites, having won every men’s hockey tournament since its inclusion at the Games. England, though, set themselves up as being hard to beat. They took a two-nil first half lead, through Phil Roper and Zach Wallace. With three minutes remaining of the first half, Blake Govers pulled one back for Australia, from a short corner. They then equalised with a Jacob Anderson goal from open play, just before the final break. The Kookaburras kept the pressure up and found the winner with ten minutes to go. It was allowed in controversial style. The English felt that the goal came from a free hit that wasn’t clearly retaken through a self pass restart. The umpires didn’t agree and they lost their right of referral. It was a very close game and one of the more entertaining of the competition. A true spectacle for the neutral fan and was more deserving of the final itself.
Women’s Hockey World Cup – July
Netherlands 3 – 1 Argentina
Felice Albers’s goal against Argentina in Final
The Netherlands, as expected, dominated the World Cup throughout the earlier rounds. They have taken home more World Cup titles in the women’s game than any other national team. They won every one of their games, scoring 17 goals in the process. Everybody knew that they would be favourites to maintain their world title. The only team that seemed able to get in their way were the Argentines. Having been drawn on opposing sides of the tournament, the two best teams in the world met in the Grande Finale.
It was a game of fire and ice. The Dutch with their ability to maintain discipline within the ranks, against the passionate attacking flair of Argentinas Las Leonas. Hockey fans around the globe tuned in to see who would come out on top. Would the Latin Americans be able to break down Holland’s solid press, or would the World Champions win yet again? It was the team in orange who won the day and did so in style. They dominated almost every minute of the final, running out three-one winners, with Augustina Gorzelany’s goal coming merely as a 46th minute consolation, after the game was all but done.
It was in fact the third and final goal for the Netherlands that was the stand out moment of the game and possibly the tournament. It was a goal that showed Dutch hockey at its best, in terms of technique, team work and individual dynamism. The Argentines looked to press their opponents high up the pitch, early in the second half. The score was only two-nil and if the Pan American champions could knick one they would fancy themselves to stage a comeback. The Dutch found themselves in a tight spot, in the bottom left hand corner of their defensive quarter, with their opponents ready to pounce. However, a quick combination between three players, with the brilliant Eva de Goede acting as the playmaker, they were able to move the ball forward along the sideline. De Goede fed Freeke Moes in space. She was able to cut inside to her right and drive past a defender’s weak side and over the half way line, with a beautiful first touch and a drop of the shoulder. With her second touch Moes released Felice Albers down the right wing. Albers carried the ball into the circle, cutting across Valentina Costa as she did so, before calmly placing the ball past Belen Succi, in the Argentine goal. It was a world class goal, from a world class team, performed at the pinnacle of the sport.
Nations Cup (Men) – December
Ireland 3 – 4 South Africa
South Africa win the inaugural tournament and promotion to the FIH Pro League
The FIH Nation’s Cup has been created as a qualification event for the FIH Pro League. Although this experiment, of the international governing body’s, in televising hockey is far from perfect, the Nations Cup is a strong step in the right direction. It has been called for by those who want to see meaningful games played throughout the sport, which is exactly what we got here. This inaugural tournament was hosted in Potchefstroom, a student town in South Africa. In fact, the venue was the hockey stadium at North-West University, that also held the 2022 Women’s Junior World Cup in April. Eight teams battled it out to win the tournament, with the gold medalists promoted to next year’s Pro League events.
I like this tournament format. It creates drama and local fans, as well as those watching online, or television, can follow and engage in a story. The South Africans were even able to do well in front of a home crowd. Although the national federation had hosted an international tournament earlier in the year, their Covid-19 restrictions meant that fans weren’t able to attend in person. This wasn’t the case now and players were able to engage with the supporters and give them something to cheer. They did this in abundance.
The final was a ding dong affair. South Africa took the lead twice, with Dayaan Cassiem scoring twice. Ireland came back to level the game at one-one and then three all. With eleven minutes of the game to go, Dayaan’s brother Mustapha Cassiem bagged the winner. The Africans won the trophy, with something to celebrate on home soil.
Commonwealth Games (Women) – August
England 2 – 1 Australia
England win hockey gold on home soil
The Australian hockey team were favourites for this tournament. They have medaled at every one of the Commonwealth Games hockey tournaments since the inaugural women’s event in 1998. They had won the gold medal five times, including at the previous event, held on the Gold Coast. The English were on home soil, but most neutral fans would have pegged the Hockeyroos for the win. Undaunted, however, the English had their own plans.
Organised and disciplined throughout the match, England created chances for themselves through, pluck, spirit and teamwork. Having won a free hit in a deeper position, near the half way line, Holly Hunt squared the ball to Laura Unsworth. The experienced playmaker saw Flora Peel’s lead to the right wing and played it up the sideline. Peel took a touch and centred a pass into the circle. Somehow it found Hunt (who had started the move), unmarked and in plenty of space. She had time to pick her head up and bury her shot into the goal, to open the scoring. Four minutes later, Flora Peel was involved in England’s second. Playing a combination off from the Australian baseline, she found herself at a 45 degree angle to the goal, within shooting range. She fired a cross-cum-shot at the far post, where Tess Howard was waiting to deflect it home.
Rosie Malone got one back for the Aussies, but in the last minute of the game, it was only a consolation goal. England’s women won their first ever Commonwealth Games title and in front of a home crowd to boot. Additionally, it was broadcast on the BBC, allowing a greater number of fans see a successful hockey team in action. For the older players in the squad, it would also represent a happier memory than that of losing to the Aussies in the final of Glasgow 2014 on a penalty shootout. This victory was well deserved.
As we look forward to 2023, we at the Half Court Press recommend that you get down to support your local hockey team. Play, coach, spectate, clubs are crying out for umpires, get involved in any way that you can. Go down to watch an international match, or two, if you are able to and bring a friend, it’s great fun.
