Historical past was made by South Africa, Belgium and Poland on the FIH Indoor Hockey World Cup in Poreč, Croatia on Friday as their respective sides progressed to the semifinals of the event for the primary time.
South Africa’s males will enterprise into unchartered territory after a powerful 6-0 win over two-time bronze medallists Iran of their quarterfinal conflict. They took the sport away from the Iranians in a four-minute purple patch within the third quarter, scoring two targets at one finish whereas Anton van Loggerenberg made three good saves in aim on the different. Mustapha Cassiem added one other hat-trick to take his event tally to 14 targets. Jethro Eustace was named participant of the match and mentioned afterwards: “Our velocity and ability have gotten us this far. I feel in the present day we spoke about how our defensive effort goes to be wanted.”
Belgium’s males additionally superior to an historic first semifinal with a 7-6 win over Namibia. The Purple Lions carried a cushty 7-1 lead into the ultimate quarter, however Namibia made a fist of it with 5 fast unanswered targets. The Belgians endured a determined remaining minute as Namibia pulled their keeper off and created one clear alternative to degree the match, nevertheless it was all too little too late. “It was actually a loopy recreation,” admitted participant of the match Dorian Thiéry afterwards. “We performed very nicely for 3 quarters, then they got here again, it was actually terrifying, however on the finish the construction was actually good and I feel that was the distinction for in the present day.”
In the meantime, title contenders Germany scraped by to the lads’s semifinals in dramatic trend after a sudden dying shootout win in opposition to Poland. The Germans seemed to be accountable for the match with a 2-0 lead and simply 4 minutes to play. Poland eliminated their goalkeeper to chase the sport and Germany responded by doing the identical, nevertheless it backfired as they conceded two late targets. Germany then missed their first shot within the shootout however recovered to prevail in a second spherical of sudden dying.
Two-time defending champions Austria additionally survived a sudden dying shootout after their match in opposition to Australia ended 2-2. Main by two with three minutes to play, the Austrians conceded two fast targets, the second from their very own mis-trapped penalty nook in opposition to a keeperless aim on the different finish of the court docket, however they in the end held on for the shootout victory. Captain Fabian Unterkircher was Austria’s participant of the match and mentioned afterwards: “We knew that Australia is giving a tough struggle on the pitch. I feel they did a extremely good job ultimately… Clearly a extremely nerve-wracking finish and we’re very pleased to be by.”
Poland have been the crew to make historical past within the ladies’s event as they got here from behind in a 2-1 win over Belgium and superior to the semifinals for the primary time. The Polish trailed for many of the first half, and needed to work patiently for a winner that got here with solely three minutes left on the clock. A jubilant Marlena Rybacha was Poland’s participant of the match and mentioned: “We knew that the sport from the beginning can be actually, actually tough. It’s all in regards to the particulars, they’ll sit low and await our errors to make a counterattack, and that was precisely the sport. They have been ready, ready, ready however I’m tremendous pleased that we managed to attain two targets and we’re going to the semifinals.”
In the meantime, Austria might be seeking to go one higher than their silver medal in 2023 after they secured their spot within the semifinal with a cushty 5-1 victory over probably difficult Namibia. Participant of the match Katharina Bauer mentioned afterwards: “I feel we have to sustain the vitality. I feel we began actually good however then we sort of misplaced it within the center. However I feel we have to hold our mentality excessive and hold our heads within the recreation, and I’m certain within the semifinal we’ll do it higher.”
Czechia, bronze medallists and present world quantity 2, claimed their semifinal spot with a 4-2 win over the US and Germany met some good defensive resistance from debutantes Thailand, however in the end they have been too robust and cruised to a 7-1 victory to safe their slot within the remaining 4. Ines Wanner’s hat-trick stored her on the highest of the goal-scoring desk with 13 thus far within the event.
Saturday will see Germany assembly South Africa within the males’s semifinals whereas Austria tackle Belgium, and within the ladies’s occasion it will likely be Germany vs Austria and Poland going up in opposition to Czechia.
7 February 2025 Outcomes
Males
Outcome: Match 19 (M)
Argentina 6 – 2 Malaysia
Participant of the match: Juan Eleicegui (ARG)
Umpires: Emily Carroll (AUS), Ben Goentgen (GER)
Outcome: Match 20 (M)
Croatia 12 – 3 Trinidad & Tobago
Participant of the match: Mario Mucić (CRO)
Umpires: Ayden Shrives (RSA), Sean Edwards (ENG)
Outcome: Match 21 (M)
Germany 2 – 2 Poland (SO: 2 – 1)
Participant of the match: Joshua Onyekwue Nnaji (GER)
Umpires: Sean Edwards (ENG), Michael Pontus (BEL)
Outcome: Match 22 (M)
South Africa 6 – 0 Iran
Participant of the match: Jethro Eustice (RSA)
Umpires: Michelle Meister (GER), Pieter Hembrecht (NED)
Outcome: Match 23 (M)
Belgium 7 – 6 Namibia
Participant of the match: Dorian Thiéry (BEL)
Umpires: Zeke Newman (AUS), Ayden Shrives (RSA)
Outcome: Match 24 (M)
Austria 2 – 2 Australia (SO: 3 – 2)
Participant of the match: Fabian Unterkircher (AUT)
Umpires: Ben Goentgen (GER), Salman (INA)
Ladies
Outcome: Match 19 (W)
Australia 3 – 1 New Zealand
Participant of the match: Caitlin Burns (AUS)
Umpires: Ivona Makar (CRO), Rachel Williams (ENG)
Outcome: Match 20 (W)
South Africa 6 – 0 Croatia
Participant of the match: Daniella De Oliveira (RSA)
Umpires: Melina Illanes (ARG), Lukasz Zwierzchowski (POL)
Outcome: Match 21 (W)
Namibia 1 – 5 Austria
Participant of the match: Katharina Bauer (AUT)
Umpires: Emily Carroll (AUS), Kristy Robertson (AUS)
Outcome: Match 22 (W)
Czechia 4 – 2 United States
Participant of the match: Barbora Ćecháková (CZE)
Umpires: Ana Ortega (ESP), Lukasz Zwierzchowski (POL)
Outcome: Match 23 (W)
Poland 2 – 1 Belgium
Participant of the match: Marlena Rybacha (POL)
Umpires: Melina Illanes (ARG), Ivona Makar (CRO)
Outcome: Match 24 (W)
Germany 7 – 1 Thailand
Participant of the match: Ines Wanner (GER)
Umpires: Rachel Williams (ENG), Abby Macarthur (WAL)
All pictures: ©FIH/WorldSportPics
