The tournament has been an annual event in the Hockey calendar since 1998 but was cancelled for the past two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic. This time around though, the organizers are confident that the tournament will be held according to the schedule.
JAPAN 1 VS EGYPT 0
The first match of the day was between Japan and Egypt. Japan makes its fifth appearance having participated in the last edition of 2019, finishing in 5th place. While Egypt makes its third appearance, having participated in the 2009 – 2010 editions.
The boys in red started with all the energy in the first quarter, while the boys in white tried to play their game as well to take the lead first. In the 16th minute, after an entry into the box and a shot on goal, YAMASAKI Koji, No. 16, was by the side of the goal waiting to deflect the ball into the goal almost asking for permission. Minutes later a goal was disallowed to Egypt for an infringement in the process of the goal play.
Japan had a penalty stroke that the Egyptian goalkeeper managed to save from the bottom of the goal to keep the score 1-0.
The men in white continued to attack and try to tie the match, but to no avail. Japan took the victory losing some other chances to convert along the way. Japan had other chances to convert from penalty corners but could not take advantage of them.
The first match of the day and of the tournament ended 1-0 with Japan earning their first 3 points and looking forward to face Korea tomorrow November 2, while Egypt will play against South Africa.
PAKISTAN 1 VS SOUTH AFRICA 4
In the second match of the day, two historic teams of the world field hockey would face each other. On the one hand Pakistan, which with this participation reaches 21 in this cup, having won it 3 times in 1999, 2000 and 2003 and obtaining the second place several times. On their side South Africa, one of the most important teams of the African continent makes its third appearance in this tournament, having participated for the last time in 2014.
Both teams come to demonstrate that they want to keep this tournament and continue to grow at international level.
The match was very even during the 60 minutes of play, that’s why only in the 25th minute of the game, Trevor Junior scored the first goal for the green team to take a 1-0 lead. With an attentive crowd in the stands, you could feel how the game was getting comfortable for the team coached by none other than EWING Garreth, nominated for the renowned FIH MEN`S TEAM COACH OF THE YEAR award.
Two minutes after the first goal, BEAUCHAMP Connor scored the second goal for his team from a penalty corner. Meanwhile, the men in white were trying to close spaces so that South Africa could not filter through and get the ball back as quickly as possible to attack and close the gap. This could not be possible as the team led by DE SOUSA Matthew kept on scoring goals to make it 3-0 through NGUBANE Senzwesihle Brian after 38 minutes of play. Before the end of the third quarter, FORESTIER Cameron Yves Norman managed to extend the difference and make it 4-0.
It was only in the last quarter that Pakistan was able to score its first goal of the game, after several attempts. SHAHID Abdul managed to get ahead of the green defender and deflected his teammate’s cross to put it in for the 4-1 final score.
South Africa will play their next match against Egypt tomorrow in the first game of the day, while Pakistan will face Malaysia.
MALAYSIA 0 VS KOREA 3
The last match of the day was between the local team and the last champion of this tournament. It is more than clear that Malaysia, being the organizer of this cup, played all its editions, so it is the team with more experience in this cup, while South Korea participated 20 times, winning it three times, and participating in the final four times. It was expected to be a back-and-forth match, where both teams would have the tools to carry out the most important match at the beginning of a new cup, since it is always important to start winning.
Although both teams, especially the home team, had a lot of energy focused on the opening match, it seems that the nerves benefited JANG Jonghyun, who scored the first goal of the tournament for his team after 10 minutes of play with a penalty corner. The team coached by ANTHONI Arul tried to attack through the spaces that Korea left free, but without success the match went to the end of the second quarter with another Korean goal scored by KIM Hyeonhong in the 30th minute of the match from a penalty corner to make the score 2-0.
Three minutes later, the 38-year-old JANG Jonghyun once again put his team ahead to extend the lead to 3-0 with a penalty corner to seal the result that would lead Korea to victory.
The home side will play Pakistan tomorrow in the last round, while Korea will face Japan.
