Dramatic win over US gives SA women quarterfinal spot, men lose to Egypt

SOUTH Africa’s national women’s hockey team qualified for the quarterfinals of the FIH Hockey World League semifinals after a dramatic 3-2 win over the US at the Wits Hockey Astro in Johannesburg yesterday.

Two goals from Candice Manual sealed the victory for South Africa after they trailed twice in the match.

Manual’s second goal gave SA the lead with nine minutes to go.

In the last few minutes the home crowd went wild to help the team keep that lead despite final attacks from America.

At half time, the score was 1-1. Melissa Gonzalez scored in the 14th minute to give the US the lead after the first chukka.

After brilliant work from Shelley Jones on the counter-attack, Jade Mayne made it 1-1 in the 27th minute.

The US took the lead again with one minute left in the third chukka when Jill Witmer hit the back of the goal-box.

Manual made it all square again after some brilliant work between herself and Bernadette Coston. Less than two minutes later, Manual scored again.

With their back against the wall, the SA women stepped up big time in the second half. They played with intensity that had been lacking in previous games.

Sheldon Rostron was a very proud and emotional coach afterwards.

“I am really happy. I actually have no words. My heart is pounding like crazy.

“The team had to dig deep for the victory. We wanted to work some shots at goals and score from it and we did that. We have learnt some lessons and I am excited with what we have achieved today.”

Goal-scorer Manual said: “It is great to score goals and win matches, we live for moments like these. When I score I am really happy and I had to show it!”

Captain Sulette Damons was also a happy camper.

“We kept believing we could win even though we went behind twice. I am proud of my team.”

South Africa will play against Germany in the quarterfinal tomorrow.

Today, the SA men’s team is up against Belgium at 6pm. The only way the team can reach the next round is by beating Belgium, who are in rampant form.

On Saturday, the SA men’s team lost a frustrating match against African archrivals Egypt 2-1. It was a day of missed opportunities for the home team as they had 13 shots at goal and Egypt only two.

After the game was scoreless for almost 28 minutes, the score was 1-1 at half time.

Egypt scored first, with Houssam Ghobran getting the scoreboard going. Less than 30 seconds later, South Africa equalised with Dan Sibbald hitting the back of the goal-box after a brilliant pass from Daniel Bell. It could have been 2-1 for the home team, but Ignatius Malgraff missed a great opportunity earlier in the second chukka.

Egypt took the lead with Ghobran’s second goal of the match.

It was a match in which the South Africans just did not get the basics right.

The trapping skills and injections for penalty corners lacked accuracy on the day.

The home team had more than enough opportunities to score field goals from penalty corners South Africa got.

South Africa are 15th on the world rankings and Egypt 19th.