23 April 2025
Each Nambia’s women and men’s u21 hockey groups are at the moment second on the log on the Junior Africa Cup in Windhoek and well-placed to qualify for the Junior World Cup later this yr.
The highest three women and men’s groups will qualify for the 2025 Junior World Cup, with the boys to play in Chennai and Madurai, India in November, whereas the ladies will compete in Santiago, Chile in December.
Within the males’s class, South Africa are the recent favourites to win the Africa title after successful their opening 4 matches in model, scoring 32 targets and conceding solely 4.
They beat Zambia 12-3, Namibia 8-0, Zimbabwe 7-1 and Egypt 5-0 to guide the go online 12 factors, however Namibia went second after successful two of their opening three matches. Of their opening match on Friday, they acquired off to an ideal begin with a come-from-behind 3-1 win towards Egypt.
In a hard-fought encounter, the rating was nonetheless goalless at halftime, however Egypt edged forward by means of a area purpose by Basel Abdelmonem halfway by means of the third quarter. Namibia, nevertheless, made a surprising comeback within the closing quarter with Owen Hatton equalising whereas two brief nook targets by JP Britz sealed a memorable victory for Namibia.
The subsequent day they went down 8-0 to SA, with Jayden Brooker the star of the present with six targets, however on Monday, Namibia bounced again with a 5-3 victory towards Kenya.
In an entertaining encounter, Namibia went 3-2 forward by halftime and 4-3 by the top of the third quarter, earlier than easing to a 5-3 victory. Captain JP Britz scored two brief nook targets, whereas James de Jager, Jack Fourie and Abraham Graham every scored a area purpose, with Matthew Momanyi, Vincent Wesonga and Nirmaan Mudher replying for Kenya.
After the match captain Britz stated they’re in excessive spirits and fancied their probabilities of reaching the ultimate.
“For the time being, we’re fairly optimistic. We did the arduous yards towards Egypt on day one after we beat them 3-1, and right this moment was an enormous end result for us successful 5-3 towards Kenya. So in the mean time, we’re on six factors, trying good and feeling very optimistic,” he stated.
Britz stated their opening day victory towards Egypt was a special occasion for Namibian hockey.
“It was a really special occasion for me being the captain of the staff and having the ability to lead the staff to victory. It was fairly a good recreation and we went down 1-0 within the third quarter, however then happily we scored all three our targets within the final quarter and simply saved our heads up,” he stated.
“We did every thing we would have liked to do from administration facet and it was simply an excellent recreation general. I’m very proud of the end result and it was a really special occasion for Namibian hockey,” he added.
South Africa additionally lead the ladies’s competitors on 12 factors after successful their opening 4 matches in model, scoring 33 targets and never conceding any. Namibia, nevertheless, are in scorching pursuit, mendacity second on 9 factors, after successful their opening three matches.
On Friday they beat Kenya 3-0 after two targets by Tisha Semedo and one by Maryke Neethling, whereas they surprised Zimbabwe with a 6-0 victory the following day, with Onique Bezuidenhout and Mia Karsten scoring two targets every and Marika Neethling and Maryke Kruger one every.
On Monday night they have been in irrisistible kind as they thumped Zambia 11-1 after main 6-0 by half time. Neethling led the best way with a hat-trick, whereas Alice Rowles, Mia Karsten and Azaylee Philander every scored two, and Anica Higgs and Marlene Coetzee one purpose every.
Namibia have been attributable to play Uganda final night time whereas their eagerly awaited top-of-the-log conflict towards South Africa takes place tomorrow at 15h00.
* On Tuesday, each Namibia’s women and men’s groups certified for the finals, to safe their locations on the 2025 Junior World Cup. Namibia’s males beat Zimbabwe 4-1 to e book a spot within the closing towards SA, whereas Namibia’s ladies, who beat Uganda 4-0, may also meet SA within the closing.
Supply: namibian.com.na
