Each South Africa males and Namibia girls got here into the event as defending champions, they depart it as champions once more. Successful the titles in opposition to their African counterparts within the Nkosi Cup Finals.
Males’s Bronze Medal – Eire (2) 5-5 (0) New Zealand
Properly, that was plenty of enjoyable. An exciting finish to finish battle between the 2 event debutants was nothing wanting entertaining from begin to end. It was a recreation that noticed objectives scored in each quarter and ultimately a shootout to determine the winner.
It was Eire who led on the half time break 3-1 because of a Ross Canning double and Greg Williams all executing penalty corners fantastically. Maks Wyndham-Smith pulled one again for New Zealand.
Early within the second half the groups traded strikes with Eire scoring by way of Oliver Kidd and a stroke for Benedict van Woerkom for New Zealand. Ross Canning transformed his hat-trick to make it 5-2 earlier than a triple from van Woerkom, the final proper on the finish despatched the sport to a shootout.
Canning and Williams scored within the shootout to wrap up a bronze medal for Eire.
Ladies’s Remaining – Namibia 3-1 South Africa
The 2 groups proceed writing an unbelievable rivalry and this subsequent chapter was nothing wanting chic. It lacked the attacking brilliance of the lads’s bronze medal recreation however the tactical battle was chic.
Namibia took a primary half lead by way of Jivanka Kruger and it was a 1-0 lead on the half time break with Namibia irritating South Africa by way of their defensive patterns and providing risk on the counter assault.
South Africa have been rising in momentum within the third quarter however it was Kiana Cormack who would rating from a penalty nook to double the lead. The South Africans did discover a aim again and the gang was pumped. South Africa pulled their keeper in a seek for the equalizer and had a golden alternative however fired vast. Jivanka Kruger, participant of the match, would get a late counter attacking aim to win 3-1 and defend their Nkosi Cup crown.
Males’s Remaining – Namibia 2-3 South Africa
South Africa have been led out by their most capped participant of all time, Justin Domleo, as that is his final recreation on South African soil earlier than hanging up his stick after the World Cup in Croatia.
The South Africans had one of the best probabilities within the first quarter however the self-discipline from the Namibians in protection was nothing wanting excellent. The hosts have been unable to transform their probabilities from penalty corners they usually have been made to pay when JP Britz fired house a rocket of a penalty nook. South Africa continued to create however have been simply not clicking into gear in opposition to their African counterparts. 1-0 on the half time break.
Early within the second half, South Africa produced a sensational counter with the Cassiem brothers combining however it was a case of inches on the improper aspect of the online. It was Mustapha Cassiem, after all, who scored his 99th worldwide aim to stage issues. He would make it a lead and turn out to be the primary SA Males’s participant to succeed in a century of objectives.
Fagan Hansen restored parity with a deflection off Domleo that left Cullin De Jager unsighted. The ultimate quarter awaited with the scores stage.
The ultimate quarter noticed probabilities at a premium and wanted a high-quality end from both aspect to search out the aim however it was Mustapha Cassiem who confirmed why he is among the finest on the planet creating and ending sensationally for his seventeenth profession hat-trick.
That might be that and the South Africans would seal the Nkosi Cup title for a second consecutive season.
Particular person Awards:Males’s Goalkeeper of the Match – Richter van Rooyen (New Zealand)Ladies’s Goalkeeper of the Match – Petro Stoffberg (Namibia)Males’s Participant of the Match – Mustapha Cassiem (South Africa)Ladies’s Participant of the Match – Kiana Cormack (Namibia)
