FIH: New Zealand and Spain win FIH Hockey Nations Cup to gain Pro League promotion

New Zealand and Spain will have the opportunity to play in the FIH Hockey Pro League in the 2024-25 season after beating France and Irealnd, respectively, to win the FIH Hockey Nations Cup.

The final of the FIH Hockey Men’s Nations Cup Poland 2023/24 saw the Black Sticks win in a shootout. Spain won the FIH Hockey Women’s Nations Cup Spain 2023/24 in regulation time, having already defeated Ireland in the pool phase.  

(Men’s) Austria 4-5 Malaysia 

Malaysia concluded their FIH Hockey Men’s Nations Cup journey in Poland with a win, beating Austria 4-5 to finish seventh. The Speedy Tigers didn’t spare any time for the Austrians to settle down as Faizal Saari squared it for Abu Kamal Azrai to slot in after only two minutes. Saari got one for himself in the second quarter from a penalty corner in the 18th minute. The first effort saw a superb save from Austrian captain Fabian Unterkircher on the line but the retake was fired into the roof of the net. 

Austria pegged one back three minutes later as they found some rhythm. A penalty corner was upgraded to a penalty stroke and Fülöp Losonci made no mistake from the spot. However, they could not build on it as Malaysia got a penalty stroke that was fired in by Fitri Saari. 

A devastating start to the second half saw Faizal Saari grabbing a hat-trick with a thunderous strike in the 32nd minute, followed by a delicate one in the 33rd. Maximilian Scholz scored for Austria in the 34th minute from a penalty corner to blow the game wide open. The Malaysians were stunned and a lack of discipline saw Arthur Kucera finish a lovely team move with 11 minutes to go. Scholz got another one via a penalty corner in the 51st but that was it. 

Malaysia’s Faizal Saari won player of the and said: “I am very thankful to our boys. They gave everything today. We are looking forward to the Asian Champions Trophy in September.”

(Men’s) Canada 2-1 Korea 

Canada’s top defensive performance helped them beat Korea 2-1 and finish fifth. The Red Caribou can arguably be considered the most improved team of the tournament in Gniezno. After leaking goals in the pool phase, the revival at the back has been admirable. With fifth place at stake, the Canadians had a strong start. 

In five minutes, Sean Davis served the first goal on a plate for Jude Nicholson. Two minutes later, defender Thomas Harris benefitted from a clearance to score Canada’s second. They had three more chances in the first quarter via penalty corners but couldn’t make it count. 

The Koreans began to play their usual game in the second quarter, but the defenders were not making it easy for them. The Canadian resistance was finally broken by Cheoleon Park in the 52nd minute. More chances came Korea’s way and Sean Davis chipped in at the back, with an on-the-line save from a penalty corner in the dying moments. In the end, it wasn’t meant to be as Korea finished sixth. 

Sean Davis of Canada won player of the match for his all-round performance and said: “It’s been a tough tournament. It’s great to come back and get two wins at the end. We fought hard, defended hard, and it was a great result for the team. I am proud of all of us.” 

(Men’s) Pakistan 3-4 South Africa 

South Africa won the bronze medal at the FIH Hockey Men’s Nations Cup in Poland after an entertaining 3-4 win over Pakistan. Conceding soft goals has been a problem for Pakistan throughout the tournament. The match to decide the third-best team in Gniezno also had one such incident. After a goalless first quarter that saw both teams creating chances, South Africa broke the deadlock in the 20th minute. It was a scruffy goal to let in after a failed clearance was slotted in by Samkelo Mvimbi.      

The lead did not last long as Abu Mahmood sent a penalty corner straight down the middle with two minutes remaining in the first half. The third quarter saw South Africa score a spectacular goal in the 34th minute. Matthew Guise-Brown’s penalty corner bounced off Abdullah Ishtiaq Khan’s gloves and Mustaphaa Cassiem jumped and smashed the ball in like a shuttlecock.   

Abdul Rehman levelled the scores again within a minute. The final 15 minutes saw South Africa attacking with purpose. They were rewarded when captain Keenan Horner beautifully placed the ball to give them the lead in the 51st minute. That didn’t slow them down and Mustaphaa Cassiem added one more with two minutes to go. The sensational Hannan Shahid, who had a goal ruled out earlier, struck with a minute remaining but it was too little too late to make any difference. 

Mustaphaa Cassiem’s brace earned him the player of the match. He said: “I think it all came together even though we leaked some goals today defensively. It was a good two weeks for us. We wanted to end with the bronze medal. It was really good from the boys.” 

(Men’s) New Zealand 1-1 France (SO: 4-3) 

New Zealand beat France 4-3 in a shootout after the final finished 1-1 in normal time to win the FIH Hockey Men’s Nations Cup Poland 2023/24.  A tight match was predicted as two sides heading to the Olympics in Paris were pitted against each other in the final. Winning the Nations Cup was not only about increasing confidence and morale but also about earning that prestigious ticket to the FIH Hockey Pro League next season. 

New Zealand and France respected each other and shared three quarters without a goal. That doesn’t mean there were no chances but both teams preferred the cautious approach. The Black Sticks had two penalty corners early in the game but it didn’t end in the back of the net. However, they went ahead after 53 minutes from Hugo Inglis’ brilliance on the right before finding Jonty Elmes, who volleyed it in. France hit back with three minutes remaining through the inevitable Victor Charlet, who fired in a penalty corner to send the game into a shootout.    

The dramatic shootout saw Leon Hayward star with saves against Timothée Clément and Brieuc Delemazure to help New Zealand lift the trophy. New Zealand skipper Nic Woods was named player of the match and said: “It’s a credit to these guys when you see how much we have grown as a team and a group. Our values that we hold together. Our unison that we hold together. I am so happy.” 

(Women’s) Korea 1-2 Italy 

Italy scored at the death to break Korean hearts and bag a seventh-place finish at the FIH Hockey Women’s Nations Cup in Terrassa. Federica Carta and Co were asking plenty of questions in the first quarter, but it was the Koreans that found the back of the net. In the 12th minute, Sujin An and Eunji Kim combined for an excellent opener. The Italian attackers were kept at bay thanks to some brilliant saves from the Korean goalkeeper, also named Eunji Kim. 

The Italians deservedly got their equaliser, 39 seconds into the second quarter. Antonella Bruni scored from the rebound after an initial shot from Ivanna Pessina. In the second half, Italian goalkeeper Lucia Ines Caruso stood out. The Koreans had three penalty corners on top of other chances but Caruso made crucial saves to keep it 1-1.  

It was a see-saw of a game with the fourth quarter belonging to Italy. Their persistence paid off as Carta’s shot from a penalty corner was smartly turned in by Sofia Laurito on the dot to win the game. 

Antonella Bruni of Italy was judged player of the match and said: “I am happy. This was a nice end for us. We improved game by game. We didn’t have a lot of training before coming here but we are growing game by game.”

(Women’s) Canada 0-1 Japan 

Japan held on to win 0-1 and finish fifth in a game they dominated. It was one-way traffic from start to finish as Japan went for it with all guns blazing. The conversion rate, however, is a cause for concern as they head to the French capital for the Olympic Games. 

In total, the Cherry Blossoms had 13 penalty corners in the game and scored from one of them. It came in the 19th minute. Yu Asai’s shot couldn’t find a way in and as Rowan Harris tried to clear the ball, Kanon Mori lobbed it past her. Rowan Harris was easily the best player on the pitch for the Canadians, bringing out her A-game and preventing a hammering. 

Kanon Mori, who scored the only goal of the game, won player of the match and was worried for her team’s penalty corner routines. She said: “We were attacking for a long time and had many penalty corners. We couldn’t score those, making it harder for us. We are not happy with fifth place but we had many good takeaways.” 

(Women’s) Chile 2-1 New Zealand 

Chile won the bronze medal at the FIH Hockey Women’s Nations Cup in Spain with a 2-1 win over New Zealand, improving on their seventh-place finish at the previous edition. It was a wonderful way to say goodbye to captain and long-time international Camila Caram, who had announced her retirement. All three goals from the game were of supreme quality. 

It was a relatively even first half that saw neither team take their chances. 

The first goal came in the 41st minute when Josefa Salas received a pass from a long way out. With the keeper charging towards the striker, Salas controlled the ball brilliantly, before turning to her left and scoring into the bottom corner. 

Las Diablas had the momentum and scored one more from a well-executed penalty corner routine in the 53rd minute. Fernanda Flores started and finished the move, from an almost impossible angle. New Zealand did have their moment when Rose Tynan displayed sublime control in dribbling past a few players before lobbing it in. Sadly for the Black Sticks, it didn’t amount to anything. 

Fernanda Flores won player of the match and said: “It’s a special tournament for us. We are happy to win the bronze medal. We finished on top. We had a good tournament.”

(Women’s)  Spain 2-0 Ireland 

Spain defeated Ireland 2-0 to lift the FIH Hockey Women’s Nations Cup Spain 2023/24 in what was a straightforward final. Having already dominated against Ireland in the tournament opener, the Spaniards must have been high on confidence going into the final. 

Despite the loss, Ireland can be proud of how well they have recovered from losing 5-1 on the first day. The final saw both goals come in the second quarter. Laia Vidosa and Patricia Alvarez combined well to open the scoring in the 25th minute. The first half finished with a penalty corner from Lola Riera, which ensured she finished as the top scorer of the tournament. 

Ireland created chances from open play and also won two penalty corners in the third and fourth quarter but none of them made it past Clara Perez, who kept the clean sheet. Patricia Alvarez, who won player of the match, kept it short and sweet. She expressed her excitement to be playing in the Olympic Games and the opportunity to join the FIH Hockey Pro League next season. She said: “I am very happy and proud of this team.”

Awards in Gniezno 

1. Poligras Magic Skill Award: Seyong Oh (KOR) 
2. Best Goalkeeper of the Tournament: Arthur Thieffry  (FRA) 
3. Best Junior Player of the Tournament: Hannan Shahid (PAK) 
4. Top Scorers: Victor Charlet (FRA) and Faizal Saari (MAS)
5. Best Player: Nic Woods (NZL) 

(Men’s) Standings 

1. New Zealand 
2. France 
3. South Africa 
4. Pakistan 
5. Canada 
6. Korea 
7. Malaysia 
8. Austria 
9. Poland 

FIH Hockey Men’s Nations Cup  – 9 June 2024 

Hockey Stadium – Gniezno, (POL)

Result: Match 21 (M)

Austria 4-5 Malaysia 

Player of the match: Faizal (MAL)

Umpires: Munashe Mashoko (ZIM), Titus Ngolia (KEN), Benjamin Peters (USA-video)

Result: Match 22 (M)

Canada 2-1 Korea

Player of the match: Sean Davis (CAN)

Umpires: Erik Etsebeth (RSA), Haroon Rashid (PAK), Harry Collinson (ENG-video) 

Result: Match 23 (M)

Pakistan 3-4 South Africa 

Player of the match: Mustaphaa Cassiem (RSA) 

Umpires: Tim Bond (NZL), Paul Van Den Assum (NED), Benjamin Peters (USA-video)

Result: Match 24 (M)

New Zealand 1-1 France (SO: 4-3)  

Player of the match: Nic Woods (NZL)

Umpires: Federico Silva (ARG), Michael Dutrieux (BEL), Harry Collinson (ENG-video)

Awards in Terrassa  

1. Poligras Magic Skill Award – Kim Eunji (KOR)
2. Best Goalkeeper of the Tournament – Brooke Roberts (NZL)
3. Best Junior Player of the Tournament – Blanca Perez (ESP)
4. Top Scorer – Lola Riera (ESP)
5. Best Player – Lola Riera (ESP)

(Women’s) Standings

1. Spain 
2. Ireland
3. Chile 
4. New Zealand
5. Japan 
6. Canada 
7. Italy 
8. Korea 

FIH Hockey Women’s Nations Cup  – 9 June 2024 

Estadi Martí Colomer, Terrassa, (ESP)

Result: Match 17 (W)

Korea 1-2  Italy  

Player of the match: Antonella Bruni (ITA)

Umpires: Tamara Leonard (AUS), Rama Potnis (IND), Clare Barwood (WAL-video)

Result: Match 18 (W)

Canada 0-1 Japan 

Player of the match: Kanon Mori (JPN)

Umpires:  Cassidy Gallagher (AUS), Lorjin De Kraker (NED), Lisette Baljon (NED-video) 

Result: Match 19 (W)

Chile 2-1 New Zealand 

Player of the match: Fernanda Flores (CHI)

Umpires: Gemma Calderon (ESP), Melissa Taylor (RSA),  Cassidy Gallagher (AUS-video)

Result: Match 20 (W)

Spain 2-0 Ireland  

Player of the match: Patricia Alvarez (ESP)

Umpires: Sophie Bockelmann (GER), Mariana Reydo (ARG), Melissa Taylor (RSA-video)