In Saturday’s late match, South African Women’s Indoor Hockey team managed to get a clinical 3-1 win over Namibia, after Namibia had beaten Ireland in the day’s early fixture, at the Kathea Nkosi Cup in Cape Town on Saturday, 16 December, 2023.
Like the previous meeting, this was another tight game between the two southern African nations, and it was the hosts who managed to take the lead despite not being able to convert a few penalty corners.
Encouragingly for the home side, Kayla da Waal and Malikah Hamza combined brilliantly, which saw de Waal whip in a goal. Just 80 seconds later Kiana Cormack levelled the score for Namibia, marking her fifth goal of the tournament. She scored from a tight angle after good work from captain Gillian Hermanus, and it remained 1-1 into the half-time break.
South Africa’s goalkeeper Sarah Paget was in top form as she made a remarkable save to keep her team in the game and on level terms. Danny de Oliveira managed to get South Africa in the lead just five minutes after the second half began as she scored from a penalty corner.
The hosts then managed to seal the win in the final minute of the game. Despite being under pressure from Namibia, De Waal scooped her shot over Petra Stoffberg to see South Africa take the victory with her second goal at the Wynberg Military Base in Cape Town.
The home team topped the group after they won both their matches. Namibia is second and Ireland is bottom, having not won a match yet.
Ireland v Namibia
The return of Kiana Cormack to the Namibian side was rather momentous, after having not played for some time and then brought for a goal-scoring prospect in the first match of the day against Ireland on Saturday, December 16, 2023.
Not surprisingly, Cormack was the one who got her team’s first goal within the first 10 minutes from a penalty corner, and it came just before the end of the first quarter.
However, when the match resumed Ireland pulled level early in the second quarter, only for Cormack’s quality to see her run from one end to another to dink the ball over the keeper to take the score to 2-1 and res-establish Namibia’s lead.
It wasn’t long before she completed her hat-trick, which saw Namibia take a commanding 3-1 lead into halftime.
For Ireland, it was much of the same as they were unable to convert their opportunities, much they struggled to do against South Africa in the tri-nation series’ opening fixture on Friday night.
Cormack scored her for fourth goal through a penalty corner but the Irish pulled one back when Orla Patton converted a superb penalty corner. Ireland kept pressing Namibia but weren’t able to score again as the quarter ended 4-2.
The Irish finally got their goal in the final quarter thanks to Mikayla Powell, but they were unable to find the leveller.
Namibia secured the win as Azaylee Philander scored her 25th international goal, leading to a final score of 5-3.
Fixtures and Results at the Inaugural Kathea Energy Nkosi Cup, at the Wynberg Military Base Stadium in Cape Town, from Friday 15 to Tuesday 19 December, 2023:
Fri 15 Dec, 20h00: Ireland 4-5 South Africa (MVP – Cailynn den Bakker, South Africa)
Sat 16 Dec, 12h00: Namibia 5-3 Ireland (MVP – Kiana Cormack, Namibia)
Sat 16 Dec, 18h45: South Africa 3-1 Namibia (MVP – Gillian Hermanus, Namibia)
Sun 17 Dec, 18h30: Ireland v South Africa
Mon 18 Dev, 11h00: Namibia v Ireland
Mon 18 Dev, 18h45: South Africa v Namibia
Tue 19 Dec, 18h45: Women’s Final
Teams at the Inaugural Kathea Energy Nkosi Cup, at the Wynberg Military Base Stadium in Cape Town, from Friday 15 to Tuesday 19 December, 2023
South Africa
Daniela de Oliveira
Edit Molikoe
Cailynn den Bakker
Kayla de Waal
Tegan Fourie
Malikah Hamza
Jessica Lardant
Cheree Greyvenstein
Sarah Paget
Moabi Bonolo
Laylaa Davids
Coach: AJ Spieringshoek
Manager: Tracey Flowers
Namibia
Petro Stoffberg
Jocelle Wessels
Azaylee Philander
Sunelle Ludwig
Kiana-Che Cormack
Marcia Venter
Jerrica Bartlett
Jamie Henchert
Gillian Hermanus
Amber Dercksen
Taramarie Myburgh
Coach: Shayne Cormack
Manager: Shaheed Abrahams
Ireland
Emma Buckley
Kate O’Hagan
Sarah Patton
Laura Graham
Mikayla Powell
Chloe Brown
Orla Fox
Orla Patton
Milla Fulton
Jenna Mccarlie
Lilly Lloyd
Katie Kimber
Coach: Rob Abbot
Manager: Gareth Myburgh
Main Photo caption: The South African Women’s Indoor Hockey team managed to get a commanding 3-1 win over Namibia in the latest chapter of their rivalry, in the Kathea Nkosi Cup on Saturday, December 16, 2023. All Photos: Nathier Suleiman / SA Hockey Association
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