South Africa finished their third and final FIH Hockey Junior Women’s World Cup 2023 Pool A fixture overnight on Saturday, going down 4-0 to Australia to end the round-robin phase winless, and with three loses in three matches, South Africa finished at the bottom of Pool A, having conceded 11 goals without breaching the defence of any of their pool competitors.
Wearing their traditional home kit of green, Team South Africa would have wanted a positive performance to give them some belief and importantly momentum ahead of their crossover game on Tuesday, which would offer them the opportunity of a top 10 finish.
But it was a terrible start for the Africans, going down to an early Australian goal before the team had really settled into the battle, when Makayla Jones opened the scoring for the Aussies with a sharp finish in the 4th minute.
South Africa created the best chance of the second half 7 minutes in, when the dynamic duo Malikah Hamza and Ntsopa Mokoena combined. Yet somehow Bridget Laurance made a truly remarkable save to keep the sheet clean.
The SA chance raised the tempo from the Australians, who won a string of penalty corners. Fortunately for the South Africans the execution was below average. The quarter finished with Australia still leading 2-0.
Cullum-Sanders and Jones combined early in the final quarter and finally managed to find the third goal in their quest to end ahead of the Dutch in the pool table.
In true South African fashion, they continued to fight, and Malikah Hamza won a penalty corner for the team. Cerian Fourie’s drag flick was charged down and it remained 3-0.
Australia finally got a penalty corner goal, but there was a huge slice of luck to it. Germarie Speershot saved the ball on the line, but the clearance hit the back of Morgan de Jager and rebounded into the goal, 4-0.
South Africa had a late penalty corner but Speershot’s attempt was charged down. And it was Australia who completed the group stage unbeaten and will march on to the Quarter Final stage, winning 4-0
In their Day 2 tie, the Netherlands climbed to the top of Pool A as they scored six past the South African defence. Mikki Roberts showed her class as she scored a hat-trick, with all three goals from penalty corners. Trijntje Beljaars backed up Roberts her brilliance, as she also scored two goals from penalty corners.
The ball possession was with the Dutch team for most of the time and their forwards made many circle penetrations securing 12 penalty corners.
Hat-trick star Mikki Roberts – who was also adjudged as the Player of the Match – said that they didn’t play their best hockey Thursday, when they drew against Australia, but are happy to be back on track and secure the three points.
The Fight that Remains
For South Africa attention will turn now to the 9-16 playoff. A victory in that came will mean a worst possible finish of 12th and a potential place in the top 10 is still up for grabs.
Their opponent in that game will be the loser of the game tomorrow between Spain and Korea, in a game scheduled for 23:15 (CAT) on Tuesday, 5 December.
Match Results from Day 1 of the FIH Hockey Junior Women’s World Cup 2023, on 29 November, 2023:
Match 1: Korea 6-0 Zimbabwe
Match 2: Netherlands 2-2 Australia
Match 3: India 12-0 Canada
Match 4: Argentina 1-0 Spain
Match 5: Germany 0-6 Belgium
Match 6: South Africa 0-1 Chile
Match Results from Day 2, on 30 November, 2023:
Match 7: England 5-0 New Zealand
Match 8: United States 2-1 Japan
Match 9: Belgium 8-0 Canada
Match 10: India 3-4 Germany
Match 11: South Africa 0-6 Netherlands
Match 12: Australia 2-0 Chile
Match Results from Day 3, on 1 December, 2023:
Match 13: Spain 8-0 Zimbabwe
Match 14: New Zealand 1-2 Japan
Match 15: United States 2-5 England
Match 16: Korea 0-3 Argentina
Match Results from Day 4, on 2 December, 2023:
Match 17: Belgium 3-2 India
Match 18: Germany 8-0 Canada
Match 19: Australia 4-0 South Africa
Match 20: Netherlands 7-0 Chile
Match Results from Day 1 of the FIH Hockey Junior Women’s World Cup 2023
To see the full match schedule, click here.
To see the current pool standings after Day 3, click here.
Photo Caption: South Africa finished their third and final Pool A fixture overnight on Saturday, going down 4-0 to Australia to end the round-robin phase winless, and without a goal in three loses from three matches, South Africa finished at the bottom of Pool A. Photo: Hockey SA
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