FIH Odisha Hockey Men's World Cup Match Reports

England off to a perfect start with victory over Wales 

England 5 (2) 

Park (1’, FG); Ansell (28’, PC; 38’ PC); Roper (42’ FG); Bandurak (58’ FG) 

Wales 0 (0) 

England got off to a great start in their World Cup opener, with a comprehensive 5-0 win against Wales.  The goals came in all 4 quarters from Nick Park with his first England goal, two from Liam Ansell and one apiece from Phil Roper and Nick Bandurak. 
 
In the new and magnificent 21,000 seater Birsa Munda stadium in Rourkela, England lined up against home nation rivals Wales, who were competing in their first World Cup.  Last time out at the Commonwealth Games the two played out a thrilling game which England won 4-2. 
 
The start could not have been much better or faster for England.   Inside the first 35 seconds Sam Ward’s strong run in on the goal line and cross from the right was met first time by Nick Park who deflected the ball past the goalkeeper.   Midway through the first quarter Wales started to get into the game, but England continued to press and create chances through a series of penalty corners and chances in open play. 
 
In the second quarter after a quiet opening 5 minutes, England again started to exert their dominance on the game.  Chances came in open play for both Roper and Wallace followed by a series of penalty corners.  On 28 minutes Liam Ansell scored England’s second goal from another penalty corner,  his low drag down the centre right of the goal went between the goalkeeper and defender on the post.  The ball deflected up off Reynolds-Cotterill’s outstretch pad and into the goal. 
 
With the comfort of a 2 goal lead in the second half England continued to create chances, and it was Liam Ansell who scored again to make it 3 from a well-worked penalty corner routine.   The injection went to Sam Ward who slipped the ball behind him to Liam Ansell.  With a sublime piece of skill, he lifted it  over the onrushing defender’s stick and then smashed the ball past the goalkeeper with a powerful strike.   Both Wales’ Jacob Draper and England’s Sam Ward were given yellow cards, so the advantage swung in the 3^rd and 4^th quarters depending on which team had 11 on the pitch. 

At the end of the third quarter England had 2 more chances,  they were awarded a penalty stroke after Sam Ward was fouled in the circle, Zach Wallace put the flick just wide of the right hand post.  They made it 4-0 when the ball broke to Phil Roper from a pass by Nick Park.  Roper in space turned and shot on the reverse just as the ball entered the circle.   

Wales enjoyed their best period of possession and chances in the fourth quarter, forcing a series of saves by Payne in England’s goal and two goal line clearances from Tom Sorsby from penalty corners.  England’s defence was resolute, and Wales were kept out.  As play became stretched more chances opened up and England’s 5^th was scored by Nick Bandurak. A Nick Park cross found it’s way to Bandurak who under pressure from the goalkeeper calmly transferred the ball to his reverse stick and undercut it high into the net past the defender.    

Final score 5-0 to England.  They go again on Sunday against hosts India in what is sure to be a sell-out crowd in Rourkela. 

 
Player of the match : Sam Ward  

Starting XI: Payne (GK), Park, Albery, Ames (C), Waller, Goodfield, Sorsby, Wallace, Calnan, Ward, Ansell 

Subs (Used): Sanford, Martin, Rushmere, Condon, Roper, Bandurak 

Subs (Unused): Mazarelo (GK) 

England and India play out a tense, entertaining draw 

England 0 (0) 

India 0 (0) 
 
In front of a capacity crowd of 21,000 in Rourkela, England and India met in the latest of what have been a series of very close encounters in recent years.  Last time out in the pool stage of the Commonwealth Games they drew 4-4.  This time despite breathless end to end attacking by both teams, multiple chances and penalty corners, the defences won out and the score line remained goalless.  England’s Ollie Payne won player of the match for his heroics in goal, producing a series of fine saves. 
 
The opening quarter saw both teams taking it in turns to attack.  England settled well despite the deafening noise of the home crowd and forced a series of penalty corners.  Bandurak and Ward’s drag flicks were well defended by the Indian defence running out.  Sam Ward had an opportunity in open play to shoot on the reverse, but it was saved.  India pressed and earned their first penalty corner, but the stop was not clean and the move broke down.   
 
Into the second quarter and the intensity and action remained extremely high as both teams sought to gain an advantage.   An aerial this time by Liam Sanford was picked up by Zach Wallace on the right wing, who ran in on goal and shot.  The strike was saved by the keeper but deflected onto a defender for a penalty corner.  Sam Ward’s low drag from the penalty corner was intercepted by the defence running out.  More opportunities came and went for England, and at the other end India forced their first penalty corner, but England’s runners were able to nullify the threat of  Harmanpreet.   
 
Late in the quarter and India were in the ascendancy.  Hardik was able to run into the circle and shoot, forcing a great reaction save by Ollie Payne with his stick.  England then survived a series of Indian penalty corners, before another great save by Payne with his left kicker after England lost possession in their own 23 and India counter attacked.  A breathless and thrilling opening 30 mins of hockey. 

India continued to press at the start of the second half enjoying the bulk of possession.  They countered well with Hardick again forcing Payne to pull off a series of great saves from close range to deny India. Stuart Rushmere had to leave the pitch for treatment after getting a stick in the face.  At the other end Sam Ward had a great opportunity as a through ball found him in open space in the circle, in a one on one with the goalkeeper his lifted ball on the reverse just went wide of goal. 

The chances kept coming for India as a crash ball by India into the circle was deflected first time by the Indian forward and Payne made another excellent save.  In the very last minute of the quarter India thought they had scored but it hit an attacker’s foot and was disallowed. 
 
The fourth quarter again saw England absorbing India’s attacks, with another save by Payne and some resolute defending by Sorsby and Ames.  England and India continued to exchange attacks and possession.  There was some heroic defending from Liam Sanford as India broke and he dove full length to intercept the pass through and then cleared the follow-up. 

Zach Wallace in one of many attacking runs from midfield showed off his stick skills as he picked up a deflection from an Indian stick in mid-air and continued the run with the ball on his stick in the air. 

In the last few minutes England continued to press and forced a penalty corner in the last 30 seconds, their first of the second half. They went agonisingly close to winning it, as Nick Bandurak’s drag flick hit the left hand post. 

Final score 0-0 but what a game, it had everything apart from goals. 

 
Player of the match :  Ollie Payne 

Starting XI: Payne (GK), Park, Albery, Ames (C), Waller, Sorsby, Goodfield, Wallace, Roper, Ward, Calnan 

Subs (Used): Sanford, Martin, Rushmere, Condon, Bandurak, Ansell 

Subs (Unused): Mazarelo (GK

England through to the World Cup quarter finals, after victory over Spain 

England 4 (2) 
Roper (11’, PC); Condon (22’, FG); Bandurak (51’, FG); Ansell (52’ FG) 

Spain 0 (0) 

England concluded their pool stage with a comprehensive win over Spain 4-0 in Bhubaneswar.  They  secured automatic qualification to the quarter final stage of the World Cup by topping Pool D on goal difference from India who beat Wales 4-2.  Phil Roper broke the deadlock from a penalty corner rebound, and David Condon made it two from open play in the first half.   England put the result out of question with further goals from Nick Bandurak and another for Liam Ansell on the occasion of his 50^th cap. 
 
A young Spanish team started confidently and enjoyed a lot of possession in the opening minutes.  England engineered a half chance for Bandurak as the ball broke to him in the circle but stretching for the ball, he fired wide.  At the other end Ollie Payne was called into action once again as a ball crashed into the circle from Spain was deflected up just over the goal. 
 
As he so often does Zach Wallace turned creator, his run from midfield earnt England their first penalty corner after he was fouled.  Sam Ward’s low drag was saved by the keeper, but he failed to clear it and Phil Roper latched on to the rebound to fire home from close range and make it 1-0.  Another chance came for Liam Ansell, but his reverse stick shot in open play was saved.  Spain were still in the game and forced a couple of chances, Ollie Payne saved well with an outstretched left leg from a Spanish strike. In the final minute of the quarter they were awarded a penalty corner but again Payne saved the drag flick comfortably with his glove. 

The second quarter continued to see chances for both teams, first for England as they forced another penalty corner but Bandurak’s drag flick just missed the right hand post.  Then Spain had their best opportunity of the match so far, as a reverse pass found the forward who lifted and hit the ball in one motion, just missing the post.   It was another quarter of chances, Zach Wallace nearly finished off a great solo effort as he attacked from the right edge of the circle, using 3D skills to evade a few Spanish sticks before lobbing the ball just over the goal.  On the other wing Nick Park ran in on the goal line and passed on the reverse back to David Condon who reacted quickly to get in front of the defence and volley the ball into the goal from a couple of yards out.  The half closed with Spain pressing and another save from Payne, and then a Bandurak reverse stick strike that was also saved. 
 
In comparison to the first 2 quarters the third was a lot tighter with less chances. England continued to press high and in Spain’s half and try to win the ball back.  Both Sam Ward and Zach Wallace had half chances, Ward’s reverse stick hit sailed over the goal and Wallace put the ball across goal but couldn’t find an English stick.   Spain had another penalty corner but the dragged the ball wide of the goal. 
 
In the final quarter England really took the game away from Spain.  Ward had another chance from a penalty corner, before Roper fired wide from an open play attack.  In the 51^st minute England made it 3-0, after a  pass from Waller found Wallace in lots of space on the right.  He run in on the goal line and squared the ball, Spain failed to clear it and Nick Bandurak pounced on the loose ball to push home. 
 
England’s fourth came with Spain down to 10 men.  They forced the turnover and Phil Roper attacked the circle before laying off the ball to the right to Liam Ansell, who had left his run into the circle late and smashed the ball into the bottom left hand corner, past the keeper.  England’s top goalscorer in the competition so far with 3.  There was still time Ollie Payne to pull off another great save from point blank range and maintain England’s no goals conceded record. 
 
England will now play in 5 days in the quarter final, and wait to see he progresses from the cross-over stage of the tournament. 

 
 
Player of the match :  Phil Roper 

Starting XI: Payne (GK), Park, Albery, Ames (C), Waller, Sorsby, Goodfield, Wallace, Roper, Ward, Ansell 

Subs (Used): Sanford, Martin, Rushmere, Condon, Calnan, Bandurak 

Subs (Unused): Mazarelo (GK) 

Heartbreak for England, as they lose quarter-final shoot-out to Germany 

England 2 (1) 
Wallace (12’, FG); Ansell (33’, PC) 

Germany 2 (0) 
Grambusch M (58’, FG); Grambusch T (59’, PS) 
 
Germany win shootout 4-3 
 

Germany came from 2-0 down with two minutes left on the clock to draw with England after full time and earn a penalty shootout.  England had taken a two goal lead with goals in the first quarter from Zach Wallace and 3^rd quarter from Liam Ansell.  In the shootout Germany scored 4 to England’s 3, after Goodfield and Ansell failed to convert . 
 
It was always going to be a tight affair as the teams ranked no. 4 and 5 in the world, met at the Kalinga stadium in Bhubaneswar in the World Cup quarter-final.  Both teams pressed in the first quarter, looking to take control of the game.  Germany forced a couple of circle entries early on and a shot on the reverse wide of goal.  It was England however who seized the first advantage on 12 minutes.  Will Calnan’s quick restart from a free hit inside the 23, allowed him to attack from the right hand goal line and pass back to Stuart Rushmere in front of goal.  Rushmere lifted the ball carrying it on his stick toward goal, only for Zach Wallace with great reactions to smash the ball home in the air past the German keeper and make it 1-0. A very even opening quarter, Germany shaded it in terms of territory, but England took their chance. 
 
More chances came quickly for both teams in the second quarter, as Phil Roper crossed from the left to find Sam Wallace, who couldn’t quite control the ball up in the air.  At the other end Ollie Payne cleared a deflected ball, then Christopher Ruhr had a chance as the ball broke to him in the circle but was penalised for a foul as he tried to keep Will Calnan at bay.  England created another opening as Wallace attacked down the middle, beating a defender before taking a shot just wide of the left hand post.  At the end of the second quarter, Germany forced two penalty corners, Payne saved Wellen’s initial shot, but it deflected onto Tom Sorsby’s leg.  Payne saved again from the second penalty corner, with his glove and then cleared with his kicker. 
 
In the third quarter England really took advantage helped by a green and then yellow card for Germany, which meant they played 7 mins with only 10 men on the pitch.  Another early chance for Wallace was followed by a penalty corner after good work from Ansell to put it on a German foot in the circle.  The first corner saw Ansell’s drag flick saved by the German keeper, from the second Sam Ward’s low drag was blocked by the runner but hits his leg.   On the third time of trying the injection went to Liam Ansell on the right hand castle, he moved it right to bypass the German runners and shot on the open stick into the bottom left hand corner to make it 2-0 to England. 
 
England appeared in control at the start of the fourth quarter.  Germany tried to find an opening, but England’s tight man to man marking held strong.  With five minutes to go Germany were forced to gamble and take off their goalkeeper giving them a numerical advantage with 11 outfield players.  In a breathless and nail biting last four minutes the game took several decisive turns.  Germany were awarded a penalty stroke after the ball broke to them in front of goal and Waller was judged to have stick tackled the forward as he attempted to shoot.  Ruhr missed putting the penalty flick sending it high right and onto the crossbar.  They were however not to be denied as moments later German captain Mats Grambusch fired in from close range after an attack down the right and cross. 

With 2 minutes to go England lost Zach Wallace with a green card.  Germany now with a 2 player advantage out on pitch forced another penalty corner.  The ball broke to Germany in the circle and a flick towards an open goal hit Nick Park resulting in another penalty stroke, which was converted make it 2-2.  In the final seconds Germany had another penalty corner, fortunately it was blocked by the England defence and they held out. 
 
England v Germany seemed destined to end in a penalty shoot-out and so it proved. James Albery and Zach Wallace converted England’s first two penalties, David Goodfield miscontrolled on a spin to miss the third before Phil Roper fired home England’s fourth penalty on the reverse from a tight angle.  Meanwhile Germany had scored their first four, to leave the score 4-3 with one penalty to go for both teams.  Liam Ansell stepped up but his shot on the reverse was saved and he fired just wide with the follow up.    
 
Final score 4-3 to Germany from the shoot out and they advance to the semi-final to play Australia.  Heartbreak for England as they were a minute away from making the semi-final themselves. 

Player of the match :  Mats Grambusch 

Starting XI: Payne (GK), Park, Albery, Ames (C), Waller, Sorsby, Goodfield, Wallace, Roper, Ward, Ansell 

Subs (Used): Sanford, Martin, Rushmere, Condon, Calnan, Bandurak 

Subs (Unused): Mazarelo (GK)