The Junior World Cup Africa Qualifier Tournament reached a fitting climax at Randburg Hockey Stadium on Saturday evening when the South Africa U21 men’s team won their final 4-2 in a penalty shoot-out against Egypt. The result added to the feat of South Africa's women who beat Ghana 4-0 in regulation time.
There was some consolation for the losing teams thanks to a qualification ruling from the International Hockey Federation. Both the African men’s and women’s tournaments will see two sides go through to the FIH Junior World Cup competitions, meaning that the South Africa men and women will be joined by the Egyptian men and Ghanaian women at the events which take place next year.
The men’s final was an absolutely thrilling contest that went all the way to a penalty shootout when the score was locked at 1-1 after the end of both regulation and golden goal extra-time.
London 2012 Olympian Clint Panther had shrugged off Egyptian defenders to open the scoring for SA in the 41st minute while Egypt’s Ashraf Said equalised after Ahmed Gamal’s assist in the 58th minute.
Egypt twice hit the post in regulation time while the South Africans also rattled the frame of the goal in extra-time, with both sides going close on numerous occasions throughout this pulsating final.
Captain Izelle Lategan (2), Lilian du Plessis and Christine Roos scored the goals as the heavily-favoured South African women’s team won their final against Ghana 4-0. The bronze medal matches were exciting affairs with Namibia’s women winning on golden goal against Kenya while the men of Ghana defeated Kenya 4-2 in a stormy encounter that saw seven yellow cards.
Zimbabwe’s men and women finished fifth.
Source: South African Hockey Association
