Namibia on top in African Hockey Indoor Test Series against South Africa

The African Hockey Indoor Test Series between South Africa and Namibia in Windhoek got underway this morning with the opening test matches between the two World Cup-bound nations.

Women’s First Test: Namibia 2-0 South Africa

The SPAR South Africa Indoor Hockey Women’s Team started the series with a celebration. Robyn Johnson and Celia Seerane becoming the 8th and 9th players to have played 50 Indoor Hockey games for South Africa. On the other end of the spectrum Kirsty Adams earned her first cap for her country.

This marked the first time the two had met since the African Hockey Indoor African Cup final and naturally there was a bit of cageyness to the game as both teams looked to find their rhythm. The most notable incident in the opening exchanges, a yellow card for Kaela Schimming. South Africa probably edging the opening quarter.

The hosts came out with more determination and focus in the second quarter and Charlize Swanepoel had to make a good save to deny Gillian Hermanus. South Africa had a big opportunity through Jess Lardant but under pressure she fired just wide. South Africa had a penalty corner on the verge of half time, but Jess O’Connor shot was well saved by Petro Stoffberg, and it was goalless at the break.

Namibia had two early penalty corners in the third quarter before South Africa fought back but found Petro Stoffberg in great form and the third quarter ended 0-0.

Namibia did find the opening goal of the game through Azaylee Philander who finished superbly after great work by Gillian Hermanus to give the hosts a massive lift. That lift got even bigger for the Namibians as Philander fired home from a tight angle to double the lead. They would hold the lead until the end of the game winning 2-0 and taking a 1-0 lead in the series!

Men’s First Test: Namibia 6-5 South Africa

South Africa’s Indoor Hockey Men awarded Spencer Botes his first cap for the country as the first test got underway.

It took only a few minutes before Namibia won the opening penalty corner of the game, but Bongumusa Mngoma was solid to deny the first opportunity. Despite South Africa looking comfortable in the game the Namibians caught them napping and Fagan Hansen capitalized. That one goal lead quickly became two through Brynn Cleak.

The start of the third quarter saw Namibia stretch their lead through Dylan Finch as the South Africans seemed somewhat shell shocked. They started their fight back through a Mustapha Cassiem penalty corner, his 34th International Indoor Hockey goal. 

The Namibians doused that fightback capitalizing on a South African error to make it 4-1 through Brynn Cleak and that score was added to as the crowd cheered them on the hosts as the Britz brothers combined for a fifth.

Quick thinking by Mustapha Cassiem found Jethro Eustice in space and the captain fired home to give the South Africans a glimmer of hope. Mustapha Cassiem then fired home from the penalty corner to close the gap to two. One quarter remained.

Early in the final quarter South Africa won a penalty stroke after the ball struck the body of Ernest Jacobs on the line. Mustapha Cassiem stood up, but his stroke was saved by the stick of Namibian captain DJ Strauss. South Africa would have a second go with a poor tackle by DJ Strauss gave another stroke to the South Africans. This time it was SA captain Jethro Eustice and he made sure to make it 5-4 to the hosts.

South Africa completed a four goal second half comeback when Mustapha Cassiem fired home his hat-trick goal into the top left corner. But Namibia re-established a lead with a superb finish after a controversially awarded penalty corner. Namibia held on for their first ever victory over the South Africans.