Africa-Press – Namibia. SOUTH Africa (SA) took a 1-0 lead in their hockey test series against Namibia when they won their third test 7-4 in Cape Town yesterday.
The first two tests were drawn 2-2 on Friday and 5-5 on Saturday – giving SA a slight advantage in the series, with two more matches to play.
All three test results were very close, and it was only in the third that SA finally stamped their authority on the match with three goals in the final quarter. Yesterday, Namibia took an early lead through a great backstick shot by Fagan Hansen, but SA soon equalised through Julius Ryan.
Namibia, however, upped the tempo, and a Dylan Finch goal after a quick counter-attack by Liam Hermanus gave them a 2-1 lead at the end of the first quarter.
SA piled on the pressure in the second quarter, but Namibian keeper DJ Strauss pulled off some fine saves and Namibia went 3-1 ahead when a diving Finch stabbed in Dakota Hansen’s cross from a counter-attack.
SA struck back with a fine solo goal by Chad Futcher to make the half-time score 3-2 in Namibia’s favour.
SA equalised early in the third quarter with a fine backstick goal by Ryan, and finally took the lead when Cassiem Dayaan scored from a short corner to put them 4-3 ahead.
Namibia immediately fought back when Dakota Hansen scored from a short corner to draw level at 4-4, but SA finished stronger, scoring three goals. Jethro Eustice put them ahead from a short corner, while another short-corner goal from Hezlett Keegan made it 6-4, before Mustapha Cassiem made the final score 7-4 after rounding off a quick counter-attack.
That win gave SA a slight edge in the series, but Namibia are by no means out of the running after they more than held their own in the first two matches.
On Friday, Namibia staged a great comeback to draw the match after trailing 2-0.
Goals by the Cassiem brothers, Dayaan and Mustapha, put SA 2-0 ahead after 16 minutes, but Ernest Jacobs reduced the deficit when he scored from a short corner just before half-time. SA piled on the pressure after the break, but Namibian keeper and captain DJ Strauss pulled off some stunning saves, and with two minutes to go Namibia clinched a share of the spoils when Nico Neethling scored from a counter-attack to make the final score 2-2.
On Saturday, the two sides were once again inseparable after drawing a high-scoring thriller 5-5.
Mustapha Cassiem gave SA the lead with a great shot from an acute angle, but Namibia drew level when Ernest Jacobs scored from a short corner. Chad Futcher put SA 2-1 ahead when he smashed home a loose ball just before half-time, and when Cassiem scored a fine goal from an acute angle, SA seemed to be in control. Namibia, however, showed great temperament as they immediately replied with two goals in two minutes by Liam Hermanus to draw level at 3-3.
In a frantic final quarter, Namibia went 4-3 ahead when Ernst Jacobs scored from a short corner, but SA struck back when Cassiem completed his hat-trick from a counter-attack.
With a minute to go, Namibia seemed to have clinched the match when Liam Hermanus completed his hat-trick, but SA once again struck back with Ryan Julius scoring a fine solo goal to pull off a 5-5 draw in the final seconds of the match.
SA now hold a narrow 1-0 lead with two matches to go in the series tonight and tomorrow night.
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