Namibia concluded their best-ever marketing campaign on the Indoor Hockey World Cup when the ladies’s crew completed sixth and the lads eighth in Porec yesterday.
Namibia’s ladies completed sixth after shedding 6-1 to Belgium within the sixth place play-off, whereas Namibia’s males completed eighth after shedding 5-4 to Iran within the seventh place play-off.
It was the perfect ever efficiency by Namibia’s ladies, beating their earlier better of ninth on the 2018 Indoor World Cup, whereas the lads matched their eighth place on the 2023 Indoor World Cup in Pretoria.
Within the ladies’s match Belgium took the lead by means of a primary quarter subject purpose by Joanne Peeters, however Namibia matched all of them the best way and going into half time it was nonetheless anybody’s recreation.
Belgium nevertheless piled on the strain to go 3-0 forward, earlier than Tara Myburgh opened Namibia’s account from a brief nook.
Any hopes of a comeback have been dashed when Belgium scored two fast objectives to go 5-1 forward by the third quarter, earlier than one other brief nook purpose within the last quarter sealed a 6-1 victory.
Namibia coach Shayne Cormack mentioned she was pleased with her gamers.
“It was a tricky recreation, however we nonetheless ran out believing we may win it and I am actually proud of the guts that our gamers confirmed – they went out believing they may do it,” she mentioned.
“One or two choices did not go our manner, and that affected the sport just a little. After they have been main 1-0, that they had six gamers on the sector at a stage and usually you’d get a brief nook, whereas they get one participant despatched off, so if we had scored in that second and truly bought the choice the rating may have been one-all and it may have modified the momentum of the sport. However Sadly, it did not go that manner and that bought in our heads just a little bit,” she added.
“It is arduous to come back again from 5 objectives down, however nonetheless they went out attempting, and I am very pleased with them,” she mentioned.
Within the males’smatch, Ernest Jacobs put Namibia forward from a brief nook within the third minute, however Hamid Nooranian equalised for Iran from a brief nook on the finish of the primary quarter.
Liam Hermanus restored Namibia’s lead with a brief nook purpose within the second quarter however Nooranian as soon as once more equalised for Iran from a brief nook simply earlier than halftime.
Iran turned on the screws with three objectives within the third quarter by means of Mohsen Bohlouli, Mahdi Shahokhi and Nooranian’s third to go 5-2 forward.
Namibia as soon as once more made a powerful comeback with objectives by JP Britz from a brief nook and Dakota Hansen with a subject purpose, however it was not sufficient as Iran held on for a slim win.
Namibia coach Trevor Cormack mentioned they’re closing the hole on the highest groups.
“I assumed we got here again properly from a deficit they usually needed to work arduous in direction of the top, however it’s all the time a privilege and an honour to play a aspect like Iran. If you come to a match like this you need to play the perfect, and they’re at the moment ranked second on the earth so although they have been enjoying for seventh and eighth positions, they’re nonetheless an excellent crew,” he mentioned.
“I m proud of the efficiency and the consequence however I feel we’re at the moment one purpose away from being a prime six crew, so that is what we’ll take again from this World Cup and begin making ready on the subsequent one,” he added.
Join free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the newest in African information delivered straight to your inbox
He mentioned there was a slight enchancment on their earlier efficiency when in addition they got here eighth.
“Nicely, mainly we have gone sideways, as a result of we additionally got here eighth on the final world cup, though I need to say that the outcomes have improved tremendously. We have been one purpose away from the second, third and fourth ranked groups, so I feel its an enchancment however there’s nonetheless work to do.”
“I feel at the moment the distinction between the losses is we aren’t being overly inventive. I feel we’re too cautious at first however then when there’s nothing to lose, wecome out extra, so I feel we simply have to get just a little bit extra inventive and take dangers early on, which could repay,” he mentioned.