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Ellina Mhlanga–Senior Sports Reporter
THE national Under-21 men’s and women’s field hockey teams get their campaign at the Junior Africa Cup underway against South Africa tomorrow.
The tournament is running until next week Thursday in Ismailia, Egypt, with four countries – Kenya, South Africa, Zimbabwe and the hosts Egypt – competing in the men’s and women’s categories.
Zimbabwe’s teams arrived in Egypt on Thursday.
The men’s team manager, Hannington Sibanda, yesterday said they were set to play some warm-up games ahead of tomorrow’s matches.
“We are settling in well. We got to the hotel around 5am yesterday (Thursday) and had a rest day for the teams. Today (yesterday) they had a run and we are playing warm-up games with local teams,” said Sibanda.
The women’s side will be the first on the field of play tomorrow morning in the opening game of the tournament and coach Brad Heuer said they need to focus on their own game going into the match.
“So we have got South Africa first. We do know quite a lot about South Africa. They do play a lot more than the other teams and us.
“They had three or four girls that competed at the Indoor Hockey World Cup that will now be competing in the Junior Africa Cup. So we know that they are going to be good quality players. But we need to focus on our game.
“We know they are going to be strong because they just play so much more hockey than us. But I still believe that we can beat them.
“It’s just going to be a huge mental battle I think for the girls trying to get over the fact that we are playing South Africa. It’s a huge thing for us but something that we have been working on and something that we will continue to work on up until we play them,” said Heuer. The men’s side will also face South Africa later in the day.
The women’s team vice-captain Khanyisile Mzizi said it’s an honour to be representing the country at the continental event.
“It’s really special for us that we are able to go as a girls and boys team, together.
“I think for both of us to be able to go and the hard work that everybody has put in, it has been really difficult.
“But it’s truly an honour to be representing our country and we promise, and we would like to bring back first place for both sides. It would be special for both of us.
“People are buzzing with excitement, that’s the main thing I can say. People are ready, you can feel from everybody that there is an expectation to work, to get that first place,” said Mzizi.
Speaking before they left for Egypt, men’s coach Prince Mwale expressed confidence in his players.
“We know it’s not easy, Egypt and South Africa are always tough competition. But we are not going to the competition to just attend.
“Our main goal is actually, first to qualify (for Junior World Cup) and secondly to win the tournament. So obviously our first focus is getting us through to that final and then from there we are pushing to win. So that’s basically our target,” said Mwale. The top two teams from the continental tournament qualify for the FIH Junior World Cup to be held later in the year.
Fixtures
Tomorrow
Women: South Africa vs Zimbabwe, Kenya vs Egypt.
Me : Egypt vs Kenya, South Africa vs Zimbabwe.
Online Reporter