Junior Africa Cup – Final Recap | Windhoek, Namibia South Africa completed a golden campaign at the Junior Africa Cup in Windhoek, as both the U21 Men and Women defeated hosts Namibia to be crowned the Junior African Champions. Having already secured qualification to the FIH Junior World Cup, South Africa’s final victories added the ultimate finishing touch to a superb tournament — with the Men and Women affirming their status as Africa’s finest. Women’s Final: South Africa 5–0 Namibia In the women’s final, South Africa faced a determined Namibian side that proved difficult to break down early on. However, once captain Caylin Maree opened the scoring in the 21st minute, South Africa took control of the match. Ntsopa Mokoena continued her outstanding tournament with a brace, Maree added her second, and Jodie Blows put the finishing touches on a composed 5–0 victory. This triumph marks South Africa’s eighth consecutive Junior Africa Cup title, having won every edition since 1997. Men’s Final: South Africa 5–0 Namibia The South African U21 Men were clinical in the final, producing a powerful display against Namibia to claim back-to-back Junior Africa Cup titles and a sixth title in the past seven editions. Reuben Sendzul opened the scoring early, before tournament top scorer Jaydon Brooker netted twice to give South Africa a 3–0 lead at half-time. Ross Montgomery extended the advantage in the second half, with Viwe Mbata completing the 5–0 win late on. South Africa’s U21 Men end the tournament unbeaten, scoring 41 goals and conceding just 5. Africa’s World Cup Qualifiers Confirmed: Men: South Africa, Namibia, Egypt Women: South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe Individual Awards – South African Winners: Dan Dillion: Goalkeeper of the Tournament (Men) Caylin Maree: Top Goal Scorer (Women) Jaydon Brooker: Top Goal Scorer (Men) Ntsopa Mokoena: Player of the Tournament (Women) Jaydon Brooker: Player of the Tournament (Men) South Africa will now prepare for the FIH Junior World Cup, where they will proudly represent Africa — arriving not just as participants, but as continental champions.

25 Apr, 2025 From 18-25 April, the best young teams in Africa competed in the Junior Africa Cup [JAC] 2024 (M/W) with South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe women, along with South Africa, Namibia and Egypt men finishing in the medal positions and securing the the final three spots at the upcoming edition of the men’s and women’s FIH Junior Hockey World Cups 2025. In the women’s competition South Africa dominated the pool stage of the competition, winning all five of their matches comfortably, finishing with 15 points and a goal difference of +38! Namibia finished in second place, winning all their matches except for their final pool stage match against South Africa. Both teams sealed their spots in the final and with it a spot at the upcoming FIH Hockey Men’s Junior World Cup Chile 2025. Zimbabwe and Uganda were placed third and fourth in the pool respectively, setting up a bronze medal match, with the winner taking the final available spot at the upcoming junior world cup. In the bronze medal match on the final day, Zimbabwe dominated Uganda, scoring 6 goals on the trot, until Uganda pulled one back in the final minute, to win out 6-1 and join South Africa and Namibia in qualifying for the World Cup in Chile. Following an edgy start to the final, South Africa scored the first goal of the game midway through the second quarter to take a slender lead into the break. Three goals in the third quarter gave South Africa complete control over the game and a fifth goal in the final quarter finished off the contest 5-0 in favour of South Africa as they won gold and Namibia finished with silver. In the men’s competition it was once again South Africa taking the top spot, winning all five of their matches to register 15 points. Namibia finished in second place, winning four matches to get to 12 points, only dropping points to South Africa in a heavy 8-0 defeat early in the tournament. The two teams qualified for the gold medal match on the final day, and with it secured a spot at the FIH Hockey Men’s Junior World Cup India 2025. Egypt and Kenya were placed third and fourth in the pool, and following a 4-4 draw in their pool stage contest, set up an enticing bronze medal shootout to secure the final spot at the upcoming junior world cup. The bronze medal match lived up to the anticipation as once again Egypt and Kenya could not be separated in the regulation time, with shootouts required to decide the final podium finisher. The Egyptian forwards showed nerves of steel to score 4 consecutive attempts in the shootouts and two misses for Kenya meant victory and a spot at the upcoming world cup for Egypt. South Africa were lethal from penalty corners all through the competition and relied on the same to dominate the final, scoring three goals from the set piece in a 5-0 win, securing the gold medal, while Namibia settled for silver. Following the conclusion of the Junior Africa Cup 2024 and the completion of the qualifying process for the FIH Junior World Cups, FIH President Tayyab Ikram said: “Congratulations to South Africa (women and men), Namibia (women and men), Zimbabwe (women) and Egypt (men) for clinching the top three spots of the Junior Africa Cup staged in Namibia’s capital city, Windhoek, and therefore qualifying for the 2025 FIH Hockey Junior World Cups that will be played in Chile (women) and India (men) and will, for the first time, involve 24 teams each! Enabling greater accessibility to our events is one of the fundamental principles of the FIH Empowerment and Engagement strategy.” The FIH Hockey Men’s Junior World Cup 2025 will be played in Chennai and Madurai, India. As hosts India qualified for the competition. Belgium, England, France, Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, Spain, Austria and Switzerland have qualified from Europe. Argentina, Canada and Chile have qualified from the Americas. Pakistan, China, Bangladesh, Japan, Malaysia and Thailand secured qualification from Asia. Australia and New Zealand have qualified from Oceania. Following the qualification of South Africa, Namibia and Egypt from Africa, the qualification process for the FIH Hockey Men’s Junior World Cup India 2025 is now complete. The FIH Hockey Women’s Junior World Cup 2025 will be played in Santiago, Chile. Chile qualified as the hosts of the competition. Argentina, Uruguay, United States and Canada qualified from the Americas. Austria, Belgium, England, Germany, Netherlands, Spain, Ireland, Wales and Scotland qualified from Europe. India, China, Japan, Korea and Malaysia secured qualification from Asia. Australia and New Zealand secured their spot at the event from Oceania. Following the qualification of South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe from Africa, the qualification process for the FIH Hockey Women’s Junior World Cup Chile 2025 is now complete. 📸: Jureck Johannesson (JJ Photo Moments) Source: fih.hockey

Fri 25.04.25 The youngsters put up a brave fight to draw the match in regulation, but could not prevail via shootouts Kenya’s dream of qualifying for the 2025 FIH Junior World Cup came to a heartbreaking end on the final day of the Junior Africa Cup after a dramatic 4-2 post-match shootout loss to Egypt in the third-place playoff at the Davin Trustco Hockey Stadium in Windhoek, Namibia. The high-stakes encounter ended 2-2 in regular time after a tense and evenly balanced match that saw both sides push for a direct qualification to the World Cup. Only the top three teams from the continental event earn World Cup slots, and with South Africa and Namibia already through, Kenya had to win against Egypt to secure the final ticket. The opening quarter was cagey, with neither side able to break the deadlock. But the action picked up in the second quarter when Egypt capitalized on a defensive error. Charles Ashihundu’s mistimed tackle allowed Ahmed Elhadi to slot the ball past Kenya’s goalkeeper Josephat Ondijo in the 23rd minute to give Egypt the lead. Kenya pushed forward in response, with Nirmaan Mudher failing to connect with a well-weighted pass from Mathew Momanyi that could have leveled the score. Goalkeeper Josephat Ondijo, who has been one of Kenya’s standout performers throughout the tournament, pulled off a crucial save against Bassem Mokhtar to keep the deficit at one going into halftime. The third quarter saw increased urgency from the Kenyans, and their efforts were rewarded in the final minute of the period. Vincent Wesonga earned a penalty corner, and Mathias Gulalire’s drag flick struck the body of Egypt’s Mohamed Hosni, resulting in a penalty stroke. Ashihundu converted calmly to level the match at 1-1. The final quarter delivered even more drama. Gulalire had a chance to give Kenya the lead in the 51st minute but missed a penalty corner. Egypt immediately responded with a quick counterattack, and Mohab Hegab flicked past Ondijo to restore their advantage. However, Kenya wasn’t done. Wesonga once again caused trouble in the Egyptian circle, earning another penalty corner, which resulted in a second penalty stroke. Ashihundu stepped up once more and delivered, making it 2-2 and forcing the match into a shootout. Egypt were clinical in the shootouts, with Said Kamal, Mohamed Hassanein, Mohamed Hosni, and Bassem Mokhtar all converting their chances. For Kenya, Ashihundu and Gulalire found the net, but Momanyi missed his attempt and Brian Azeze couldn’t get past Egypt’s Mohamed Geneidy, sealing Kenya’s fate. Source: mozzartsport.co.ke

With South Africa and Namibia already through to the World Cup, Kenya and Egypt will battle it out for the third and final ticket to the FIH Junior World Cup Kenya’s U21 men’s hockey team will face Egypt in a high-stakes 2024 Junior Africa Cup (JAC) playoff match on Friday, 25 April, in Windhoek, Namibia, with the final World Cup qualification slot on the line. Despite a spirited performance on Thursday against African giants South Africa, the Kenyan side succumbed to a 3-1 defeat, finishing fourth in the group standings behind South Africa, Namibia, and Egypt. With South Africa and Namibia already through to the World Cup, Kenya and Egypt will battle it out for the third and final ticket to the FIH Junior World Cup. Kenya opened their campaign with a goalless draw against Zimbabwe before thrilling fans with a 4-4 stalemate against Egypt. A 5-3 loss to hosts Namibia put pressure on the team, but a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Zambia revived their hopes. The team entered yesterday’s match already in the playoff bracket thanks to Egypt’s dramatic 2-1 win over Zimbabwe in stoppage time, which locked the North Africans into third place. In the match against South Africa, Kenya started brightly when Tarankabir Bhamra deflected a pass from Fredrick Ochieng into the net in the 10th minute. South Africa responded quickly, with Carlon Mentoor leveling the score just two minutes later. The match remained deadlocked until the 56th minute when the South Africans found the net again, eventually sealing a 3-1 victory with a late third goal. On the women’s side, Kenya’s campaign came to a close after a 4-1 loss to Zimbabwe dashed their hopes of making the playoffs. The team needed a win to progress or hoped Zambia would beat Uganda, but neither scenario materialized. Uganda edged Zambia 2-1 to clinch the final playoff spot, leaving Kenya outside the top four. Final Day Fixtures – April 25 13:15 – Women’s 3rd/4th Playoff: Zimbabwe vs Uganda 15:30 – Men’s 3rd/4th Playoff: Egypt vs Kenya 17:45 – Women’s Final: South Africa vs Namibia 20:00 – Men’s Final: South Africa vs Namibia

Final Pool Stage Recap | Windhoek, Namibia Both the South African U21 Men and Women’s teams wrapped up the group stages of the Junior Africa Cup with victories to secure a 100% record, setting the stage for Friday’s double-header final against hosts Namibia. While both sides were already assured of qualification to the FIH Junior World Cup, the day’s results ensured momentum and bragging rights heading into the gold medal matches. Women: South Africa 6–1 Namibia With both teams safely through to the World Cup and final, the match between South Africa and Namibia had the feel of a high-quality dress rehearsal. Despite the lighter tension, the South African Women remained focused and clinical. Teshawn de la Rey opened the scoring early, and Olympian Ntsopa Mokoena doubled the lead before half-time. In the third quarter, captain Caylin Maree netted a quick-fire brace, while fellow Olympian Paris-Gail Isaacs extended the advantage to 5–0. Namibia found a breakthrough — the first goal conceded by South Africa all tournament — through Mia Karsten, but fittingly, it was de la Rey who completed the scoring with her second of the day. South Africa head into Friday’s final with 33 goals scored and just one conceded, aiming to defend their African title and head to Chile as continental champions. Men: South Africa 2–1 Kenya The South African Men were given their sternest test of the tournament by a fired-up Kenyan side chasing momentum ahead of their third-place playoff against Egypt — a clash that will decide Africa’s final Junior World Cup berth. Kenya stunned the South Africans with an early goal from Bhamra, putting South Africa behind for the first time in the competition. Carloon Mentoor struck back to level the scores, but what followed was a physical, tactical battle with chances at a premium. With just minutes remaining, Ross Montgomery forced the ball over the line in a crowded circle to seal a dramatic 2–1 victory and protect South Africa’s perfect record. Having achieved their primary goal of World Cup qualification, South Africa now turn their attention to retaining their title as African champions in Friday’s final against the hosts. Friday Finals – All to Play For: Women’s Final: South Africa vs Namibia – 16:25 Men’s Final: South Africa vs Namibia – 19:00 Both matches will be streamed live on the African Hockey YouTube channel, as South Africa looks to cap off a dominant tournament with two gold medals. Source: sahockey.co.za

24 April 2025 Both Namibia’s men and women’s u21 hockey teams qualified for the Junior World Cup after winning their pool matches at the Junior Africa Cup in Windhoek on Tuesday. Namibia’s men beat Zimbabwe 4-1 to go second on the log and secure a place against South Africa in tomorrow’s final. Owen Hatton opened Namibia’s account after only two minutes, and although Matipa Mawhere equalised for Zimbabwe in the second quarter, Hatton immediately restored Namibia’s lead from a short corner. Namibia finished stronger after the break with Hatton completing his hattrick in the third quarter, while Giovane Handura made it 4-1 in the final quarter. That put Namibia in second place on the log on nine points behind South Africa who earlier beat Egypt 5-0 to remain top on 12 points. Kenya, meanwhile, beat Zambia 2-1 to go third on five points, but they cannot catch Namibia anymore, who will contest tomorrow’s final against South Africa, regardless of their result against Zambia today. By reaching the final, Namibia have now secured a top-three place at the Junior World Cup in Chennai and Madurai, India in November. Namibia’s women also qualified for the Women’s Junior World Cup in Santiago, Chile in December, after beating Uganda 4-0 on Tuesday. Goals by Milah Malan, Maryke Kruger, Marlene Coetzee and Marika Neethling gave them a comfortble win which maintained their unbeaten status, putting them level with South Africa on 12 points at the top of the log. Zimbabwe, who lost 5-0 to South Africa, are third on six points and cannot catch Namibia, who take on South Africa in their final pool match at 15h00 today. Source: namibian.com.na

23 April 2025 Both Nambia’s men and women’s u21 hockey teams are currently second on the log at the Junior Africa Cup in Windhoek and well-placed to qualify for the Junior World Cup later this year. The top three men and women’s teams will qualify for the 2025 Junior World Cup, with the men to play in Chennai and Madurai, India in November, while the women will compete in Santiago, Chile in December. In the men’s category, South Africa are the hot favourites to win the Africa title after winning their opening four matches in style, scoring 32 goals and conceding only four. They beat Zambia 12-3, Namibia 8-0, Zimbabwe 7-1 and Egypt 5-0 to lead the log on 12 points, but Namibia went second after winning two of their opening three matches.  In their opening match on Friday, they got off to a great start with a come-from-behind 3-1 win against Egypt. In a hard-fought encounter, the score was still goalless at halftime, but Egypt edged ahead through a field goal by Basel Abdelmonem midway through the third quarter. Namibia, however, made a stunning comeback in the final quarter with Owen Hatton equalising while two short corner goals by JP Britz sealed a memorable victory for Namibia. The next day they went down 8-0 to SA, with Jayden Brooker the star of the show with six goals, but on Monday, Namibia bounced back with a 5-3 victory against Kenya. In an entertaining encounter, Namibia went 3-2 ahead by halftime and 4-3 by the end of the third quarter, before easing to a 5-3 victory.  Captain JP Britz scored two short corner goals, while James de Jager, Jack Fourie and Abraham Graham each scored a field goal, with Matthew Momanyi, Vincent Wesonga and Nirmaan Mudher replying for Kenya. After the match captain Britz said they are in high spirits and fancied their chances of reaching the final. “At the moment, we’re quite positive. We did the hard yards against Egypt on day one when we beat them 3-1, and today was a huge result for us winning 5-3 against Kenya. So at the moment, we’re on six points, looking good and feeling very positive,” he said. Britz said their opening day victory against Egypt was a special day for Namibian hockey. “It was a very special day for me being the captain of the team and being able to lead the team to victory. It was quite a tight game and we went down 1-0 in the third quarter, but then fortunately we scored all three our goals in the last quarter and just kept our heads up,” he said. “We did everything we needed to do from management side and it was just a very good game overall. I’m very happy with the result and it was a very special day for Namibian hockey,” he added. South Africa also lead the women’s competition on 12 points after winning their opening four matches in style, scoring 33 goals and not conceding any.  Namibia, however, are in hot pursuit, lying second on nine points, after winning their opening three matches. On Friday they beat Kenya 3-0 after two goals by Tisha Semedo and one by Maryke Neethling, while they stunned Zimbabwe with a 6-0 victory the next day, with Onique Bezuidenhout and Mia Karsten scoring two goals each and Marika Neethling and Maryke Kruger one each. On Monday evening they were in irrisistible form as they thumped Zambia 11-1 after leading 6-0 by half time. Neethling led the way with a hat-trick, while Alice Rowles, Mia Karsten and Azaylee Philander each scored two, and Anica Higgs and Marlene Coetzee one goal each. Namibia were due to play Uganda last night while their eagerly awaited top-of-the-log clash against South Africa takes place tomorrow at 15h00. * On Tuesday, both Namibia’s men and women’s teams qualified for the finals, to secure their places at the 2025 Junior World Cup. Namibia’s men beat Zimbabwe 4-1 to book a place in the final against SA, while Namibia’s women, who beat Uganda 4-0, will also meet SA in the final. Source: namibian.com.na

Apr 21, 2025 Junior Africa Cup – Day 3 Recap | Windhoek, Namibia South Africa continued their commanding run at the Junior Africa Cup in Windhoek, with both the Men’s and Women’s teams securing important victories to remain unbeaten and firmly on course for World Cup qualification. Men: South Africa 7–1 Zimbabwe South Africa’s U21 Men delivered another clinical display, beating Zimbabwe 7–1 to register a third consecutive victory and edge closer to a spot at the FIH Junior World Cup in India. From the opening minute, Jayden Brooker – who has been in electric form – opened the scoring. Zimbabwe proved more resilient than previous opponents, but Brooker was undeterred, completing a first-half hat-trick to take his tournament tally to eight goals. In the second half, Brooker added two more, before Thabang Jeyi and Litha Kraai joined the scoresheet. Zimbabwe pulled one back late through Matipa Mawere, but the result was never in doubt. South Africa now sit on 9 points from 3 matches, having scored 27 goals and conceded just 4. A win against Egypt on Tuesday morning will mathematically confirm qualification to the Junior World Cup. Women: South Africa 4–0 Kenya The South African U21 Women were tested for the first time in the tournament but came through with poise and purpose, defeating Kenya 4–0 to maintain their perfect start. Paris-Gail Isaacs, a senior Olympian, gave South Africa the ideal start with a goal in the second minute. Paige Salis added a second just before the end of the first quarter. Kenya battled bravely and kept the South Africans at bay for two quarters, but in the final period, South Africa broke through again. Captain Caylin Maree made it 3–0, and Germarie Speershott sealed the result. South Africa remain unbeaten, unbreached, and unrelenting – 27 goals scored, none conceded – and are in prime position heading into Tuesday’s clash against third-placed Zimbabwe. Tuesday Fixtures – Qualification on the Line: 09:00 – Women: South Africa vs Zimbabwe 11:00 – Men: South Africa vs Egypt Victories for both sides would guarantee South Africa’s ticket to the FIH Junior World Cup — the women to Chile, and the men to India. Source: sahockey.co.za

Apr 19, 2025 Junior Africa Cup – Day 2 Recap | Windhoek, Namibia South Africa U21 Women 19–0 Zambia The South African U21 Women turned on the style with a breathtaking 19–0 win over Zambia in their second group game. It was a relentless, four-quarter masterclass that showcased both depth and discipline across the squad. 3 goals in the 1st quarter 3 more in the 2nd 5 in the 3rd An explosive 8-goal final quarter to close it out Captain Caylin Maree led by example with four goals, while Germarie Speershott notched up a classy hat-trick. There were goals from all across the park, highlighting the team’s attacking variety: Scorers: Caylin Maree (4), Germarie Speershott (3), Teshawn de la Rey (2), Ntsopa Mokoena (2), Amber Fairon (2), Jodie Blows, Jenna Blaauw, Paris-Gail Isaacs, Baylee Engelke, Angele Vogel, Rea Phume South Africa now sit comfortably at the top of the table with 6 points from 6, needing only a top-three finish to secure qualification for the FIH Junior World Cup in Chile this December. Next Match: South Africa vs Kenya – Monday, 15:00 South Africa U21 Men 8–0 Namibia On the men’s side, South Africa continued their goal-scoring rampage and defensive dominance with an 8-0 dismantling of hosts Namibia, who came into the match fresh off a historic first-ever win over Egypt. South Africa, however, proved a different level. Jayden Brooker, the SA IPT Player of the Tournament, was simply unplayable. He hammered home six goals, terrorizing the Namibian defence with precision and power, especially from penalty corners. Brett Horn and Litha Kraai added one apiece as the South Africans became the only unbeaten men’s team with two wins from two. Next Match: South Africa vs Zimbabwe – Monday A win over Zimbabwe (currently second in the pool) would put South Africa in prime position to clinch one of the three coveted Junior World Cup qualification spots. Source: sahockey.co.za

Tue 22.04.25 The final round of preliminary matches will take place on Thursday, 24 April, at the Davin Trustco Hockey Stadium Kenya’s U21 hockey men’s team secured a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Zambia at the ongoing 2024 Junior Africa Cup in Windhoek, Namibia, boosting their hopes of reaching the classification matches, and potentially qualifying for the Junior World Cup. Meanwhile, the women’s team was left frustrated after conceding a last-minute goal to draw 1-1 against Zambia, a result that puts a dent in their qualification ambitions. The Kenyan boys came into the fixture needing a win to stay on track in the tightly contested tournament and responded with a spirited performance. They dominated the early proceedings, creating several goal-scoring opportunities. Isaac Wanjawa missed a clear chance in the seventh minute, while Josephat Ondijo stood strong in goal to deny Zambia’s Enock Kaluba in the 10th minute. Kenya’s attacking threat continued, with Fredrick Ochieng and Charles Ashihundu both testing Zambia’s goalkeeper Robson Kunda in a sequence of set-pieces and rebounds. However, despite dominating the first quarter, the score remained goalless. Zambia stunned Kenya in the 22nd minute against the run of play. A quick build-up caught the Kenyan defence off-guard, and although Ondijo saved Isaac Mutale’s effort, Abraham Tagwirey pounced on the rebound to slot home and give Zambia the lead. Kenya replied with purpose, and moments later, their persistence paid off. After Matthias Gulalaire goal-bound strike was denied following a fine setup from Vincent Wesonga, the umpire awarded a penalty stroke. Ashihundu stepped up and calmly converted to level the match. Ondijo continued to be a pillar in goal, producing a brilliant double save in the 42nd minute from a penalty corner situation. In the 43rd minute, Kenya earned a penalty corner of their own, and Gulalaire made no mistake, scoring a low drag flick to make it 2-1. The boys pressed for a third goal, with Paul Odero coming close in the final moments after a neat aerial pass from Victor Sam, but Kunda denied him to keep the scoreline respectable for Zambia. The win sees Kenya’s men climb to five points from four matches, putting them in contention for a classification slot and keeping their World Cup hopes alive. The Kenyan women’s side were left ruing missed chances after allowing Zambia to snatch a late equalizer, a result that could prove costly in their quest for a top-four finish. Kenya had the better chances in the match and went ahead in the 26th minute through Brenda Mwagandi, who capitalized on Zambia’s defensive lapse to give her side a deserved lead. Despite dominating play and creating multiple scoring opportunities, Kenya failed to add to their tally. That inefficiency in front of goal proved costly in the dying moments of the match when Millicent Abukuse committed a foul on Memory Chaya, resulting in a penalty corner. Christine Kaluba stepped up and converted for Zambia to level the match in dramatic fashion. The draw leaves the Kenyan women with just two points from four matches and needing a win in their final group stage match to have a chance of progressing. The final round of preliminary matches will take place on Thursday, 24 April, at the Davin Trustco Hockey Stadium. Kenya’s Current Standings Men: 4th position, 5 points from 4 matches Women: 4th position, 2 points from 4 matches Final Preliminary Matches April 24, 2025 Men: 20:00 – South Africa vs Kenya Women: 14:00 – Kenya vs Zimbabwe Source: mozzartsport.co.ke