SA hockey women win Africa Cup
The South African women's hockey team came back from a 2-0 half-time deficit to a 3-2 victory over Ghana in the Africa Cup of Nations final in Nairobi on Saturday.
FILE PIC. Celia Evans of South Africa. Picture: Gallo Images
The victory meant the South African women’s team had now qualified as Africa’s representatives at the 2014 Hockey World Cup in The Hague, Netherlands from May 31 to June 15.
Tanya Britz scored the winning goal two minutes before the final whistle. Celia Evans and Bernie Coston scored South Africa’s other two goals.
“I am proud of the way they pulled through but, against a remarkably improved Ghana compared to previous African championships, you simply cannot afford to be so generous with all the opportunities we let slip through our fingers,” coach Fabian Gregory said.
Despite having eight goal shots to two in the opening 35 minutes, it was the Ghanaians who scored first. Striker Elizabeth Opoku evaded South Africa’s defence to open the scoring in the third minute.
In the 14th minute, Janet Adampa intercepted a left-to-right diagonal overhead ball from the deep and smashed a pinpoint pass to Opoku who deflected it into the roof of the net to give Ghana the lead going into the break.
Sapa
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