In front of a wonderful crowd the South African Indoor Hockey Men, powered by Tops at SPAR, produced a sublime display to defeat three time silver medallists Poland and qualify for the FIH Indoor World Cup Quarter Finals for the second time.
South Africa had two penalty corners in the first quarter but were unable to take the opportunity and found themselves trailing to a well-executed variation at a penalty corner right on the verge of the first break.
The lads produced a frenetic second quarter scoring three times in five minutes to build a lead that would ultimately prove insurmountable. Mustapha Cassiem scored from a penalty corner with a ridiculous piece of skill in performing a moving round house at a penalty corner to level matters. Litha Kraai then put the South Africans in the lead with a powerful upright reverse stick rocketed into the roof of the net.
Things got rosier for the South Africans when Dalpiarro Langford received the ball on the left and fired in the near post to double the lead. Keegan Hezlett produced a remarkable goal line save and Justin Domleo also was on hand for a last ditch clearance in a defence being marshalled brilliantly by Jethro Eustice and by both keepers. Just before half time Jacek Kurowski reacted first and scored to set up a brilliant second half.
A game that was poised for a frenetic second half was controlled emphatically by the South Africans and they were the only team to add to the scoring and of course it was from Mustapha Cassiem producing two goals that in truth were hardly chances but were equally emphatically put away.
South Africa will now wait for the identity of their opposition in the final 8 on Friday afternoon in Porec knowing that a date with destiny awaits.
