Both Namibian teams storm into world’s top eight
Namibia's junior men and senior women inline hockey teams continue to deliver standout campaigns at the World Skate Games – the world championship of the sport – in Asunción, Paraguay.
On Tuesday, both teams added crucial wins against Brazil to confidently charge into the quarter-finals.
The junior men were scheduled for a quarterfinal match-up against Slovakia late yesterday, following a hard-fought 5-2 victory over Brazil in the round of 16. Team captain Abe van der Merwe opened the scoring after receiving a pass from Max Ihms, setting the tone for a fast-paced encounter.
Following an equaliser from Brazil, Vigo Bajorat netted two consecutive goals to restore and extend the lead. Max Ihms then added a fourth with a sharp breakaway goal, before Nicolai Bates capped the win with a brilliant end-to-end strike in the closing minutes.
Goalkeeper Hadrian du Toit – with his reputation enhanced after withstanding a remarkable 42 shots in their tense earlier 1-0 pool win against USA – again anchored the defence with another stellar performance, supported by the welcome return of Sascha Guttzeit from injury.
The victory builds on a demanding pool phase, which included a narrow 5-4 overtime defeat against the Czech Republic on Monday, where Lucca De Azevedo and Abe van der Merwe also found the back of the net, and goalkeeper Waldemar von Lieres recorded 21 saves.
Historic pool finish for senior women
Meanwhile, the senior women closed out their pool matches in style with a dominant 12-1 victory against Brazil on Tuesday, securing the number one seed for the playoffs.
This historic milestone marks the first time a Namibian senior hockey team has gone undefeated to win its pool at the world stage.
Despite missing key players Nadia Schmidt and Lana Bajorat due to injuries, captain Christine Röttcher led from the front with a masterclass performance, netting eight goals and providing one assist.
The campaign also featured a bruising, physical encounter against Mexico on Monday, where the team ground out a 5-2 victory despite finishing the match with only six players on the bench, anchored by Leighzené Coetzee’s four-goal haul and Michelle Wirtz in goal.
The Namibian women overcame the tough challenge of USA 3-2 in their opening match, before adding a 19-0 demolition of hosts Chili.
Röttcher’s team was scheduled to meet Italy in the quarter-final later yesterday.
