India vs South Africa, 9-12th Classification Highlights: India ends 9th in Hockey World Cup with 5-2 win

India ends with a total of four wins, one draw and one defeat which came against New Zealand in the crossover. It scored 24 goals and conceded nine.

He scored the opener for India which wins him the best player of the match title.

South Africa was on another attack when the final hooter sounds. India ends in ninth place, tied with Argentina. A dominant performance by Graham Reid’s side. There was a clear gulf between the two sides from the start to finish. A happy ending for India but they’ll be leaving with much too wonder from the tournament.

Cassiem converts! Sreejesh guessed it right. He got a hand to the ball but there was too much power on that. A consolation goal for South Africa late in the game.

No clear reason to change your decision, says the video umpire and Sreejesh will have to defend a stroke.

South Africa is given a penalty stroke but India plans to refer the call. The umpire thinks it was a foul by Sreejesh who was out of his line trying to stop Ryan.

India with another charge into the circle but South Africa ends up with a free hit.

Sukhjeet scores. India with a lightening fast charge on the attack. Akashdeep is the lone body in the SA circle. He goes with the reverse stick but the shot lacks power. Sukjeet is coming in for support and finds the ball kindly in front of him and slots it home.

India maintaining possession of the ball. Akasheep trying to make the circle entry but he fouls.

Saved by Hendrik! Jarmanpreet with a low sweep to strike the ball. Hendrik gets low and saves it. Akashdeep with the pass that set up Jarmanpreet.

Samkelo puts the ball in from the left flank but it finds no South Africa stick and rolls out for India’s hit.

Varun misfires from the corner. His drag flick too long from the second castle. It lacked power and goes wide.

Jarmanpreet works his way into the circle and has his stick checked. The umpire takes no time to signal a penalty corner.

Varun Kumar’s shot is wide yet again. He was on the run when he struck the ball. A long corner for India.

Sukhjeet is shown a yellow card with nine minutes of play left in the game. India with 10 players for the next five minutes.

As we’ve seen on multiple times on the evening, South Africa’s custodian stands cool in front of goal to parry away the Indian shot. This time it was Hendrik.

End to end play here. India wins a penalty corner. Amit Rohidas scoops the ball from the striking circle and it lands on the thigh of a South Africa defender.

South Africa fires right back! An aerial pass from the restart goes to Samkelo. He brings it down and hammers it past Sreejesh. The deficit back to three.

Akashdeep find the net. Jarmanpreet is stuck on the touchline on the right side of goal. He squares a pass and Akashdeep gets a touch to deflect it home.

The referral is successful and South Africa gets the possession. The ball came off the stick and not the foot of the South Africa player.

India is awarded a penalty corner but South Africa takes a referral.

Kok makes a shot in the very first minute which is saved by Sreejesh. Another strong start by South Africa.

India looks comfortable to seal the deal here but can South Africa pull off a surprise comeback?

South Africa came out roaring with a flurry of penalty corners. As was the case in the first half, it was unable to convert. India sustained the pressure and finally broke out on a counter and scored.

Shamsher Singh finally gets India a goal! Abhishek is the sole Indian in the SA half when he gets the aerial pass. He beats a player and passes it to Shamsher in the middle of the circle. Gowan tries to dive forward and intercept but it rolls right in front of Shamsher.

India tries to break out from the South Africa pressure but Mandeep commits a foul near the half way line and the move comes to a halt.

Varun Kumar with a shot which is deflected wide. He was trying his luck there, taking the hit from the edge of the circle, but a shot nonetheless. A long corner for the ‘men in blue’.

Mandeep with a stick check on a South Africa player. Free hit close to the 25 yard line.

Akashdeep bails India out of trouble with a steal. Meanwhile, Nilakanta is out with a green card.

Nilam with an exceptional interception. South Africa was making a circle entry until the India player takes the ball away. The team breaks into a counter but the move is stopped on the edge of the SA circle.

Lalit plays to Akashdeep. Akashdeep darts forward and passes to Abhishek. The Indian then takes a shot which is saved by Gowan. There is time for a second shot but the ball is taken off Abhishek.

Abhishek with a circle penetration but his square pass is intercepted.

Samkelo flashes the ball in from the right, aiming to find a stick in the circle. The ball is missed by every SA shirt. Kok is appealing for a foul but it yields no reaction from the umpire.

South Africa slowing the pace but controlling the ball in India’s half. Needs to get more entries into the circle.

India is able to save the short corner yet again!

The referral is successful. Amit Rohidas threw his gear after the penalty corner was saved and it hit a SA player. Yellow card for the Indian and a third penalty corner for the opposition.

Sreejesh is able to clear the ball yet again after a deflection from the first charger. South Africa takes a referral for a foul on its player.

Another penalty corner for SA! Back to back chances as Varun gets the ball onto his foot.

South Africa unable to capitalise on the chance. The shot from Connor Beauchamp is on the top left corner and Sreejesh is able get his right hand on it.

South Africa wins its first penalty corner with the ball hitting Varun Kumar’s foot! Just what the team needed in the second half.

India with the ball to start the second half.

India goes into the break with a two goal lead. Abhishek and Harman with the goals which came in the first quarter. India had chances to consolidate on the lead in the second quarter but South Africa’s Gowan kept India at bay. South Africa has found a couple of chances too but failed to keep its cool.

Jarmanpreet with an attempt to make a circle entry but he is stopped at the edge of the circle. That is the last of the first half.

Just under a minute left in the half. South Africa makes a penetration but Sreejesh clears the ball which came rolling at his feet. Ntuli was the player who failed to collect it cleanly.

Abhishek with two tomahawks in the circle. Both are blocked. A messy stretch of play which ends with Jarmanpreet taking a shot. Wide!

Saved! India goes back to Harmanpreet but South Africa’s Gowan gets down on one knee and blocks the shot. A free hit eventually to South Africa.

Manpreet makes a circle entry and shoots. The ball is struck on a South African foot and India wins its fourth penalty corner.

Varun Kumar misses again from the short corner. The shot was deflected by a South African defender’s stick and went over the goal.

India takes a referral for a push in the circle. The video referee agrees with the claim. A penalty corner for India.

Akashdeep’s shot goes wide! India again with direct play. Identical to the first goal. Akashdeep receives it from the right. Collects it with his back facing the goal, turns and shoots. The shot goes to the right of goal.

Saved! This time it was Varun Kumar who took the drag flick but SA’s keeper had no trouble saving the low shot.

Mandeep wins another corner for India. He enters the circle from the left and finds a South African foot.

India finally gets the ball but Jarmanpreet is not able to collect it cleanly from a pass and his side loses it again.

South Africa has improved in the second quarter. More possession, more shots and more circle penetarations. India happy to defend for the moment.

Julius Ryan has the ball on the right side of India’s circle. He crosses it across the face of goal but there is no stick to connect to it and gets the possession.

Manpreet builds a move from the heart of the midfield but the final pass on the move falls short just outside the SA circle.

Keenan’s shot is wide! That was close. He was one on one with an India defender, skips past him and takes aim at the goal. Sreejesh in the goal pulls out his leg to the left but the ball goes wide nonetheless.

India on the attack straight away! A free hit from the 25 yard line but the move yields nothing for the home side.

India saved a late chance by South Africa to go into the 2nd quarter with a lead. Abhishek and Harmanpreet the goalscorers as India outpossessed South Africa 70-30 in the first period.

A save by Krishan! Cassiem only had to beat the Indian custodian. But Krishan walks out and saves the point-blank shot with his pads. Neat one-touch passing by SA in the build up.

Harmanpreet joins the scoresheet. Sukhjeet sends the delivery to the first castle and the Indian skipper slots the ball into the net. He kept it low and to the right of goal.

India wins a penalty corner! Raj Kumar Pal collects an aerial pass in the circle and then finds the foot of a South Africa player.

India surpasses South Africa in terms of circle penetrations. 4 for India to South Africa’s 2.

Harmanpreet plays an aerial pass for Sukhjeet in the circle but the latter collects it in a way which the referee deems dangerous. A free hit for SA.

South Africa makes a circle entry but Krishan Pathak steps out of his goal to defend. South Africa still keeps the ball.

India too fast for South Africa here. Akashdeep makes a dash into the circle but the ball comes off his foot to allow a free hit to South Africa.

India has opened the scoring. Abhishek it is! A pass is drilled into the SA circle, Abhishek collects it right in front of the goal and smashes it along the ground. 1-0 to the home team.

India wins the ball from Spooner and launches a counter until Spooner fouls Mandeep. A green card for the SA play. A free hit for India but it has to wait before making a circle penetration.

Vivek Sagar Prasad fouled in the South Africa half. A free hit for India.

India with an early entry into the SA penalty circle but Spooner wins it back.

South Africa starts the match with possession from the centre line.

The forward will be taking the field for the 200th time for India.

The last appearance at the 2023 World Cup for India. A matter of pride as it fights for a 9th place. Much was expected from Graham Reid’s side but it has largely been disappointing. The crowd has nonetheless turned up at the Rourkela, hoping for their side to beat South Africa. Action just minutes away!

“You’re play against a team with fast forwards but what I want to see is what I saw in the 2nd half against Japan.”

“We are looking to finish on a high. We’re looking to play a tough game and pull one in the bag against an opponent who we’ve not won against much.”

Gowan Jones, Nduduzo Lembethe, Keenan Horne, Tevin Kok, Jethro Eustice, Guy Morgan, Nicholas Spooner, Samkelo Mvimbi, Dayaan Cassiem, Ryan Julius, Connor Beauchamp

Krishan Pathak, Surender Kumar, Manpreet Singh, Mandeep Singh, Harmanpreet Singh, Shamsher Singh, Varun Kumar, Raj Kumar Pal, Amit Rohidas, Vivek Sagar Prasad, Sukhjeet Singh

Argentina 1-0 South Africa

France 2-1 South Africa

Australia 9-2 South Africa

South Africa 6-3 Malaysia

The worst-ever finish for India is 12th (last place) at the London World Cup in 1986.

India 2-0 Spain

India 2-2 England

India 4-2 Wales

India 3-3 New Zealand (Lost 4-3 on penalty shootout)

India 8-0 Japan

The last time India faced South Africa was in the 2022 Birmingham Games. India won 3-2 with Abhishek, Jugraj and Mandeep getting on the scoresheet.

Played: 16 | India: 11 | South Africa: 1 | Draw: 4

Malaysia 3-2 Japan - 13-16th

Chile 2-4 France - 13-16th

Argentina 6-0 Wales - 9-12th

India

P.R. Sreejesh, Krishan Pathak, Jarmanpreet Singh, Surender Kumar, Harmanpreet Singh (Captain), Varun Kumar, Amit Rohidas (Vice Captain), Nilam Sanjeep Xess, Manpreet Singh, Rajkumar Pal, Nilakanta Sharma, Shamsher Singh, Vivek Sagar Prasad, Akashdeep Singh, Mandeep Singh, Lalit Kumar Upadhyay, Abhishek, Sukhjeet Singh

Head Coach: Graham Reid

South Africa

Bili Ntuli, Jethro Eustice, Brad Sherwood, Keenan Horne, Connor Beauchamp, Mustapha Cassiem ,Dan Bell, Nic Spooner, Dayaan Cassiem(captain), Peabo Lembethe, Estiaan Kriek(gk), Ryan Julius, Gowan Jones(gk), Sam Mvimbi, Guy Morgan, Sihle Ngubane, Jacques van Tonder, Tevin Kok, Anton van Loggerenberg, Taine Paton, Clayton Saker, Trevor de Lora, Dan Sibbald, Tyson Dlungwana, Luke Wynford, Zenani Kraai

Head coach: Cheslyn Gie

India managed to tick a lot of the right boxes in the 8-0 thrashing of Japan a couple of nights ago. But it just didn’t come when it mattered in the World Cup. Now with a chance to seal the 9th place, India will take on South Africa here at the Birsa Munda International Stadium on Saturday.

As Graham Reid put it, ‘the job is only half done’ as the home side continues to play for pride. In the win over Japan, the vulnerabilities in midfield and defence were still on show in the opening 30 minutes. Reid would want to snuff out the ‘oxygen’ (read counter attacks) of the opposition and get a commanding win.

India beat South Africa in their last three meetings since 2022. India won the first two matches with an identical scoreline of 10-2 but in the Commonwealth Games semifinal, South Africa ran Graham Reid’s side close in what was a 2-3 defeat. Goalkeeper Gowan Jones saved 11 of the 13 shots that came his way and the Indian attackers will need to get their radars right and have some luck go their way, too. India cancelled its scheduled training on the eve of the game.

The three field goals and five penalty corner goals with both Abhishek and Harmanpreet Singh firing, respectively, the team would have got some much-needed confidence after the disappointment of its early exit.

South Africa coach Cheslyn Gie said his team is relishing the prospect of challenging the hosts in its own backyard and hopes it would serve as a valuable experience for his young players. South Africa got its first win of the tournament on Friday when it beat Malaysia 6-3.

-Aashin Prasad

When and where will India vs South Africa classification match of the 2023 Men’s Hockey World Cup be played?

India vs South Africa classification match of the 2023 Men’s Hockey World Cup will be played at the Birsa Munda Stadium in Rourkela on Saturday - January 28, 2023.

At what time will India vs South Africa classification match of the 2023 Men’s Hockey World Cup begin?

India vs South Africa classification match of the 2023 Men’s Hockey World Cup will begin at 7PM IST.

Where to watch India vs South Africa classification match of the 2023 Men’s Hockey World Cup?

India vs South Africa classification match of the 2023 Men’s Hockey World Cup will be streamed live on Disney+ Hotstar.