SA women’s hockey team tighten grip on Canada series with 2-0 win in third Test

The SA women’s hockey team claimed a 2-0 victory over Canada in the third Test at HS Menlopark in Pretoria on Sunday, reasserting control of the five-match series after a comfortable 5-0 opening win and goalless draw in the second match.

The match marked a special occasion for goalkeeper Jana Marie Botha, who made her senior international debut between the posts for South Africa.

From the opening whistle, the game was played at a high tempo with chances at both ends. South Africa enjoyed sustained pressure and earned more than 10 penalty corners over the course of the match but were unable to fully capitalise, thanks in large part to an outstanding goalkeeping display from Canada.

The breakthrough eventually came through a moment of individual brilliance. Ntsopa Mokoena surged into  the circle and shifted the ball onto her reverse stick before firing home superbly to give South Africa a deserved lead. 

The second goal was a product of excellent teamwork and intensity. A high press forced a turnover deep in Canadian territory, allowing Thati Zulu and Mokoena to combine calmly before slipping the ball past the advancing goalkeeper for Laiken Brisset to finish. It was the young indoor star's second outdoor international goal after making her long-awaited debut in the series.

South Africa created several further quality chances and will feel frustrated not to have added to their tally. However, the hosts will take confidence from a disciplined defensive performance.

“I think it was a good game, especially after a frustrating performance yesterday. This is about buildup for a World Cup, so it’s important that we keep seeing progress this year. The support really helped us today and fuels the fire,” Zulu said after the match.

The series is the first action of the new year for the African champions and acts as a crucial warmup for the World Cup in Belgium and the Netherlands later this year.

"We actually have a little bit of that energy that says we want to do something special this year," head coach Inky Zondi said.

The last two matches in the series will take place on Friday and Saturday at the same Pretoria venue.