Paris-Gail Isaacs had just equalized for South Africa’s women in the 25th minute, and for a moment the Proteas were level with an unbeaten Chinese side at Wagener Stadium in Amstelveen. That moment did not last long.
Zhong Jiaqi restored China’s lead almost immediately from another penalty corner, Yu Anhui added a third in the 30th minute, and by halftime South Africa trailed 3-1 after a punishing five-minute spell that effectively decided the match. Zou Meirong had opened the scoring in the fourth minute, and she would close it too, adding her second goal in the final quarter alongside Chen Yi’s strike to complete a 5-1 defeat.
The loss wrapped up South Africa’s Pool D campaign, which also included matches against England and India. The women showed genuine character after the break, holding China scoreless through the third quarter and keeping a comeback mathematically alive. But the final 15 minutes told the harder truth about the gap between the two sides at this level. China advanced from the pool with seven points. South Africa moves into the 9th-16th classification phase, where a strong finish remains possible.
By contrast, the men’s team produced one of their finest performances of the tournament the same day, drawing 2-2 with three-time world champions Australia at the Belfius Hockey Arena in Wavre.
Mustapha Cassiem converted a penalty corner in the fourth minute to give South Africa an early lead. Australia, despite winning their opening two Pool C matches, could not break through a disciplined South African defence, even after Kenton Melville received a yellow card and the Proteas were reduced to 10 men before halftime.
Joel Rintala equalized for the Kookaburras in the 38th minute. Ky Willott put Australia ahead in the 43rd. Cassiem answered a minute later, again from a penalty corner, to make it 2-2. Blake Govers appeared to score for Australia on the third-quarter hooter, only for the goal to be disallowed following an umpire referral. The final quarter produced no further scoring, South Africa’s defence holding firm to the end.
Australia finished the pool stage unbeaten on seven points, but their perfect run was stopped. For South Africa, the point carries real weight after earlier defeats to Spain and Ireland. Cassiem, twice on target against one of the world’s leading hockey nations, was the standout performer of the afternoon.
Both squads now enter the 9th-16th classification phase. The women face Japan on Friday morning at 9:30, while the men meet France at 11:00 in Wavre. France defeated South Africa in the final of the FIH Nations Cup in Cape Town not long ago, a result that gives the men’s fixture a sharper edge. Whether that recent loss sharpens or unsettles them is the question the next 90 minutes will answer.