IKF WKC 2019 Day 5: Updated reviews, images & videos - International Korfball Federation

Today the tournament progresses from the preliminary pool to the knockout phase, following a rest day where most athletes and officials took the opportunity to enjoy some of the great experiences that Durban has to offer: the beach, the sights, the food, and for some, several or all of the big five, on safari. New Zealand, Macau, South Africa and Hong Kong are all involved in a round robin through the rest of the tournament to determine the minor placings. For everyone else, today’s games will decide whether they finish in the top eight or places nine to16. For several therefore, today is the day that will see if their World Games 2021 Birmingham, USA will be fulfilled.

Based on what we have seen at the tournament so far, the closest games are likely to be England versus Suriname and Portugal versus Catalonia. For most of the others, form suggests a clear outcome and any upsets will be surprising. After their brave performance against China, Hungary taking on Belgium could be interesting, though the form of the Diamonds so far strongly suggests that they will prevail. For the ninth ranked team to overcome the third ranked traditional superpower would be a major occurrence in world korfball.

These are the games scheduled to be played on Monday, 5 August 2019 (Day 5):

Time	#	Hall 1	#	Hall 2
12:00		NZL-MAC		HKG-RSA
13:45	K	BEL-HUN	I	TPE-JPN
15:30	F	POL-GER	E	NED-IRL
17:15	J	ENG-SUR	G	CHN-SVK
19:00	H	POR-CAT	L	CZE-AUS

*(Venues) Hall 1: ‘University’ – Hall 2: ‘The Globe’
Hall 1: KZN Westville Campus Indoor Sports Centre – Hall 2: ‘The Globe’ at Suncoast Boulevard Marine Parade

From 1 to 10 August 2019 the IKF World Korfball Championship 2019 is taking place in the city of Durban, South Africa. Twenty national squads are competing to be the new World Champion in this 11th edition of the most important international korfball tournament.

All the games are live streamed through IKF YouTube channel and on IKF data website www.worldkorfball.sport together with all the results, statistics, top scorers and updated ranking pools.

In this post you will find a daily updated recap with all IKF press reviews, results, best images and videos from all games played during this day.

– Day 1 press reviews ► www.korfball.sport/ikfwkc2019-day1-review
– Day 2 press reviews ► www.korfball.sport/ikfwkc2019-day2-review
– Day 3 press reviews ► www.korfball.sport/ikfwkc2019-day3-review

Day 4 reviews, results, rankings & videos:

Pool for 17th-20th place

Time	Hall	Teams	Result	Video/Stats
12:00	1	NZL-MAC	21-8	📺 / 📊
12:00	2	RSA-HKG	11-16	📺 / 📊

In the first game of Day Five at KwaZulu Natal University’s Westville Campus, New Zealand faced Macau at the start of the series to resolve the minor placings. With both teams at their first ever IKF WKC and neither yet recording a win, today was a chance for each to make history. Macau began the game more fluently, though it was close, with tension evident from both teams. New Zealand adjusted to the pace of the Macau attack in the second quarter, effectively nullifying it, and started to score more frequently with Sam Bennetts stepping up well in his first start of the tournament, particularly under the post. At half time it was 8-3. Macau loosened the shackles of the New Zealand defence a little in the second half, though New Zealand also intensified their attack to score more fluidly and there was really no doubt how this was going to finish. For Macau Chi On Ho top scored with three, while for New Zealand, Kelsey Forward was tidy and productive at both ends of the court. Final score 21-8.

South Africa met Hong Kong in the first game of Day Five at the Globe, on Durban’s stunning beach, and overlooking the famous King’s Park sports complex. Hong Kong started purposefully, making their way to a 1-5 lead after the end of the first quarter, with their go-to player, Kwok Kuen Ham making his presence felt right from the start. South Africa was not prepared to surrender, though, and started a fight back, scoring more frequently in the second quarter than they have at any other point of this tournament so far. Hong Kong regained the momentum in the third quarter to put an end to any thoughts South Africa might have had of overhauling the lead. With seven despite being taken out of the game by coach Warman Cheng with 12 minutes to go. For the South Africans veteran RF van Niekerk managed to find a groove with his shooting towards the end, though even with their bench on, Hong Kong had enough to finish ahead. Final score 11-16.

Quarter final games

Time	Hall	Teams	Result	Video/Stats
13:45	1	BEL-HUN	27-6	📺 / 📊
13:45	2	TPE-JPN	42-22	📺 / 📊

Belgium brought their A game to this, and they needed to because Hungary were focused and intent on making a contest of it, despite the reputation and prowess of their opponent. Belgium took and extended the lead, with Brent Struyf featuring in plenty of their most positive moments. In the third quarter Belgium stepped up a gear and further extended their lead, characterised by a smart one handed shot right under the korf from the rebound by Jari Hardies two minutes after his introduction to the game. As the game progressed, Hungary ran out of energy and options, remaining scoreless for the last 18 minutes while Belgium maintained their intensity, despite making some substitutions. For Belgium the scoring was shared reasonably evenly, with each of their starting eight and most substitutes scoring at least one. Final score 27-6.

Chinese Taipei came into this game intent on demonstrating their superiority, and sound a warning to the other teams likely to populate the podium on Saturday. Within the first two minutes they were ahead by five goals, and continued to score more than one per minute through the first half. At the halftime whistle the score was 24–9. Japan captain Ren Nagai relished the opportunity to play an international one on one against Ricky Wu, his teacher and the man who first introduced him to korfball in Taiwan, where Nagai went to school. Although Chinese Taipei brought on their entire bench at half time, the substitutions made little difference to their rate of scoring. Japan will at least take some confidence from their tally against the world number two, albeit most were scored after the outcome was well and truly decided and in terms of the result and what the Asian champion set out to prove, were of little relevance. Final score 42-22.

Time	Hall	Teams	Result	Video/Stats
15:30	1	POL-GER	9-22	📺 / 📊
15:30	2	NED-IRL	34-7	📺 / 📊

Ireland, without a win at the IKF WKC so far, making it to this point due to being the best fourth-placed team in the preliminary pools thanks to a close loss to Australia and the final second capitulation to Poland, faced the daunting prospect of a match against The Netherlands, coming off the rest day and with 48 hours to reflect on their own below par performance against the Czech Republic. As efficient as ever against less experienced opposition, TeamNL rapidly established their regular momentum early in the match. Goals flowed from each player and every point of the court. By half time the lead was 21–3. Appearing to aim to conserve energy rather than press home their advantage as ruthlessly as Chinese Taipei had in the preceding match, TeamNL was cruising in one of their lower gears. Scoring action was apportioned across The Netherlands starting eight, while for Ireland, Stewart McConvery will be able to tell his grandchildren about the day he put two past the almighty Dutch. By the time referee Dan-Lin Huang blew her whistle for the final time, the contest was long since well and truly over. Final score: 34-7

After struggling on Saturday against Portugal, and therefore consigning themselves to a more difficult side of the draw, Germany was focused on stepping up their effort against Poland. With the latter less persistent in defence than Portugal was against Germany, scoring was somewhat easier, with Steffen Heppekausen rediscovering some of the form that made him a star at last year’s EKC. With 4–12 showing on the scoreboard at half time, the outcome was all but decided. By the end, Lea Sander had scored five for Germany, who by winning this earned their place in the top eight, although that poses the daunting prospect of a meeting with the world champion. Final score: 9-22

Time	Hall	Teams	Result	Video/Stats
17:15	1	ENG-SUR	18-22	📺 / 📊
17:15	2	CHN-SVK	31-9	📺 / 📊

Suriname took a blow this morning when Nisha Verwey suffered a knee injury during training, which looks likely to put her out of the tournament. However, a four goal lead after five minutes was the result of a determined start for the Pan American champion, before Charlie Vogwill opened the scoring for England. Missed penalties by England looked likely to prove expensive, particularly as Gerald van Dijk and Vikash Missier were putting them away comfortably at the other end. As the half wore on, England found a little more rhythm and managed to haul three goals back as the half drew to a close, only for Suriname captain Ivan Karsters to score a spectacular running in shot less than one second before half time to make the score 8-12 at the break. With England having the better of the start of the second half and drawing level, a time out called by coach Dico Dik stopped the rot for Suriname and within two minutes they had restored their four goal lead. Vogwill’s hot hands kept his team in touch, though the personal duel between him and Karsters was probably edged by the latter, and Suriname managed to run down the clock, protecting their lead more effectively than they had against China in the showstopper between the two on Friday. For Suriname a win today means qualification for World Games 2021, Birmingham, USA, an outstanding achievement for a federation only formed two years ago, and another important step towards their goal of re-establishing korfball in their own country, with the support of the Surinamese communities in the Netherlands from which the players in this squad are drawn. Final score: 18-22.

After a positive start by Slovakia, China stepped up and took control, finding the space they needed to bring their supremely accurate shooting game into action, particularly through Jammy Zhao and Xin Li. At the end of the first quarter they had asserted an 8–2 lead, extended to 15-5 by half time as China’s power and precision ground down their less athletic opponent. Peter Busik scored five to keep it slightly more respectable for Slovakia, although most of the goal action was happening at the other end, particularly from Zhao whose eight goals put her well ahead in the tournament’s individual scoring chart. China will contest the top eight, while Slovakia will challenge for ninth place. Final score: 31-9

Time	Hall	Teams	Result	Video/Stats
19:00	1	POR-CAT	15-11	📺 / 📊
19:00	2	CZE-AUS	27-15	📺 / 📊

Australia started with purpose as Nik Bungey executed two running in shots before the Czech Republic had settled. From that point however the Czech team started to accumulate goals, with Lenka Faltynkova, a veteran of the team that won a bronze medal in 2003, particularly effective. Although Australia fought gallantly, and made a few good goals of their own, by half time the Czech Republic had a comfortable lead, 15–7. After gaining similar advantages in their pool games against Catalonia and New Zealand, the Czechs have played canny korfball to squeeze the life out of their opponents without over-exerting themselves, while also giving The Netherlands their most testing fixture so far. So it proved again today. Czech progresses to the top eight while Australia will join the battle for place nine. Final score: 27-15.

Both these teams always bring plenty of passion when they meet on the korfball field. Today Portugal also brought presence and greater control than their neighbour, at least in the opening minutes. Catalonia dug in however, and managed to stay in touch, excellent goals from Alba Rosa and Olga Perez keeping them right in the game. Half time 7-6. Four minutes of the second half had elapsed before Catalonia equalised, though Isabel Almeida hit straight back to restore her team’s lead. While Portugal had an advantage by 11–9 after the third quarter, the game was certainly not over and they were far less assured than in their excellent performance to stifle Germany on Saturday. Catalonia, on the other hand had stepped up significantly since their pool games to keep the game alive. Almeida again settled her team with a goal to increase the difference to three with five minutes remaining, which proved enough and Portugal went on to claim the victory and a place in the top eight. Final score: 15-11.

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More information about the tournament

Official websites of the tournament ► www.korfball.sport ► www.ikfwkc2019.com
Live streaming games, results and statistics on ► www.worldkorfball.sport
IKF WKC History event booklet ► Read .pdf document

This tournament is also a qualifying event for The World Games 2021 that will take place in Birmingham, Alabama, USA, from 15 to 25 July 2021. More info ► www.theworldgames2021.com

Discover more from all participants reading #TheTeamFiles Interviews ► korfball.sport/wkc2019

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