South Africa beat three-time silver medallists Poland 5-2 to qualify for the FIH Indoor World Cup quarter-finals at the tournament held in Croatia.
South Africa had two penalty corners in the first quarter but were unable to take the opportunity and found themselves trailing to a well-executed variation at a penalty corner on the verge of the first break.
They produced a frenetic second quarter, scoring three times in five minutes to build a 3-1 lead that would ultimately prove insurmountable. Mustaphaa Cassiem scored from a penalty corner with a sublime moving round house strike at a penalty corner to level matters. Litha Kraai then put the South Africans in the lead with a powerful upright reverse stick into the roof of the net.
Things got rosier for the South Africans when Dalpiarro Langford received the ball on the left and fired in the near post. Keegan Hezlett produced a goal line save and Justin Domleo also was on hand for a last ditch clearance. Just before half-time J{land got a goal back (3-2).
The second half was controlled by the South Africans and they were the only team to add to the scoring and it was from Mustapha Cassiem producing two goals that in truth were hardly chances but were equally emphatically put away.
South Africa will now wait for the identity of their opposition in the quarter-finals on Friday afternoon in Porec.
Photo: World Sports Pics/FIH