WEDNESDAY, 17 JUNE 2026
RUSSELL REACHES CENTURY OF GOALS FOR BLACK STICKS AT FIH HOCKEY NATIONS CUP IN CAPE TOWN
- New Zealand set up hockey semifinal showdown with South Africa
Cape Town, South Africa: New Zealand’s Kane Russell produced a memorable performance as he unleashed his trademark drag-flicking prowess to reach 100 international goals in the Black Sticks’ 5-2 victory over Japan in the FIH Men’s Hockey Nations Cup at Hartleyvale Stadium in Cape Town on Wednesday.
The 34-year-old entered the tournament on 95 goals and wasted little time in reaching the coveted century mark, scoring his fifth and sixth goals of the week against Japan to move his tally to 101 international goals.
The victory ensured New Zealand continued their dominant form, comfortably topping Pool B and setting up a semifinal clash against hosts South Africa on Friday at 4.45pm.
Japan, meanwhile, will face Pool A winners France in the second semifinal at 7pm, with the remaining playoffs scheduled for Saturday.
After several early penalty-corner opportunities, Russell finally achieved the milestone when he converted New Zealand’s fourth penalty corner in the 14th minute. He then added a penalty stroke later in the match to underline his influence.
Reflecting on the achievement, Russell admitted he had not been aware of how close he was to the landmark until shortly before the tournament.
“I didn’t know the number, but we had a presentation before the tournament started and I was informed that I was on 95 goals,” he said.
“I suddenly thought maybe this is doable, so I’m happy that I managed to get there during the pool games.
“When I started my international career in 2012, I never imagined I would get to 100 caps, let alone 100 goals, so I’m obviously super stoked.
“I still love playing. The game keeps adapting and changing, and that’s what makes it exciting.”
Black Sticks coach Greg Nicol paid tribute to Russell’s remarkable achievement.
“It’s a great milestone. We knew it was coming, we just didn’t know in which game,” he said.
“It was good to get it early in the match, put it to bed and then get on with the hockey. It’s an exceptional achievement.”
Looking ahead to Friday’s semifinal against South Africa, Nicol expects a fierce challenge from the hosts.
“We’re expecting a big crowd and plenty of energy. What South Africa showed against Ireland was fantastic to see, so we have to be prepared for that.
“They may not be as structured as we are, but they have game-breakers and they can counter-attack effectively.
“We need to prepare well. It should be an exciting game.”
In the day’s first game, Malaysia boosted their confidence by securing a hard-earned 2-1 victory over Korea to qualify for the playoffs.
Korea entered the contest knowing they needed a win to keep their hopes alive, and the match remained finely balanced at 1-1 for much of the encounter.
With three minutes remaining, Korea rolled the dice by withdrawing their goalkeeper in a desperate bid to find a winner. The gamble quickly backfired as Malaysia broke forward and Shello Silverius applied a deft touch to a pass into the circle to score what proved to be the decisive goal.
The victory saw Malaysia finish third in Pool B and set up a playoff clash against the United States, with coach Brendon Carolan pleased to secure the result, even though he believes there is still considerable room for improvement.
“I know we could have drawn and still gone through, but we’re still not where we want to be,” he said.
“At the same time, getting a result and building confidence within the group is important. I’m not completely satisfied with the way we’re playing, but at least we’re showing some improvement.
“We’ve got a lot of hockey coming up, so getting results helps build momentum. It feels like some of the work we’re putting in is starting to pay off.
“This is a talented group, and I think we can play better. We were slightly better today but still need to cut down on some of the soft turnovers.
“Going into the playoffs, you want to win as much as possible and we should be winning these types of games, so it’s just a case of proving it out on the field.”
Scorers:
Pool A
Malaysia 2 (Mohamad Anuar Esook, Shello Silverius); Korea 1 (Gangsan Lee).
New Zealand 5 (Kane Russell 2, Scott Boyde 2, Sam Lane; Japan 2 (Jun Watanabe, Kazumasa Matsumoto).
The final pool standings are:
Pool A: 1 New Zealand (12), 2 Japan (7), 3 Malaysia (6), 4 Scotland (3), 5 Korea (1).
Pool B: 1 France (9), 2 South Africa (4), 3 Ireland (4), 4 United States (0). SA finished above Ireland on goal difference.
Friday’s fixtures are:
12.15: Malaysia v United States; 2.30pm: Ireland v Scotland; 4.45pm: New Zealand v South Africa; 7pm: France v Japan.
Ends.
FREE TO USE PICTURES WITH CAPTIONS
Malaysia vs Korea 1- Malaysian Mohammad Azrai penetrates the circle and puts pressure on the Korean goalkeeper attempting to score for his country at the 2026 FIH Men’s Hockey Nations Cup being played at the Hartleyvale Stadium in Cape Town, South Africa on Wednesday 17 June 2026. Malaysia beat Korea 2-1 to qualify for the playoffs against USA on Friday.
Malaysia vs Korea 2- Andywalfian Jeffrynus of Malaysia passes the ball during the Malaysia vs Korea match at the 2026 FIH Men’s Hockey Nations Cup being played at the Hartleyvale Stadium in Cape Town, South Africa on Wednesday 17 June 2026. Malaysia beat Korea 2-1 to qualify for the playoffs against USA on Friday.
New Zealand vs Japan 1 – Kane Russell of New Zealand is congratulated by his fellow teammates after scoring his 100th international goal against Japan at the 2026 FIH Hockey Nations Cup being played at the Hartleyvale Stadium in Cape Town, South Africa on Wednesday 17 June 2026. Unbeaten New Zealand beat Japan 5-2 to top Pool A. New Zealand now play hosts South Africa in the semifinals on Friday.
New Zealand vs Japan 2 – Kane Russell of New Zealand celebrates after scoring his 100th international goal against Japan at the 2026 FIH Hockey Nations Cup being played at the Hartleyvale Stadium in Cape Town, South Africa on Wednesday 17 June 2026. Unbeaten New Zealand beat Japan 5-2 to top Pool A. New Zealand now play hosts South Africa in the semifinals on Friday.
New Zealand vs Japan 3 – Charlie Morrison of New Zealand passes the ball against Japan at the 2026 FIH Hockey Nations Cup being played at the Hartleyvale Stadium in Cape Town, South Africa on Wednesday 17 June 2026. Unbeaten New Zealand beat Japan 5-2 to top Pool A. New Zealand now play hosts South Africa in the semifinals on Friday.
New Zealand vs Japan 4 – Kazuki Nakai of Japan and James Hickson of New Zealand fight for the ball at the 2026 FIH Hockey Nations Cup being played at the Hartleyvale Stadium in Cape Town, South Africa on Wednesday 17 June 2026. Unbeaten New Zealand beat Japan 5-2 to top Pool A. New Zealand now play hosts South Africa in the semifinals on Friday.
Photo credits: Ray Chaplin Sports Media
FOR MEDIA CONTACT:
Siya Cele
BLD Communications
+27 78 128 0706
Bruce Davidson
BLD Communications
+27 83 212 2401
You’re receiving this message because you’re a member of a media list with BLD Communications. Should you wish to be removed from the media list, reply all to this message with ‘’please remove from media list’’.