Olympic champions too strong for South Africa

Olympic champions Germany defeated South Africa 7-2 on Wednesday night in the first of three Test matches at Hartleyvale Hockey Stadium in Cape Town.

Mats Grambusch opened the scoring with a field goal in the eighth minute and Pierre de Voux equalised for SA in the 12^th. Another Grambusch goal in the 15^th restored Germany’s lead and Oskar Deecke scored in the same minute for Germany to go 3-1 up. 

A field goal in the 20^th by Christopher Ruhr and captain Martin Haner’s penalty corner in the 26^th left the half-time score 5-1.

After half-time Lloyd Norris-Jones pulled one back for SA in the 39^th minute but Florian Fuchs’ brace of field goals in the 44^th and 56^th minutes cemented Germany’s 7-2 win.

SA umpires Sean Rapaport and Riaan Osman issued one (green) card during the game.

The second Test is at 7pm Friday.

TEAMS
SOUTH AFRICA (starting): Lance Louw, Wade Paton (capt), Andrew Cronje, Lloyd Madsen, Lloyd Norris-Jones, Matt Botha, Craig Haley, Jacques le Roux (GK), Lungi Tsolekile, Clive Terwin, Francois Pretorius.
Rolling subs: Nick Spooner (12^th minute), Nick Gonsalves (10^th), Robin Jones (16^th), Pierre de Voux (11^th), Owen Mvimbi (10^th), Geowynne Gamiet (11^th), Gowan Jones (GK, 36^th min).
GERMANY (starting): Linus Butt, Martin Haner (capt), Oskar Deecke, Christopher Wesley, Tobias Hauke, Jan-Phillip Rabente, Benjamin Wess, Florian Fuchs, Thilo Stralkowski, Lukas Windfeder, Tim Jessulat (GK).
Rolling subs: Tom Mieling (7^th minute), Tobias Matania (7^th), Mats Grambusch (6^th), Moritz Polk (7^th), Christopher Ruhr (7^th), Martin Zwicker (7^th), Nicolas Jacobi (GK).
Umpires: Sean Rapaport (SA), Riaan Osman (SA).

FIXTURES
SA vs Germany at Hartleyvale
1st Test: SA 2 Germany 7
2nd Test, 7pm Friday
3rd Test, 4pm Saturday
Tickets – adults R40; children (age 4-18) R10; family (2 adults, 2 children) R70; series ticket (per person) R80
Gates open: 1 hour prior to start time