Men's Field Hockey AFHF African Olympic Games Qualification Tournament 2019

[phelps 7,801]

  On 8/12/2019 at 7:52 PM, NearPup said:

Japan would have qualified even if they weren’t the host nation, so...

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I know that...and I don't like when "cinderellas" qualify to the Olympics (which already have a very small field of participants) in team sports, as they are likely to lower the whole level of competitivness...

 

meanwhile I fully support underdogs in individual sports, as they add a lot to the whole competition without taking anything off to the decisive moments of any event...

 

I know it's quite a contradiction, but sometimes I have to be selfish and think about the show I'm going to watch...I need it to be entertaining (and games ending "too many to too few" are definitely not entertaining to my eyes)...

[LDOG 2,418]

Japan is not so weak, much less at home. I doubt they would lose big to anyone except the top 3 or 4 teams.

 

Egypt would be the weakest team clearly, but they are still far better than Brazil. They defeated Ireland and tied Korea a month ago in a serious tournament. 

[heywoodu 15,335]

  On 8/12/2019 at 7:44 PM, phelps said:

 

 

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Wise reaction.

[Gianlu33 4,728]

  On 8/12/2019 at 7:40 PM, Olympian1010 said:

Every field hockey game ever is unwatchable  (In my humble, very biased, opinion (sorry))

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Isn't enough youth and urban for you?

[Olympian1010 8,070]

  On 8/13/2019 at 7:46 AM, Gianlu33 said:

Isn't enough youth and urban for you?

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And they don’t play in bikinis or speedos. What’s even the point (asked the ISSF)?

[phelps 7,801]

  On 8/12/2019 at 8:21 PM, LDOG said:

Japan is not so weak, much less at home. I doubt they would lose big to anyone except the top 3 or 4 teams.

 

Egypt would be the weakest team clearly, but they are still far better than Brazil. They defeated Ireland and tied Korea a month ago in a serious tournament. 

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still, 6/8 goals losses are not acceptable to me as a neutral spectator...

 

and I'm ready to bet we're going to see a few of them in Tokyo with 2 teams so far away from the top tier teams level (and I'd write the same if the Italian girls would somehow manage to qualify, despite being proud of them in another way, of course)...

[LDOG 2,418]

  On 8/13/2019 at 8:27 AM, phelps said:

 

still, 6/8 goals losses are not acceptable to me as a neutral spectator...

 

and I'm ready to bet we're going to see a few of them in Tokyo with 2 teams so far away from the top tier teams level (and I'd write the same if the Italian girls would somehow manage to qualify, despite being proud of them in another way, of course)...

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I doubt South Africa, Pakistan or Malaysia would get much better scores than them in their current level. Honestly don't think it makes much of a difference. Instead of 7-0s, you would be watching 5-0s.

[dcro 10,210]

  On 8/12/2019 at 5:51 PM, LDOG said:

I think Egypt will qualify even if they lose.

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Don't be so sure. South Africa still hasn't published their selection policies, and the rumour is that they will not be as demanding. Additionally, they will be sending athletes to African Games in sports which they ignored before Rio 2016.

[phelps 7,801]

  On 8/13/2019 at 8:56 AM, LDOG said:

 

I doubt South Africa, Pakistan or Malaysia would get much better scores than them in their current level. Honestly don't think it makes much of a difference. Instead of 7-0s, you would be watching 5-0s.

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you're right...

 

but still, 5-0 is less worse than 7-0...

 

however, the real problem is that we need a bit more depth in the chart of this game...we need at least a few more second-tier teams raising their level and getting closer to the top teams...

[LDOG 2,418]

No surprises, the "finals" for the quotas tomorrow will be..

 

Men: South Africa - Egypt 

Women: South Africa - Ghana 

 

Saffers have the draw advantage in both cases.