South Africa beat Nigeria 3-0

Accra, July 11, GNA - South Africa's Women's hockey team launched their defence on a high with a 3-0 win over their Nigerian counterparts on Saturday at the National Hockey Stadium in Accra in the opening match of the females encounter at the Hockey Africa Cup for Nations, Ghana 2009. First half strikes from Brown Cindy and Irvine Loreen put the African champions in a good stead for the maximum points before Hubach Kim's goal four minutes from time sealed victory.

The South Africans, the best team on the continent proved their worth by dominating the encounter with their superb ball control and distribution rate. Like their male counterparts, the South Africans overpowered the Nigerians in almost every department of the game as well as making the best of the penalty corners.

On eight minutes, Cindy scored the opener by connecting from a penalty corner before Loreen doubled the lead on the stroke of half time. After recess, the Nigerians started strongly but failed to make the best of the few chances that came their way before Kim scored the third for the South Africans from another penalty corner.