Cassiem brothers star as SA men's hockey team beat France to record first World Cup win

South Africa's men's hockey team secured their first-ever victory in the FIH Hockey World Cup on Friday, while the women's team also achieved a historic milestone by earning their first point in the 9th-16th classification phase. The men's team continued their impressive performance from Thursday's 2-2 draw against three-time champions Australia with a well-executed 3-1 win over France in Wavre, Belgium.

The Cassiem brothers, Mustapha and Dayaan, were instrumental in the win, with Mustapha scoring twice in the first half to put South Africa in control. Despite France's late goal by Victor Charlet, South Africa maintained their momentum and secured the victory under the captaincy of Dayaan Cassiem. The win also served as a form of revenge for South Africa, who had suffered two defeats from France at the FIH Nations Cup in Cape Town two months prior.

South Africa will face Malaysia in their next match as they strive to climb the classification standings. In the women's tournament, Ntsopa Mokoena's late goal seemed to give South Africa their first win, but Japan quickly equalized, resulting in a 1-1 draw. Despite conceding 15 goals in their previous three matches, South Africa showcased a significant improvement in their defense, keeping Japan at bay for the first half.

Mokoena broke the deadlock in the 51st minute, giving South Africa their first lead of the tournament. However, Hazuki Murayama quickly restored parity for Japan. Neither team could secure a win, leaving South Africa with a valuable point to build on as they prepare to face Chile in their next match.