South Africa's hockey women claim first World Cup win as men are held by Malaysia

South Africa's women's hockey team achieved their first-ever World Cup victory on Sunday, overcoming Chile 3-2 at the Wagener Hockey Stadium. The match, part of the 9th-16th classification phase, marked a significant improvement for the South African squad after a challenging round of games against England, India, and China. Chile took an early lead when their captain, Manuela Urroz, scored a penalty corner in the 13th minute.

South Africa responded immediately, with captain Edith Molikoe using her skill to equalize in the 22nd minute. The teams remained level at halftime. In the second half, Ntsopa Mokoena, who had scored against Japan earlier in the tournament, added another goal in the 35th minute. Caylin Maree secured the win shortly after, finishing a swift attacking move in the 35th minute.

Chile fought back through Simone Avelli's goal in the 51st minute, but South Africa maintained their composure for the win. The result follows South Africa's 1-1 draw with Japan on Friday, leaving them unbeaten in the classification phase. This victory gives the team a much-needed morale boost and positions them for a potential 13th-place play-off.

Meanwhile, the South African men's team faced a dramatic 3-3 draw with Malaysia, with the final result securing a point for both teams and leaving their ultimate classification uncertain.