England beat the South African men’s hockey team 6-3 to secure their third consecutive Commonwealth Games bronze medal in Birmingham.
South Africa finished fourth overall this year, which is a big improvement after finishing tenth in 2018.
This is the fourth bronze medal for England after winning bronze back in 1998, 2014, 2018, and this year.
South Africa gave away a slender lead early in the match and allowed the hosts to score two goals in the fourth and final quarter to win the match.
This was an opportunity for South Africa to add one more medal at this year’s Commonwealth Games in Birmingham when they came up against hosts England in a men’s bronze medal match.
But this year, South Africa won fewer medals than at the Gold Coast in Australia four years ago.
South Africa are lying ninth on the medals table with 27 medals with seven gold, nine silver, and eleven bronze medals.
Four years ago South Africa was the best performing African country finishing sixth with 43 medals.
This year Nigeria is the best performing African country with 35 medals, twelve gold, nine silver, and fourteen bronze.
South Africa started the bronze medal match very well, winning two penalty corners but failing to capitalise.
Eventually Matthew Guise Brown broke the deadlock for South Africa with a well-taken goal after a penalty corner. But their joy was short-lived with Rhys Smith drawing England level just after ninety seconds.
Mustapha Cassiem helped South Africa regain their lead when he made it 2-1. Again it did not take England long to find the equaliser.
The hosts took the lead for the first time in the match in the second quarter.
Nqobile Ntuli found the third goal for South Africa to make it 3-all just before half-time.
It was a closely contested affair until Phil Roper succeeds with a fourth goal for England in the third quarter.
England increased their lead with Sam Ward adding the fifth goal in the fourth and final quarter.
South Africa survived a big scare when they played for several minutes without a goalkeeper. But England captain Zach Wallace made it 6-3 to secure England their third consecutive bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games.
