KUALA LUMPUR – South Africa national hockey player Samkelo Mvimbi’s experience playing in the Malaysia Hockey League (MHL) proved invaluable as he helped his side salvage a hard-fought 4-4 draw against Wales at the ongoing FIH Nations Cup.
The 26-year-old attacker, who partnered former national player Faizal Saari in attack for Terengganu Hockey Team (THT) in the MHL, registered a total of 27 shots and created 15 chances for his team at the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil today.
Speaking to Scoop, Mvimbi, who captains the world number 11 side, said he had instructed his coaches to hold early training sessions at the Bukit Jalil turf to help his teammates adapt to the weather conditions.
“It was a little bit disappointing to start the game by conceding so many goals in the opening quarters, especially after putting up a strong fight against them.
“It was difficult for us to get into the second half after letting in so many early on. But once we scored our first goal, we started to build some momentum and picked up from there.
“It’s never easy to play in this kind of heat, but thankfully, my experience of playing in the MHL for many years allowed me to prepare my teammates and help them get used to the hot conditions.
“Leading my side by giving them updates on Malaysia’s weather and familiarising them with the Bukit Jalil pitch three days before today’s match gave us a slight advantage and helped us push for a comeback,” he said after the match.
Mvimbi also expressed confidence in his team’s potential to reach the final and earn qualification to the prestigious FIH Pro League, provided they maintain their current form and momentum.
“We’ve shown what we are capable of in this tournament with today’s performance. If we can keep this energy and momentum going, I believe we can reach the final and secure a place in the FIH Pro League,” he added.
In the Group A encounter, Wales raced to a 4-0 lead in the first two quarters, thanks to a hat-trick by Jack Pritchard and a goal by Jolyon Morgan.
South Africa fought back in the third quarter with goals from Trevor de Lora and Angelo Walstroom to reduce the deficit to 4-2.
Mvimbi then found the net in the 50th minute to make it 4-3, before Calvin Davis scored the equaliser in the 59th minute via a penalty corner to complete the comeback.
A total of 87 spectators were in attendance for the match.
Wales will face South Korea tomorrow, while South Africa take on France in their next Group A fixture at the same venue. — June 15, 2025