Day 1 in Tokyo, host country Japan opened the Olympic tournament with a defeat against Australia (3-5). Reigning Olympic champion Argentina had to settle for a 1-1 draw against Spain. Germany recorded the biggest win on the first day of play by beating Canada 7-1. Below is the round-up of the first day of the men’s tournament.
Japan – Australia 3-5 (3-2)
For a moment, host country Japan was immediately on its way to the first surprise of the tournament in the opening game of the Olympic hockey tournament. In the second quarter, Siegfried Aikman’s team fought back from a 0-2 deficit to a 3-2 lead against top country Australia, thanks in part to two goals from HGC player Kenta Tanaka. A stunt hung in the air, but after the break the Japanese had to capitulate when things started to go wrong for the Australians and they managed to score three times (3-5).
’11 Tim Brand 0-1
’14 Tom Craig 0-2
’22 Kenta Tanaka 1-2
’26 Yoshiki Kirishita 2-2
’27 Kenta Tanaka 3-2
’31 Blake Govers 3-3 (sc)
’38 Aran Zalewski 3 -4 ‘
50s Daniel Beale 3-5
New Zealand-India 2-3 (1-2)
Penalty corner specialist Harmanpreet Singh – India’s greatest weapon – immediately proved his class by hitting two penalty corners. After an early goal by New Zealand and India’s equalizing goal from a penalty shot, he scored the 1-2 and the 1-3, one of a variant. They were great goals that helped India to the win. New Zealand made it 2-3.
‘6 Kane Russell 1-0 (sc)
’10 Rupinder Pal Singh 1-1 (sb)
’26 Harmanpreet Singh 1-2 (sc)
’33 Harmanpreet Singh 1-3 (sc)
’43 Stephen Jenness 2-3
Argentina – Spain 1-1 (1-0)
Argentina and Spain have traditionally been at odds with each other. That was also the case during the opening game for both teams on Saturday at the South Pitch. During the match it was hard, but afterwards it was only really hit between the two highly flammable teams. While pushing and pulling, the players sought out the catacombs.
In between, there was also hockey, with Argentina taking the lead in the second quarter through a goal by Pinoké players Augustin Mazzilli. The reigning Olympic champion was able to hold on to that lead for a long time, but eventually capitulated in the fourth quarter. Good-old Pau Quemada scored the equalizing goal from a penalty corner that gave both teams a point.
Group A
| Item. | Country | W | G | V | For | Against | Ptn |
| 1. | Australia | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 3 |
| 2. | India | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 3 |
| 3. | Argentina | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 4. | Spain | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 5. | New Zealand | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 |
| 6. | Japan | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 0 |
Great Britain-South Africa 3-1 (1-1)
South Africa could hope for a stunt against Great Britain for two quarters, but in the end the team of Tim Drummond and Austin Smith was left empty-handed. The game started quite spectacularly with two goals within four minutes. Sam Ward opened the scoring after two minutes and barely two minutes later Matthew Guise-Brown converted the penalty corner awarded in South Africa’s first attack.
With this tie, the team went to rest. The third quarter had barely begun when Liam Ansell gave the British the lead again. Despite a predominance, which led to three penalty corners, Great Britain was unable to distance itself from South Africa.
The score remained exciting, but the South Africans were not doing themselves any favors by taking three yellow cards. The equalizer could not be forced. Four minutes before the end, Jack Waller secured the British victory.
‘2 Sam Ward 1-0 (sc)
‘4 Matthew Guise-Brown 1-1 (sc)
’32 Liam Ansell 2-1
’56 Jack Waller 3-1
Canada-Germany 1-7 (1-4)
Germany has started the Olympic tournament with a big victory over Canada, the team of national coach Pasha Gademann and Floris van Son. After the Germans had taken the lead via a striking penalty corner by Lukas Windfeder, Canada made the same not much later, actually out of the blue, via Keegan Perreira.
Thanks to three goals within seven minutes, Germany ran out to 1-4 before half-time. With this, the duel was actually decided. Martin Häner made 5-1 just before the end of the third quarter, after which two more German goals fell in the final minutes.
’11 Lukas Windfeder 0-1 (sc)
’16 Keegan Pereira 1-1
’22 Christopher Rühr 1-2
’25 Christopher Rühr 1-3
’28 Lukas Windfeder 1-4 (sc)
’44 Martin Häner 1-5
’59 Niklas Bosserhoff 1-6 (sc)
’60s Mats Grambusch 1-7
Netherlands-Belgium 1-3 (0-0)
A fairly balanced meeting, especially during the 1st half, with a slight advantage over more enterprising Red Lions, but also a little messier. The Dutch did less, but each time a little more effective.
To the point of finally registering a goal in the 34th minute (Hertzberger who deceived Vanasch from an improbable angle), while the Belgians had just fallen to ten following a green card attributed to Nico De Kerpel. But this Dutch goal then had the gift of whipping the senses of the Red Lions who, at the end of the third quarter (between the 40th and the 45th minute of play), we scored the trifle of three goals: two on PC and one on stroke, all the works of the specialist of the thing, Alexander Hendrickx, who could not have started this tournament better, he who will undoubtedly compete for the title of top scorer of the tournament.
Group B
| Item. | Country | W | G | V | For | Against | Ptn |
| 1. | Germany | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 3 |
| 2. | Belgium | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 3 |
| 3. | Britain | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 3 |
| 4. | Netherlands | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| 5. | South Africa | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| 6. | Canada | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 0 |
Program Saturday 24 July (men)
| Time of day | Contest | group | Result |
| 02:30 | Japan-Australia | a | 3-5 |
| 03:00 | New Zealand-India | a | 2-3 |
| 04:45 | Netherlands – Belgium | B | 1-3 |
| 05:15 | Argentina-Spain | a | 1-1 |
| half past eleven | Great Britain-South Africa | B | 3-1 |
| 12:00 | Canada-Germany | B | 1-7 |
Ireland has graced its Olympic debut with a victory. In Tokyo, South Africa was defeated 2-0 on the first day of the hockey tournament. In the only other women’s game on Saturday, the Orange Women dealt a blow to India with a 5-1 triumph.
The Irish ladies took the lead in the sixth minute. Roisin Upton saved the first penalty corner of the game by pushing the ball hard against the board. After that, Sean Dancer’s team failed to raise the score. After a skirmish after a penalty corner, Naomi Carroll hit the post.
After the break, a pass by Kathryn Mullan reached the completely detached Sarah Torrens. She mowed completely past the ball, which then landed on her foot. Torrens was colder at the end of the fourth quarter. Shortly after South African Taryn Mallett was sidelined with green, the ball went up through a defensive stick after the free hit, after which Torrens bounced the ball into the goal.
Ireland–South Africa 2-0 (1-0)
‘6 Roisin Upton 1-0 (sc)
’45 Sarah Torrens 2-0
Netherlands-India 5-1 (1-1)
Read the extensive match report of the game between the Orange Women and India
Group A
| Item. | Country | W | G | V | For | Against | Ptn |
| 1. | Netherlands | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 3 |
| 2. | Ireland | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| 3. | Britain | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 4. | Germany | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 5. | South Africa | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 6. | India | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 0 |