How a hockey match works

1. Two teams play a hard ball with a stick, each trying to put it into the other team's goal.
2. A goal counts only when an attacker plays the ball inside the shooting circle in front of the goal and it then crosses the goal-line. A shot from outside the circle does not count.
3. A match is four quarters of 15 minutes. The clock stops for goals, penalty corners and some other stoppages.
4. More goals wins. Level scores are a draw, unless the competition needs a winner.

When a winner is needed

FIH tournaments play no extra time: a level knockout match goes straight to a shoot-out. Five players a side each run at the goalkeeper from the 23-metre line, with 8 seconds to score.

Cards

A green card sends a player off for 2 minutes, a yellow card for at least 5 and a red card for the rest of the match. The team plays one short meanwhile.

How long

60 minutes of playing time, with two-minute breaks after the first and third quarters and a 10-minute half-time.