Lausanne, Switzerland – FIH Professional League play wrapped up in Santiago del Estero, Argentina with the visiting impartial groups doing battle. The Australian males have been in tremendous type taking down Belgium 3-1, the primary win for the Kookaburras over the Pink Lions since 2019. On the ladies’s facet the Pink Panthers took a commanding three-goal lead within the first half however the Hockeyroos crawled again with two to lose out 3-2.
Earlier within the day in Bhubaneswar, each India’s males’s and ladies’s groups put in commanding performances however ended up on the incorrect facet of the scoreline, in opposition to England and the Netherlands. Within the different match of the day, Eire’s males put up a courageous battle in opposition to Germany however in the end succumbed to a six-goal defeat.
(Males’s) Germany 8 – 2 Eire
Germany have been dominant of their resounding 8-2 victory over Eire on one other steamy day in Bhubaneswar.
The Germans began brilliantly, controlling possession, having fun with territorial benefit and placing Eire beneath monumental stress. Thies Prinz opened the scoring within the seventh minute when his penalty nook deflection from the p-spot screamed excessive into the online. Michel Struthoff doubled the lead with a reverse strike from open play in three minutes later.
Eire have been scarcely hanging on within the second quarter as Germany attacked constantly with Luke Roleston doing large work in objective to maintain their hopes alive. The half led to frantic vogue with 4 targets in 4 minutes. First Matthew Nelson looped one in after a uncommon Irish circle entry within the twenty seventh minute. Germany’s Paul-Philipp Kaufmann then burst clear within the circle for a brilliantly struck particular person objective within the twenty eighth, however Peter McKibbin responded instantly for Eire with a penalty stroke. The Germans had the ultimate phrase within the half when Raphael Hartkopf knocked one in after receiving a move from a driving baseline run. Germany led 4-2 on the break however they weren’t as environment friendly as they may have been and Eire nonetheless had a sniff of hope.
JP Danneberg was by far the busier goalkeeper as Eire stepped up within the third quarter, making a number of high-quality saves together with a double save from a penalty nook. However the Germans absorbed that stress earlier than taking the sport away from Eire, Henrik Mertgens scrambling a area objective within the forty second minute and Benedikt Schwarzhaupt including a drag flick within the forty fourth. There have been targets for Gonzalo Peillat and Struthoff to cap off a dominant efficiency within the last quarter.
The participant of the match was awarded to Germany’s Michel Struthoff who stated: “I believe we did a very good job after the 4 days off and I’m excited to play tomorrow.”
(Girls’s) India 2 – 4 Netherlands
Savita celebrated her three hundredth cap as hosts India delivered a stellar efficiency in opposition to the Netherlands. Regardless of their spectacular show, the Dutch defied the match statistics to clinch a 4-2 victory. India dominated the match, disrupting the Dutch with an lively press, and incomes 13 penalty corners in comparison with three, however their PC routine merely wouldn’t click on.
Emma Reijnen scored her first worldwide objective for the Dutch, the ball falling to her reverse stick off an Indian defender within the seventh minute. India ramped up the stress, executing 5 poor penalty corners earlier than Udita slapped one in from a slip to the left of the fortress within the 18th minute. The scores have been locked 1-1 at half time, however India have been clearly within the ascendancy.
The Dutch stole two targets in opposition to the run of play within the third quarter when Felice Albers bagged a penalty nook rebound, and Fay van der Elst added a area objective from a move off the baseline. The Indians continued to assault although, and Udita stored them in contact together with her second penalty nook slap within the forty second minute.
Albers accomplished her brace with a skilful piece of particular person play within the forty seventh minute, beating three Indian defenders and blasting her reverse strike low into the left nook. It was sufficient to safe the win and take the Netherlands to the highest of the standings.
The participant of the match went to Felice Albers of the Netherlands who stated: “The Indian group is an excellent group, skilful, excellent defending, so it was a tricky match at this time.”
(Males’s) India 2 – 3 England
England took their probabilities within the first half after which dug deep defensively to hold on for a 3-2 win over hosts India.
The Indians paid a heavy value for unforced errors in a fiercely contested opening half and England drew first blood within the fifteenth minute when Jacob Payton labored his approach alongside the baseline and snuck his shot in on the close to put up. Abhishek equalised for India three minutes later by getting forward of his marker to faucet in a move from the baseline. Sam Ward then restored England’s lead instantly after linking up properly with Payton to eradicate the goalkeeper from play. Ward then accomplished his brace, stretching England’s result in 3-1 simply earlier than half time by pouncing on a unfastened ball within the circle and slotting it in.
India ran riot within the second half as tempers threatened to boil over on the pitch. James Mazarelo made some distinctive saves in objective for England, however he had no reply to Sukhjeet Singh’s deflection from open play within the thirty ninth minute. House followers endured a brutal last quarter as India threatened to attain repeatedly with out additional success, failing from 5 penalty corners and lacking a final determined alternative from open play with two seconds left on the clock.
England’s James Mazarelo obtained the participant of the match award and stated: “We knew India are an excellent group, they’ve brought on us so many issues prior to now and we knew that we have been going to should defend very well, put in a shift, after which going ahead and take our probabilities.”
(Males’s) Belgium 1 – 3 Australia
Belgium began robust, practically scoring when Maxine Van Oost’s shot deflected off Ashleigh Thomas’s kicker and rolled simply extensive. Moments later, Tom Boon compelled a turnover with a shave sort out from behind, sparking a fluid, one-touch passing sequence that ended with Nelson Onana diving to ship the ball simply over the bar.
Australia responded with exact passing and took the lead by Jack Welch. After James Collins drove the circle, an awesome feed to the baseline allowed Welch to cross the ball but it surely took a deflection off Loic van Doren’s kicker into the online, making it 1-0 for Australia. The Kookaburras continued to assault, incomes a number of penalty corners. Nathan Ephraums doubled the lead, slotting in a rebound off a blocked flick to make it 2-0.
On the finish of the third quarter, Australia prolonged the result in 3-0 when Campbell Geddes smashed an upright reverse that was saved and Cooper Burns was there to faucet within the rebound. Belgium obtained on the board within the fourth quarter off a fast free hit that Nicolas de Kerpel deftly deflected into the online. Boon’s penalty nook flick was then steered away, and Belgium couldn’t discover one other objective. Australia’s 3-1 victory was their first over Belgium since 2019, with Tim Howard and Tim Model the one Kookaburras remaining from that profitable facet.
Australia’s Tim Model was named participant of the match and stated: “Yesterday was not our greatest in opposition to Argentina. We didn’t need to finish the tour on a loss so it was a a lot better efficiency and we’re very pleased with the win.”
(Girls’s) Belgium 3 – 2 Australia
Belgium wasted no time getting on the scoreboard, hanging simply 30 seconds in. Alix Gerniers’ steal at midfield was the catalyst to arrange an early penalty nook, the place Ambre Ballenghien’s drag flick deflected off Australian defender Morgan Mathison and previous goalkeeper Aleisha Energy.
By halftime, the Pink Panthers had prolonged their result in 3-0, capitalizing on two extra penalty corners. Gerniers redirected a set-piece that took a lucky deflection off Courtney Schonell’s foot on the objective line, whereas Stephanie Vanden Borre’s flick glanced off Energy’s toe and into the online.
Regardless of the deficit, Australian coach Katrina Powell urged her group to battle on. The Hockeyroos responded with robust assaults, together with a one-time slap from Schonell that was properly saved by Elena Sotgiu. On the different finish, Zoe Newman stood tall, making a trio of stops on a Belgian penalty nook.
With beneath three minutes to play, Australia’s persistence paid off. A fast counter led to a penalty stroke after Schonell was impeded by Judith Vandermeiren, and Mariah Williams transformed to interrupt Belgium’s shutout. Moments later, relentless stress noticed Schonell faucet in a unfastened ball on the again put up after a driving run from Abigail Wilson, narrowing the ultimate rating to 3-2. Belgium had a pair of penalty corners within the dying minutes however their early scoring was sufficient to hold on for the three factors.
Belgium’s Alix Gerniers was named participant of the match and stated: “I believe we had an awesome first half. We scored three targets. It’s little bit of a pity as a result of we needed to finish on a excessive – properly, we had victory – however I want we had scored a couple of extra targets. We have to take the three factors again dwelling and that’s an important.”
Present Hero High Scorers:
Girls – Frédérique Matla (NED), Fay van der Elst (NED), Stephanie vanden Borre (BEL) (5 targets)
Males – Tom Boon (BEL) (14 targets)
To see the present standings within the FIH Hockey Professional League, click on right here.
FIH Hockey Professional League – 24 February 2025
Kalinga Hockey Stadium, Bhubaneswar, India (IND)
Girls
End result: Match 34 (W)
India 2 – 4 Netherlands
Participant of the match: Felice Albers (NED)
Umpires: Ahmed Elsayed (EGY), Tamara Leonard (AUS), Wanri Venter (RSA-video)
End result: Match 32 (M)
Germany 8 – 2 Eire
Participant of the match: Michel Struthoff (GER)
Umpires: Rawi Anbananthan (MAS), Junko Wagatsuma (JPN), Annelize Rostron (RSA-video)
End result: Match 34 (M)
India 2 – 3 England
Participant of the match: James Mazarelo (ENG)
Umpires: Bevan Nichol (NZL), Timothy Sheahan (AUS), Rawi Anbananthan (MAS-video)
Santiago del Estero Hockey Stadium, Santiago del Estero, Argentina (ARG)
Girls
End result: Match 35 (W)
Belgium 3 – 2 Australia
Participant of the match: Alix Gerniers (BEL)
Umpires: Sophie Bockelmann (GER), Raphaël Adrien (GER), Maggie Giddens (USA-video)
Males
End result: Match 33 (M)
Belgium 1 – 3 Australia
Participant of the match: Tim Model (AUS)
Umpires: Darren Hubach (RSA), Sean Edwards (ENG), Maggie Giddens (USA-video)
by FIH – Professional League
