One other riveting day of FIH Hockey Professional League motion unfolded in each Antwerp and London on Tuesday, that includes a number of high-scoring encounters with 27 targets scored throughout the six matches.
Belgium’s girls fired six targets previous Spain of their conflict in Antwerp, whereas within the corresponding males’s fixture, the Pink Lions had a a lot more durable time of it, taking place 2-1.
In the meantime, regardless of a memorable victory over Belgium over the weekend – their first victory of the season – a 6-1 loss for Eire’s males in opposition to Australia on Tuesday meant they are going to end backside of the desk and face relegation from the FIH Hockey Professional League.
Over in London, Argentina’s girls secured all three factors in opposition to India, and there have been combined fortunes for England with the ladies’s aspect claiming a powerful win over Australia, whereas the boys went right down to the Netherlands.
(Girls’s) England 1 – 0 Australia
Hockeyroos Kaitlin Nobbs and Mariah Williams each marked their a hundred and fiftieth caps in a dropping trigger as England posted a uncommon 1-0 win over Australia, a lot to the delight of the younger dwelling followers who had packed the stadium in London.
England began properly and bossed the primary half, urgent successfully and creating loads of good alternatives. They received the breakthrough within the tenth minute when a cross from the baseline tracked a difficult line that noticed Zoe Newmann and Maddison Smith each go away it for the opposite participant to clear. Becky Manton was completely positioned behind them to faucet it in. The hosts got here near scoring one other on a number of events, however the rating remained 1-0 at half time.
The third quarter was extra evenly contested, though England made their process more durable with two inexperienced playing cards. The Hockeyroos then raised their degree considerably within the fourth interval and practically discovered an early equaliser, however sharp reflexes from goalkeeper Sabbie Heesh and determined scrambled defence stored them out. The Aussies sustained their relentless assault to the ultimate whistle, however England held on for the win.
England’s Elena Rayer obtained the participant of the match award and stated: “It’s been fairly a troublesome Professional League marketing campaign for us to date, however we’ve been working actually laborious again at Bisham. We now have the idea in ourselves, and it’s all beginning to come collectively. So actually happy with the ladies.”
(Girls’s) Argentina 4 – 1 India
Eugenia Trinchinetti earned her 2 hundredth cap for Argentina of their hard-fought 4-1 victory in opposition to India in London.
A good first half noticed alternatives at each ends of the pitch. Navneet Kaur made a powerful save off the road from an Argentinian penalty nook within the twelfth minute, and the South Individuals then began to achieve the ascendancy within the second quarter. The opening purpose got here within the Twenty ninth minute as India failed to regulate an aerial into the circle. Maria Larsen pounced onto the ball and handed to Victoria Falasco, who slammed it dwelling. India bounced straight again, although, when Deepika transformed a drag flick with simply six seconds left on the clock to make it 1-1 on the lengthy break.
The Indians piled on the strain to dominate the beginning of the third quarter, however the closing contact eluded them within the circle. Cristina Cosentino was robust in purpose for Las Leonas, they usually managed to swing the momentum of their favour. Agustina Gorzelany then regained the lead with a Fortieth-minute penalty stroke, and her second penalty stroke within the 54th minute knocked the wind out of India. Gorzelany then accomplished her hat-trick with a drag flick 5 minutes later to wrap up the win.
Argentina’s Julieta Jankunas was the participant of the match and stated: “I really like our crew. I feel it’s a very good crew… We work laborious each day and it labored completely within the match.”
(Girls’s) Belgium 6 – 0 Spain
Spain will look again on 10 missed penalty corners and a poor three-minute spell earlier than half time with some remorse after taking place by six targets to hosts Belgium in Antwerp.
Belgium have been filled with enterprise in the beginning of an thrilling first quarter. They struck the put up as soon as earlier than Alix Marien discovered Charlotte Englebert for a fourth-minute tap-in. The goalkeepers had some work to do from penalty corners with Belgian Elena Sotgiu making an awesome save from a rebound, and Spaniard Jana Martínez outdoing her with a superb double save. The Pink Panthers have been totally in management, although, they usually pressed their benefit dwelling within the closing three minutes of the half. Stephanie Vanden Borre nailed a Twenty eighth-minute penalty stroke, Justine Rasir added a troublesome first-time strike down the road of an incoming cross within the Twenty ninth, and Vanden Borre accomplished her brace with a drag flick. The half-time whistle sounded with the hosts out of the blue main 4-0.
The third quarter was intently contested, however sharp goalkeeping at each ends stored the scores unchanged. Sotgiu made yet one more glorious save for Belgium earlier than Lien Hillewaert scored from a recycled penalty nook within the 51st minute, and Noa Schreurs made a difficult tap-in from a lofted cross look simple 4 minutes later to finish an emphatic win.
The participant of the match was awarded Justine Rasir of Belgium who stated: “We confirmed a very robust efficiency right now as a result of we had actually good techniques due to our coaches. And I feel we are going to come again stronger tomorrow.”
(Males’s) England 2 – 3 Netherlands
The Netherlands stormed to a three-goal lead earlier than hanging on desperately for a 3-2 win in opposition to a resurgent England within the second half.
The motion was quick and livid within the first quarter, with the rampant Dutch creating loads of alternatives. They struck within the tenth minute, firing a ball via the centre of the circle for Terrance Pieters to finish the deflection. Koen Bijen doubled the lead within the sixteenth, receiving the ball in area and firing off a pointy shot. Bijen then scored once more within the twenty fifth minute, one other deflection from a direct ball via the purple zone. England have been scarcely within the recreation, however Zachary Wallace gave them some hope together with his Twenty ninth-minute penalty stroke after a fast counterattack from their defensive penalty nook.
England discovered some rhythm within the third quarter and Sam Ward’s Thirty ninth-minute drag flick put them proper again in competition. The English grew in confidence as time ticked away, and by the fourth quarter, they have been firmly in management. The Dutch survived a barrage of circle entries and penalty corners, and solely an excellent save on the road by Jorrit Croon from a rebound shot stored them forward till the ultimate whistle.’
The Netherlands’ Steijn van Heijningen was named the participant of the match and stated: “We got here out of the gates very well, so I feel we did properly the primary half. The second half, they pushed again just a little bit. However I feel we stored on going, they got here again just a little bit, so it was a troublesome recreation, however actually proud of how we did”
(Males’s) Australia 6 – 1 Eire
Australia produced a very dominant efficiency to demolish Eire 6-1, main the stats with 43 circle penetrations to 16.
The Australians have been on hearth within the opening quarter, and Jeremy Hayward opened the scoring with an unbelievable third-minute drag flick. The Kookaburras surged ahead repeatedly, and Irish goalkeeper Luke Roleston needed to make a number of sharp saves to disclaim them a second. The Inexperienced Machine hit again within the thirteenth minute when John McKee collected a free ball close to the p-spot and received his flick away below strain. However Blake Govers made it 2-1 for Australia together with his Twentieth-minute penalty stroke, and it stayed that manner till half time.
The Aussies maintained a excessive depth in assault, stretching the Irish defence to its restrict and repeatedly testing Roleston. Cooper Burns finally discovered the again of the web with a shocking piece of ability, pulling the ball robust off the baseline and flipping it in on the close to put up off his reverse stick. Eire had some possibilities, however the ferocity of the Australian counterattacks uncovered their usually strong construction. Connar Otterbach added an excellent penalty nook deflection within the forty second minute, and Jack Welch and Govers grabbed two extra discipline targets to finish the scoring.
The participant of the match was awarded to Jack Welch of Australia who stated: “We knew Eire have been going to come back out robust, they usually had a superb win in opposition to Belgium, in order that they got here out laborious. We struggled a bit within the first half, however then completed off properly, put some targets away which was actually good.”
(Males’s) Belgium 1 – 2 Spain
Spain confirmed a few of their finest attacking aptitude in a wonderful 2-1 win over hosts Belgium in Antwerp, repeating the consequence from the final time these groups met on the Olympic Video games in Paris.
The match could have been low on targets, however each groups performed glorious hockey all through. Belgium’s opener within the seventh minute was sensational. Thomas Crols managed an extremely troublesome cross on the high of the circle and fed to Nelson Onana, who helped it into the roof of the web. José Basterra hit again for Spain within the twenty second minute, the fast counter-attack in the end discovering him unmarked within the circle for a crisp reverse strike. Bruno Avila then added a drag flick of the very best high quality three minutes later, and goalkeeper Luis Calzado made a wonderful save on the stroke of half time for Spain to retain their 2-1 lead.
The Spanish loved the narrowest of benefits within the second half and created some great attacking alternatives with their trickery. Belgium had their moments too, testing Calzado with some high-quality pictures, together with a flurry of penalty nook re-awards within the forty fifth minute. In a final determined throw of the cube, the hosts pulled their goalkeeper off with just a little over two minutes remaining. They created some half possibilities, however their magic contact appeared to have deserted them, they usually couldn’t discover an equaliser.
Joaquin Menini of Spain was awarded the participant of the match and stated: “I feel if you win, you instantly get a superb feeling, however most likely there are issues that we should always do higher tomorrow if we wish to win once more.”
Present Hero High Scorers:
Girls – Yibbi Jansen (NED) (17 targets)
Males – Tom Boon (BEL) (17 targets)
To see the present standings within the FIH Hockey Professional League, click on right here.
FIH Hockey Professional League – 17 June 2025
Sportcentrum Wilrijkse Plein-Antwerp, Belgium (BEL)
Girls
End result: Match 53 (W)
Belgium 6 – 0 Spain
Participant of the match: Justine Rasir (BEL)
Umpires: Aleisha Neumann (AUS), Lorijn De Kraker (NED), Meissner Tim (GER-video)
Males
End result: Match 54 (M)
Australia 6 – 1 Eire
Participant of the match: Jack Welch (AUS)
Umpires: Ahmed Elsayed (EGY), Harry Collinson (ENG), Paul Walker (ENG-video)
End result: Match 55 (M)
Belgium 1 – 2 Spain
Participant of the match: Joaquin Menini (ESP)
Umpires: Paul Walker (ENG), Daniël Veerman (NED), Federico Silva (ARG-video)
Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre, London, United Kingdom (UK)
Girls
End result: Match 51 (W)
England 1 – 0 Australia
Participant of the match: Elena Rayer (ENG)
Umpires: Irene Presenqui (ARG), Kamile Mockaityte (LTU), Alison Keogh (IRL-video)
End result: Match 52 (W)
Argentina 4 – 1 India
Participant of the match: Julieta Jankunas (ARG)
Umpires: Alison Keogh (IRL), Clare Barwood (WAL), Rebecca Edwards (ENG-video)
Males
End result: Match 53 (M)
England 2 – 3 Netherlands
Participant of the match: Steijn van Heijningen (NED)
Umpires: Raphaël Adrien (GER), Jonathan Von Hoesslin (RSA), Gemma Calderon (ESP-video)
