One other day of FIH Professional League motion delivered every little thing from scientific dominance to late-match drama, as momentum shifted sharply throughout 4 compelling fixtures. Heavy scoring, milestone moments and decisive fourth-quarter pushes set the tone in matches performed throughout each the boys’s and girls’s competitions.
Belgium males and the Netherlands ladies emerged with assertion victories, combining attacking precision with sustained stress, whereas England, Germany and Pakistan confirmed flashes of high quality amid difficult contests. From comeback wins to goal-filled thrillers, the day underlined the wonderful margins and relentless tempo that outline the Professional League.
(Males’s) Belgium 4 – 1 Germany
Belgium did properly to bounce again from Thursday’s disappointing shootout loss towards England to crush Germany 4-1.
Whereas the Germans did string some good durations of play collectively, Belgium had been very a lot the dominant pressure all through the match and Alexander Hendrickx opened the scoring for them in considerably uncommon style within the sixth minute. He fired his drag flick low into the area vacated by a postman who had clearly overpassed the ball behind the defensive runners. Goalkeeper Loic Van Doren made a wonderful one-on-one save from Germany’s solely likelihood of the opening quarter, and Belgium had been maybe fortunate when the Germans didn’t make contact with an excellent ball throughout the circle with no defenders close by and the aim virtually open.
Jean-Paul Danneberg did sterling work within the German aim to maintain them within the struggle, together with an acrobatic diving glove save to his left. The stress was relentless although and Hendrickx doubled Belgium’s lead with one other drag flick within the twenty sixth minute whereas Thomas Crols steered one in from shut vary to make it 3-0 by half time.
Belgium continued to suffocate their opponents within the second half, however the two greatest alternatives, for Thibeau Stockbroekx from shut vary and Tom Boon from the highest of the circle, went large. Boon inevitably added his identify to the scoresheet within the fiftieth minute, making a fragile move into the circle after which following play all the best way to the far submit for the tap-in. Germany created a few late possibilities and it was Malte Hellwig who blasted house within the 59th minute for his or her comfort aim.
Belgium’s Tom Boon was named as participant of the match and stated: “I feel I ought to have scored extra immediately, I had loads of possibilities. However we performed a very strong efficiency, we let it a bit of bit go the final 10 minutes with loads of turnovers, however I feel all through the entire sport we had been actually the higher staff, and it was a very good efficiency”
(Girls’s) Belgium 2 – 1 England
Charlotte Englebert celebrated her one centesimal cap in fashion, captaining Belgium as they got here from behind for a hard-fought 2-1 win over England.
The Belgians loved the early ascendancy however their solely actual alternative fell to Englebert, who pulled her shot large. England received higher as the primary quarter progressed and Darcy Bourne fired them forward within the 14th minute, receiving the ball within the circle and hanging properly on the flip. The second quarter once more noticed Belgium urgent exhausting within the opening minutes, after which England threatening as they tried to increase their 1-0 lead in direction of half time.
A scrappy third quarter was performed largely within the center third of the pitch as each groups repeatedly turned over possession. The alternatives stored falling to Belgium although and Englebert discovered the equaliser within the forty second minute, receiving the ball unmarked within the circle and hammering her shot house. The Pink Panthers discovered the next gear within the closing quarter, holding possession for lengthy durations and attacking the circle nearly at will. With England defending tenaciously, the match appeared destined to finish in a shootout, however Stephanie Vanden Borre held her nerve to clinch the win for Belgium with a well-taken penalty stroke barely a minute from time.
Stephanie Vanden Borre was named participant of the match for the Belgians and stated: “We didn’t have an excellent begin. I feel our first half was a little bit of wasted time. Then they received the primary aim in, and I feel within the second half we began enjoying hockey, we began enjoying our sport.”
(Males’s) Pakistan 3 – 7 Netherlands
A ten-goal thriller unfolded in Argentina, with the Netherlands finally pulling away from Pakistan in a 7–3 victory that featured a flurry of late scoring after an already action-packed contest.
The Netherlands struck decisively within the second quarter, scoring three objectives in a six-minute burst to take management. A low penalty nook supply from Timo Boers was deftly deflected on the far submit by Thijs van Dam to open the scoring. Sustained particular person stress from Jorrit Croon drew defenders towards the circle earlier than Guus Jansen labored area to fireside a shot that was redirected out of the air by Thierry Brinkman for two–0. The third aim got here from slick give-and-go passing straight by the Pakistan circle. The ball finally labored from Terrance Pieters to Jansen, who unleashed a top-shelf backhand to make it 3–0 at halftime.
Pakistan confirmed renewed intent within the third quarter. A penalty nook flick from Sufyan Khan beat Derk Meijer, however Croon produced a outstanding mid-air goal-line clearance to protect the shutout. Continued stress adopted, with Hannan Shahid driving into the circle earlier than being closed down by Meijer. Khan finally transformed a penalty nook, slipping the ball low into the nook to tug Pakistan again to three–1. The Dutch responded simply earlier than the break, with Brinkman hammering a hovering backhand to revive a three-goal cushion at 4–1.
The objectives continued to move late. A penalty nook flick was stopped on the road by the physique of Sufyan Khan, incomes a penalty stroke that Boers transformed for the Netherlands’ sixth. Pakistan answered by a powerful midfield transition, as a pushed ball throughout the circle discovered Waheed Rana, who completed low previous Meijer. Within the closing three minutes, Croon was left unmarked within the circle and swept house on his backhand to make it 7–2, earlier than Pakistan had the final phrase with a thunderous flick from Khan to spherical out the scoring at 7–3.
After the match Guus Jansen was named Participant of the Match and stated: “It was a bit of little bit of a chaotic sport although we scored seven objectives, we conceded three. We might be happy in regards to the objectives we rating and technical play however we should enhance our defence after we return tomorrow to play Argentina.”
(Girls’s) Netherlands 5 – 1 Germany
Germany and the Netherlands delivered an entertaining contest, with the Dutch pulling away late to safe a convincing 5–1 victory.
Either side traded early alternatives in a high-quality opening, however the scoreless first quarter proved short-lived. Within the twentieth minute, Freeke Moes made a driving run up the pitch earlier than slipping the ball to Fay van der Elst, whose backhand discovered the backboards to provide the Netherlands the lead.
The Dutch doubled their benefit within the forty first minute by a perfectly executed penalty nook flick from Yibbi Jansen, then turned on the fashion within the closing quarter. The standout second got here when Luna Fokke unleashed a thunderous strike from the highest of the circle to make it 3–0.
Germany responded by salvaging a missed injection on a penalty nook, with captain Lisa Nolte amassing the bouncing ball, driving into the circle and sending a effort previous Josine Koning to scale back the deficit. The Netherlands shortly reasserted management, forcing a excessive turnover to arrange Marijn Veen on the frenzy for a fourth, earlier than Jansen capped the scoring within the closing minute together with her second penalty nook flick, glove aspect, sealing a 5–1 win and one other three factors.
Netherlands’ Luna Fokke was named participant of the match and stated: “I feel the primary half was a bit robust however the second half we did higher and it was a pleasant sport. We are able to maintain bettering so we are going to see tomorrow after which on Sunday the final sport.”
Present Hero High Scorers:
Girls – Stephanie Vanden Borre (BEL), Yibbi Jansen (NED) (3 objectives)
Males – Thomas Crols (BEL), Timo Boers (NED), Thierry Brinkman (NED) (3 objectives)
To see the present standings within the FIH Hockey Professional League, click on right here.
FIH Hockey Professional League – 12 December 2025
Sport Eire Campus (IRE)
Males
Consequence: Match 7 (M)
Belgium 4 – 1 Germany
Participant of the match: Tom Boon (BEL)
Umpires: Jonas van’T Hek (NED), Hyosik You (KOR), Lukasz Zwierzchowski (POL-video)
Girls
Consequence: Match 7 (W)
Belgium 2 – 1 England
Participant of the match: Stephanie Vanden Borre (BEL)
Umpires: Gemma Calderon (ESP), Lizelotte Wolter (NED), Sandra Adell (ESP-video)
Santiago del Estero Hockey Membership, Argentina (ARG)
Males
Consequence: Match 8 (M)
Pakistan 3 – 7 Netherlands
Participant of the match: Guus Jansen (NED)
Umpires: Sean Rapaport (RSA), Jonathan Altamirano (MEX), Michael Dutrieux (BEL-video)
Girls
Consequence: Match 8 (W)
Netherlands 5 – 1 Germany
Participant of the match: Luna Fokke (NED)
Umpires: Ivona Makar (CRO), Kamile Mockaityte (LTU), Jonathan von Hoesslin (RSA-video)
