The Netherlands ladies took a step nearer to securing the FIH Hockey Professional League title with out enjoying a match on Tuesday after their closest rivals, Argentina and Belgium, didn’t win their respective matches in regulation time.
Argentina went down 2-1 to Spain in a scorching London, whereas Belgium’s ladies drew 1-1 with Australia earlier than claiming a bonus level within the shootout.
In the meantime, Pakistan’s loss to India in an entertaining encounter confirmed their relegation from the lads’s match.
Within the different matches of the day, Spain’s males additionally pulled off a victory over Argentina, whereas Australia’s males beat the Netherlands 2-0, and Germany’s ladies secured a win over Eire by the identical margin.
(Ladies’s) Spain 2 – 1 Argentina
Spain got here from a aim right down to beat Argentina for the primary time since January 2020.
After a tightly contested opening quarter, it was Argentina who struck first, as Agostina Alonso produced an excellent reverse-stick end from the sting of the circle within the fifteenth minute, driving the ball simply contained in the far publish.
Argentina loved the higher of the probabilities within the second quarter, although alternatives had been restricted. They earned a late penalty nook, nevertheless it was properly handled, making certain the rating remained 1–0 at half-time.
One other carefully contested third quarter introduced the breakthrough for Spain, with Luciana Molina reacting quickest after a save from Argentinian goalkeeper Cristina Cosentino to poke the ball again by way of her legs for the equaliser within the forty first minute. Argentina threatened an instantaneous response, however an excellent goal-line stick save stored the scores locked at 1-1 heading into the ultimate interval.
There was nonetheless loads of drama to return as Flo Amundson latched onto a fantastically weighted lengthy go on the 23 and drove into the circle. With Cosentino caught too far off her line, Amundson made the many of the alternative, firing residence a tomahawk to place Spain in entrance.
Argentina piled on the stress within the closing levels looking for an equaliser, however the Spanish defence stood agency to seal a memorable victory.
Flo Amundson was named Participant of the Match for Spain and stated: “I believe the staff carried out actually good till the tip. As a Spain staff, we now have a extremely exhausting schedule with eight video games in 11 days… however I believe we’re doing a extremely nice job… I’m actually completely happy that we gained.”
(Males’s) Pakistan 3 – 4 India
Pakistan put up a mighty combat however simply couldn’t get the higher of arch-rivals India, who secured an important 4-3 victory.
India dominated the early exchanges, nevertheless it was Pakistan who struck first. They earned the opening penalty nook of the match within the eighth minute and, though the preliminary routine broke down, Ahmad Nadeem was completely positioned in entrance of aim to pop the ball up into the again of the online for a 1-0 lead in opposition to the run of play. India responded by incomes 5 penalty corners of their very own, however goalkeeper Ali Raza produced a string of very good saves to protect Pakistan’s benefit.
Raza got here underneath relentless stress because the second quarter wore on, and he was lastly crushed within the twenty second minute when Abhishek’s bouncing push from the highest of the circle discovered the underside proper nook to degree the scores. Simply two minutes later, India accomplished the turnaround from their eighth penalty nook of the match because the ball rebounded off the primary runner, permitting Nilakanta Sharma to blast residence from the highest of the circle for a 2-1 lead. Had been it not for Raza’s excellent efficiency in aim, Pakistan may have discovered themselves trailing by a far higher margin at half-time.
The Pakistanis created a number of promising possibilities within the third quarter, nevertheless it was India who struck subsequent. Within the fortieth minute, Sukhjeet Singh rifled a surprising effort into the roof of the online to deliver up his fortieth worldwide aim and lengthen India’s lead.
A robust drag flick from Rajinder Singh off one more Indian penalty nook appeared to place the outcome past doubt within the 52nd minute, making it 4-1. However Pakistan responded nearly instantly, with Abu Mahmood squeezing a penalty-corner effort by way of the goalkeeper’s legs lower than a minute later. Abu Mahmood added one other from a penalty nook awarded with simply 15 seconds left on the clock, as Pakistan ran out of time of their comeback effort.
India’s Manpreet Singh was named Participant of the Match and stated: “It was a very good recreation at this time, however I believe we may have accomplished a lot better as a result of we bought actually good possibilities however couldn’t convert them into targets, however we nonetheless gained. Now we now have to take a look at our subsequent recreation, which is in opposition to England, and undoubtedly we’ll play a lot better than this.”
(Males’s) Argentina 2 – 3 Spain
Three unanswered targets from Spain noticed them come from a aim right down to get the higher of Argentina in Berlin.
There was loads of end-to-end motion within the opening levels, with Argentina making the primary breakthrough from a seventh-minute penalty nook. Tomas Domene’s drag flick took a deflection off the primary runner earlier than discovering the again of the online to offer his facet a 1-0 lead.
Spain discovered the equaliser through a penalty stroke, with Jose Basterra not connecting in addition to he would have appreciated, however placing sufficient on the ball to beat the keeper within the twenty second minute. They struck once more earlier than the tip of the second quarter when an unmarked Marc Recasens acquired the ball within the circle with loads of time and house to blast it in for the 2-1 lead at half-time.
An excellently taken penalty nook in the beginning of the second half noticed Pepe Cunill lengthen Spain’s lead even additional. And the Spanish continued to dominate play and possession, denying the Argentinians any actual alternatives.
No matter was stated throughout the closing break should’ve labored as Argentina pulled one again inside 27 seconds of the beginning of the fourth quarter. This time Nicolas della Torre’s drag took a deflection off the second runner to beat the keeper on the left. Spanish goalkeeper Luis Calzado made some vital saves to maintain his staff within the lead as they held on for a 3-2 victory.
Spain’s Pol Cabre Verdiell was named Participant of the Match and stated: “It was a extremely powerful match. The beginning was troublesome for us, however we belief one another and we performed actually good and we gained.”
(Males’s) Australia 2 – 0 Netherlands
A disciplined defensive effort from Australia gave them the sting of their 2-0 win over the Netherlands, who led in all of the stats besides goalscoring.
The Dutch had been within the driving seat for many of the first quarter and so they had some early alternatives to open the scoring. Australian goalkeeper Ashleigh Thomas made an distinctive reflex save to maintain issues degree, and there have been a few missed penalty corners earlier than Tim Model snatched the lead for the Kookaburras within the 14th minute. He scrambled the ball over the road within the full chaos that adopted a penalty nook rebound. It was an excellent contest general within the second quarter with possibilities at each ends of the pitch, nevertheless it remained 1-0 to the Australians at half-time.
A heavy sort out within the opening minute of the second half earned Australia a penalty stroke, and Jeremy Hayard stepped as much as double Australia’s lead. The Dutch loved a sustained interval on the assault halfway by way of the third quarter, however they had been practically caught by a quick break-out. Meijer did properly to close down the shot from shut vary, conceding a penalty nook that his runners then handled. The Netherlands loved a numerical benefit after Ky Willott’s inexperienced card was upgraded to yellow for backchat within the forty seventh minute, and so they began to press extra aggressively looking for a aim as time ticked away. There was loads of house to use within the closing two minutes with each groups having a participant serving a suspension, however they merely couldn’t discover the online.
Australia’s Ashleigh Thomas was named the participant of the match and stated: “It was simply actually powerful on the market within the warmth and we tried to stay collectively as a staff. And I suppose it’s good for me when a number of good (saves) come off, however we fought actually exhausting on the market and simply actually happy with the efficiency of the staff.”
(Ladies’s) Belgium 1 – 1 Australia (SO: 4-2)
A 1-1 draw was most likely a good outcome for the tight contest between Belgium and Australia in Wavre, with the house facet clinching an additional level within the shootout.
Belgium raced into an early lead after they earned a penalty nook after simply 24 seconds and Stephanie Vanden Borre’s flick was deflected into the highest proper nook of the online off a defender. They gained one other penalty nook moments later however had been unable to make it depend.
Australia responded positively, refusing to let the early setback dent their confidence as they piled stress on the Belgian defence. Nonetheless, their first penalty-corner alternative went begging because the shot was pulled extensive of aim.
The Hockeyroos’ stress paid off within the nineteenth minute, nevertheless, as Alice Arnott pounced on a rebound off the goalkeeper following some glorious build-up play and hammered residence. The perimeters went into the break locked at 1-1, with the statistics reflecting an evenly contested opening half as each groups recorded 12 circle entries.
The third quarter remained evenly balanced, with goalkeeper Jocelyn Bartram producing a superb double save to stop Belgium from regaining the lead.
The house facet upped the depth within the closing interval however nonetheless couldn’t break the impasse, with their finest alternative hitting the publish. The Australians then had an opportunity to win it proper on the demise, however the ball was stored out with seconds remaining, taking the match to a shootout.
Hélène Brasseur, who was enjoying in her a centesimal match for Belgium, was named Participant of the Match and stated: “It’s a extremely particular second. It’s actually an honour to be on the pitch with these women each time once more… so I’m actually completely happy and this can be a bonus.”
(Ladies’s) Germany 2 – 0 Eire
Germany dominated play however they had been made to work deep into the ultimate quarter for an important 2-0 win over Eire that lifts them barely above the relegation battle.
It was one-way site visitors within the first half as Germany launched wave upon wave of assault. Ayeisha McFerran was extremely sharp in Eire’s aim, pulling off save after save, and Hannah McLoughlin assisted with a cool clearance underneath large stress from a penalty nook rebound. The Germans stored urgent excessive, and Eire struggled with their 16-yard exits. Germany racked up six penalty corners with out reward by half-time because the rating remained 0-0.
A high-paced third quarter from each groups, coupled with uncompromising dedication on any 50/50 contests, noticed a excessive turnover charge all through. Eire began holding some possession, nevertheless it was principally deep in their very own territory and underneath large stress. They denied the Germans any actual alternatives whereas incomes a few penalty corners of their very own. Eire then loved a interval within the ascendancy in the beginning of the fourth quarter however got here away empty-handed. Germany lastly broke the impasse within the 51st minute, Lynn Krings slapping in exhausting from a variation again to the injector. Eire had a few penalty corners, and so they sacrificed their goalkeeper with three minutes remaining to chase a outcome. This backfired when Germany took a fast free hit in midfield and threw an overhead to Sara Strauss behind the defence. She had the simplest of jogs to hold the ball into an empty aim to finish the scoring.
The participant of the match was awarded to Jette Fleschütz of Germany, who stated: “Actually completely happy, I believe the three factors are actually vital to us… On Wednesday we play once more and that’s the place we now have to focus and hold combating.”
Present Hero High Scorers:
Ladies – Yibbi Jansen (NED) (11 targets)
Males – Tomas Domene (ARG) (17 targets)
To see the present standings within the FIH Hockey Professional League, click on right here.
FIH Hockey Professional League – 23 June 2026
Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre, London (UK)
Ladies
Consequence: Match 55 (W)
Spain 2 – 1 Argentina
Participant of the match: Flo Amundson (ARG)
Umpires: Junko Wagatsuma (JPN), Magali Sergeant (BEL), Sarah Wilson (SCO-video)
Males
Consequence: Match 55 (M)
Pakistan 3 – 4 India
Participant of the match: Manpreet Singh (IND)
Umpires: Coen van Bunge (NED), Hong-Zhen Lim (SGP), Sophie Bockelmann (GER-video)
Ernst Reuter Sportfeld, Berlin (GER)
Males
Consequence: Match 56 (M)
Argentina 2 – 3 Spain
Participant of the match: Pol Cabre Verdiell (ESP)
Umpires: Jonathan von Hoesslin (RSA), Timothy Sheahan (AUS), Laurine Delforge (BEL-video)
Ladies
Consequence: Match 57 (W)
Germany 2 – 0 Eire
Participant of the match: Jette Fleschütz (GER)
Umpires: Yoon Seon Kim (KOR), Steven Bakker (NED), Laurine Delforge (BEL-video)
Belfius Hockey Space, Wavre (BEL)
Males
Consequence: Match 57 (M)
Australia 2 – 0 Netherlands
Participant of the match: Ashleigh Thomas (AUS)
Umpires: Darren Hubach (RSA), Raphael Adrien (GER), Rachel Williams (ENG-video)
Ladies
Consequence: Match 56 (W)
Belgium 1 – 1 Australia (SO: 4-2)
Participant of the match: Hélène Brasseur (BEL)
Umpires: Cookie Tan (SGP), Hannah Harrison (ENG), Gareth Greenfield (NZL-video)
