The Dutch girls continued their dominance within the FIH Hockey Professional League with a 4-2 win over Spain in Rotterdam on Saturday, whereas the boys accomplished a 5-3 victory over Germany.
Over in London within the battle to keep away from relegation, Australia claimed an important 3-0 win over England, so lifting them off the underside of the desk. There was higher information for England’s males, who pulled off a shootout victory over Argentina.
And there was disappointment for the Belgian girls in Wavre as Argentina beat them 3-2, whereas within the different match of the day, Spain secured a 4-2 win over Pakistan.
(Girls’s) Belgium 2 – 3 Argentina
Belgium got here again from two targets down however a final-minute objective for Argentina ensured they held on for a 3-2 win.
It was the Argentinians who had been fast out the blocks. Julieta Jankunas regarded to have misplaced management of the ball however recovered effectively to drill a robust tomahawk from the highest of the circle into the far nook, giving Argentina the lead in simply the third minute.
Belgium responded effectively to falling behind, taking management of the sport and having fun with the lion’s share of possession for the rest of the primary quarter, however they had been unable to make it rely. With no targets within the second interval, Argentina took their 1-0 benefit into half-time.
After creating the higher possibilities within the third quarter, the Argentinians had been rewarded with simply 30 seconds remaining earlier than the ultimate break when Agustina Gorzelany’s penalty-corner drag flick took a deflection off a Belgian defender and located the again of the web.
Belgium lastly discovered a breakthrough within the 51st minute after an outstanding run from Lottie Englebert, who surged downfield earlier than slipping the ball to Famke Van Heel. She stored her composure to deftly elevate the ball over the goalkeeper and into the web. Because the clock ticked down, Belgium earned a flurry of penalty corners and Englebert’s drag flick introduced them stage with three minutes remaining. However Argentina had the ultimate say, with Gorzelany drilling house the winner from one remaining penalty nook with simply 49 seconds left on the clock.
Argentina’s Agustina Gorzelany was named the Participant of the Match and mentioned: “It was a troublesome one. It’s at all times robust to play in opposition to one of the best groups in Europe and Belgium is certainly one of them. I believe we constructed the sport from the primary minute till the top and I believe we actually deserved to win.”
(Girls’s) Netherlands 4 – 2 Spain
Desk-toppers the Netherlands logged a scrappy 4-2 win over Spain in Rotterdam.
The Dutch utilized intense strain within the first quarter, urgent excessive and disrupting Spanish exit play repeatedly. Their first objective got here from an 80m breakout within the seventh minute, Marijn Veen carrying the ball a lot of the means on her personal earlier than linking up with Joosje Burg, who fed it again to her for a neat deflection over the goalkeeper. Freeke Moes added a ninth-minute tap-in and it regarded just like the floodgates may open. Spain recovered effectively to contest the second quarter hotly, and the Netherlands carried their 2-0 result in the half-time break.
The Dutch had a few missed alternatives in the beginning of the second half earlier than Spain pulled one again within the thirty seventh minute. It regarded as if their penalty nook routine had damaged down on the prime of the circle, however they reworked it and located Teresa Lima for a scrappy dink in on the left publish. Spain had one other PC to attract stage, however the Dutch stored it out earlier than Pien Dicke restored their two-goal cushion when she hammered one house within the forty third minute. The Dutch regained nearly full management within the remaining quarter and Yibbi Jansen secured the end result along with her Forty ninth-minute drag flick. Spanish captain Xantal Gine had the ultimate phrase when she clattered a penalty nook into the backboard on the loss of life to spherical off a gutsy group efficiency.
Marijn Veen acquired the Participant of the Match award for the Netherlands and mentioned: “It was not our greatest match, I believe we are able to do higher. We will deliver extra vitality, extra focus in midfield, so we’re a bit important after right this moment.”
(Males’s) England 1 – 1 Argentina (SO: 3 – 1)
Argentina might have dominated the penalty nook rely 9-1, however England put in a gritty efficiency to document a 1-1 draw earlier than clinching the shootout 3-1.
A goalless first half actually wasn’t boring, with a mixed 21 circle entries. The Argentinians had arguably the higher possibilities, together with 4 penalty corners, and solely a pointy reflex save by England’s James Mazarello from open play stored it 0-0 at half-time.
England had a objective disallowed for being struck with the again of the stick earlier than Nick Bandurak lastly nudged them forward, reacting quickest to a free ball on the objective line with 5 seconds remaining within the third quarter. Argentina then surged ahead in the beginning of the fourth quarter, incomes a flurry of penalty corners for his or her efforts. Oliver Payne and his brave penalty nook runners did sufficient to maintain most of them out, however Tomas Domene equalised with a giant drag flick within the fiftieth minute to arrange an enthralling end. There have been no extra targets although and the match went to a shootout the place England prevailed.
Nick Bandurak was named the participant of the match for England and mentioned: “We’re glad to recover from the road, possibly not in the best way that we’d have wished in the beginning of the day, however we’re discovering other ways to win this yr and that’s big for this group, so we’ll take it.”
(Males’s) Netherlands 5 – 3 Germany
The Netherlands gave their house crowd a lot to have a good time as they put 5 targets previous Germany in Rotterdam.
Derck de Vilder pounced on a free move from a German defender and rifled the ball into the web from the highest of the circle to provide the Netherlands the lead in simply the second minute.
The hosts continued to dominate as Germany struggled to deal with their tempo. The Netherlands doubled their benefit within the thirteenth minute when Jip Janssen transformed a penalty nook with a drag down the center, earlier than putting once more lower than a minute later from one other penalty nook to make it 3-0 by the top of the opening quarter.
Germany hit again within the second quarter when Justus Warwig capitalised on a turnover contained in the circle and flicked the ball into the roof of the web within the twenty fourth minute.
The Netherlands restored their three-goal benefit simply 23 seconds into the third quarter, with captain Thierry Brinkman available to faucet house. With the momentum swinging each methods, Malte Hellwig managed to shut the hole as soon as once more for Germany with a Thirty fifth-minute area objective.
The Germans pulled their goalkeeper looking for extra targets as time ticked away, however the transfer backfired when Duco Telgenkamp completed off a counterattack into the empty internet within the 56th minute. And whereas Teo Hinrichs scored off a German penalty nook three minutes later, it was too late to make any distinction.
The participant of the match was awarded to the Netherlands’ Derck de Vilder, who mentioned: “I believe the distinction was that we scored our possibilities and I believe that’s step for us. Additionally good for Jip [Janssen] however it was begin and I believe a step ahead.”
(Males’s) Spain 4 – 2 Pakistan
Spain needed to come from behind of their entertaining 4-2 win over Pakistan, with the stats suggesting they need to have walked away with a a lot better end result. They led circle entries by 39 to 12 and earned 12 penalty corners to Pakistan’s three.
Pakistan created an early half likelihood whereas Spain had three good pictures and a penalty stroke in a goalless first quarter. Pakistan then endured a protracted interval beneath strain earlier than opening the scoring within the twenty seventh minute, Abu Mahmood bulleting his drag flick low on the publish defender. Spain responded instantly via a Pepe Cunill drag flick and the scores had been locked 1-1 at half-time.
Alejandro Alonso cleaned up the scraps from a saved penalty nook to provide Spain the lead within the Thirty fifth minute, and beautiful inter-passing on a quick counterattack allowed Nicolas Alvarez to stroll the ball into an empty objective. Abu Baker lowered the deficit to 1 objective together with his Forty fourth-minute drag flick, and Pakistan then missed a transparent likelihood to equalise within the Forty ninth minute. Spain instantly received down the opposite finish the place Pol Cabre threaded a stunning move to Alvarez, who steered the ball in for his brace.
Spain’s Ignacio Cobos acquired the participant of the match nomination and mentioned: “It was necessary for us, this win, the factors. It was a troublesome match beneath the solar, it hit laborious right this moment. We didn’t play our greatest recreation, however on the finish, factors, and let’s go for the following one.”
(Girls’s) England 0 – 3 Australia
Australia posted a big 3-0 win over England within the relegation battle, leapfrogging above England, who at the moment discover themselves within the backside spot.
Claire Colwill scored the opening objective for Australia within the ninth minute when a blocked drag flick popped into her arc for a giant slap in from the highest of the circle. Alice Arnott doubled their lead with a superb deflection from open play within the seventeenth earlier than the Hockeyroos survived a interval of giant English strain, together with three penalty corners and a penalty stroke. Colwill accomplished her brace with one other drag flick within the twenty seventh minute to provide Australia a 3-0 lead at half-time.
A goalless second half noticed England fail to take any reward from 10 penalty corners, they usually scored none from 13 within the match. Jocelyn Bartram did her bit in Australia’s objective to make sure that, and Miriam Pritchard stored England within the hunt with some effective goalkeeping of her personal.
The Participant of the Match award went to Australia’s Stephanie Kershaw who mentioned: “It was actually necessary, you recognize, we’re battling down the underside finish of the factors desk so these had been essential factors for us, so we’re actually pleased with ourselves to get the win right this moment.”
Present Hero Prime Scorers:
Girls – Yibbi Jansen (NED) (11 targets)
Males – Tomas Domene (ARG) (16 targets)
To see the present standings within the FIH Hockey Professional League, click on right here.
FIH Hockey Professional League – 20 June 2026
Belfius Hockey Space, Wavre (BEL)
Girls
End result: Match 49 (W)
Belgium 2 – 3 Argentina
Participant of the match: Agustina Gorzelany (ARG)
Umpires: Lizelotte Wolter (NED), Ben Grant (NZL), James Unkles (AUS-video)
Males
End result: Match 51 (M)
Spain 4 – 2 Pakistan
Participant of the match: Ignacio Cobos (ESP)
Umpires: Maggie Giddens (USA), Daniel Veerman (NED), Ben Grant (NZL-video)
HC Rotterdam, Rotterdam (NED)
Girls
End result: Match 50 (W)
Netherlands 4 – 2 Spain
Participant of the match: Marijn Veen (NED)
Umpires: Tamara Leonard (AUS), Rawi Anbananthan (MAS), Juan Pedro Rodriguez (ARG-video)
Males
End result: Match 49 (M)
Netherlands 5 – 3 Germany
Participant of the match: Derck de Vilder (NED)
Umpires: Aleisha Neumann (AUS), Dan Barstow (ENG), Juan Pedro Rodriguez (ARG-video)
Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre, London (UK)
Males
End result: Match 50 (M)
England 1 – 1 Argentina (SO: 3 – 1)
Participant of the match: Nicholas Bandurak (ENG)
Umpires: Alison Keogh (IRL), Ayden Shrives (RSA), Lorijn de Kraker (NED-video)
Girls
End result: Match 51 (W)
England 0 – 3 Australia
Participant of the match: Stephanie Kershaw (AUS)
Umpires: Lisette Baljon (NED), Ivona Makar (CRO), Paul van den Assum (NED-video)
