The FIH Hockey Professional League’s closing week of the season kicked off in Berlin with two thrilling comeback victories on Tuesday.
Germany’s ladies went all the way down to the decided Chinese language, whereas the German males delighted the house followers by storming again from two targets all the way down to defeat Australia.
(Ladies’s) Germany 2 – 3 China
China got here from behind twice to grab a late 3-2 victory off hosts Germany, guaranteeing their highest ever inserting within the match.
The Germans began placing actual strain on China from the center of the primary quarter., and their opening aim within the tenth minute was sensible. Lisa Nolte fired a flat reverse stick cross throughout the circle for Johanna Hachenberg to deflect in on the close to put up. China’s goalkeeper Surong Wu made an distinctive low stick save close to the top of the interval to maintain it shut, and so they fought their means again via the second quarter. Their Twenty fifth-minute aim got here from Dan Wen when her try at dinking a brief ball to the appropriate put up deflected in from a defender’s foot. Lilly Stoffelsma then edged the house facet in entrance once more on the stroke of half time, slapping low and arduous into the underside nook for a 2-1 lead.
China created some good probabilities within the third quarter earlier than Wen equalised within the thirty ninth minute. She did effectively to create a shot from the highest of the circle beneath strain, however it took one other fortunate deflection off a defender because the ball appeared to be going effectively broad. The quarter ended with a sequence of assaults at each ends, and the factors have been very a lot up for grabs, with the scores locked 2-2.
The ultimate quarter received beneath means with breathtaking end-to-end motion. A wonderful save by Germany’s goalkeeper, Nathalie Kubalski, denied the Chinese language as they began to dominate the latter phases of the match. The successful aim got here from Jinzhuang Tan within the 57th minute, then her drag flick fired China forward for the primary time. Germany responded by pulling their goalkeeper off instantly, however they couldn’t discover the aim they wanted, and so they stay locked in a relegation battle with India and England.
China’s Huang Haiyan was named participant of the match and mentioned: “We stored it easy within the second half. We made just a few errors, after which we make up our errors for one another and we assist one another, and this is essential, we struggle to the top.”
(Males’s) Germany 3 – 2 Australia
Germany got here from two targets all the way down to put up a necessary 3-2 win over Australia, as Martin Zwicker’s 335th look noticed him draw degree with Matthias Witthaus as essentially the most capped German man.
Australia got here out firing within the first quarter, and Blake Govers blasted them forward with a third-minute subject aim. Govers then struck the put up earlier than Joel Rintala scorched a drag flick residence within the eighth minute. A inexperienced card for the Kookaburras broke their momentum, nonetheless, and Germany almost pulled one again from a penalty nook, however Ky Willott saved it brilliantly on the road. Germany have been very a lot within the ascendancy going into the second quarter and Gonzalo Peillat opened their account with a wonderfully positioned drag flick within the nineteenth minute.
Australia held on to their slender 2-1 lead at half time, however the momentum was with the Germans heading into the third quarter. Henrik Mertgens levelled the scores with a well-struck subject aim within the thirty fifth minute, and Benedikt Schwarzhaupt put the house facet forward with a Thirty eighth-minute drag flick. The ultimate quarter was performed at a livid depth, and Ashleigh Thomas made three distinctive saves to maintain the Kookaburras in contact earlier than he was swapped out with three minutes remaining. There have been no extra targets and Germany’s win boosts their hopes of clinching a FIH Hockey World Cup qualifying spot in a good race with England and Spain.
The participant of the match went to Germany’s Thies Prinz, who mentioned: “Most likely like yesterday, we would have liked perhaps one or two targets in opposition to us to get into the sport. We all know we will change each sport in a minute, so I’m very happy with the group, incredible work, incredible effort, and we’re very completely happy to get the win.”
Present Hero High Scorers:
Ladies – Yibbi Jansen (NED) (17 targets)
Males – Tom Boon (BEL) (19 targets)
To see the present standings within the FIH Hockey Professional League, click on right here.
FIH Hockey Professional League – 24 June 2025
Ernst Reuter Sportfeld, Berlin, Germany (GER)
Ladies
Outcome: Match 65 (W)
Germany 2 – 3 China
Participant of the match: Huang Haiyan (CHN)
Umpires: Ayanna McClean (TTO), Emi Yamada (JPN), Hannah Harrison (ENG-video)
Males
Outcome: Match 67 (M)
Germany 3 – 2 Australia
Participant of the match: Thies Prinz (GER)
Umpires: Hannah Harrison (ENG), Hideki Kinoshita (JPN), Ayanna McClean (TTO – video)
