Whereas the champions have already been decided, there was nonetheless a lot at stake on the penultimate day of FIH Hockey Professional League motion in Berlin and Antwerp on Saturday.
England’s girls’s aspect ensured they’ll be enjoying in subsequent season’s event due to a 1-0 victory over Germany, whereas India suffered one other defeat, this time by the hands of China.
Within the males’s event, the intrigue lay within the last conflict of the day between Germany and Spain, with each side battling for the one FIH Hockey World Cup qualification spot on supply. It was the Spaniards who stored their hopes alive with a nail-biting shootout victory after a tightly contested encounter.
(Girls’s) China 3 – 0 India
China posted a hard-fought 3-0 victory over India, who once more regarded harmful however couldn’t discover their of entirety in Berlin.
After a good begin to the match, it was the Chinese language who gained the benefit within the second quarter. Savita confirmed good kind within the pads for India, and it wanted a high-quality penalty nook deflection from Chen Yang to beat her within the twenty first minute. Zhang Ying added a drag flick within the twenty sixth to make it 2-0 at half time.
India dominated many of the third quarter, doing the whole lot however rating a purpose. They then conceded one within the forty fifth minute when Yu Anhui tapped in after a Chinese language counterattack. With just a little over 5 minutes remaining, China conceded a penalty stroke and a 10-minute yellow card, however India did not capitalise as Deepika struck the put up. The consequence leaves India on the backside of the standings with little or no hope of avoiding relegation.
The participant of the match went to China’s Chen Yang, who stated: “Immediately our execution was excellent and we organised our construction very properly, and we performed extra like a group, in order that’s why we received.”
(Girls’s) Belgium 0 – 2 Netherlands
Champions the Netherlands claimed a cushty 2-0 victory over neighbours Belgium in Antwerp.
Elodie Picard had a busy first half in purpose for Belgium, being examined repeatedly by Dutch assaults. Yibbi Jansen finally discovered the again of the web for the Netherlands together with her Thirtieth-minute drag flick, and though the Belgians had regarded extra settled within the second quarter, they nonetheless hadn’t created a circle entry and trailed 1-0 at half time.
The Dutch continued to dominate within the third quarter and doubled their lead within the forty second minute with an beautiful purpose. Freeke Moes popped a brief overhead to Felice Albers close to the proper put up, and he or she slipped it throughout purpose for Fay van der Elst to steer it in. Each groups had their alternatives because the clock ticked down, however in the end, the Dutch had performed sufficient to safe their thirteenth win of the season.
Pien Sanders of the Netherlands was named the participant of the match and stated: “Belgium is all the time a troublesome opponent and two-zero it’s good, and I believe tomorrow we are able to do higher, however for at present it was okay.”
(Girls’s) Germany 0 – 1 England
England got here out tops within the battle to keep away from relegation with a riveting 1-0 win over hosts Germany in Berlin. That leaves Germany and India to battle it out on the backside of the desk, though the chances at the moment are closely stacked in opposition to the Indian aspect.
Sabbie Heesh needed to make an early one-on-one save in purpose for England earlier than her group acquired on the entrance foot. Elizabeth Neal opened the scoring for them from a penalty nook rebound within the sixth minute. Germany turned stronger as the primary half ticked away, however England held a 1-0 lead on the lengthy break.
The Germans began the third quarter with rather more urgency, and Heesh noticed loads of motion in purpose, earlier than play began to ebb and stream. There was late drama as Germany raised their stage, surging ahead in a determined bid to discover a purpose. The highlight in the end fell on Heesh, who saved a penalty stroke with 100 seconds remaining, after which made a save on the ultimate hooter to hold England safely into subsequent yr’s competitors.
England’s goalkeeper Sabbie Heesh was named participant of the match and stated: “Very relieved. We got here right here to get two wins, and clearly at present I believe we’ve confirmed Professional League for subsequent yr, in order that’s clearly tremendous necessary for us, however we go once more tomorrow, and we’re undoubtedly on the lookout for three factors once more.”
(Males’s) Belgium 3 – 1 England
Belgium dominated all of the stats of their complete 3-1 win over England in Antwerp.
After a hotly contested begin, it was the Belgians who assumed management from the top of the primary quarter. Roman Duvekot opened the scoring within the thirteenth minute when he obtained an important ball on the high of the circle and hammered it dwelling with an enormous reverse strike. Belgium besieged England’s circle on both aspect of the primary break, and Alexander Hendrickx doubled their lead with a drag flick within the twentieth minute for the hosts to take a cushty 2-0 lead into half time.
James Mazarelo made a sequence of wonderful saves as Belgium continued to dominate the third interval, and it took a deflection off a defender from a recycled penalty nook for Victor Wegnez to finally beat him within the forty second minute. Mazarelo then made one other excellent double save earlier than Jacob Payton pulled one again for England, following his go and slapping in first time from the p-spot within the forty eighth. The Belgians had a golden alternative to increase their lead even additional, however Hendrickx pushed a penalty stroke extensive. The English pulled their goalkeeper out to have a full go together with 5 minutes left, and even efficiently defended a penalty nook, however they couldn’t discover one other purpose.
The participant of the match was awarded to Belgium’s Guillaume Hellin, who stated: “Everybody in our group had plenty of enjoyable at present, so it was very nice to play… I believe particularly within the first half we performed actually, rather well after which in the event you can rating, the second, third and fourth purpose, the sport is over, however that’s for tomorrow – the possibilities and objectives.”
(Males’s) Germany 1 – 1 Spain (SO: 0 – 3)
Spain performed out an thrilling 1-1 draw with Germany and went on to clinch the shootout 3-0 for a essential bonus level. The consequence implies that a FIH Hockey World Cup spot continues to be inside their grasp once they face Germany once more on Sunday.
There was virtually nothing to separate the groups after a goalless first half, though Germany’s goalkeeper Joshua Onyekwue Nnaji was stored busy below the helmet as Spain created higher alternatives.
The third quarter noticed Germany dominate the opening and shutting exchanges whereas Spain owned the center interval. A sensational diving save by Onyekwue Nnaji stored the scores stage heading into the ultimate quarter, and the stage was set for an exhilarating end. Pol Cabre Verdiell struck a first-time slap for Spain off a counterattack within the forty sixth minute, and with time ticking away Germany finally had no selection however to tug their keeper off with 150 seconds remaining. The transfer paid off as Michel Struthoff discovered the equaliser within the 59th minute, receiving the ball contained in the circle and turning rapidly to hammer it in.
The stakes couldn’t have been greater within the shootout, and it was Spain who held their nerve to say a significant further level.
The participant of the match was awarded to Rafael Vilallonga of Spain, who stated: “We count on to win the sport tomorrow, and let’s see if we are able to have the ticket to the World Cup.”
Present Hero Prime Scorers:
Girls – Yibbi Jansen (NED) (18 objectives)
Males – Tom Boon (BEL) (19 objectives)
To see the present standings within the FIH Hockey Professional League, click on right here.
FIH Hockey Professional League – 28 June 2025
Ernst Reuter Sportfeld, Berlin, Germany (GER)
Girls
Outcome: Match 67 (W)
China 3 – 0 India
Participant of the match: Chen Yang (CHN)
Umpires: Hideki Kinoshita (JPN), Emi Yamada (JPN), Paul van den Assum (NED-video)
Outcome: Match 68 (W)
Germany 0 – 1 England
Participant of the match: Sabbie Heesh (ENG)
Umpires: Ayanna McClean (TTO), Magali Sergeant (BEL), Hideki Kinoshita (JPN-video)
Males
Outcome: Match 70 (M)
Germany 1 – 1 Spain (SO: 0 – 3)
Participant of the match: Rafael Vilallonga (ESP)
Umpires: Kristy Robertson (AUS), Paul van den Assum (NED), Hannah Harrison (ENG-video)
Sportcentrum Wilrijkse Plein-Antwerp, Belgium (BEL)
Girls
Outcome: Match 69 (W)
Belgium 0 – 2 Netherlands
Participant of the match: Pien Sanders (NED)
Umpires: Ben Goentgen (GER), Ivona Makar (CRO), Ole Ingwersen (GER-video)
Males
Outcome: Match 69 (M)
Belgium 3 – 1 England
Participant of the match: Guillaume Hellin (BEL)
Umpires: Ole Ingwersen (GER), Kamile Mockaityte (LTU), Ivona Makar (CRO-video)
