The FIH Hockey Professional League’s remaining 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.
(Girls’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 stress on China from the center of the primary quarter., and their opening purpose within the tenth minute was good. Lisa Nolte fired a flat reverse stick cross throughout the circle for Johanna Hachenberg to deflect in on the close to submit. China’s goalkeeper Surong Wu made an distinctive low stick save close to the tip of the interval to maintain it shut, they usually fought their manner again via the second quarter. Their Twenty fifth-minute purpose got here from Dan Wen when her try at dinking a brief ball to the fitting submit 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 exhausting 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 nicely to create a shot from the highest of the circle below stress, however it took one other fortunate deflection off a defender because the ball seemed to be going nicely vast. 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 bought below manner with breathtaking end-to-end motion. A superb save by Germany’s goalkeeper, Nathalie Kubalski, denied the Chinese language as they began to dominate the latter phases of the match. The profitable purpose 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 purpose they wanted, they usually 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 a number of errors, after which we make up our errors for one another and we help one another, and this is essential, we struggle to the tip.”
(Males’s) Germany 3 – 2 Australia
Germany got here from two targets all the way down to submit an important 3-2 win over Australia, as Martin Zwicker’s 335th look noticed him draw degree with Matthias Witthaus as probably the most capped German man.
Australia got here out firing within the first quarter, and Blake Govers blasted them forward with a third-minute area purpose. Govers then struck the submit earlier than Joel Rintala scorched a drag flick residence within the eighth minute. A inexperienced card for the Kookaburras broke their momentum, nevertheless, and Germany practically 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 superbly 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 area purpose 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: “In all probability like yesterday, we wanted possibly one or two targets towards us to get into the sport. We all know we will change each recreation in a minute, so I’m very pleased with the workforce, implausible work, implausible effort, and we’re very comfortable to get the win.”
Present Hero Prime Scorers:
Girls – 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)
Girls
Consequence: Match 65 (W)
Germany 2 – 3 China
Participant of the match: Huang Haiyan (CHN)
Age: His brother McClean (TTO), Em Yama (JPN), Hantah Harrison (Nvideo)
Males
Consequence: 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)
