One other riveting day of FIH Hockey Professional League motion unfolded in each Antwerp and London on Tuesday, that includes a number of high-scoring encounters with 27 targets scored throughout the six matches.
Belgium’s ladies fired six targets previous Spain of their conflict in Antwerp, whereas within the corresponding males’s fixture, the Purple Lions had a a lot harder time of it, happening 2-1.
In the meantime, regardless of a memorable victory over Belgium over the weekend – their first victory of the season – a 6-1 loss for Eire’s males in opposition to Australia on Tuesday meant they may end backside of the desk and face relegation from the FIH Hockey Professional League.
Over in London, Argentina’s ladies secured all three factors in opposition to India, and there have been blended fortunes for England with the ladies’s facet claiming a powerful win over Australia, whereas the lads went all the way down to the Netherlands.
(Girls’s) England 1 – 0 Australia
Hockeyroos Kaitlin Nobbs and Mariah Williams each marked their a hundred and fiftieth caps in a dropping trigger as England posted a uncommon 1-0 win over Australia, a lot to the delight of the younger house followers who had packed the stadium in London.
England began effectively and bossed the primary half, urgent successfully and creating loads of good alternatives. They obtained the breakthrough within the tenth minute when a cross from the baseline tracked a difficult line that noticed Zoe Newmann and Maddison Smith each depart it for the opposite participant to clear. Becky Manton was completely positioned behind them to faucet it in. The hosts got here near scoring one other on a number of events, however the rating remained 1-0 at half time.
The third quarter was extra evenly contested, though England made their process more durable with two inexperienced playing cards. The Hockeyroos then raised their degree considerably within the fourth interval and almost discovered an early equaliser, however sharp reflexes from goalkeeper Sabbie Heesh and determined scrambled defence stored them out. The Aussies sustained their relentless assault to the ultimate whistle, however England held on for the win.
England’s Elena Rayer acquired the participant of the match award and stated: “It’s been fairly a tricky Professional League marketing campaign for us up to now, however we’ve been working actually laborious again at Bisham. We now have the idea in ourselves, and it’s all beginning to come collectively. So actually pleased with the ladies.”
(Girls’s) Argentina 4 – 1 India
Eugenia Trinchinetti earned her two hundredth cap for Argentina of their hard-fought 4-1 victory in opposition to India in London.
A good first half noticed alternatives at each ends of the pitch. Navneet Kaur made a powerful save off the road from an Argentinian penalty nook within the twelfth minute, and the South Individuals then began to achieve the ascendancy within the second quarter. The opening purpose got here within the Twenty ninth minute as India failed to manage an aerial into the circle. Maria Larsen pounced onto the ball and handed to Victoria Falasco, who slammed it house. India bounced straight again, although, when Deepika transformed a drag flick with simply six seconds left on the clock to make it 1-1 on the lengthy break.
The Indians piled on the stress to dominate the beginning of the third quarter, however the closing contact eluded them within the circle. Cristina Cosentino was sturdy in purpose for Las Leonas, they usually managed to swing the momentum of their favour. Agustina Gorzelany then regained the lead with a Fortieth-minute penalty stroke, and her second penalty stroke within the 54th minute knocked the wind out of India. Gorzelany then accomplished her hat-trick with a drag flick 5 minutes later to wrap up the win.
Argentina’s Julieta Jankunas was the participant of the match and stated: “I like our staff. I believe it’s a extremely good staff… We work laborious daily and it labored completely within the match.”
(Girls’s) Belgium 6 – 0 Spain
Spain will look again on 10 missed penalty corners and a poor three-minute spell earlier than half time with some remorse after happening by six targets to hosts Belgium in Antwerp.
Belgium have been filled with enterprise firstly of an thrilling first quarter. They struck the publish as soon as earlier than Alix Marien discovered Charlotte Englebert for a fourth-minute tap-in. The goalkeepers had some work to do from penalty corners with Belgian Elena Sotgiu making an important save from a rebound, and Spaniard Jana Martínez outdoing her with an excellent double save. The Purple Panthers have been absolutely in management, although, they usually pressed their benefit house within the closing three minutes of the half. Stephanie Vanden Borre nailed a Twenty eighth-minute penalty stroke, Justine Rasir added a tough first-time strike down the road of an incoming cross within the Twenty ninth, and Vanden Borre accomplished her brace with a drag flick. The half-time whistle sounded with the hosts all of the sudden main 4-0.
The third quarter was carefully contested, however sharp goalkeeping at each ends stored the scores unchanged. Sotgiu made another glorious save for Belgium earlier than Lien Hillewaert scored from a recycled penalty nook within the 51st minute, and Noa Schreurs made a difficult tap-in from a lofted cross look straightforward 4 minutes later to finish an emphatic win.
The participant of the match was awarded Justine Rasir of Belgium who stated: “We confirmed a extremely sturdy efficiency in the present day as a result of we had actually good techniques due to our coaches. And I believe we are going to come again stronger tomorrow.”
(Males’s) England 2 – 3 Netherlands
The Netherlands stormed to a three-goal lead earlier than hanging on desperately for a 3-2 win in opposition to a resurgent England within the second half.
The motion was quick and livid within the first quarter, with the rampant Dutch creating loads of alternatives. They struck within the tenth minute, firing a ball by way of the centre of the circle for Terrance Pieters to finish the deflection. Koen Bijen doubled the lead within the sixteenth, receiving the ball in house and firing off a pointy shot. Bijen then scored once more within the twenty fifth minute, one other deflection from a direct ball by way of the purple zone. England have been scarcely within the recreation, however Zachary Wallace gave them some hope together with his Twenty ninth-minute penalty stroke after a fast counterattack from their defensive penalty nook.
England discovered some rhythm within the third quarter and Sam Ward’s Thirty ninth-minute drag flick put them proper again in competition. The English grew in confidence as time ticked away, and by the fourth quarter, they have been firmly in management. The Dutch survived a barrage of circle entries and penalty corners, and solely a superb save on the road by Jorrit Croon from a rebound shot stored them forward till the ultimate whistle.’
The Netherlands’ Steijn van Heijningen was named the participant of the match and stated: “We got here out of the gates rather well, so I believe we did effectively the primary half. The second half, they pushed again a bit of bit. However I believe we stored on going, they got here again a bit of bit, so it was a tricky recreation, however actually proud of how we did”
(Males’s) Australia 6 – 1 Eire
Australia produced a totally dominant efficiency to demolish Eire 6-1, main the stats with 43 circle penetrations to 16.
The Australians have been on hearth within the opening quarter, and Jeremy Hayward opened the scoring with an unimaginable third-minute drag flick. The Kookaburras surged ahead repeatedly, and Irish goalkeeper Luke Roleston needed to make a number of sharp saves to disclaim them a second. The Inexperienced Machine hit again within the thirteenth minute when John McKee collected a free ball close to the p-spot and obtained his flick away beneath stress. However Blake Govers made it 2-1 for Australia together with his Twentieth-minute penalty stroke, and it stayed that method till half time.
The Aussies maintained a excessive depth in assault, stretching the Irish defence to its restrict and repeatedly testing Roleston. Cooper Burns finally discovered the again of the online with a surprising piece of talent, pulling the ball sturdy off the baseline and flipping it in on the close to publish off his reverse stick. Eire had some probabilities, however the ferocity of the Australian counterattacks uncovered their usually strong construction. Connar Otterbach added a superb penalty nook deflection within the forty second minute, and Jack Welch and Govers grabbed two extra area targets to finish the scoring.
The participant of the match was awarded to Jack Welch of Australia who stated: “We knew Eire have been going to come back out sturdy, they usually had an excellent win in opposition to Belgium, in order that they got here out laborious. We struggled a bit within the first half, however then completed off properly, put some targets away which was actually good.”
(Males’s) Belgium 1 – 2 Spain
Spain confirmed a few of their greatest attacking aptitude in a wonderful 2-1 win over hosts Belgium in Antwerp, repeating the end result from the final time these groups met on the Olympic Video games in Paris.
The match could have been low on targets, however each groups performed glorious hockey all through. Belgium’s opener within the seventh minute was sensational. Thomas Crols managed an extremely tough cross on the prime of the circle and fed to Nelson Onana, who helped it into the roof of the online. José Basterra hit again for Spain within the twenty second minute, the fast counter-attack finally discovering him unmarked within the circle for a crisp reverse strike. Bruno Avila then added a drag flick of the best high quality three minutes later, and goalkeeper Luis Calzado made a wonderful save on the stroke of half time for Spain to retain their 2-1 lead.
The Spanish loved the narrowest of benefits within the second half and created some fantastic attacking alternatives with their trickery. Belgium had their moments too, testing Calzado with some high-quality photographs, together with a flurry of penalty nook re-awards within the forty fifth minute. In a final determined throw of the cube, the hosts pulled their goalkeeper off with a bit of over two minutes remaining. They created some half probabilities, however their magic contact appeared to have deserted them, they usually couldn’t discover an equaliser.
Joaquin Menini of Spain was awarded the participant of the match and stated: “I believe whenever you win, you instantly get an excellent feeling, however in all probability there are issues that we must always do higher tomorrow if we need to win once more.”
Present Hero Prime Scorers:
Girls – Yibbi Jansen (NED) (17 targets)
Males – Tom Boon (BEL) (17 targets)
To see the present standings within the FIH Hockey Professional League, click on right here.
FIH Hockey Professional League – 17 June 2025
Sportcentrum Wilrijkse Plein-Antwerp, Belgium (BEL)
Girls
End result: Match 53 (W)
Belgium 6 – 0 Spain
Participant of the match: Justine Rasir (BEL)
Umpires: Aleisha Neumann (AUS), Lorijn De Kraker (NED), Meissner Tim (GER-video)
Males
End result: Match 54 (M)
Australia 6 – 1 Eire
Participant of the match: Jack Welch (AUS)
Umpires: Ahmed Elsayed (EGY), Harry Collinson (ENG), Paul Walker (ENG-video)
End result: Match 55 (M)
Belgium 1 – 2 Spain
Participant of the match: Joaquin Menini (ESP)
Umpires: Paul Walker (ENG), Daniël Veerman (NED), Federico Silva (ARG-video)
Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre, London, United Kingdom (UK)
Girls
End result: Match 51 (W)
England 1 – 0 Australia
Participant of the match: Elena Rayer (ENG)
Umpires: Irene Presenqui (ARG), Kamile Mockaityte (LTU), Alison Keogh (IRL-video)
End result: Match 52 (W)
Argentina 4 – 1 India
Participant of the match: Julieta Jankunas (ARG)
Umpires: Alison Keogh (IRL), Clare Barwood (WAL), Rebecca Edwards (ENG-video)
Males
End result: Match 53 (M)
England 2 – 3 Netherlands
Participant of the match: Steijn van Heijningen (NED)
Umpires: Raphaël Adrien (GER), Jonathan Von Hoesslin (RSA), Gemma Calderon (ESP-video)
