Dutch males snatch shootout win after dramatic fourth-quarter fightback in Sydney – Hockey World Information

The curtain got here down on the Sydney leg of the FIH Hockey Professional League with two high-quality matches, however disappointment for the passionate residence followers. Within the males’s match, it was reigning Olympic gold medallists the Netherlands who acquired the higher of present FIH Hockey Professional League champions Australia, coming from three objectives down to attract 4-4 earlier than clinching a bonus level with a 3-1 shootout win. Within the last ladies’s match Olympic silver medallists China acquired the higher of Australia with a convincing 3-1 win to increase their clear lead on the prime of the desk.

(Males’s) Australia 4 – 4 Netherlands (SO: 1 – 3)

The opening quarter felt like a full 60 minutes of hockey with high-paced play starting from finish to finish. There have been a few early possibilities for either side earlier than Derck de Vilder put the Dutch forward within the 7^th minute.

The second quarter began very like the primary, however issues tightened in the midst of the interval. Jeremy Hayward equalised for the Kookaburras with a Twenty seventh-minute drag flick, and Benjamin White scored his first worldwide purpose for Australia from a recycled penalty nook to take the hosts into half time with a 2-1 lead.

Each Australian purpose scorers repeated their success within the third quarter, Hayward including a 32^nd-minute drag and White grabbing a subject purpose within the 36^th. That noticed the Kookaburras carrying a 4-1 lead and super momentum by to the ultimate interval.

The Netherlands had been in serious trouble, however they stepped as much as ship an exhilarating end. Pepijn van der Heijden began the fightback with a 47^th-minute drag flick. The Dutch then put the Aussie purpose below siege, shaving the submit earlier than Miles Bukkens scored from a recycled penalty nook within the 50^th. An ideal save from Jed Snowden saved the Kookaburras forward with simply six minutes remaining, however the Dutch had been at full steam and equalised with a 57^th-minute Van der Heijden drag. Snowden made one other wonderful save within the last minute to take the match to a shootout, however Australia fell brief for the second consecutive day. The Netherlands depart Sydney with a slender lead on the prime of a congested males’s desk.

The participant of the match was awarded to Pepijn van der Heijden who stated: “It was a tricky sport. I imply, we began good. Then when it went just a little bit south we didn’t do our personal factor, we began to doubt just a little bit. I believe after the third quarter, within the fourth quarter we performed actually good.”

(Girls’s) Australia 1 – 3 China

Australia held the ascendancy all through the opening quarter, creating some actually good possibilities with out success. It was then China who snatched the lead within the dying seconds as Yu Anhui knocked a floating ball out of the air on the fitting submit.

The Chinese language doubled their lead within the 17^th minute with a penalty nook deflection by Hao Guoting from exterior the fitting submit. Li Hong added a 3rd with a intelligent penalty nook variation to the second fortress, working the ball again throughout the highest of the circle to the injector for a simple end. Penny Squibb pulled one again for the Hockeyroos with a drag flick a minute later and China led 3-1 on the break.

The Chinese language earned a few penalty corners in a dominant third quarter, however Aleisha Energy did nice work within the Hockeyroos’ purpose to maintain her group in rivalry. Australia threatened extra in direction of the tip of the quarter, however the well-known Chinese language defensive construction was rock strong.

There was some possession for the Australians within the early levels of the ultimate interval, however they struggled to create real attacking possibilities towards a good Chinese language unit. China assumed an increasing number of management because the clock ran down, and so they depart Sydney nicely clear on the prime of the log.

Liu Chencheng was named China’s participant of the match and stated: “We did thorough evaluation of the sport, we ready very nicely, so ultimately we stayed calm, so we held the ball and took care of the ball till the tip.”

Present Hero prime scorers:

Girls – Freeke Moes (NED), Yibbi Jansen (NED), Jinzhuang Tan (CHN) (4 objectives)

Males – Tom Boon (BEL), Sam Ward (ENG) (8 objectives)

To see the present standings within the FIH Hockey Professional League, click on right here.

FIH Hockey Professional League – 9 February 2025

Sydney Olympic Park Hockey Centre (AUS)

Males

End result: Match 18 (M)

Australia 4 – 4 Netherlands (SO: 1 – 3)

Participant of the match: Pepijn van der Heijden (NED)

Umpires: David Tomlinson (NZL), Hyosik You (KOR), Xiaoying Liu (CHN-video)

Girls

End result: Match 18 (W)

Australia 1 – 3 China

Participant of the match: Liu Chencheng (CHN)

Umpires: Amber Church (NZL), Katrina Turner (NZL), Minami Inamoto (JPN-video)