Belgium’s women pulled off a massive upset victory over newly crowned FIH Hockey Pro League champions, the Netherlands in Utrecht on Monday, bringing an end to the Dutch women’s 26-match unbeaten run.
Meanwhile, Germany’s women kept their quest for a second-place finish in the tournament alive with a comfortable victory over Great Britain. GB then turned the tables on Germany in the corresponding men’s fixture with a hard-fought victory.
(Women’s) Great Britain 0 – 2 Germany
Germany put in a solid 60-minute performance to secure their 2-0 win over Great Britain. GB started brightly, dragging a penalty corner wide and hitting the post from open play inside the first five minutes. But the Germans fought back to dominate the half, missing three chances from open play before Nike Lorenz gave them the lead with a penalty stroke in the 14th minute. GB struggled to escape Germany’s press or retain possession, and goalkeeper Miriam Pritchard did well to concede just one excellent field goal from Anne Schröder.
The second half was evenly contested, GB controlling the opening minutes without creating any real threat. The Germans defended well and then created a couple of good opportunities, their best effort from a penalty corner being saved bravely on the post by Sophie Hamilton. Play then ebbed and flowed through the middle of the pitch until GB substituted their goalkeeper with five minutes to play. They earned a late penalty corner, but the Germans cleared off the rebound and took control of possession to wrap up the 2-0 victory.
The player of the match was awarded to Felicia Wiedermann of Germany who said: “I think it was a really tough game. It was very hot on the pitch but we did a great job as a team. The English girls are always very strong in passing and running, but at the end we did a great job and we’re happy with the win.”
(Women’s) Netherlands 1 – 2 Belgium
Belgium stunned the home crowd in Utrecht with 2-1 win over the Netherlands, whose unbeaten run of 26 games ended just two days after being crowned FIH Hockey Pro League champions. Dutch goalkeeper Anne Veenendaal was by far the busier of the two keepers in the first half and was called on to make her first save just 90 seconds into the match. The Belgians went on to dominate play until the 26th minute when the Dutch struck, dispossessing Belgium on the halfway line and working the ball up quickly for Fay van der Elst to slap it in.
The third quarter was a scrappy one with both teams struggling to retain possession or build any momentum. Belgium finished the quarter well though, by winning a series of penalty corners and equalising through a Charlotte Englebert penalty stroke with time up on the clock. The Dutch showed glimpses of their attacking ability in the final quarter, but they took uncharacteristically poor options and executed them badly. Stephanie Vanden Borre stepped up to fire the Red Panthers ahead with a drag flick just seven minutes from full time, and it proved to be enough for a historic first win against the Dutch in a major competition.
The player of the match was awarded to a delighted Hélène Brasseur from Belgium who said: “I think certainly in preparation towards the Olympics it’s nice to come here and win the game, so really cool… I think we played well, sometimes we had a little falling down, but afterwards we picked it up again and we went to attack and we scored two goals so that’s great.”
(Men’s) Germany 0 – 1 Great Britain
Great Britain were deserved winners as they edged Germany 1-0 in an enthralling match. The first quarter was an energetic affair with neither team able to assert themselves. The best opportunity fell to GB’s Sam Ward, but Jean-Paul Danneberg pulled off a fantastic save to deny him. GB went on to boss the second quarter. Danneberg was called on repeatedly before Zachary Wallace finally got the better of him, following a play he started from 60m out and tapping in at the post. The Germans immediately won a penalty corner, but their drag flick stripped the paint off the post and GB led 1-0 at half time.
The third quarter was again evenly contested, although it took an unbelievable, acrobatic save from Oliver Payne to keep GB in front. Germany carried better momentum into the final quarter and tested Payne with regularity before substituting their own goalkeeper with four minutes remaining, but they couldn’t find an equaliser.
Conor Williamson of Great Britain received the player of the match award and said: “I thought we responded well to yesterday. I think it was really close throughout, we had chances, they had chances, and luckily Zach was able to put one away to put us one up, and we held them at the end with some really good defence.”
Top Scorer Armband
To celebrate the talented goal-scorers throughout the season the FIH has introduced the Top Scorer Armband, which is being worn by the leading goal-scorers in the men’s and women’s competitions in the current season, as a visual mark for the fans, and for the players to wear proudly, match after match.
Current Top Scorers:
Women – Yibbi Jansen (NED) (17 goals)
Men –Jip Janssen (NED) (13 goals)
To see the current standings in the FIH Hockey Pro League, click here.
FIH Hockey Pro League – 24 June 2024
SV Kampong, Utrecht (NED)
WOMEN
Result: Match 66 (W)
Great Britain 0 – 2 Germany
Player of the match: Felicia Wiedermann (GER)
Umpires: Sandra Adell (ESP), Wanri Venter (RSA), Ayden Shrives (RSA-video)
Result: Match 67 (W)
Netherlands 1 – 2 Belgium
Player of the match: Hélène Brasseur (BEL)
Umpires: Sophie Bockelmann (GER), Rachel Williams (ENG), Hannah Harrison (ENG-video)
MEN
Result: Match 67 (M)
Germany 0 – 1 Great Britain
Player of the match: Conor Williamson (GBR)
Umpires: Ayden Shrives (RSA), Jonas Van’T Hek (NED), Wanri Venter (RSA-video)
