(Hockey news)  The Dutch women clinched the FIH Hockey Pro League title for a third time in four seasons with a fiercely contested 2-1 victory over Germany in Amsterdam. The win took the points tally of Dutch women to 37 with three games remaining, and out of reach of any of the chasing teams. In the earlier men’s match, the head-to-head battle between Germany and New Zealand ended with a 4-1 scoreline in favour of the world champions. However, that wasn’t entirely reflective of the hard-fought encounter.

(Men’s) New Zealand vs Germany 1-4:

It was once again a solid performance from the already-eliminated New Zealand but one that ultimately yielded no points for the already-relegated side. The Germans were awarded a penalty stroke within the first three minutes after the ball struck David Brydon’s body in front of the goal. 

Timm Herzbruch didn’t lack in firing the ball into the back of the net for the early lead. It wasn’t until the third quarter that the Germans doubled that lead – Gonzalo Peillat delivering a formidable drag into the bottom left off a penalty corner. Four minutes later the Black Sticks found their first. 

Sam Hiha received a long aerial pass just outside the circle and dribbled his way in to pass to captain Sam Lane who drilled it towards goal. Hiha was by then perfectly placed to add the deflection and claw one back. Black Sticks coach Greg Nicol pulled off his keeper with just over five minutes remaining to push for the equaliser. 

But it all went wrong when a looping pass found Herzbruch on the run. The first-quarter goal scorer raced towards the empty goal to tap in Germany’s third.  Peillat then plugged in the fourth off a penalty corner awarded with nine seconds remaining on the clock as the Germans wrapped up the 4-1 win.

Gonzalo Peillat was named Player of the Match and said: “Of course, it wasn’t an easy one. We played better than the last time we played against them. We started in a good way and with a good flow but in the second quarter we didn’t play as we normally play so it was quite difficult but in the end, we got the result.”

(Women’s) Netherlands vs Germany 2-1:

With the tournament title just one win away, the Dutch dominated the first quarter, but there weren’t too many scoring opportunities created. A much more lively second period from the Germans saw them upping the intensity and playing themselves back into the match, but neither side found the breakthrough with the score still 0-0 at half-time.

The home side exerted more of the pressure in the third quarter and they were duly rewarded with a penalty corner with just 23 seconds remaining in the period. Yibbi Jansen’s initial drag was saved by keeper Noelle Rother, but an incredible reflex response from Pien Sanders saw her getting her stick to the rebound for a deserved Dutch goal.    

With just over five minutes remaining, the Dutch took a step closer to the trophy when Joosje Burg worked the ball to Pien Dicke to pop it in from just in front of the goal. The Germans did manage to pull one back in the dying minute against the Dutch, Viktoria Huse squeezing it through the keeper off a reworked penalty corner. But it was not enough to deny the dominant Dutch the victory.  

Pien Sanders was named Player of the Match and said: “I am very proud. This is our first prize under Paul [van Ass] and we are very happy with it… It was not easy. It was a really hard fight but in the end, I think we deserved to win.

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