(Hockey news) FIH Hockey Pro League action resumed in London and Antwerp with 4 men’s and 4 women’s teams in action. Great Britain and Belgium women, who had inaugurated their home mini-tournaments with losses, gave the home crowd plenty to cheer about yesterday. 

Great Britain women pull through the USA, comeback to gain all three points in a 4-2 win, while the Red Panthers (Belgium women) were on fire to dispatch New Zealand 7-0 in a near-perfect performance. In the men’s matches, Great Britain won a second match in succession by a 3-0 scoreline, heading to the top of the table going 2 points clear of India. 

The Red Lions (Belgium men) continued their good form winning 3-1 against New Zealand men, who continue to languish at the bottom of the men’s table

(Women’s) Great Britain vs USA 4-2:

Great Britain scored twice inside the initial 10 minutes by forcing turnovers high up the field. Fiona Crackles broke into the circle and splintered a shot past Bing in the USA goal, in the 4th minute and Hamilton doubled Great Britain’s lead in the 10th minute.

A powerful shot from the right that deflected into the goal off Govaert’s stick. Watson added on a third in the second quarter, but USA scored twice through Tamer and Ashley Sessa to spark a fightback. Watson however scored on the brink of half-time to double the hosts’ lead going into the break.

After the frantic end to the first half, the second half guaranteed a lot but ended up being anti-climactic, as neither team could trouble the scorers. The USA threw everything they had and came close to scoring a couple of times in the final quarter but Great Britain managed to hold on to their 2-goal half-time lead until the very end and crucially gained three points. 

Charlotte Watson was named player of the match and said: “Important win for us after losing the first game. We played well overall today, although I felt we had played well against Germany in the previous game as well, so it’s good to come away with a win. There were some loose spells at times in the game, but overall we controlled the tempo pretty well.”

(Women’s) Belgium vs New Zealand 7-0:

Belgium came flying out of the gate after losing their home opener two days back and got two early goals inside 7 minutes. The first came from a diversion by Marien off a Struijk shot, while Struijk scored the second from a penalty corner, going low to the right of the keeper and sneaking it just inside the post.

Belgium had enough chances to add to their lead, particularly from an Englebert shot that whirled just past the post and from a string of penalty corners, but the score stayed at 2-0 heading into the break.

Englebert, who had seemed threatening all game long, eventually scored the third for the Red Panthers (Belgium women) receiving the ball from White and dropping her shoulder to commit the goalkeeper before taking an extra step and burying the ball into an open goal.

Belgium put on a fourth in the final quarter with Marien’s cross deflecting into the goal off Liz Thompson’s stick. New Zealand took off their keeper with 9 minutes left in the game and Belgium added two more goals through White and Versavel to make it 6-0. New Zealand brought their keeper back on for the final 4 minutes, but it made little difference as White scored yet again through a piece of individual luminosity. 

Charlotte Englebert was awarded the player of the match and said: “Good win for us after that opening day loss. The crowd here has been fantastic and thankfully we could put up a show for them.”

(Men’s) Great Britain vs Spain 3-0:

Great Britain and Spain played a goalless opening quarter but there was no absence of action with each side generating at least two clear goal-scoring opportunities each. 

Ward and Mirallas overlooked the target from penalty corners while Payne and Alvarez pulled off great saves from point-blank range as well. The second quarter generated much of the same with both teams trading blows, but neither finding the opening goal as we headed into the break tied at 0-0.

Great Britain opened the scoring early in the third quarter with Nicolas Bandurak finding the back of the goal through a penalty corner. Spain threw everything they had at Great Britain but couldn’t find a way past their defence in the third quarter.

Any chances of continuing the momentum for Spain was lost in the final quarter because of two yellow cards collected by Curiel and Pepe Cunill. With a little over 2 minutes left in the game, Great Britain attained a penalty corner and Bandurak put the game beyond the reach of Spain by dangling a powerful flick to the left of the goalkeeper. Spain took their keeper off in a last-ditch effort to get back into the game but It was Great Britain who scored through an incredible run and finish by Lee Morton. 

Zach Wallace was awarded player of the match and said: “Really tired at the end of that game. Spain are such a tough team to play against with their counter-attacking style. The one-goal lead was never going to be enough, so glad we could get a couple more in the end to calm the nerves.”

(Men’s) Belgium vs New Zealand 3-1:

Belgium and New Zealand dealt with blows throughout the first quarter and while Belgium had the better of the chances, neither team could find the opening goals. Midway through the second quarter though, Cosyns eventually gave the hosts the lead, placing his penalty corner perfectly into the bottom left corner. 

Belgium’s influence on the game grew as New Zealand were reduced to 10 players with Boyde receiving a yellow card for a reckless tackle, but they could not score a second as the hosts took a 1-goal lead into the half.

New Zealand almost got back level early in the third quarter from a penalty corner but was denied by a brilliant save by Loic van Doren. Belgium capitalised on the lost opportunity by New Zealand and doubled their lead in the 34th minute with Luypaert scoring from Belgium’s second penalty corner of the game.

New Zealand managed to save one from a penalty corner of their own through a Kane Russell drag flick, but Belgium reinstated their 2-goal cushion soon after with Dockier getting on the end of a ball into the circle by Boccard.

Arno van Dessel was named the player of the match and said: “We were not really happy with the defence yesterday, felt like we conceded too many goals. So it was a focus area today so I am happy with that aspect of the game. We weren’t very clinical with our chances in the first half but we were good with our PCs, so overall we’ll take these 3 points today.”

Also read: https://spogonews.com/belgium-men-win-a-nail-biter-in-the-fih-pro-league/