PROLEAGUE RESUMES WITH RED LIONS DEVOURING HAPLESS GERMANY
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World Cup champions Belgium kept up their mastery over Germany with a 6-1 win in the FIH Pro League which resumed in Dusseldorf on Tuesday after a 199-day Covid-induced hiatus.
There was some cause to cheer for the hosts in the women’s league in which they beat Belgium 2-0 in a match played earlier in the day.
For the second time in successive years did Germany’s men endure a heavy defeat to Belgium at home, this time with no spectators allowed inside the venue as part of the precautions to curb the spread of the corona virus afflicting the world.
The last Pro League meeting between the two sides ended in an incredulous 0-8 for the Germans in Krefeld in June 2019.
In 2017, the HWL Semifinals final in Johannesburg, South Africa, also ended in a 1-6 defeat for the Germans at the hands of the Belgians and the last two World Cups saw the Red Lions emerge victorious but in closer affairs (4-2 at The Hague 2014 and 2-1 at Bhubaneswar 2018).
And there’s a touch of destiny when you consider the upsurge of the Belgians in the last 14 years was ignited by victory in the bronze medal playoff at the 2007 EuroHockey Championships in Manchester City – a result that enabled the Red Lions qualify directly to the 2008 Beijing Olympics but one that forced Germany to take the long qualifying route to the Games.
Germany would have been both eager for revenge and apprehensive when they took the pitch. The 0-8 at Krefeld must have rankled but their poor sequence against Belgium must have caused self doubts.
However, Germany it were who dominated the first quarter and much of the second to register impressive stats at half time except for the goal scored parameter.
Player of the match, Gauthier Boccard, who scored an amazing goal in the 2016 Rio Olympic final against Argentina who won gold, did an encore of sorts – this time with a back-hander in the 26th minute.
Belgium, effecting the full court press were 4-0 up at the end of the 10-minute blitz.
Alexander Hendrickx, youngster William Ghislain and Nicholas de Kerpel struck in quick succession to raise visions of the Krefeld encounter.
It didn’t help the Germans one bit that the failed to convert chances to score – Wellen shooting over with an inviting goal in front of him. Nor did their drooping shoulders after the Belgians punished them for mediocre defending.
Lukas Windfeder reduced the margin from a penalty corner just before the end of the third quarter and then rattled the post from another such award early in the fourth.
But any chances of a grandstand finish were well and truly buried with Antoine Kina scoring a solo goal, running unhindered the length of the German half before finishing with a deft shot past the goalkeeper.
Lock Luypaert then converted a penalty corner with the last touch of the match to complete yet another humiliation of Germany.
The teams meet again on Wednesday as per new regulations which allows a nation to play hosts twice against an opponent with the roles reversed next year.
Belgium shot to the top of the league with 17 points from seven matches, ahead with Australia (14 from eight), the Netherlands (11 from 6) and India 10 from six.
Germany slip to the bottom of the nine-team league with five points from three matches.
Argentina, New Zealand, Spain and Great Britain occupy fifth to eighth places.
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22 September 2020 Germany women & Belgium men victorious on return of FIH Hockey Pro League Lausanne, Switzerland: After six long months, the FIH Hockey Pro League made a welcome return on Tuesday (22 September), with Germany women and Belgium men both recording fine victories in double headers between the neighbouring nations in Düsseldorf. The first FIH Hockey Pro League match since March went the way of Germany, who shook off any rustiness caused by the lengthy lay-off by recording a 2-0 victory over Belgium’s Red Panthers. Remarkably, it was Die Danas’ first FIH Hockey Pro League match of the season, with the COVID-19 global health pandemic putting the competition on hold before they could even take to the field. Despite a strong start from the visiting Belgians, Germany were thoroughly deserving of the three points, dominating possession, circle penetration and penalty corner statistics as well as the score-line, with Naomi Heyn and Lena Micheel scoring the decisive goals. Germany’s Janne Müller-Wieland, who was named Player of the Match, said: “I think in the end we were more aggressive, maybe. We had more chances as well, so I think it is a fair win. We have to have a good cool-down. We only have 24 hours before we are playing again, and there is still a long list [of things] to improve for us.” Belgium’s Barbara Nelen said: “I think it was a difficult game. We started a new season now, with new girls, and two new ‘presses’. We tried a lot of things. We made some mistakes in the press, and I think Germany also found directly the solutions. They are a smart team, so that is why it was difficult to defend.” More information about this match can be found by clicking here. In the men’s match, reigning world champions Belgium found themselves under early pressure from hosts Germany but grew in stature as the game progressed, going on to record a resounding 6-1 victory over their European rivals. The Red Lions took the lead just before the break thanks to Gauthier Boccard before quickfire goals from Alexander Hendrickx, William Ghislain and Nicolas de Kerpel opened up a 4-0 advantage just minutes after half time. Lukas Windfeder’s ferocious penalty corner pulled a goal back for Germany, but strikes from Antoine Kina and Loick Luypaert ensured that Belgium claimed a comfortable win to extend their lead at the top of the FIH Hockey Pro League table. Player of the match Boccard, who scored arguably the goal of the game with a brilliant individual strike to break the deadlock, said: “I think we pressed well in the second quarter and the second half. We won some good balls in their half, and we started to get some early goals. For the rest, when you score three or four goals you could see the confidence. We had good ball possession and finished the game well.” Looking ahead to tomorrow’s rematch against Germany, Boccard said his team would prepare ‘the same way as we did today. We have to lift our level a bit more, like we did by the end of the game. The second game will be different, it is zero-zero and we will go for a second win.” More information about this match can be found by clicking here. The matches were played behind closed doors, with strict COVID-19 protocols being followed by the teams, staff, officials and everyone within the venue. The Germany and Belgium men’s and women’s teams will return to the field for the second matches of their respective double headers on Wednesday (23 September). Keep up to date with all the latest news on the FIH Hockey Pro League via the Watch.Hockey app, event website and through FIH social media channels – Facebook, Instagram and Twit FIH Hockey Pro League Women’s result: Germany 2, Belgium 0 (Match 1 of 2) Men’s result: Germany 1, Belgium 6 (Match 1 of 2) |
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Belgium is an outstanding team and in fantastic form from 2-3 years. it’s very difficult to take them over.