s2h team

MERRY OLIVIA: Two four-goal hauls. Top scorer with 10 goals. You can’t escape the conclusion that New Zealand’s Olivia Merry is the leading performer in the FIH Pro League women’s competition. One quadruple strike came against a team no less than Argentina which the Black Sticks won 5-3. In an earlier encounter against Belgium, Olivia scored all in a 4-1 win. At 1.82m, Olivia stands tall literally and figuratively and seems to carry on with scoring from the first edition in 2019 when she finished top scorer with 15 goals. The Covid-19 pandemic has put the brakes on New Zealand’s – and Olivia’s – progress but one dare says the tall striker will be back to scourge defences when the league gathers steam once again.

JANNE MUELLER-WIELAND: At 34, Janne Mueller-Wieland is still the bulwark of the German defence. A veteran of 313 international matches which includes three Olympics – 20018 Beijing, 2012 London and 2016 Rio – Janne brings to the fore her vast experience as well as vision and organization stemming from being an entrepreneur and a successful businesswoman. She won the Player of the match accolade against Belgium in Dusseldorf last September after a 2-0 win.

MARGOT VAN GEFFEN: One hopes the influential midfielder/defender in the Netherlands recovers completely from an ice skating fall which fractured her elbow. Margot van Geffen, the 32-year-old emerged player of the match against Great Britain in Amstelveen in an FIH Pro League match Netherlands won in a shootout after a 1-1 draw. Van Geffen has collected 204 caps and has gold medals from the 2012 Olympics and 2014 World Cup. Those go along with silver from the 2016 Rio Olympics.

LAURA NUNNINK (THE NETHERLANDS): A midfielder, Laura Nunnink’s telling cross set up Fredrique Malta to score against Germany to level scores at 1-1. The Dutch went on to win their FIH Pro League match in Amstelveen 2-1 and enable coach Alyson Annan achieve her 100th victory as coach. The 25-year-old was adjudged player of the match for a sprightly display and is expected to play a significant role in the midfield as the Netherlands, leaders by far, aspire to retain their title.

LIDEWJ WELTEN (NETHERLANDS): Seldom does Lidewj Welten miss an opportunity to score and her lethal opportunism in front of goal has made for many a Dutch victory. Like she did on two occasions against arch rivals Germany in the FIH Pro League match in March to propel her team to a 3-0 win and a 12 point lead over nearest rivals Argentina. Welten’s showcase glitters with gold – top prizes with the Oranje at the 2008 Beijing and 2012 London Olympics as well as the 2014 The Hague and 2018 London World Cups. The 2015 FIH Player of the Year and best player at the 2018 London World Cup has collected 217 caps and is nearing the 100 goal-scoring mark making her one of the best strikers in the world.

HANNAH GABLAC (GERMANY): An out-and-out striker who believes scoring is her job, Hannah Gablac is an avowed team player. She scored the equaliser against Belgium in an FIH Pro League match in Dusseldorf in September last year to help Germany win 3-1. The 26-year-old medical student has collected 90 international caps since 2013 when she made her debut and is a constant threat to defences, positioning herself at the second post and frequenting the area in and around the penalty stroke spot.

VICTORIA GRANATTO (ARGENTINA): Victoria Granatto, elder sister of Las Leonas star forward Maria, scored a gem of a goal against Australia in the FIH Pro League match in Perth in March 2020. She jinked past several defenders before beating Ashley Wells in the Australian goal with a precise shot to put her team 1-0 ahead en route to a 2-0 victory. The Covid-19 pandemic has restricted Argentina from being active in the league since that encounter with matches set for early April 2021 against Germany and one expects Victoria to be in the thick of action again.

AUGUSTINA ALBERTARRIO: Her constant threats upfront did much to secure Argentina a remarkable victory over World Cup champions The Netherlands in an FIH Pro League match in Buenos Aires. Las Leonas won 2-0 and although Augustina, now capped 166 times, didn’t get on the scoresheet, her influence in the attack did much to create opportunities for teammates Augustina Gorzelany and Delfina Merino to score.

CHARLOTTE STAPENHORST: The 25-year-old striker is a star striker for Germany and key to the team’s chances of a good finish in the FIH Pro League. She made her debut as an 18-year-old and has since grown from strength to strength. She scored six goals in the inaugural Pro League edition in 2019 but with the Covid-19 pandemic affecting Germany’s schedule she hasn’t had too much opportunity to showcase her prowess in 2020-21. ‘Stapy’, owner of 102 caps, has a repertoire of skills, not least the 3-D variety and has changed character and technique over the years from a defensive mindset to initiating attacks.

MADDIE HINCH (GREAT BRITAIN): Goalkeeper par excellence, Maddie Hinch was the central figure in England’s EuroHockey championship triumph at London 2015 and Great Britain’s 2016 Rio Olympic gold medal success. Hinch proved to be the stumbling block for The Netherlands in either final which went into the shootout. The 32-year-old veteran of 93 international matches was adjudged FIH Goalkeeper of the Year for 2016, 2017 and 2018 and will be a vital cog for Geat Britain in the ongoing FIH Pro League as well as the postponed Tokyo Olympics.

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