s2h Team
Germany coach Kais Al Saadi said before Wednesday’s match that anger would be the key for his team’s recovery from a 1-6 thrashing at the hands of Belgium in the FIH Pro League match in Dusseldorf on Tuesday.
It may have worked in part as the teams met again in the same city but in the final analysis it was a cool head that won the Germans a bonus point from a shootout that followed a 1-1 draw.
Goalkeeper Alexander Stadler emerged player of the match with not just his brilliant saves in regulation time but also a composed performance in the shootout which Germany won 1-0, the only goal in the sequence scored by first up Christopher Ruhr.
Florian Fuchs got a touch from Tobais Hauke’s free hit taken outside the circle to put Germany ahead in the 24th minute – reward for initiative and aggression from a side smarting from a humiliating defeat the day before.
But Belgium came back strongly in the last quarter to equalize in the 49th minute with a penalty corner drag flick by Loick Luypaert and all but scored the match-winner as the German defence strove to keep the Red Lions at bay.
Germany, with seven points from four matches, climbed from bottom of the league to eighth place above Great Britain.
Belgium consolidate their position at the top with 18 points from eight matches. The Red Lions are followed by Australia (14 from eight), The Netherlands (11 from six) and India (10 from six).
Argentina, New Zealand and Spain occupy fifth to eighth places.
It was a day of victories for the hosts as the German women came from behind to score a 3-1 win over Belgium after winning 2-0 on Tuesday.
The result takes Germany to fifth spot (six points from two matches), a rung above Belgium who have six from six.
Argentina (17 points from eight matches) lead the table. Netherlands (15 from five), New Zealand (14 from eight) and Australia (nine from six) occupy second to fourth positions.
Great Britain (five from four) and China (none from two) are in eighth and ninth places.