S2H Team

Belgium’s men will take the pitch against Germany at the Royal Uccle Sport THC in Brussels on Saturday, October 16, in front of their own adoring fans for the first time after clinching their maiden Olympic gold medal at Tokyo in August.

The Red Lions are the World Cup holders and defending FIH Pro League champions and kick off their Season 3 campaign missing only Thomas Briels, the only retiree after the Games.

Belgium the world No. 1 side, however, have a new coach after Shane McLeod quit the job following a glittering tenure. The New Zealander guided the Red Lions to dizzy heights starting with the silver medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics, followed by the 2018 World Cup crown and the 2019 EuroHockey championship title.

For good measure, Belgium clinched the 2020 FIH Pro League title in the competition’s second year after finishing runners-up in the inaugural year the previous season.

 Dutchman Michel van den Heuvel, the assistant coach, steps into the breach, inheriting a winning product.

With stalwarts such as goalkeeping supremo Vincent Vanasch, defenders Arthur van Doren and Felix Denayer, midfielder Victor Wegnez and penalty corner star Alexander Hendrickx, the leading scorer at Tokyo 2020 with 14 goals, Belgium start as firm favourites to retain the title.

Germany will be smarting from not winning a medal at the Tokyo Olympics, having lost narrowly to India in the bronze playoff.

They will miss captain ace defender and Tobias Hauke and midfielder and drag-flicker Martin Haner who have hung up their sticks.

Germany, ranked fifth, may well be a Work in Progress as teams plan for the 2023 World Cup and the 2024 Olympic qualifying campaign but the squad still has quality with forwards Florian Fuchs, Christopher Rühr and Niklas Wellen in the ranks along with attacking midfielder Timm Herzbruch who give the team an imposing look.

The men’s match will be played later in the evening (8pm, IST) after the women’s teams from both nations play the first of their doubleheader over the weekend at 5.30pm, IST.

The Red Panthers are ranked ninth as opposed to Germany, fifth, and played their first match on Wednesday, October 13, at the Wagener Stadium in Amstelveen, losing to the World No. 1 Dutch 0-2.