It took some time for the German side to find the rhythm in their first game of 2022 at the FIH Hockey Pro League against France in Potchefstroom, South Africa. Two penalty corner goals from Tom Grambusch in the final quarter were enough to hold off a tired but resilient French side. Niklas Wellen’s presence up front earned him Player of the Match honours, while Timothée Clément was as equal to the task for France.
For les Bleus, it was their sixth-straight game in eight days, while Germany was coming off an indoor season and their last Pro League match was in October 2021.
Recently named captain Mats Grambusch was proud of their team saying after the game: ‘We have been here for a week now and the altitude, weather we are not used to that in Germany. We had to get used to it and we knew it was a new group here with young players and then you have to get in to your groove. We needed time to do that. We want to do it better tomorrow against South Africa but I’m really, really pleased with our performance as we go the three points and want to go far in the Pro League.’
Germany were quick to put France on their heels. Mats Grambusch drew the game’s opening penalty corner just two minutes into the game. Younger brother Tom Grambusch couldn’t get enough behind his flick to beat Arthur Thieffry in the France goal. While France spent much of the get-going defending their 23-meter area, they did have chances of their own. Timothée Clément received a cross-field aerial deep in the German circle but his blast from a tight angle went wide of the German goal.
The Germans kept knocking when Wellen’s sharp cut into the French circle allowed Thiez Prinz a clear look at goal but the ball rocketed past the left post. In the final minute of the quarter it was Niklas Bosserhoff who beat two defenders and cut into the circle. The ball instended as a paced pass in to traffic took a touch off defender Amaury Bellenger and beat Thieffry over his right shoulder.
In the second quarter Tom Grambusch and Justus Weigand each had penalty corner attempts but some strong running and solid clears from Thieffry kept the Germans at bay. France’s best chance fell for Blaise Rogeau in the 26th minute but the reverse-stick shot sailed wide of the net. Germany sat on their 1-0 lead heading into half time.
Credit to youngster Clément who drew France’s first penalty corner in the opening minutes of the third quarter. The very same Clément then unleashed a rocket of a drag flick but Alexander Stadler did well to block it. Francois Goyet was the beneficiary of two rebound attempts but the first was blocked by Stadler and the second went high over the goal.
It was a game of set-pieces that made the difference as Germany continued to struggle to convert while France from three attempts were able to draw level. It was again Clément who unleashed a flick that split the right post and the German post-player. The goal gave France the confidence to really go after points from the No. 6-ranked Germany. In the final quarter Germany went to work as Tom Grambusch was able to find his strides at the top of the circle firing a penalty corner flick in between Thieffry and Charles Masson and give Germany the 2-1 lead.
Thieffry was called to action again denying another Tom Grambusch flick in the 57th minute before he subbed off to give France 11 field players to chase down a tying goal. Unforced errors in midfield lead to a Luis Gill run and an eventual pair of penalty corners for Germany. The first was saved on the line by Clément but the second off Tom Grambusch’s stick was too powerful and deflected off Clément’s stick and in for a 3-1 Germany lead.
Credit to the French who never backed down. Clément sent an aerial from the half-way line to a streaking Simon Martin-Brisac. A nifty pass across the circle beat Stadler and Etienne Tynevez volleyed the ball in for the consolation goal.
Germany take their first three points of the year, while the French side remained proud of their performance in a grueling series of Pro League match ups. Following the game, Niklas Wellen was named Player of the Match.
French captain Viktor Lockwood said after the game: ‘We (started) the game a little bit afraid and after we got our confidence, we put some energy in the game. We are good against this kind of team but at the end of the game we were tired. It’s our sixth game in one week so we are tired but still disappointed that we lost.’
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FIH Pro League – 16 February 2022
Potchestfstroom, University of North West (RSA)
Result: Men’s Match 18
France 2, Germany 3
Player of the Match: Niklas Wellen (GER)
Umpires: Annelize Rostron (RSA), Wanri Venter (RSA), Ayden Shrives (RSA-video)
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