Brussels (BEL): Great Britain’s women claimed two points from a possible three while Belgium’s men earned a narrow victory over GB men as the FIH Hockey Pro League continued on Saturday (31 October) in Brussels, Belgium.
The Belgium and Great Britain women’s teams were the first to take to the field at the Royal Uccle Sports Complex, with the visitors deservingly taking a 1-0 lead in the 11th minute before a penalty stroke from Tiphaine Duquesne restored parity just before half time. The Red Panthers were arguably the better team in the third and fourth quarters, but could find no way past GB goalkeeper Sabbie Heesh, who produced a string of excellent saves to seal a draw and trigger a shoot-out for the bonus point.
Heesh continued her fine form in the one-on-ones, being beaten only once to earn a 3-1 shoot-out victory to move sixth placed GB one point clear of seventh placed Belgians in the league standings.
"I think we are probably a little bit disappointed that we came away with a draw”, said GB captain Laura Unsworth. “I think we had a really strong start; we came out really hard and actually we should probably have killed the game in the first quarter as we had some really good chances to make it two or three-nil. It's great that we got the bonus point, which is a step up from the other day when we played the Dutch, but I think that is our overall feeling."
Belgium's Alix Gerniers, who was named Player of the Match, said: "I think we can be happy about the performance. It is a new team, for us it is a new chapter. I think we played well. We tried some new things, and it went quite okay I think."
More information about this match can be found by clicking here.
The men’s match was a clash between the top and bottom placed teams in the FIH Hockey Pro League, although that was certainly not evident as the high-flying Belgians were given a real game by Danny Kerry’s GB. Alexander Hendrickx put the Red Lions ahead with a powerful penalty corner drag-flick in the 27th minute, but GB’s Phil Roper needed just three minutes to restore parity, despatching a penalty corner of his own on the stroke of half time.
A clinical open play finish from Tom Boon re-established Belgium’s lead, but again GB hit back, with Jack Waller netting his first international goal after a neat exchange of passes from Alan Forsyth and James Gall.
The winning goal arrived with less than two minutes of the match remaining, as veteran campaigner John-John Dohmen marked his 396th international with a close-range finish, leaving GB to rue a host of missed penalty corner opportunities throughout the contest.
"I think it was a difficult game”, said Belgium’s Victor Wegnez, who produced another energetic midfield display to be named Player of the Match. “GB studied us really good and they got some easy out in our press and managed to play very well in their press. I think it was a really tough game. At the end we are just happy to win because I think we didn't play at our best."
When asked what the difference was today between the two sides, Great Britain's Tom Sorsby said: "Really small margins, I think. We showed that we can play out there with one of the best teams in the world right now, and those fine details towards the end of the game are the things that are going to turn it. I think we did really well to compete with those guys today, to show that we are at that level. It's just the small margins towards the ends of the games."
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 FIH Hockey Pro League continues in Brussels on Sunday 1 November, with the national teams of Belgium and Great Britain facing each other for the second time in two days at Royal Uccle.
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 Twitter.
FIH Hockey Pro League
Saturday 31 October 2020 – Brussels (BEL)
Women’s result: Belgium 1, Great Britain 1 [1-3 After shoot-out] (Match 1 of 2)
Player of the Match: Alix Gerniers (BEL)
Umpires: Jonas van ‘t Hek (NED), Celine Martin-Schmets (BEL) and Laurine Delforge (BEL – video)
Men’s result: Belgium 3, Great Britain 2 (Match 1 of 2)
Player of the Match: Victor Wegnez (BEL)
Umpires: Laurine Delforge (BEL), Coen van Bunge (NED) and Jonas van ‘t Hek (NED – video)
Image Copyright: Royal Belgian Hockey Federation
#FIHProLeague
#HockeyInvites
#PlayHockeyStayHealthy
