Match Week 5 of the FIH Hockey Pro League sees Argentina’s men and women playing their first matches of the season, New Zealand’s national teams entertaining Great Britain and a mouth-watering clash between India men and reigning World and European champions Belgium in Bhubaneswar.
More information about all of this week’s double headers can be found below, with the complete match schedule available by clicking here.
Argentina v USA (W)
Where: CENARD, Buenos Aires (ARG)
When: 07 & 08 Feb 2020, both 1800 local time (GMT/UTC -3)
Summary: A Pan-American derby match between great rivals Argentina (FIH World Ranking: 3) and USA (WR:14) is a fine way to start three intense days of FIH Hockey Pro League action. The Americans suffered a crushing 9-0 defeat on home soil against the Netherlands recently, an opening match tinged with sadness following the recent death of USA National Teams Manager Larry Amar. This youthful, developing team certainly faces another stern test in Buenos Aires this weekend. Argentina have won 15 of their previous 24 meetings against USA and have not suffered defeat since a Pool B clash at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. However, the last time they faced each other on Argentinian soil was in last year’s Pro League, with USA securing a 2-2 draw in Cordoba before losing the subsequent shoot-out. In the Olympic year of 2020, Argentina’s charismatic, impassioned head coach Carlos Retegui will demand that his team hits the ground running, and with extraordinary attacking players such as Delfina Merino, Carla Rebecchi and Maria Granatto, they have the potential to score goals against any opposition.
Match pages (Head-to-heads, squads* & officials*): Match 1 | Match 2
Argentina v Spain (M)
Where: CENARD, Buenos Aires (ARG)
When: 07 & 08 Feb 2020, both 2030 local time (GMT/UTC -3)
Summary: Meetings between the men of Argentina (WR:4) and Spain (WR:9) are usually packed with excitement, passion and plenty of goals. The past eleven meetings have averaged over four goals per game, with reigning Olympic champions Argentina winning seven of those contests compared to European silver medallists Spain’s three, with one draw. Los Leones defeated the Red Sticks 3-2 in both of their Pro League meetings last season, although two test matches in Valencia (ESP) last October went the way of the Spaniards, who claimed a draw (2-2) and a win (2-1) against their higher-ranked opponents. Spain arrive in Buenos Aires still searching for their first win of the 2020 Pro League season, having taken just one point from their double-headers against both Germany and the Netherlands. Josep Romeu is Spain’s top scorer so far this season with three goals, all from penalty corners. Argentina have a penalty corner expert of their own in the shape of Jose Tolini, who recently scored five times in two test matches against Canada as he continues to shine in the absence of Gonzalo Peillat. Spain attacker Xavi Lleonart currently sits on 199 caps and could reach a double century of international appearances this weekend.
Match pages: Match 1 | Match 2
New Zealand v Great Britain (M&W)
Where: North Harbour Hockey Stadium, Auckland (NZL)
When: 08 & 09 February 2020
Men’s matches: 1700 (08 Feb) & 1500 (09 Feb) local time (GMT/UTC +13)
Summary: Two matches against top ranked Belgium did not exactly allow New Zealand’s men (WR: 8) to ease into this year’s Pro League, but despite two defeats, there were certainly some promising moments. The Red Lions were deserving winners of the first match but the Black Sticks were greatly improved in the second meeting, giving the World champions a serious run for their money but ultimately falling to another defeat at the impressive new North Harbour Hockey Stadium in Auckland. This weekend they face a Great Britain (WR:7) team that sits just one place above them in the rankings and has won all three of their meetings since a 2-2 draw in the pool phase of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, triumphing in both of their Pro League meetings last year. Danny Kerry’s team gave a terrific account of themselves in the first of their two matches against reigning Pro League champions Australia in Sydney at the weekend, drawing 4-4 (but losing the shoot-out) and scoring some wonderful goals, none better than a sensational solo effort from rising star Zach Wallace. A 5-1 defeat against the Kookaburras in the second game is unlikely to trouble a team that appears to be in a good place at this present time.
Match pages: Match 1 | Match 2
Women’s matches: 1930 (08 Feb) & 1730 (09 Feb) local time (GMT/UTC +13)
Summary: New Zealand’s women (WR:6) did not make the best of starts to their 2020 campaign, losing 2-1 against lower ranked Belgium in a match they dominated but one in which they failed to make the most of their opportunities. A real positive was an outstanding performance from Gemma McCaw, who marked her first international appearance since the Rio 2016 Olympic Games with a goal. McCaw was also excellent in the second match, although it was super striker Olivia Merry who quite rightly stole the headlines, scoring all of her team’s goals as the Black Sticks emerged 4-1 winners. Merry and McCaw will be aiming to reproduce their stellar form this weekend against Olympic champions Great Britain (WR:5), with two New Zealand victories being enough for the hosts to move ahead of the Brits in the FIH World Rankings. That is easier said than done, especially in the light of GB’s solid performances against Australia in Sydney at the weekend. A 2-1 defeat in Match 1 came with just 12 seconds remaining thanks to Grace Stewart’s last-gasp strike, with the second game being cancelled at half time due to a thunderstorm that rendered the pitch unplayable with GB leading 1-0. Great Britain head coach Mark Hager, who coached the Black Sticks women between 2010 and 2018, will feel confident that his charges can challenge the home favourites in their own back yard.
Match pages: Match 1 | Match 2
India v Belgium (M)
Where: Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar (IND)
When: 08 & 09 Feb 2020, both 1700 local time (GMT/UTC +5.30)
Summary: Belgium’s men (WR:1) return to the scene of their greatest achievement this weekend, with Bhubaneswar’s Kalinga Stadium being the venue where the Red Lions lifted the FIH World Cup in December 2018. Whilst fond memories will come flooding back for Shane McLeod’s men as soon as they arrive in the city, reliving past glories will be far from the thoughts of a team determined to dominate throughout 2020. Belgium claimed 11 points from 12 in their away trips to Australia and New Zealand, putting them top of both the Pro League standings and the FIH World Rankings. The European champions have looked utterly irresistible at times, but in India (WR:5) – who earned five points from six in their Pro League debut double header at home against the Netherlands – they face a talented and extremely capable team. India’s impressive showing against the Dutch, particularly in Match 1 where they emerged 5-2 winners, will fill them with great confidence coming into these matches, and the home fans will certainly fancy their chances of staging an upset. Two Indian victories could see Belgium lose their top spot in the rankings table and, depending on results in Argentina, push India up one place to fourth.
Match pages: Match 1 | Match 2
China v Belgium (W) – Matches on hold.
Due to the current uncertainties around the outbreak of the coronavirus in China, the International Hockey Federation (FIH), after consultation with the Hockey Associations of China and Belgium, recently decided that the upcoming FIH Hockey Pro League matches between the women’s national teams of China and Belgium, initially scheduled on 8 and 9 February in Changzhou, would not be played. More information about this can be found by clicking here.
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