The top four teams in the men’s FIH Pro League all went head to head on Wednesday (19 June), with Australia triumphing against world champions Belgium and the Netherlands claiming a point against Argentina to book their ticket to the FIH Pro League Grand Final, which takes place next week in Amsterdam.
Blake Govers scored twice as the Kookaburras defeated the Red Lions 2-0 in Antwerp, a result which seals Australia’s place at the top of the standings even before they play their final ‘league’ match against the Netherlands on Saturday. At the Grand Final event, Australia will face the team that finishes the league phase in fourth position, which will be determined in the coming days.
The Netherlands came into their match against Argentina knowing a point would be enough to seal a top four finish and subsequently booked their ticket to the Grand Finals. A 2-2 draw in regular time did the job, but the bonus point that fourth placed Argentina picked up by winning the shoot-out also came with significance, leaving Los Leones needing one point from this Sunday’s meeting with Belgium to reach the Amsterdam showpiece. A loss would open the door for Great Britain, who need to beat New Zealand in their clash on Sunday and hope that the goal-difference has swung in their favour. To see the current men’s FIH Pro League standings, click here.
In the women’s competition, Belgium ended a five match losing streak be recording a 1-0 victory over FIH Pro League Grand Final qualifiers Australia, with Ambre Ballenghein’s fourth quarter penalty corner proving the difference between the two sides. The Red Panthers’ victory in Antwerp means that the lowest ranked team in the competition have sealed a remarkable double FIH Pro League success over the Hockeyroos, adding to their 2-1 win in Melbourne earlier this year. To see the current women’s FIH Pro League standings, click here.
Belgium v Australia (women and men) - Wilrijkse Plein, Antwerp (BEL)
The double-header between the national teams of Belgium and Australia began with the women’s teams taking to the field. Australia’s Hockeyroos (FIH World Ranking: 3) came into the contest on a four-match winning streak and safe in the knowledge that their place in the FIH Pro League Grand Final was already assured. However, it was Belgium’s Red Panthers (WR:13) who were arguably the better side in the first half, and certainly looked the more threatening as Hockeyroos goalkeepers Jocelyn Bartram and Rachael Lynch - the latter coming on at the start of the second quarter for her 208th international appearance, making her the highest capped Hockeyroos goalkeeper of all time - were both called into action. Belgium goalkeeper Aisling D’Hooghe made a good save to deny Savannah Fitzpatrick in the first period before Australia had a goal ruled out in the second quarter as there was no attacking touch in the scoring circle, with the teams going into half time with the scores locked at 0-0.
Australia’s Bartram made a fine save to deny Louise Versavel in the third quarter, while Renee Taylor firing wide for the Hockeyroos ahead of an entertaining final quarter that was largely dominated by the visitors but did not go their way. Australia saw two penalty corner chances go begging before Belgium scored against the run of play through their only penalty corner of the game, with Ambre Ballenghein guiding her deflection inside the right post. Rachael Lynch was removed in the final stages as Australia ramped up the pressure to eventually win a penalty corner with just 13 seconds of the match remaining, but Belgium’s defence held firm to finally end a five match losing streak whilst also sealing an impressive FIH Pro League double over a team ranked third in the world.
“I think they are a very skilful team and I don’t think we started as well as we would have hoped for”, said Australia’s Savannah Fitzpatrick. “They took their chances where we didn’t, so it is a bit disappointing to have that loss going into the Finals. I don’t think it will affect our confidence [for the FIH Pro League Grand Final], we’ll go back and look at the video to see how we can improve and move forward before our next game against the Dutch [on Sunday].”
Belgium captain and Player of the Match Barbara Nelen said: “I think we defended really well today, we fought until the end. We get the [penalty] corner, we take it and win the game so it is an amazing feeling. We had a lot of stressful moments, but we did it and it’s most important that we got the three points. I’m very proud of this team. It was really difficult, the last games, but now we have won again so it is good feeling.”
With the two highest ranked teams in the world in action, the men’s meeting between world champions Belgium (WR:1) and FIH Pro League table-toppers Australia (WR:2) was always likely to be a fascinating encounter, and so it proved to be. The visiting Australians - beaten 4-1 by Belgium in the reverse fixture in Melbourne earlier this year - applied some serious pressure on the Belgian goal in the first period, with Red Lions goalkeeper Vincent Vanasch producing two sensational stick saves from penalty corner situations to deny Kookaburras attacker Blake Govers. The hosts almost took the lead against the run of play when Tanguy Cosyns seemed certain to score from close range, only for Australia goalkeeper Andrew Charter to make a superb reaction save to keep the scores level.
Australia took the lead in the second period thanks to a well worked open play goal from Govers, who escaped his marker to score from close range after slick interchange of passes down the right between Trent Mitton and Josh Simmonds. That lead was almost doubled when Jeremy Hayward rattled the post from a penalty corner before Tim Brand forced Vanasch into another brilliant block after a mistake from Belgian defender Gauthier Boccard.
Belgium forced their opponents onto the back foot for large periods of the third quarter but could not find a way past the inspired Charter, who made some wonderful saves before Cosyns was denied was again thanks to a perfectly timed challenge from Simmonds.
A rain-affected fourth quarter saw chances at both ends before Belgium replaced Vanasch with an outfield player in a bid to salvage the contest. However, it was the Australians who capitalised when Govers tapped into an open goal after solid work from Daniel Beale and Brand, giving the Kookaburras a 2-0 away victory over the world champions.
Australia’s Joshua Simmonds, who was named Player of the Match, said: “We’ve had a big training week here, putting a lot of emphasis on this game, so it’s just reward for our effort. Big game, big night so very happy.”
Belgium’s Felix Denayer, who made his 300th appearance for the Red Lions, said: “Like always, Australia started very fast. They got one up, we got some chances to get back into the game and then we got the rain pouring out of the sky. We battled until the end, but I think it was a deserved win for them.”
Netherlands v Argentina (men) - SV Kampong, Utrecht (NED)
The rain that proved a disruptive force in the Antwerp also caused problems across the border in the Netherlands, as a heavy downpour forced the start of the men’s FIH Pro League meeting between third-placed Netherlands (WR:3) and fourth-placed Argentina (WR:4) to be delayed by over 90 minutes. That did not stop a huge crowd packing into SV Kampong for an exciting encounter that had huge implications for two teams both needing points in the race to qualify for the FIH Pro League Grand Final.
Following a scoreless opening quarter, the Netherlands opened the scoring thanks to a striker’s goal from Mirco Pruijser, who guided his first-time deflection inside the left post. It was a lead that lasted just six minutes, with Leandro Tolini scoring his third goal in two games with a superb penalty corner drag-flick into the bottom left corner of the Netherlands net.
Pruijser stuck again in the third quarter, re-establishing the Dutch lead when he fired past Argentina goalkeeper Juan Vivaldi after a perfect assist from Bjorn Kellerman. However, Los Leones were not done, and tied the match at 2-2 when Agustin Mazzilli brilliantly touched home a defence-splitting pass Argentina captain Pedro Ibarra, a goal that was confirmed after a check with the video umpire.
The 2-2 draw saw both teams take a point from the contest, something that in itself was good enough for the Netherlands to be absolutely certain of a place in the FIH Pro League Grand Final. However, the shoot-out for the bonus point went the way of Argentina, with Vivaldi making denying Jonas de Geus and Seve van Ass before Ignacio Ortiz gave the visitors what could be a hugely valuable bonus point in their own race for a top four berth.
Speaking after the match, Argentina star Lucas Vila said: “It was difficult to start after an hour waiting for the rain to stop, but I think that the team played a really good first half. We were always in the game, in the second half also. We kept it intense and we had more chances than them, so I think we deserved a bit more. It is important that we collect [as many] points as we can, and I think we need one more, but it was very good to win two points, also for our confidence, to win a shoot-out is good for the team.”
The FIH Pro League continues on Thursday 20th June as the top two teams in the women’s standings go head to head in Utrecht, with the Netherlands welcoming Argentina to SV Kampong. To see a complete list of fixtures, click here.
Keep up to date with all the latest news on the FIH Pro League via the event website and through FIH social media channels - Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
FIH Pro League - 19 June 2019
Wilrijkse Plein, Antwerp (BEL)
Result: Women’s Match 67
Belgium 1, Australia 0
Player of the Match: Barbara Nelen (BEL)
Umpires: Alison Keogh (IRL), Michelle Meister (GER) and Bruce Bale (ENG - video)
Result: Men’s Match 53
Belgium 0, Australia 2
Player of the Match: Joshua Simmonds (AUS)
Umpires: Bruce Bale (ENG), Javed Shaikh (IND) and Michelle Meister (GER - video)
SV Kampong, Utrecht (NED)
Result: Men’s Match 52
Netherlands 2, Argentina 2 (2-4 after shoot-out)
Player of the Match: Ignacio Ortiz (ARG)
Umpires: Francisco Vazquez (ESP), Ben Goentgen (GER) and Laurine Delforge (BEL - video)
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