Germany collect first win of season with gritty victory over Dutch men

Germany claimed their first victory of the new FIH Hockey Pro League Season on Saturday, earning a hard-fought win over hosts, the Netherlands in Amsterdam.

The Germans did well to rally from a shootout loss to the Dutch in their tournament opener last weekend and a defeat at the hands of Belgium a few days later.

(Men’s) Netherlands 2 - 3 Germany

Germany were efficient with their opportunities as they emerged 3-2 winners over their Dutch hosts.

German keeper Jean-Paul Danneberg was brought into action in the second minute, getting his angles right to smother Koen Bijen’s deflection from open play. The Germans then shut down a dangerous circle entry from the Dutch in the ninth minute before winning a penalty corner of their own for Benedikt Schwarzhaupt to launch them ahead with his first senior international goal, the 150^th goal between these teams in the past 11 years. The Dutch then came close with a PC as Johannes Große made an excellent low save on the post, and the first quarter ran down with half chances at both ends of the pitch.

Gonzalo Peillat extended Germany’s lead with a low drag flick in the 17^th minute, and they went on to control possession deep into the second quarter. The Dutch created a couple of good circle entries from the scraps they were living off and came close in the 26^th minute, a first-time reverse strike clattering into the post before Danneberg saved the subsequent rebound. Floris Wortelboer then stepped up quickly to intercept a German outlet and launch a late attack, but the defence managed to scramble to retain their 2-0 lead at half-time.

The hosts upped the intensity to boss the third quarter, Danneberg keeping out a Jip Janssen drag flick before being beaten by his penalty stroke in the 37^th. The Dutch surged forward time and again as they started to dominate play, but it was Germany who took advantage of their only attack in the 43^rd minute when Thies Prinz scrambled one in to make it 3-1 heading into the final quarter.

The Dutch continued to attack through the final period and Danneberg was kept busy saving an acute deflection from Miles Bukkens before making a good double save off Thierry Brinkman and Tjep Hoedemakers. Germany nearly took the game away in the 50^th minute with Prinz striking the post and Floris Middendorp scrambling into the goal bravely to save Malte Hellwig’s rebound attempt. The Dutch recovered to threaten repeatedly as the clock ran down, but Thierry Brinkman’s 58^th-minute field goal deflection came too late as they suffered their first defeat of the tournament.

Germany’s Jean-Paul Danneberg was awarded the Player of the Match and said: “It was a tough game under tough conditions. It rained all the time and it’s very cold, but at the end, I’m very proud of my team that we managed it very well at the end.”

Current Hero Top Scorers:

Women – Vanessa Blockmans, Charlotte Englebert (3 goals)

Men –Tom Boon (BEL) (3 goals)

To see the current standings in the FIH Hockey Pro League, click here.

FIH Hockey Pro League – 7 December 2024

Wagener Stadion, Amsterdam (NED)

MEN

Result: Match 4 (M)

Netherlands 2 - 3 Germany

Player of the match: Jean-Paul Danneberg (GER)

Umpires: Dan Barstow (ENG), Ivona Makar (CRO), Bruce Bale (ENG-video)