Red Panthers double up against USA

Belgium’s women claimed a maximum six points from their two meetings against USA, adding to Saturday’s 3-0 triumph with a 6-1 success against the Americans in Antwerp on Sunday.

It was Belgium’s third win from 11 FIH Hockey Pro League matches, further boosting their win percentage to 33.39. USA remain bottom of the Pro League standings.

USA made a positive start to the game and more than held their own against the hosts in an evenly contested first quarter. However, the Red Panthers took the game firmly by the scruff of the neck in the second period, with Ambre Ballenghien, Stephanie Vanden Borre and Shaunda Ikegwuonu all hitting the target to establish a 3-0 lead at half time.

Belgium exploded out of the blocks in the third quarter, scoring three goals in the opening five minutes. Ballenghien and Vanden Borre both netted their second goals of the match ahead of Lucie Breyne netting Belgium’s sixth before Linnea Gonzales scored a consolation goal for the Americans.

When asked her feelings about the score-line, Belgium’s Charlotte Englebert, who was named Player of the Match, said: It feels good because yesterday we felt we had a lack of efficiency in the circle, but now we can see that we had options to score the goals, which was way better.”

USA captain Amanda Magadan said: “It doesn’t feel great. It was out second match back in international hockey, and there are a lot of things we need to work on, like maintaining possession of the ball filling our [defensive] gaps and finding those connections. But there will come a time when we can look at the film of the game and see how we can grow from it.”

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The FIH Hockey Pro League continues on the weekend of 22-23 May, which will see Great Britain’s teams taking on USA women and Spain men in double headers at the Lee Valley Hockey & Tennis Centre in London.

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
Sunday 16 May 2021 – Antwerp (BEL)

Women
Belgium 6, USA 1 [Match 2 of 2]
Player of the Match: Charlotte Englebert (BEL)
Umpires: Michelle Meister (GER), Laurine Delforge (BEL) and Celine Martin-Schmets (BEL - video)