Sports Bulletin

Sports NewsIsmailia, Egypt – Malaysia and Japan claimed vital victories at the FIH Hockey World Cup 2026 Qualifiers in Ismailia on Wednesday to book their tickets to the semi-finals.The Malaysians held on for a 5-4 victory over China while Japan withstood a spirited fightback from Egypt, beating them 6-3 to join England and Pakistan in the final four. Pakistan had already secured their place before extending their winning run with a 4-2 victory over Austria on Wednesday.The results of the group games mean England will play Malaysia and Pakistan will take on Japan in the semi-finals on Friday, with the winners of those matches guaranteed a ticket to the FIH Hockey World Cup this August.(Men’s) Austria 2 – 4 PakistanPakistan wrapped up the group stage with another win, beating Austria 4-2.The match pitted contrasting styles against one another, but Austria did well to keep up with top-of-the-table Pakistan in the first half. The Pakistanis did get in front early, though, after successfully defending a penalty corner and counterattacking rapidly. Ghazanfar Ali produced a pinpoint pass across the goalkeeper for a diving Afraz to add the finishing touch in the 4th minute. It was a lead that they held onto through to half-time.After failing to convert any of their previous eight penalty corners, Pakistan opted for a different variation late in the third quarter, and it paid dividends with Abu Mahmoud dragging in their second goal in the 44th minute. Austria responded at the start of the final period, Max Kelner reducing the deficit with a well-worked penalty corner variation of their own. But Pakistan stretched their lead to 3–1 in the 51st minute when Sufyan Khan’s drag flick took a deflection off the first-wave runner from yet another penalty corner. Less than a minute later, they struck again, Mahmood completing his brace with a fierce drag into the bottom left corner. Austria managed to narrow the gap once again, this time through a Max Scholz penalty stroke in the 53rd minute, but too much damage had already been done, and they were unable to claw their way back.Ghazanfar Ali was named player of the match for Pakistan and said: “Austria is very good in the structure, but we played disciplined hockey in the last quarter and we won the game.”(Men’s) Malaysia 5 – 4 ChinaMalaysia held their nerve to book their semi-final ticket with a 5-4 win over China in an entertaining encounter.The Malaysians piled on plenty of pressure from the start and were rewarded for their efforts when Fitri Saari’s drag deflected in off a defender’s stick in the 5th minute. The Chinese response was immediate, with Xu Ao feeding in for an outstanding one-handed finish from a sliding Yaqi Wang to level the scores just moments later. China then took the lead for the first time off a penalty stroke in the 16th minute, Yulai Zhao deftly lifting it into the top right corner of the net. Again, there was an immediate reply, but this time the Malaysian goal was disallowed. It wasn’t until two minutes before the half-time break that they found the equaliser when the initial deflection off a penalty corner variation was saved, but Aiman Rozemi was on hand to tap in for 2-2.A beautiful deflection into the roof of the net off a penalty corner saw Faiz Jali edging Malaysia into the lead in the 36th minute. And despite being handed a five-minute yellow card, they managed to pull further in front with a penalty stroke in the 43rd, thanks again to Fitri Saari. Great work from Rozemi along the baseline ended with him popping the ball up to Faizal Saari to tap in Malaysia’s fifth at the start of the final quarter. The Chinese then pulled one back after a lovely piece of skill from Rui Su to set up Zhao for his second in the 51st minute. And they closed the gap even further when Benhai Chen rocketed in straight down the middle from a penalty corner three minutes later. But that was where the scoring ended, sending Malaysia into the semi-finals.Malaysia’s Aiman Rozemi was named player of the match and said: “I am very happy about this game. I think we played well for the game, but we still need to focus a bit in the last quarter, because when we are leading, we always… give them the chance to come back.”(Men’s) Japan 6 – 3 EgyptIn a match of massive momentum swings, Japan’s clinical start and composed finish proved decisive in a 6–3 defeat of Egypt which featured two hat-tricks.The Japanese controlled the first quarter and opened the scoring from the first penalty corner of the match, captain Raiki Fujishima rifling a drag flick into the top right corner in the 7th minute. They doubled their advantage moments later when Koji Yamasaki’s tomahawk from the top of the circle picked out Ryosuke Shinohara in front of goal to apply a deft deflection for Japan’s second. The third arrived via a swift counterattack after Egypt failed to make their second penalty corner count, Kazumasa Matsumoto crashing the ball home in the 11th minute.A defensive lapse in the 22nd minute handed Egypt a lifeline, a loose turnover inside the Japanese circle presenting a gilt-edged chance that Ahmed Elganaini gratefully accepted. Japan were 3-1 at the half-time break.A well-worked penalty corner variation in the 33rd minute saw Egypt right back in the match, with Elganaini providing the final touch to make it 3-2. Elganaini then completed his hat-trick with a field goal moments later to pull his side level. After a long period of Egyptian dominance, Japan managed to score against the run of play when Matsumoto slapped in his second in the 40th minute. And Fujishima put the result beyond doubt when he produced a phenomenal drag in the 52nd and another in the 59th to complete his own hat-trick and seal a somewhat flattering 6-3 win.

Islamabad (Sports Desk): England and Pakistan both claimed decisive victories on the second day of the men’s FIH Hockey World Cup Qualifiers in Ismailia on Monday, so securing passage through to the semi-finals.Pakistan came from behind to beat Malaysia 5-3 before England defeated hosts Egypt 3-0. That sees them currently topping their respective groups with one more round of group matches to come on Wednesday.In the other matches of the day, Japan claimed their first points of the tournament with a comprehensive 4-0 victory over the USA, while Austria and China played to a 1-1 draw.(Men’s) Pakistan 5 – 3 MalaysiaPakistan came back from a two-goal deficit to complete a hard-fought 5-3 victory over Malaysia.The Malaysians controlled large parts of the first quarter and found the breakthrough when Muhajir Abdu Rauf managed to push the ball through the keeper’s legs in the 12th minute. With just over a minute remaining, Akhimullah Anuar rocketed another one into the roof of the net from a penalty corner to double the Malaysians’ lead. Pakistan then produced the perfect response just seconds later – Waheed Rana pulling one back with a superb deflection at the other end. The Pakistanis found the equaliser within seconds of the start of the second quarter. An excellent solo run finished with Zikriya Hayat popping the ball across goal, only for it to take a fortunate deflection off a Malaysian defender and trickle in for 2-2, which is how the score remained at half-time.After a more controlled period of play from the Malaysians, Fitri Saari put his side back in front from a penalty stroke in the 40th minute. And it was then a pivotal pass from Waheed Rana that allowed Ahmad Nadeem to tuck the ball in at the far post for Pakistan's equaliser with one second left on the clock in the third quarter. Andy Jeffrynus was struck on the head by the stick of Fayyaz Hamza, who was shown a 10-minute yellow card in the 49th minute, but Pakistan took the lead for the first time in the match from a Sufyan Khan drag directly after the incident. The Malaysians pulled off their keeper with just over five and a half minutes to play, but it immediately cost them as a Pakistan counterattack saw Muhammad Ammad firing in their fifth to wrap up the comeback win.Waheed Rana was named the player of the match and said: “It was a good team effort, and I would give credit to all my team to play such a wonderful game.”(Men’s) Austria 1 – 1 ChinaBoth Austria and China struggled to find their finishing touch in an even contest that resulted in a 1-1 draw.With both sides having lost their opening matches a day earlier, caution dominated proceedings, resulting in a largely defensive contest with few clear-cut chances and little goalmouth action in the first half. The breakthrough finally came in the 27th minute when Josef Winkler fed to Moritz Frey, who controlled well and then lifted the ball into the back of the net over the keeper’s shoulder to hand Austria a 1-0 lead, which they held at the half-time break.China came back at them at the start of the third quarter with Benhai Chen firing in from a penalty corner in the 31st minute. Adrian Fink had the chance to put the Austrians back in front with just over five minutes remaining in the third quarter, but, having done all the work in front of goal, he put his shot wide. With all to play for in the final quarter, neither side managed to dominate. While the Chinese probably shaded the overall scoring opportunities, with four penalty corners earned in the match compared with Austria’s two, ultimately the sides had to settle for a share of the points.Austrian captain Benjamin Kölbl was named the player of the match and said: “We did a really good job today. We tried to defend everything, but we were not dangerous enough in the circle.”(Men’s) Japan 4 – 0 USAJapan did well to bounce back from a five-goal loss at the hands of England a day earlier and claim a 4-0 victory over the USA.The Japanese made an early statement, capitalising on their first opportunity when the ball found an unmarked Kazumasa Matsumoto in space and he fired home for a 1–0 lead. Clear chances were scarce for the Americans, whose defence came under sustained pressure from a series of Japanese penalty corners. They held firm to limit the damage, but in the 23rd minute, a clever variation at another set piece ended with Koji Yamasaki applying the finishing touch to double the advantage. Five minutes later, Ryoma Ooka blasted in a ferocious strike from just inside the circle to make it 3–0, a commanding lead Japan carried into the half-time break.The USA managed to stem the tide in a far more evenly contested third quarter. But they struggled with their penalty corner execution, meaning the score remained at 3-0 heading into the final period. After a relatively subdued third quarter, the Japanese looked livelier in the fourth. Kosei Kawabe came close to adding a fourth goal, only to be denied by the post. But he would not be frustrated for long. In the 56th minute, he got his reward with a sharp first-time deflection that found the back of the net, to consolidate a comprehensive 4–0 victory.Japan’s Kazumasa Matsumoto was named player of the match and said: “I was very happy to score the first goal, and we were very happy to win today’s game.”(Men’s) Egypt 0 – 3 EnglandEngland controlled proceedings well as they posted a hard-fought 3-0 win over hosts Egypt.The English dominated the stats throughout, enjoying long periods of possession and plenty of territorial advantage. Goalkeeper Mohamed Gamal made a series of excellent saves in the Egyptian goal as he led a defensive masterclass under continuous pressure. England survived a couple of dangerous penalty corners before Sam Ward fired them ahead in the 27th minute, his drag flick deflecting off the first wave runner to beat the defence. Nick Bandurak made it 2-0 to England with a sizzling drag flick placed mere millimetres inside the left post.The English continued to boss the third quarter, but there wasn’t much space to move with Egypt adopting a heavily defensive position to see off the 10-minute yellow card received late in the second quarter. Gamal remained vigorous in the defence of his goal throughout the second half before Tom Sorsby finally put the result beyond any doubt in the 57th minute, cleaning up the scraps after the post-man saved the first shot from a penalty corner.England’s Nick Bandurak was named as the player of the match and said: “We really had to work hard in that final third. They got numbers behind the ball, defended well, and they made life really tough. Every shot we had we felt was contested, so credit to them and the way they approached the game, and thankfully we got over the line in the end.”

Hobart (Sports Report): Hosts Australia overpowered Pakistan 3-0 in Pro league hockey match here on Friday.Australia defeated Pakistan by three goals to nil.For Australia, Blake Govers scored two goals, while Jake added one. Pakistan remained unable to score a goal until the end of the match.Pakistan will play its fourth and final pool match against Germany on February 14 at the same venue.

Islamabad (Sports Report): Germany’s men fired in five goals from five different scorers to see off Pakistan on the second day of the Tasmanian leg of the FIH Hockey Pro League on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Australia’s women and India’s men endured difficult starts to their campaigns, both going down on home soil in Hobart and Rourkela, respectively. (Men’s) Pakistan 2 – 5 GermanyPakistan produced another gutsy performance in a rainy Hobart, but couldn’t get the better of Germany as they cruised to a 5-2 win.There was plenty of action at both ends in an entertaining opening quarter. But it was Germany who capitalised when an unmarked Christopher Ruhr received a baseline pass in acres of space and smashed home to complete a great team goal and secure a 1–0 lead in the sixth minute. Their second came early in the second quarter from a penalty corner, Tom Grambusch’s drag flick taking a deflection off a defender’s stick on its way in. Pakistan’s reply came a minute later when a crash ball into the circle was met by Muhammad Ammad, who, on the run, produced an audacious overhead deflection to make it 2-1. But Germany struck again before the break, Benedikt Schwarzhaupt converting another penalty corner in the 25th minute to send them into half-time with a 3–1 advantage.The Germans put their foot down with two goals in a clinical third quarter. Malte Hellwig’s cross ball found a deflection off a defender’s stick in the 41st minute and Raphael Hartkopf tapped in at the far post to make it 5-1 less than a minute later. Ali Raza did well to save a penalty stroke with two and a half minutes left in the period to prevent further damage. Pakistan then found late consolation in the final quarter when the impressive Sufyan Khan converted a penalty corner in the 57th minute, but it wasn't enough to stop Germany from securing a comfortable 5-2 win.(Women’s) Australia 0 – 1 ArgentinaArgentina secured their third win of the FIH Hockey Pro League season with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Australia in Hobart.After a romping 5-0 victory over Ireland a day earlier, Argentina knew taking on hosts Australia would be a much tougher prospect. And so it proved in a tight, hard-fought first half. Australia controlled much of the possession but were unable to turn that dominance into clear scoring chances. Meanwhile, Argentina’s best opportunities came from a handful of penalty corners, among the nine they earned in the match, that they could not convert.The breakthrough finally arrived in the third quarter from a cleverly worked penalty corner variation. Agustina Gorzelany, playing in her 150th match for Argentina, stepped up and unleashed a powerful, low drag into the bottom right corner, giving Argentina the 1-0 lead in a contest where goals had been hard to come by. With just under three minutes remaining, Australia pulled their goalkeeper in search of an equaliser and earned a penalty corner with a minute to play, but it was well saved as Argentina held on for the narrow win.Argentina captain Agostina Alonso was named player of the match and said: “Every game against Australia is this way. A really tough team. They play really hard, so that’s the game we expected. We [played] the game we prepared for, so I’m happy with that. A good win, a good feeling.”(Men’s) India 1 – 3 BelgiumIndia’s men opened their FIH Hockey Pro League campaign on home soil in Rourkela on Wednesday but went down 3-1 to a slick-looking Belgian outfit.Belgium created the better chances at the start, but India’s defence stood firm to keep them out in a goalless first period. The Belgians then continued to apply pressure in the second quarter and, after India conceded a tame turnover, capitalised swiftly with Nelson Onana slapping it home for a 1–0 lead in the 23rd minute. India began to piece together more convincing attacks in the closing minutes of the quarter and won a penalty corner with a minute remaining. Amit Rohidas’s initial strike hit a charging defender’s stick, but Shilanand Lakra reacted quickest to gather the loose ball and rocket it into the net, sending his side into the half-time break level.After a goalless third quarter, Thomas Crols’ deadly strike from just inside the circle finally broke the deadlock for the Belgians in the 53rd minute. By that stage they had taken a firm grip on the match and just four minutes later, an excellent bit of interplay between Crols and Arno van Dessel saw them getting the better of the Indian defence and slotting it in to wrap up a solid 3-1 win. 

Hobart (Sports News): Hosts Australia defeated Pakistan 3-2 in the FIH Pro League here on Tuesday.Australia got 2-0 lead in the first half while Green Shirts leveled the game 2-2. In the last few minutes hosts made the final scoreline 3-2. Pakistan will face Germany in their next match tomorrow at the same venue.

Islamabad (Sports News): FIH Hockey Pro League matches in Spain and China came to an end with the Belgian and Dutch women extending their unbeaten runs, thanks to confident victories over Germany and England respectively.In the men’s tournament, England and the Netherlands played to a compelling 2-2 draw before the English secured what could be an important extra point in the resulting shootout.(Men’s) England 2 – 2 Netherlands (SO: 3 – 1)England came very close to an outright win in their 2-2 draw against the Netherlands, and produced an outstanding performance to clinch the shootout for a bonus point.Both teams had real chances in the opening five minutes. And it was Zack Wallace who opened the scoring for England in the 8th minute, dispossessing the Dutch from the centre point and driving all the way to the top of the circle, wrongfooting two scrambling defenders and slamming his shot home. Samuel Hooper doubled the lead from a penalty corner two minutes later, keeping his cool when the stop bounced high and timing his strike beautifully as the ball came back down. The Dutch pulled one back in the 22nd minute when striker Tijmen Reyenga backed off the miss-trap quickly to receive a pass and slapped in low at the far post. Play opened up towards the end of the second quarter with a couple of half chances at both ends, and England went into the break with a narrow 2-1 lead.The English dictated the pace of the third quarter well, controlling possession and frustrating their opponents. An excellent penalty corner stick save by Visser kept the Dutch in touch, and they started to gain momentum as the clock ticked down. By the final quarter the Dutch were applying intense pressure, and Miles Bukkens equalised from the penalty spot in the 57th minute after a review showed a defender taking a striker down in the circle. The Dutch nearly snatched the win with a late penalty corner, but Thomas Sorsby made a high-quality save on the post to send the match to a shootout where England prevailed.(Women’s) Germany 1 – 3 BelgiumBelgium extended their unbeaten march at the top of the table with a fighting 3-1 win over Germany.Marien Delphine gave Belgium the perfect start with her 4th-minute opener, driving hard along the baseline to deliver a pass across the goal and then scrambling the ball over the line when the defence failed to clear. The Germans looked more productive though and Katharin Haid levelled the scores in the 20th minute, somewhat fortuitously from messy play with the ball deflecting horribly off a defender’s stick. Both teams looked a bit frantic as the match progressed and they went to their half-time talks with the score locked on 1-1.Belgium reclaimed the lead in the 34th minute when Louise Dewaet showed tremendous grit to carry the ball into the circle before finding the gap at the near post. The Belgians found another gear after the goal and went on to control the rest of the match. They created plenty of opportunities before extending their lead, Ambre Ballenghien dispossessing the sweeper on the 23-yard line for Dewaet to complete her brace from the top of the circle. A good double save by Mali Wichmann kept Germany in the hunt, but a failed penalty corner attempt with three minutes remaining ended their slim hopes of a fightback.(Women’s) England 0 – 3 NetherlandsThe Netherlands looked solid in their 3-0 win, and the winning margin could have been much higher but for an outstanding performance from Sabbie Heesh in England’s goal.The Dutch assumed full control of proceedings from the push back and practically set up camp in English territory for the opening half. The leading goalscorers in the women’s section both grabbed goals in the opening quarter, Yibbi Jansen firing them ahead with her 3rd-minute drag flick, and Frédérique Matla adding one of her own in the 9th. There were plenty more chances in the second quarter, the best falling to Jansen who struck the post with a drag flick, and Joosje Burg who was shut down by Heesh scrambling desperately off her line during open play. Jansen added a drag flick in the 28th for a 3-0 lead at half time.England enjoyed a positive spell of sustained attack at the start of the third quarter, but they came away empty handed. The Dutch then resumed control and applied most of the pressure through to the final whistle, but there were no further goals in the match with Heesh leading a monumental defensive effort.

Lausanne (PR): The FIH Hockey Pro League returns in February with an action-packed series of matches across Asia, Europe and Oceania, as the world’s best men’s and women’s teams continue their quest for points in the race to grab the trophy and the first available spots at the Hockey tournament in the LA28 Olympic Games. From 5–25 February 2026, five stages will be played across three continents, offering a compelling mix of traditional powerhouses and ambitious challengers, promising high-intensity hockey and a true test of consistency midway through the season.Yunfu, China: Women’s Pro League action opens the month (5–10 February)The February window in the women’s competition begins in China, where the hosts welcome England and Netherlands for a series of matches that will set the tone for the rest of the month.Netherlands will arrive with their customary depth and attacking flair, having started the season with 3 wins in 3 matches in Argentina, earlier in December 2025. Meanwhile England will be looking for better results in the China stage, after collecting 4 points from their opening 4 matches in Ireland. For China, home advantage provides a crucial opportunity to measure progress against two strong sides as they begin their 2025-26 campaign. Their home performance was very strong in the previous season and they will want to continue giving their supporters a lot to cheer for as they begin their new campaign. Valencia, Spain: Double-header delight in Europe (5–10 February)Simultaneously, Spain will become a hive of European hockey showdowns, hosting both women’s and men’s fixtures.In the women’s competition, Spain face Belgium and Germany in a demanding series. Belgium have made a stellar start to the new season of the competition, winning all 4 of their matches in Ireland, earlier in December 2025, as they find themselves at the top of the women’s standings. Germany will look to improve on their start to the season after picking up a solitary point in the Argentina stage during December 2025. Hosts Spain, who had a terrific first season in the 2024-25 edition of the competition, after earning promotion via the FIH Hockey Nations Cup, will be eager to capitalise on their momentum and familiar conditions with strong home support to get their new campaign off to a bright start. The men’s competition in Valencia sees the hosts joined by England and Netherlands. With all three teams playing a brand of attacking and fast-paced hockey fans can expect tightly contested matches and minimal margins. Netherlands’ are the reigning FIH Hockey Pro League champions, but the margins are razor thin at the top and all three teams will fancy their chances at taking crucial points in the Valencia stage, with an Olympic spot up for grabs!Hobart, Australia and Rourkela, India take centre stage mid-month (10–15 February)From 10–15 February, the FIH Hockey Pro League splits across two continents, with women’s and men’s action unfolding in Australia and India.In Australia, the women’s teams from Australia, Argentina and Ireland go head-to-head. The hosts will play their first matches of the season, with Ireland and Argentina already having played a set of 4 matches at their respective home stages in December 2025. Ireland will aim to continue building their Pro League credentials, with opportunities to challenge established sides and gain invaluable experience at the highest level. Meanwhile Argentina will hope to climb the league standings with an eye for the top step on the podium that has eluded them since their first title in the 2021-22 season. Australia also hosts men’s matches featuring Australia, Germany and Pakistan. This trio guarantees excitement, blending Germany’s structured efficiency with Pakistan’s flair and unpredictability, all against an Australian side renowned for pace, physicality and home dominance.Meanwhile in India, the men’s competition will feature India, Argentina and Belgium. Playing on home soil, India will be keen to harness passionate support as they face two teams with proven Pro League pedigree. Argentina currently lead the league with 11 points from their first four matches, which were played in Santiago del Estero in December 2025. Belgium slot in right behind them with 10 points from their opening four games. With both teams starting strong, the onus will be on the hosts to make a bright start to their campaign at the expense of two teams in red hot form! Australia closes the month in style (20–25 February)The February matches will conclude back in Hobart, Australia from 20–25 February, once again showcasing both women’s and men’s competitions. In the women’s matches, Australia will welcome China and Spain, while the men’s fixtures will see Australia joined by India and Spain. The importance of the closing February stage will be magnified further as all teams will have played their first set of matches earlier in the month. Their performances in the previous stages will dictate the direction and risk appetite of each team in Hobart to close out the first half of the FIH Hockey Pro League 2025-26 season. A pivotal month in the Pro League seasonFebruary’s matches represent a crucial phase of the FIH Hockey Pro League, with teams balancing performance, squad rotation and travel demands across multiple continents. As rivalries intensify and the standings begin to take clearer shape, every goal, save and tackle could prove decisive.With world-class hockey on display from China to Spain, India and Australia, February promises to be a defining chapter in the FIH Hockey Pro League 2025-26 season – one that fans around the globe will not want to miss.

Green Shirts face humiliating defeat by 1-5 in last game of tourIslamabad (Sports News): The Irish leg of the FIH Hockey Pro League came to a close with tightly contested battles. England and Belgium renewed their rivalry in the men’s competition, while England’s women edged hosts Ireland in a hard-fought encounter played in front of a passionate home crowd.In Argentina, Los Leones delivered a dominant display against Pakistan to underline their growing confidence this season, while the women’s meeting between Argentina and the Netherlands was ultimately decided by the weather, with safety concerns forcing the cancellation of the final match of the series. (Men’s) England 2 – 3 BelgiumA 3–2 win for Belgium over England avenged their earlier penalty shootout loss to the same opponents, in a match where Victor Wegnez celebrated his 200th cap.Belgium enjoyed significant possession and territorial advantage in the opening quarter with Thomas Crols pulling a half chance shot wide and Thibeau Stockbroekx seeing his deflection gloved away brilliantly by Oliver Payne. However, England took the lead from a rare attack in the 10th minute when Nicholas Parks reacted quickest to a blocked shot and slammed the loose ball home. They had another good chance on the hooter but pushed the shot wide. The Belgians kept applying pressure through the second quarter and it finally paid off with drag flicks from Alexander Hendrickx and Tom Boon edging them 2-1 ahead by half time.Will Calnan levelled the score for England with a 34th-minute tap-in, the ball floating to him in open space near the left post after Loic van Doren had saved the first shot. Six minutes later, Boon received a long pass through the centre of the pitch and Payne did very well to come off his line and stop the first shot. But the ball dropped straight back to Boon, who looped it neatly over Payne’s head to restore Belgium’s lead. They then controlled the final quarter with most of the play happening in the middle third of the pitch, and the English had to pull off their goalkeeper to chase a result. They gave themselves a chance from a penalty corner with just seven seconds left on the clock, but the shot went wide to wrap up the Irish leg of the men’s competitionThe player of the match was awarded to Belgium’s Tom Boon, who said: “We really came out here to win. England gave us a pretty hard time. The battle was from a high level, especially physically, but at the end we managed to win. I think it was important for us to end this year on a really good note.”(Men’s) Argentina 5 – 1 PakistanArgentina delivered a commanding 5–1 win over Pakistan, combining penalty-corner efficiency with sharp aerial play to take control early and never look back.Nicolas della Torre opened the scoring with a powerful penalty corner drag flick that deflected in off Pakistan defender Mohammad Abdullah. Los Leones looked in fine form from the outset, controlling the game through midfield and repeatedly stretching Pakistan’s defensive line with long aerials. One such aerial was brought down by Joaquín Toscani, who beat his defender before sending a bouncing ball through the circle for Bautista Capurro to deflect past goalkeeper Muneeb Ur-Rehman, giving Argentina a 2–0 lead after the opening quarter.Maico Casella played a key role in Argentina’s third goal. After delivering the initial ball into the circle to create pressure, Pakistan turned possession over while trying to clear. Casella was the next recipient, found space and delivered a superb pass across goal, allowing Capurro to tap in his second of the match.Pakistan started the third quarter with renewed intent, sparked by a fine individual effort from Waheed Ashraf Rana. Rana drove through the Argentine circle and, found room in his back space before smashing a shot high in to the mesh to reduce the deficit. Argentina responded with their fourth when Tadeo Marcucci sent a precision pass to spring Tomas Domene. Domene’s backhand effort forced a rebound, which Tobias Martins reacted to quickly and finished neatly. Domene then capped a strong performance by earning and converting a penalty corner with a low drag flick to make it 5–1. A scoreless final quarter followed as Argentina comfortably saw out the match and celebrated a convincing three points.After the match, Argentina’s Tomas Domene was named Player of the Match for the second night in a row. He said: “It was a really important win because if we know if we can play easy and connect as a team we will get some chances. Today we showed that and so we are happy with the result tonight and this week. We are happy with where the team is at as we build towards the World Cup.”

Sports Bulletin ReportLausanne (Switzerland): The International Hockey Federation (FIH) can confirm that the Pakistan men’s hockey team, nicknamed the Green Shirts, have accepted the invitation to participate in the upcoming 2025-26 season of the FIH Hockey Pro League. Pakistan were promoted through the FIH Hockey Nations Cup played in Malaysia earlier this year. Whilst New Zealand won that event against Pakistan in the final, Hockey New Zealand later indicated that the Black Sticks would not proceed with the invitation to join Pro League this time. Therefore, as stipulated in the regulations, FIH extended the invitation to the runners-up, namely Pakistan, who have confirmed their participation. FIH President Tayyab Ikram said: “Great to see Pakistan back in elite competition – this is a truly impactful milestone for world hockey. Their return marks not only the comeback of a team with such a rich and storied history, but also an exciting boost to the visibility and reach of the FIH Hockey Pro League. I can already anticipate an enhanced visibility of the Pro League with Pakistan’s participation. Congratulations to the Pakistan men’s team for qualifying through the FIH Hockey Nations Cup and earning their place in the ‘League of the Best’ for the very first time. This achievement is a strong example of how creating more opportunities at every level of our sport fosters growth and provides a natural pathway to the very top.”Pakistan will join Argentina, Australia, Belgium, England, Germany, India, Netherlands, and Spain in the upcoming men’s season of the FIH Hockey Pro League – the seventh edition of the competition. They will replace Ireland who were relegated at the end of the previous season, following their ninth place finish in the league. The FIH welcomes Pakistan to the ‘League of the Best’ and looks forward to their competitive presence enabling further historic matches and continuing the diversity of the League.

Lausanne (Switzerland): The International Hockey Federation (FIH) can confirm that the “Green Army” Ireland’s national hockey team nickname – will join the FIH Hockey Pro League for the 2025-26 season. It will be the first time that the finalists of the 2018 FIH Hockey Women’s World Cup will join the “League of the Best”.Ireland was promoted through the FIH Hockey Nations Cup played in Chile earlier this year. Whilst New Zealand won that event against Ireland in the final, Hockey New Zealand later indicated that the Black Sticks would not proceed with the invitation to join Pro League this time. Therefore, as stipulated in the regulations, FIH extended the invitation to the runners-up, namely Ireland, who have confirmed their participation.FIH President Tayyab Ikram said: “Congratulations to the Ireland Women team for joining the next season of the FIH Hockey Pro League! It’s wonderful to see a new team participating in the ‘League of the Best’. Qualifying through the FIH Hockey Nations Cup confirms how much the latter is a great springboard to join hockey’s elite.”Speaking after the announcement, Irelad Wnomen’s Head Coach Gareth said Grundie: “I am delighted that we have been given the opportunity to participate in the FIH Pro League 2025/26 Season 7. It’s a testament to the quality of play this team has achieved to date and is an excellent and invaluable opportunity for further improvement. It comes at an ideal time for us as a programme also, pitting us against the World’s best teams as we go in search of qualification for the 2026 FIH World Cup in the Netherlands and Belgium.”Finishing the 2024-25 Women’s Pro League season in the last place of the rankings, India is relegated to the FIH Hockey Nations Cup.On the men’s side, following the Black Sticks victory at the recent Nations Cup in Malaysia, FIH has extended an invitation to Hockey New Zealand for their men’s team to join Pro League again next season. Since New Zealand’s hockey governing body is currently undertaking a thorough analysis and decision-making process in this regard, FIH has approved their request for an extension of the deadline to confirm or decline their participation until 21 July.Should New Zealand eventually decide to not participate, the runners-up of the Men’s Nations Cup, namely Pakistan, would have the opportunity to consider joining the 2025-26 FIH Hockey Pro League season.