Sports Bulletin Report
Lausanne (Switzerland): An emphatic 5-1 victory over Spain for Belgium’s men ensured the FIH Hockey Pro League title fight will go down to one last thrilling showdown in Antwerp. The win means their final clash of the season, against the Netherlands on Tuesday, will determine the destination of the trophy. Belgium need a win against the Dutch to claim it while even a shoot-out loss would be enough for the Netherlands to successfully defend their title. Meanwhile, the USA women have left themselves a seemingly impossible task to avoid relegation in their final match on Wednesday after going down 5-2 to Germany. The victory meant the Germans wrapped up their campaign on 29 points – currently in fourth place but with the possibility of still being overtaken by Belgium, who have two matches remaining.
(Women’s) United States vs Germany 2-5
Germany took control from the start when a ball was lifted into the circle after deflecting off an American stick. Pauline Heinz did well to control it and beat the keeper to score the opener. Just a minute later Charlotte Stapenhorst received the ball at the top of the D and was afforded plenty of space and time to fire it into the back of the net to double that lead within the first six minutes.
The Americans played themselves back into the match towards the end of the first quarter and managed to thwart the German attack in the second period. But a German penalty corner in the third quarter resulted in US keeper Kelsey Bing making two great saves, before Lena Micheel’s third attempt finally got the better of her.
Micheel was back in action when she passed in for Jette Fleschütz to drill in Germany’s fourth. They took their foot off the pedal somewhat in the final period and the hard-working USA were finally rewarded for their efforts when Amanda Golini bulleted one in from just inside the circle. A good team effort then culminated with Danielle Grega slotting in their second. The US keeper was pulled to push for another but that only resulted in Sara Strauss claiming Germany’s fifth against the run of play.
(Men’s) Belgium vs Spain 5-1
Unlike their previous encounter, where the Belgians were 5-1 up by half-time, it was a subdued first half in Antwerp. The home side enjoyed much of the possession but only had four shots on goal to Spain’s two.
That all changed in the second half, however. Right at the start of the third quarter, Belgium began a speedy counterattack from the Spanish backline – Felix Denayer’s pinpoint pass finding Sébastien Dockier who had all the time in the world to line up his shot and power it into the back of the net.
Five minutes later, Arno van Dessel’s strike was saved by the Spanish keeper, but the ball bounced out to the top of the D where Nicolas de Kerpel pounced on it to fire in Belgium’s second. That seemed to open the floodgates. Alex Hendrickx drilled in the third off a penalty corner which took a big deflection off a Spanish defender, and less than a minute later, Victor Wegnez blasted in their fourth.
