Another riveting day of FIH Hockey Pro League action unfolded in both Antwerp and London on Tuesday, featuring several high-scoring encounters with 27 goals scored across the six matches.
Belgium’s women fired six goals past Spain in their clash in Antwerp, while in the corresponding men’s fixture, the Red Lions had a much tougher time of it, going down 2-1.
Meanwhile, despite a memorable victory over Belgium over the weekend – their first victory of the season – a 6-1 loss for Ireland’s men against Australia on Tuesday meant they will finish bottom of the table and face relegation from the FIH Hockey Pro League.
Over in London, Argentina’s women secured all three points against India, and there were mixed fortunes for England with the women’s side claiming an impressive win over Australia, while the men went down to the Netherlands.
(Women’s) England 1 – 0 Australia
Hockeyroos Kaitlin Nobbs and Mariah Williams both marked their 150th caps in a losing cause as England posted a rare 1-0 win over Australia, much to the delight of the young home fans who had packed the stadium in London.
England started well and bossed the first half, pressing effectively and creating plenty of good opportunities. They got the breakthrough in the 10th minute when a pass from the baseline tracked a tricky line that saw Zoe Newmann and Maddison Smith both leave it for the other player to clear. Becky Manton was perfectly placed behind them to tap it in. The hosts came close to scoring another on several occasions, but the score remained 1-0 at half time.
The third quarter was more evenly contested, although England made their task harder with two green cards. The Hockeyroos then raised their level significantly in the fourth period and nearly found an early equaliser, but sharp reflexes from goalkeeper Sabbie Heesh and desperate scrambled defence kept them out. The Aussies sustained their relentless attack to the final whistle, but England hung on for the win.
England’s Elena Rayer received the player of the match award and said: “It’s been quite a tough Pro League campaign for us so far, but we’ve been working really hard back at Bisham. We have the belief in ourselves, and it’s all starting to come together. So really proud of the girls.”
(Women’s) Argentina 4 – 1 India
Eugenia Trinchinetti earned her 200th cap for Argentina in their hard-fought 4-1 victory against India in London.
A tight first half saw opportunities at both ends of the pitch. Navneet Kaur made an impressive save off the line from an Argentinian penalty corner in the 12th minute, and the South Americans then started to gain the ascendancy in the second quarter. The opening goal came in the 29th minute as India failed to control an aerial into the circle. Maria Larsen pounced onto the ball and passed to Victoria Falasco, who slammed it home. India bounced straight back, though, when Deepika converted a drag flick with just six seconds left on the clock to make it 1-1 at the long break.
The Indians piled on the pressure to dominate the start of the third quarter, but the final touch eluded them in the circle. Cristina Cosentino was strong in goal for Las Leonas, and they managed to swing the momentum in their favour. Agustina Gorzelany then regained the lead with a 40th-minute penalty stroke, and her second penalty stroke in the 54th minute knocked the wind out of India. Gorzelany then completed her hat-trick with a drag flick five minutes later to wrap up the win.
Argentina’s Julieta Jankunas was the player of the match and said: “I love our team. I think it’s a really good team… We work hard every day and it worked perfectly in the match.”
(Women’s) Belgium 6 – 0 Spain
Spain will look back on 10 missed penalty corners and a poor three-minute spell before half time with some regret after going down by six goals to hosts Belgium in Antwerp.
Belgium were full of enterprise at the start of an exciting first quarter. They struck the post once before Alix Marien found Charlotte Englebert for a fourth-minute tap-in. The goalkeepers had some work to do from penalty corners with Belgian Elena Sotgiu making a great save from a rebound, and Spaniard Jana Martínez outdoing her with a good double save. The Red Panthers were fully in control, though, and they pressed their advantage home in the final three minutes of the half. Stephanie Vanden Borre nailed a 28th-minute penalty stroke, Justine Rasir added a difficult first-time strike down the line of an incoming pass in the 29th, and Vanden Borre completed her brace with a drag flick. The half-time whistle sounded with the hosts suddenly leading 4-0.
The third quarter was closely contested, but sharp goalkeeping at both ends kept the scores unchanged. Sotgiu made one more excellent save for Belgium before Lien Hillewaert scored from a recycled penalty corner in the 51st minute, and Noa Schreurs made a tricky tap-in from a lofted pass look easy four minutes later to complete an emphatic win.
The player of the match was awarded Justine Rasir of Belgium who said: “We showed a really strong performance today because we had really good tactics thanks to our coaches. And I think we will come back stronger tomorrow.”
(Men’s) England 2 – 3 Netherlands
The Netherlands stormed to a three-goal lead before hanging on desperately for a 3-2 win against a resurgent England in the second half.
The action was fast and furious in the first quarter, with the rampant Dutch creating plenty of opportunities. They struck in the 10th minute, firing a ball through the centre of the circle for Terrance Pieters to complete the deflection. Koen Bijen doubled the lead in the 16th, receiving the ball in space and firing off a sharp shot. Bijen then scored again in the 25th minute, another deflection from a direct ball through the red zone. England were scarcely in the game, but Zachary Wallace gave them some hope with his 29th-minute penalty stroke after a quick counterattack from their defensive penalty corner.
England found some rhythm in the third quarter and Sam Ward’s 39th-minute drag flick put them right back in contention. The English grew in confidence as time ticked away, and by the fourth quarter, they were firmly in control. The Dutch survived a barrage of circle entries and penalty corners, and only a brilliant save on the line by Jorrit Croon from a rebound shot kept them ahead until the final whistle.’
The Netherlands’ Steijn van Heijningen was named the player of the match and said: “We came out of the gates really well, so I think we did well the first half. The second half, they pushed back a little bit. But I think we kept on going, they came back a little bit, so it was a tough game, but really happy with how we did”
(Men’s) Australia 6 – 1 Ireland
Australia produced a completely dominant performance to demolish Ireland 6-1, leading the stats with 43 circle penetrations to 16.
The Australians were on fire in the opening quarter, and Jeremy Hayward opened the scoring with an incredible third-minute drag flick. The Kookaburras surged forward repeatedly, and Irish goalkeeper Luke Roleston had to make several sharp saves to deny them a second. The Green Machine hit back in the 13th minute when John McKee collected a loose ball near the p-spot and got his flick away under pressure. But Blake Govers made it 2-1 for Australia with his 20th-minute penalty stroke, and it stayed that way until half time.
The Aussies maintained a high intensity in attack, stretching the Irish defence to its limit and repeatedly testing Roleston. Cooper Burns eventually found the back of the net with a stunning piece of skill, pulling the ball strong off the baseline and flipping it in at the near post off his reverse stick. Ireland had some chances, but the ferocity of the Australian counterattacks exposed their normally solid structure. Connar Otterbach added a brilliant penalty corner deflection in the 42nd minute, and Jack Welch and Govers grabbed two more field goals to complete the scoring.
The player of the match was awarded to Jack Welch of Australia who said: “We knew Ireland were going to come out strong, and they had a good win against Belgium, so they came out hard. We struggled a bit in the first half, but then finished off nicely, put some goals away which was really good.”
(Men’s) Belgium 1 – 2 Spain
Spain showed some of their best attacking flair in an excellent 2-1 win over hosts Belgium in Antwerp, repeating the result from the last time these teams met at the Olympic Games in Paris.
The match may have been low on goals, but both teams played excellent hockey throughout. Belgium’s opener in the seventh minute was sensational. Thomas Crols controlled an incredibly difficult pass at the top of the circle and fed to Nelson Onana, who helped it into the roof of the net. José Basterra hit back for Spain in the 22nd minute, the rapid counter-attack ultimately finding him unmarked in the circle for a crisp reverse strike. Bruno Avila then added a drag flick of the highest quality three minutes later, and goalkeeper Luis Calzado made an excellent save on the stroke of half time for Spain to retain their 2-1 lead.
The Spanish enjoyed the narrowest of advantages in the second half and created some wonderful attacking opportunities with their trickery. Belgium had their moments too, testing Calzado with some high-quality shots, including a flurry of penalty corner re-awards in the 45th minute. In a last desperate throw of the dice, the hosts pulled their goalkeeper off with a little over two minutes remaining. They created some half chances, but their magic touch seemed to have abandoned them, and they couldn’t find an equaliser.
Joaquin Menini of Spain was awarded the player of the match and said: “I think when you win, you immediately get a good feeling, but probably there are things that we should do better tomorrow if we want to win again.”
Current Hero Top Scorers:
Women – Yibbi Jansen (NED) (17 goals)
Men – Tom Boon (BEL) (17 goals)
To see the current standings in the FIH Hockey Pro League, click here.
FIH Hockey Pro League – 17 June 2025
Sportcentrum Wilrijkse Plein-Antwerp, Belgium (BEL)
Women
Result: Match 53 (W)
Belgium 6 – 0 Spain
Player of the match: Justine Rasir (BEL)
Umpires: Aleisha Neumann (AUS), Lorijn De Kraker (NED), Meissner Tim (GER-video)
Men
Result: Match 54 (M)
Australia 6 – 1 Ireland
Player of the match: Jack Welch (AUS)
Umpires: Ahmed Elsayed (EGY), Harry Collinson (ENG), Paul Walker (ENG-video)
Result: Match 55 (M)
Belgium 1 – 2 Spain
Player of the match: Joaquin Menini (ESP)
Umpires: Paul Walker (ENG), Daniël Veerman (NED), Federico Silva (ARG-video)
Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre, London, United Kingdom (UK)
Women
Result: Match 51 (W)
England 1 – 0 Australia
Player of the match: Elena Rayer (ENG)
Umpires: Irene Presenqui (ARG), Kamile Mockaityte (LTU), Alison Keogh (IRL-video)
Result: Match 52 (W)
Argentina 4 – 1 India
Player of the match: Julieta Jankunas (ARG)
Umpires: Alison Keogh (IRL), Clare Barwood (WAL), Rebecca Edwards (ENG-video)
Men
Result: Match 53 (M)
England 2 – 3 Netherlands
Player of the match: Steijn van Heijningen (NED)
Umpires: Raphaël Adrien (GER), Jonathan Von Hoesslin (RSA), Gemma Calderon (ESP-video)
