A Tom Boon hat-trick guided Belgium’s men to a massive 6-0 win over Pakistan in front of their home crowd in Wavre, but the Belgian women lost just their second match of the season, going down to China.

Over in London, Germany’s women bounced back to beat the Hockeyroos, who have a tough road ahead of them to avoid relegation, while the Kookaburras came from behind to get the better of Argentina.

And in Rotterdam, Ireland pulled off an important 3-1 win over Spain to occupy seventh spot on the women’s table. In the other match of the evening, Germany’s men recovered from their loss to India a day earlier by beating the same side 2-1.

(Women’s) Ireland 3 – 1 Spain

Marta Segu celebrated her 150^th cap for Spain, but it was in a losing cause as Ireland bounced back from their shootout loss a day earlier to win 3-1

Ireland’s goalkeeper Elizabeth Murphy was called into action in the opening minutes to deny Spain an early breakthrough. However, the rest of the first quarter belonged largely to Ireland, who carved out several chances but couldn’t find the finishing touch to make their dominance count.

With just over 90 seconds remaining in the first half, Ireland earned the first penalty corner of the match. A scrappy sequence from the rebound saw the ball jabbed over the keeper for Emily Kealy to bundle it home and give Ireland a 1-0 lead.

The Irish doubled their lead in the 37^th minute when Niamh Carey worked her way into the circle and fired a powerful backhand strike into the bottom corner. Just three minutes later, they added a third from a penalty corner, with the ball deflecting in off the edge of Sarah McAuley’s stick.

Desperate for goals, Spain took off their keeper with 10 minutes remaining in the match, and the move looked to be paying off when Lucia Jimenez slapped one in with five minutes to play. But Ireland held on for the 3-1 win and the all-important points.

Ireland’s Emily Kealy was awarded the player of the match and said: “I think it was just hard work and dedication from the team. We had a tough two games versus the Dutch, but I think that really sharpened us and made us learn a lot from our mistakes and also work on what we did well and bring that into today.”

(Men’s) Argentina 2 – 3 Australia

Australia clawed their way back from two goals down to beat Argentina 3-2 in their second thrilling encounter in two days.

The game started with a bang as Argentina took the lead in the second minute, Tomas Domene scoring a rebound from open play. Tommy Santiago made two fine saves to retain their lead before Lautaro Domene doubled it in the 6^th minute, his drag flick deflecting high into the roof of the net off the first wave runner. The Kookaburras looked much better in the second quarter and Nathan Ephraums pulled one back following fast break-out play in the 26^th minute, receiving Ky Willott’s pass under extreme pressure and slapping a difficult shot in first time. Santiago pulled off a flurry of saves late in the half for Argentina to maintain a narrow 2-1 lead at half time.

A goalless third quarter wasn’t without intrigue as uncompromising play from both teams resulted in several heavy collisions. Australia gradually gained the upper hand, and Tom Craig levelled the scores in the 50^th minute with an exquisite injector’s deflection into the roof of the net. The Aussies surged forward repeatedly as the clock ran down, and Ephraums snatched the win in the 59^th minute, giving Santiago absolutely no chance with a close-range deflection from open play.

Nathan Ephraums was named player of the match for Australia and said: “We left a couple out there the last few days and were pretty disappointed with ourselves. To come back and rebound with that nice hard-fought win we’re super stoked.

(Women’s) Belgium 0 – 1 China

China did well to bounce back from a five-goal defeat at the hands of Belgium two days earlier to claim a 1-0 win over the same opposition on their home turf in Wavre.

It was a strong start for the Belgians, but China struck first from a penalty corner with just under six minutes remaining in the opening quarter, when Zhang Ying’s hit deflected off the goalkeeper’s pad on its way into the net. There were end-to-end passages of play which created chances at both ends, but neither side could find another breakthrough before the half-time break.

The Belgians started the third quarter with more intensity, having looked fairly flat in the first half, compared to 48 hours earlier. They earned several penalty corners, but these were well kept out by the Chinese defence, who were solid all evening.

Belgium’s best chance of the match came with just over 10 minutes remaining in the final quarter, but Michelle Struijk’s shot was flashed wide of goal. Unable to capitalise on any of their 23 circle entries, they suffered just their second loss of the season in regulation time, so denting their ambitions of catching the Netherlands at the top of the table.

China’s Tan Jinzhuang was named the player of the match and said: “I am proud of my team today. We are excited we could win today. It’s all a result of our hard work.”

(Men’s) Germany 2 – 1 India

Germany staged a late comeback to beat India 2-1 in an enthralling encounter.

The match was played at a frenetic pace, but there was nothing to split the teams in a tight first half. There were flashes of individual brilliance from India and some penetrating play from the Germans, but with both teams defending well, there were no penalty corners, no goals, and a single green card for both teams by the mid-game break.

With both teams pressing aggressively at the start of the second half, a goal was inevitable. India broke the deadlock from the first penalty corner of the match in the 38^th minute, Jugraj Singh pulling his drag flick hard and low into the backboard. India’s goalkeeper Mohith steered a penalty corner clear with a sharp glove save above his head with time up on the clock in the third quarter and the match was set for a thrilling finish.

The Germans were dominant in the final quarter, and Justus Weigand equalised with a big drag flick through the goalkeeper’s legs in the 56^th minute. The game seemed headed for a shoot-out, but Jakob Brilla clinched it for Germany with a drag flick two seconds from time.

The player of the match was awarded to Germany’s Niklas Bosserhoff, who said: “We had a below-average performance yesterday, so it was our main goal to bounce back from that. In the first half we had some really good defensive effort with getting body and stick in the way of the Indian passes and dribbling, and from there on we just wanted to work ourselves into the game, and I think we managed.”

(Women’s) Australia 1 – 5 Germany

Germany turned the tables on Australia, rallying from their two-goal defeat a day earlier with an emphatic 5-1 victory over the Hockeyroos in London.

The Germans stormed into a commanding 3-0 lead during a devastating four-minute spell in the opening quarter. They opened the scoring in the eighth minute when Jette Fleschütz calmly converted a penalty stroke into the bottom left corner.

Germany struck again almost immediately, with Johanna Hachenberg pouncing on a loose ball in the circle and flicking it home to double the advantage. Just two minutes later, another scrappy build-up ended with Felicia Wiedermann applying the finishing touch to make it 3-0.

Australia pulled one back in the second quarter when Stephanie Kershaw set up Olivia Downes to steer the ball home, briefly giving the Hockeyroos a foothold in the contest. But Germany quickly reasserted their dominance. Lisa Nolte restored the three-goal cushion in the 40^th minute, her penalty-corner strike taking a deflection off an Australian defender’s stick before flying into the roof of the net.

Nolte then grabbed her second just before the final break, again from a penalty corner, with her effort taking a touch off the goalkeeper’s stick on its way in to extend Germany’s lead to 5-1.

Germany’s Lisa Nolte received the player of the match award and said: “Honestly I’m very proud of the team because we played a very good first quarter, scoring three goals and then in the second quarter the momentum was a bit on the Australian side, but we got it back and scored a lot of goals. It was a great energy today.”

(Men’s) Belgium 6 – 0 Pakistan

Belgium logged a comfortable 6-0 win against Pakistan, who failed to take advantage of some excellent chances.

The Belgians took the lead somewhat fortuitously in the opening minute when Nicolas de Kerpel’s shot from an acute angle deflected off a defender, onto the post, and then trickled over the line after hitting the back of the goalkeeper’s glove. Nelson Onana dispossessed Pakistan outside their circle from a 16-yard hit and selflessly fed Tom Boon for their second in the 17^th minute. Boon made it 3-0 with a tap-in after some lovely passing in the circle in the 23^rd. There were multiple clear opportunities at both ends of the pitch, but Belgium remained 3-0 ahead at half-time.

Pakistan weren’t without opportunity in the first half and they showed flashes of their attacking brilliance again in the third quarter, but nothing really fell for them and their legs started to fade as time ticked on. Victor Foubert put the game out of reach with some sensational individual skill in the 41^st minute. He received the ball in the circle between two defenders, spun between them with aerial skills down his weak side and then drove the ball into the goal with a difficult upright reverse stick shot. Boon completed his hat-trick in the 46^th minute with a blistering first-time strike, and Hugo Labouchere added a drag flick in the 50^th to complete the scoring.

The player of the match was awarded to Tom Boon of Belgium who said: “I think we lost too many balls, but we coped good with their counter. We know Pakistan is a really fast team, really good in counters.”

Current Hero Top Scorers:

Women – Yibbi Jansen (NED) (10 goals)

Men – Tomas Domene (ARG) (15 goals)

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

FIH Hockey Pro League – 18 June 2026

HC Rotterdam, Rotterdam (NED)

Women

Result: Match 48 (W)

Ireland 3 – 1 Spain

Player of the match: Emily Kealy (IRE)

Umpires: Jayden Pearson (AUS), Dan Barstow (ENG), Tamara Leonard (AUS-video)

Men

Result: Match 47 (M)

Germany 2 – 1 India

Player of the match: Niklas Bosserhoff (GER)

Umpires: Juan Pedro Rodriguez (ARG), Rawi Anbananthan (MAS), Aleisha Neumann (AUS-video)

Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre, London (UK)

Men

Result: Match 46 (M)

Argentina 2 – 3 Australia

Player of the match: Nathan Ephraums (AUS)

Umpires: Paul van den Assum (NED), Lorijn de Kraker (NED), Ivona Makar (CRO-video)

Women

Result: Match 47 (W)

Australia 1 – 5 Germany

Player of the match: Lisa Nolte (GER)

Umpires: Alison Keogh (IRL), Lisette Baljon (NED), Ayden Shrives (RSA-video)

Belfius Hockey Area, Wavre (BEL)

Women

Result: Match 46 (W)

Belgium 0 – 1 China

Player of the match: Tan Jinzhuang (CHN)

Umpires: Sean Edwards (ENG), Daniel Veerman (NED), Maggie Giddens (USA-video)

Men

Result: Match 48 (M)

Belgium 6 – 0 Pakistan

Player of the match: Tom Boon (BEL)

Umpires: Lizelotte Wolter (NED), James Unkles (AUS), Daniel Veerman (NED-video)