FIH: Dutch Ladies Notch Up One other Win As China Overcome India

The Netherlands ladies prolonged their profitable run to 9 matches this season as FIH Hockey Professional League motion moved to Rourkela, India on Monday.

Whereas america produced a robust defensive effort, they couldn’t stop the defending champions from claiming a cushty 4-0 victory.

Later within the day, China and hosts India performed out one other tightly contested encounter which the Chinese language edged 2-1.

(Ladies’s) Netherlands 4 – 0 USA

The Netherlands continued their dominance with a cushty 4-0 victory over the USA. Finally it got here all the way down to a tussle between a rampant Dutch assault and a resilient American defence. The USA had arguably the most effective alternative of a goalless first quarter, nevertheless it was their first wave penalty nook runners and the wonderful Jennifer Rizzo in objective who stored them in competition below common strain. The Dutch ultimately discovered a objective within the 16th minute, the penalty nook variation again to injector Freeke Moes handing her the best of flicks into the web. Their second objective got here within the 21st minute, Fay van der Elst pouncing on the scraps in entrance of objective when the USA couldn’t clear the ball after a double save from Rizzo. The spectacular keeper made one other double save earlier than half-time, that means the USA had been simply 2-0 down on the break.

The USA pressured a superb save from Josine Koning early within the second half, however the Dutch then intercepted a ball exterior their circle and labored it up the size of the sphere for Felice Albers to complete from an beautiful cross by Elzemiek Zandee within the 36th minute. The Netherlands then ran rampant for the remainder of the half, however the American defensive unit, with Kelsey Bing in objective, was excellent. Solely Van der Elst might discover a objective, deflecting one by Bing from shut vary to wrap up the victory. 

Fay van der Elst of the Netherlands was awarded participant of the match and stated: “I feel we had been very attacking immediately. Generally the final go wasn’t of that good a high quality however when it was, we completed it.”

(Ladies’s) China 2 – 1 India

China once more got here from behind to beat hosts India 2-1 in a near-carbon copy of the earlier match between the 2 sides. India had loads of alternative within the first quarter and it was no shock when Sangita Kumari put them forward from a deflection immediately in entrance of objective within the seventh minute. China hit again within the 14th minute by a Bingfeng Gu drag flick off a penalty nook. The Indians seemed harmful going ahead however couldn’t convert their probabilities, whereas the Chinese language defensive construction once more proved troublesome to beat. The second quarter remained goalless and the groups headed into half-time all sq. on 1-1.

China put the Indian defence below loads of strain within the third quarter, however they couldn’t discover a objective and the match went into the ultimate interval evenly poised. Gu ultimately gave China the lead with a penalty stroke within the 53rd minute and India couldn’t discover a method again. 

The participant of the match award went to China’s Bingfeng Gu who stated: “Right now we performed very positively after which we labored laborious collectively as a crew and took our alternatives.”

Prime Scorer Armband

To rejoice the gifted goal-scorers all through the season the FIH has launched the Prime Scorer Armband, which is being worn by the main goal-scorers within the males’s and girls’s competitions within the present season, as a visible mark for the followers, and for the gamers to put on proudly, match after match.

Present Prime Scorers:

Ladies – Yibbi Jansen (NED) (11 targets)

Males – Jip Janssen (NED) (4 targets)

To see the present standings within the FIH Hockey Professional League, click on right here. 

FIH Hockey Professional League – 12 February 2024

Birsa Munda Worldwide Hockey Stadium, Rourkela (IND)

Consequence: Match 17 (W)

Netherlands 4 – 0 United States

Participant of the match: Fay van der Elst (NED)

Umpires: Kristy Robertson (AUS), David Tomlinson (NZL), Aleisha Neumann (AUS-video)

Consequence: Match 18 (W)

China 2 – 1 India

Participant of the match: Bingfeng Gu (CHN)

Umpires: Zeke Newman (AUS), Martin Madden (SCO), David Tomlinson (NZL-video)