The men’s and women’s log leaders both returned to FIH Hockey Pro League action with commanding performances as the Dutch women ran out 7-0 winners over Ireland and the Belgian men claimed a 7-1 victory over Pakistan.
With matches played across three venues across Europe, there was also a dominant 5-0 win for England’s men over Argentina in London while over in Belgium, Argentina’s women secure a 4-1 victory over China.
(Women’s) China 1 – 4 Argentina
Argentina started slowly before coming from behind in a hard fought 4-1 in over China.
It was a dream start for the Chinese as they went ahead in the opening minute, Liu Chencheng creating her own luck with brave positioning on the pads and knocking the lofted clearance in with the handle of her stick. China controlled the rest of the quarter before Argentina got on the attack in the second. They used their pace to great advantage and were rewarded from a quickly taken free hit in the 30th minute, Eugenia Trinchinetti carrying the ball rapidly upfield before feeding to Victoria Granatto in the circle for a strong bunted finish.
A busy third quarter saw Argentina take a 2-1 lead in the 38th minute, Lourdes Pisthon cleaning up loose scraps on the goal line from open play. Cristina Cosentino made a solid double save to deny China an immediate equaliser, and Liu Ping made an important glove save to keep China in the hunt.
Argentina won their first penalty corner of the match in the 46th minute and Agustina Gorzelany made no mistake with her low drag flick. Milagros Alastra wrapped up the scoring with her important first goal for Argentia in the 49th minute, firing her drag flick into the top right corner under pressure while two of her teammates were serving green card suspensions.
Lourdes Pisthon was awarded the player of the match for Argentina and said: “We started without the energy that we really need to put for this kind of game. After the 1-0 we started to play like we play, and put in the effort and the energy that we needed to win this game.”
(Women’s) Netherlands 7 – 0 Ireland
Dutch captain Renee van Laarhoven’s team made sure her 100th cap was one to remember, securing a commanding 7-0 victory over Ireland in Rotterdam.
The Netherlands raced into the lead when a turnover sparked some lovely interplay between Marijn Veen and Xan de Waard, with the latter popping in the opener in just the second minute. Veen was the provider again for the Netherlands’ second goal after receiving a superb through-ball and laying it off for Luna Fokke to tap home a minute later. With the Netherlands continuing to pile on the pressure, the home side’s third goal came when an initial shot from Frédérique Matla snuck through the Irish goalkeeper, who managed to take some of the pace off it, but Pien Dicke was on hand to steer it over the line.
The Irish defence did a better job of dealing with the pressure in the second quarter. They kept out four penalty corners in total before Yibbi Jansen finally found a way through in the 23rd minute to extend her side’s advantage, giving the Dutch a 4-0 lead at half-time.
Another excellent team effort from the Dutch was finished off with a slick pass from Joosje Burg to Dicke to fire the ball into the roof of the net for their fifth. And their sixth came from another penalty corner, with Fokke hooking the ball into the left corner of the goal. There was no letting up for the Irish defence, with a field goal from Pien Sanders notching up the home side’s seventh.
Ireland earned their first penalty corner of the match with just over five minutes to go – their first real chance in front of goal – but the opportunity was squandered by poor execution, with the Dutch controlling the rest of the match to wrap up the dominant 7-0 win.
Marijn Veen was named player of the match for the Netherlands and said: “I really enjoyed today’s game. I think we played really good as a team and had some nice team goals, so I’m really happy.”
(Men’s) England 5 – 0 Argentina
England put in a disciplined performance as they posted a resounding 5-0 win over Argentina.
There were opportunities at both ends in a hotly contested first half, with England creating well-worked circle entries and Argentina thriving from ranging breakout play. Henry Croft opened the scoring for England with a sublime 18th-minute deflection from open play, and they held their 1-0 lead heading to the half time break.
There was early action in the second half as Tomas Domene’s drag flick for Argentina was turned away on the post by James Albery. England gradually gained the ascendancy and the ever-hungry Sam Ward pounced on a loose ball in the 41st minute to tomahawk a low shot home. James Mazarello was tested repeatedly as Argentina surged forward in the final quarter before Nick Bandurak made it 3-0 with his 47th-minute drag flick. Croft put the result beyond doubt, completing his brace with a sharp shot when a loose ball fell to him in the 51st minute. Tom Sorsby added the cherry on top with his 58th-minute goal from a penalty corner rebound to him near the right post.
England’s Conor Williamson was named the player of the match and said: “It was fun, really really enjoyable. We started well, it was very very tight, and then when we went to 2-0 Maz made some really good saves to keep the game in our momentum, and then we were able to put the goals in at the end.”
(Men’s) Belgium 7 – 1 Pakistan
Belgium served up a sensational second-half performance as they completed a 7-1 win over Pakistan.
The Belgians came out strongly in the opening quarter and Nelson Onana rounded off a gorgeous piece of attacking play with a well struck goal in the 3rd minute. Pakistan did well to reset themselves and they started to show glimpses of their own incredible attacking ability towards the end of the first quarter. Belgium did dominate the stats and create more opportunity through to half time, but the closest they got to extending their 1-0 lead was a shot into the upright.
Waheed Rana equalised for Pakistan with a sensational deflection into the roof of the net from open play in the 33rd minute before Belgium assumed full control of proceedings. Thibeau Stockbroekx doubled the lead with a tap-in from open play in the 38th minute, and Alexander Hendrickx added a big drag flick in the 42nd. Four goals in the final quarter from Tobias Biekens (50), Guillaume Hellin (51) Biekens (55) and Tom Boon (55) crowned off an excellent Belgian team performance.
The player of the match was awarded to Belgium’s Guillaume Hellin who said: “I think the first half was a bit searching (for) the rhythm with team, first time in a long period we played a game together. I think the second half we really dominated, and a lot of energy, so really nice to be back with the international team.
(Women’s) England 1 – 2 Germany
Germany bagged their first win of the Pro League with a solid 2-1 win over hosts England, but some late drama made the scoreline tighter than it might have been.
The Germans had the better of the attacking options in the first half, and only an excellent stick save from Sabbie Heesh in goal for England kept the first quarter goalless. Germany did eventually take a 1-0 lead in the 26th minute, Jette Fleschütz showing brilliant individual skill to flick the ball over Heesh’s shoulder from close range.
Johanna Hachenberg doubled Germany’s lead with an excellent strike in the 34th minute, drawing a scrambling Heesh wide and timing her shot into the top of the net perfectly. Die Danas continued to control the match as England were forced to stretch themselves in an effort to chase a result. Heesh did sterling work to keep England in the hunt before she was sacrificed with four minutes remaining. Germany slipped a shot wide of the open goal to leave the door slightly ajar for England, and Tessa Howard’s 59th minute penalty corner deflection got England within striking distance. Germany held their nerve to close out the match, lifting themselves off the bottom spot on the log with the win.
Germany’s Jette Fleschütz received the player of the match award and said: “It was really important to us, also after our last games in Valencia that wasn’t that good, that’s why I’m really really happy and proud that we won today and we kept fighting.”
(Men’s) Netherlands 2 – 2 Germany (SO: 0-1)
The Netherlands came back from two goals down, but Germany still managed to hold on in a shootout for the bonus point.
The Dutch enjoyed the better of the chances in the opening quarter, but neither side could find the breakthrough. It was the Germans who finally broke the deadlock when Justus Weigand pulled the ball back to Malte Hellwig, who deftly lifted it into the top of the net for a 1-0 lead in the 25th minute.
There was plenty of end-to-end action in the second period with both keepers called into action. Dutch captain Thierry Brinkman had an excellent opportunity to level the scores, but he just couldn’t get the ball out from under his feet in time and planted it into the side netting.
The Netherlands were denied again at the start of the third quarter by a sensational stick save by German defender Johannes Große on the line from a penalty corner. But the chances were few and far between for the remainder of the period. Germany then found their second goal when Benedikt Schwarzhaupt’s drag from a penalty corner deflected off a Dutch defender to beat the keeper in the 48th minute.
The home side managed to pull one back from a Jip Janssen penalty stroke when they were a player down. And just seconds later, they fired in the equaliser when Duco Telgenkamp controlled well to make it 2-2 in the 54th minute. That made for a thrilling final six minutes, but neither side was able to find the edge, sending the match into a shootout.
The player of the match was awarded to Germany’s Teo Hinrichs who said: “I’m really proud of the boys today. We’ve had worse games against the Dutch. It’s always such a hard fight against them, but we managed to keep them in control pretty good today, didn’t receive as many counters as we usually do, so I’m pretty happy.”
Current Hero Top Scorers:
Women – Yibbi Jansen (NED) (9 goals)
Men – Tomas Domene (ARG) (12 goals)
To see the current standings in the FIH Hockey Pro League, click here.
FIH Hockey Pro League – 13 June 2026
Belfius Hockey Area, Wavre (BEL)
Women
Result: Match 37 (W)
China 1 – 4 Argentina
Player of the match: Lourdes Pisthon (ARG)
Umpires: Lizelotte Wolter (NED), Daniel Veerman (NED), James Unkles (AUS-video)
Men
Result: Match 38 (M)
Belgium 7 – 1 Pakistan
Player of the match: Guillaume Hellin (BEL)
Umpires: Sean Edwards (ENG), Ben Grant (NZL), Lizelotte Wolter (NED-video)
HC Rotterdam, Rotterdam (NED)
Women
Result: Match 39 (W)
Netherlands 7 – 0 Ireland
Player of the match: Marijn Veen (NED)
Umpires: Juan Pedro Rodriguez (ARG), Tamara Leonard (AUS), Rawi Anbananthan (MAS-video)
Men
Result: Match 39 (M)
Netherlands 2 – 2 Germany (SO: 0-1)
Player of the match: Teo Hinrichs (GER)
Umpires: Dan Barstow (ENG), Aleisha Neumann (AUS), Jayden Pearson (AUS-video)
Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre, London (UK)
Men
Result: Match 37 (M)
England 5 – 0 Argentina
Player of the match: Conor Williamson (ENG)
Umpires: Ayden Shrives (RSA), Paul van den Assum (NED), Lisette Baljon (NED-video)
Women
Result: Match 38 (W)
England 1 – 2 Germany
Player of the match: Jette Fleschütz (GER)
Umpires: Alison Keogh (IRL), Lorijn de Kraker (NED), Ivona Makar (CRO-video)