Rourkela (Odisha), Feb 13 (IANS) A strong second-half performance saw Belgium men safely sail past Argentina in a thrilling encounter in the Men’s FIH Hockey Pro League at the Birsa Munda Stadium in Rourkela on Friday. Earlier in the day, Australia’s men had no trouble in overcoming Pakistan to extend their unbeaten run in Hobart, while Argentina’s women were made to work hard for their victory over an ever-improving Ireland.
In Rourkela, Arthur de Sloover celebrated his 200th appearance for Belgium in an exciting 5-2 win over Argentina in a match that was pegged at 2-2 with 11 minutes remaining.
A goalless opening quarter was played mostly between the 23-yard lines as both teams adopted a cautious approach, sitting back in their press and defending solidly. There were flashes of danger from both sides, and Argentina came very close to opening the scoring when a ball across the circle deflected into the goal off a defender. Replays suggested the initial pass came from just inside the circle, but Argentina chose not to refer it.
They edged ahead in the 19th minute, Tomas Domene extending his lead at the top of the goalscorer’s table with another sizzling drag flick. Belgium then found themselves under tremendous pressure as they defended a series of five consecutive penalty corners before De Sloover cleared their lines. He made an excellent save on the post to end the danger, with one of the defenders observing from the halfway line for breaking early. Argentina went to halftime leading 1-0.
The Argentinians had a penalty corner opportunity to extend their lead at the beginning of the third quarter, but goalkeeper Simon Vandenbroucke produced a good save to keep the Belgians in the hunt. Belgium then stepped up to dominate the third quarter, missing a penalty corner chance before De Sloover found the equaliser from open play, firing a tomahawk into the roof of the net in the 36th minute.
Tobias Biekens added a field goal three minutes later, receiving a quick pass from Roman Duvekot before Argentina could regroup after turning over possession in their red zone. Argentina then levelled the scores in the 45th minute, a speculative pass bouncing into the circle off a defender’s stick for Matias Rey to smash it in. Alexander Hendrickx provided the spark for the Belgians in the final period, finding the target with two devastating drag flicks in the 49th and 54th minutes.
Duvekot put the result beyond any doubt in the 55th minute with a sharply taken flick under pressure. Argentina created a couple of chances in the closing minutes, but they simply couldn’t close the gap.
Australia thrash Pakistan 3-0
Australia’s men made it three wins from three at their home leg of the FIH Hockey Pro League with a 3-0 victory over Pakistan in Hobart.
With the Australians controlling the tempo and asking constant questions, the deadlock was broken in the 14th minute. Blake Govers gathered possession on the edge of the circle, slipped along the baseline, and fired a probing ball across the face of the goal that deflected off a defender and into the net. Pakistan created a few exciting chances of their own, but with much of the attacking pressure coming from the Kookaburras, goalkeeper Ali Raza did well to keep the deficit to just one goal by the half-time break.
The high tempo continued in the third quarter. Govers completed his brace when Australia were awarded a penalty stroke in the 34th minute, planting the ball into the bottom left corner for the 2-0 lead. A great driving run from Nathan Czinner, then he saw him threading the ball through to Jack Welch to pop it in for the 3-0 lead in the 42nd minute. The hosts saw out the closing stages comfortably to secure a clinical win and maintain their perfect record in Hobart.
Argentina Women overcome Ireland
Having beaten the same opposition 5-0 in their previous encounter a few days earlier, Argentina had to come from behind to defeat a much-improved Ireland 2-1 in Hobart.
Ireland came out firing with several shots on goal at the start of the match and were rewarded as early as the second minute when Michelle Carey deftly deflected home a penalty-corner drag to make it 1–0. Argentina didn’t hit back until the 15th minute, a slick one-touch pass setting up María Granatto with time and space to control the ball before hammering a reverse-stick shot into the net for the equaliser.
There was some late danger for Ireland with Argentina earning a penalty corner with 17 seconds left on the clock in the second quarter, but the Irish held them off to remain on level terms at the break.
Agustina Gorzelany’s trademark drag-flick in the 37th minute edged Las Leonas ahead for the first time in the match. Argentina kept up the pressure and fashioned several more opportunities in the third quarter, but went into the final break without adding to their tally. Ireland’s attacking threat faded in the final period. They pulled off their keeper with just under two minutes to play, but to no avail as Argentina controlled proceedings to wrap up the 2-1 win.
–IANS
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