Another day of FIH Pro League action delivered everything from clinical dominance to late-match drama, as momentum shifted sharply across four compelling fixtures. Heavy scoring, milestone moments and decisive fourth-quarter pushes set the tone in matches played across both the men’s and women’s competitions.
Belgium men and the Netherlands women emerged with statement victories, combining attacking precision with sustained pressure, while England, Germany and Pakistan showed flashes of quality amid challenging contests. From comeback wins to goal-filled thrillers, the day underlined the fine margins and relentless pace that define the Pro League.
(Men’s) Belgium 4 – 1 Germany
Belgium did well to bounce back from Thursday’s disappointing shootout loss against England to crush Germany 4-1.
While the Germans did string some good periods of play together, Belgium were very much the dominant force throughout the match and Alexander Hendrickx opened the scoring for them in somewhat unusual fashion in the 6th minute. He fired his drag flick low into the space vacated by a postman who had clearly lost sight of the ball behind the defensive runners. Goalkeeper Loic Van Doren made an excellent one-on-one save from Germany’s only chance of the opening quarter, and Belgium were perhaps lucky when the Germans failed to make contact with a glorious ball across the circle with no defenders nearby and the goal practically open.
Jean-Paul Danneberg did sterling work in the German goal to keep them in the fight, including an acrobatic diving glove save to his left. The pressure was relentless though and Hendrickx doubled Belgium’s lead with another drag flick in the 26th minute while Thomas Crols steered one in from close range to make it 3-0 by half time.
Belgium continued to suffocate their opponents in the second half, but the two best opportunities, for Thibeau Stockbroekx from close range and Tom Boon from the top of the circle, went wide. Boon inevitably added his name to the scoresheet in the 50th minute, making a delicate pass into the circle and then following play all the way to the far post for the tap-in. Germany created a couple of late chances and it was Malte Hellwig who blasted home in the 59th minute for their consolation goal.
Belgium’s Tom Boon was named as player of the match and said: “I think I should have scored more today, I had a lot of chances. But we played a really solid performance, we let it a little bit go the last 10 minutes with a lot of turnovers, but I think throughout the whole game we were really the better team, and it was a really good performance”
(Women’s) Belgium 2 – 1 England
Charlotte Englebert celebrated her 100th cap in style, captaining Belgium as they came from behind for a hard-fought 2-1 win over England.
The Belgians enjoyed the early ascendancy but their only real opportunity fell to Englebert, who pulled her shot wide. England got better as the first quarter progressed and Darcy Bourne fired them ahead in the 14th minute, receiving the ball in the circle and striking well on the turn. The second quarter again saw Belgium pressing hard in the opening minutes, and then England threatening as they tried to extend their 1-0 lead towards half time.
A scrappy third quarter was played mostly in the middle third of the pitch as both teams repeatedly turned over possession. The opportunities kept falling to Belgium though and Englebert found the equaliser in the 42nd minute, receiving the ball unmarked in the circle and hammering her shot home. The Red Panthers found a higher gear in the final quarter, holding possession for long periods and attacking the circle almost at will. With England defending tenaciously, the match seemed destined to end in a shootout, but Stephanie Vanden Borre held her nerve to clinch the win for Belgium with a well-taken penalty stroke barely a minute from time.
Stephanie Vanden Borre was named player of the match for the Belgians and said: “We didn’t have a good start. I think our first half was a bit of wasted time. Then they got the first goal in, and I think in the second half we started playing hockey, we started playing our game.”
(Men’s) Pakistan 3 – 7 Netherlands
A 10-goal thriller unfolded in Argentina, with the Netherlands eventually pulling clear of Pakistan in a 7–3 victory that featured a flurry of late scoring after an already action-packed contest.
The Netherlands struck decisively in the second quarter, scoring three goals in a six-minute burst to take control. A low penalty corner delivery from Timo Boers was deftly deflected at the far post by Thijs van Dam to open the scoring. Sustained individual pressure from Jorrit Croon drew defenders toward the circle before Guus Jansen worked space to fire a shot that was redirected out of the air by Thierry Brinkman for 2–0. The third goal came from slick give-and-go passing straight through the Pakistan circle. The ball eventually worked from Terrance Pieters to Jansen, who unleashed a top-shelf backhand to make it 3–0 at halftime.
Pakistan showed renewed intent in the third quarter. A penalty corner flick from Sufyan Khan beat Derk Meijer, but Croon produced a remarkable mid-air goal-line clearance to preserve the shutout. Continued pressure followed, with Hannan Shahid driving into the circle before being closed down by Meijer. Khan eventually converted a penalty corner, slipping the ball low into the corner to pull Pakistan back to 3–1. The Dutch responded just before the break, with Brinkman hammering a soaring backhand to restore a three-goal cushion at 4–1.
The goals continued to flow late. A penalty corner flick was stopped on the line by the body of Sufyan Khan, earning a penalty stroke that Boers converted for the Netherlands’ sixth. Pakistan answered through a strong midfield transition, as a driven ball across the circle found Waheed Rana, who finished low past Meijer. In the final three minutes, Croon was left unmarked in the circle and swept home on his backhand to make it 7–2, before Pakistan had the last word with a thunderous flick from Khan to round out the scoring at 7–3.
After the match Guus Jansen was named Player of the Match and said: “It was a little bit of a chaotic game even though we scored seven goals, we conceded three. We can be satisfied about the goals we score and technical play but we must improve our defence when we return tomorrow to play Argentina.”
(Women’s) Netherlands 5 – 1 Germany
Germany and the Netherlands delivered an entertaining contest, with the Dutch pulling away late to secure a convincing 5–1 victory.
Both sides traded early opportunities in a high-quality opening, but the scoreless first quarter proved short-lived. In the 20th minute, Freeke Moes made a driving run up the pitch before slipping the ball to Fay van der Elst, whose backhand found the backboards to give the Netherlands the lead.
The Dutch doubled their advantage in the 41st minute through a superbly executed penalty corner flick from Yibbi Jansen, then turned on the style in the final quarter. The standout moment came when Luna Fokke unleashed a thunderous strike from the top of the circle to make it 3–0.
Germany responded by salvaging a missed injection on a penalty corner, with captain Lisa Nolte collecting the bouncing ball, driving into the circle and sending a effort past Josine Koning to reduce the deficit. The Netherlands quickly reasserted control, forcing a high turnover to set up Marijn Veen on the rush for a fourth, before Jansen capped the scoring in the final minute with her second penalty corner flick, glove side, sealing a 5–1 win and another three points.
Netherlands’ Luna Fokke was named player of the match and said: “I think the first half was a bit tough but the second half we did better and it was a nice game. We can keep improving so we will see tomorrow and then on Sunday the last game.”
Current Hero Top Scorers:
Women – Stephanie Vanden Borre (BEL), Yibbi Jansen (NED) (3 goals)
Men – Thomas Crols (BEL), Timo Boers (NED), Thierry Brinkman (NED) (3 goals)
To see the current standings in the FIH Hockey Pro League, click here.
FIH Hockey Pro League – 12 December 2025
Sport Ireland Campus (IRE)
Men
Result: Match 7 (M)
Belgium 4 – 1 Germany
Player of the match: Tom Boon (BEL)
Umpires: Jonas van’T Hek (NED), Hyosik You (KOR), Lukasz Zwierzchowski (POL-video)
Women
Result: Match 7 (W)
Belgium 2 – 1 England
Player of the match: Stephanie Vanden Borre (BEL)
Umpires: Gemma Calderon (ESP), Lizelotte Wolter (NED), Sandra Adell (ESP-video)
Santiago del Estero Hockey Club, Argentina (ARG)
Men
Result: Match 8 (M)
Pakistan 3 – 7 Netherlands
Player of the match: Guus Jansen (NED)
Umpires: Sean Rapaport (RSA), Jonathan Altamirano (MEX), Michael Dutrieux (BEL-video)
Women
Result: Match 8 (W)
Netherlands 5 – 1 Germany
Player of the match: Luna Fokke (NED)
Umpires: Ivona Makar (CRO), Kamile Mockaityte (LTU), Jonathan von Hoesslin (RSA-video)
