Pro League 2024 (London)
09.06.2024
Written by; Tao MacLeod
Day 6
Germany 2 (3) – (4) 2 Australia (Women)
Great Britain 3 – 2 India (Women)
Great Britain 3 – 2 India (Men)
Australia – Germany (Men)
What Happened Today
Germany 2 (3) – (4) 2 Australia (Women)
The movement upfront for Germany looked a lot better in the first quarter than in previous matches. The lateral movements away from the opposition defenders was much improved. However the Aussies had set up with a low block, which made things hard for the Europeans to find space. Both goalkeepers were called into action in the first half, without score. In the second half the Germans continued to move the ball from side to side in order to create space. In the 36th minute a lifted ball into the circle found Kira Horn on the right hand side, about six, or seven yards from the baseline, near the rarely used penalty corner injection spot. She fired an open stick cross come shot toward the back post, whereupon Hanna Granitzki scored with a deflection. A couple of minutes later, Die Danas brought out a short corner variation, straight from the training ground. Nike Lorenz got the final touch, after a slipped pass at the top of the circle.
With a minute of the third period to go the Hockeyroos were awarded a penalty stroke. Tatum Stewart scored with a shot low to the keeper’s left, which Germany refer citing a technicality. This was rejected quite quickly and they had to spend the rest of the game without the right to appeal. A pass that flashed across the top of the German circle was picked up by Jane Claxton. With her first touch she opened up her stance, with her second she under cut the shot over a diving goalkeeper to score the equaliser and set up an exciting last few minutes. Australia then had a goal disallowed (via an umpire referral) for danger, which would have put them ahead. They kept coming forward, more like what I had expected from them in the first half. However, Germany had a few attempts themselves. The game went to a shootout, which Australia won four to three within the regulation five tries.
Great Britain 3 – 2 India (Women)
The British ladies started with a bang. A well worked team move saw another early goal scored by Scottish forward, and former Dundee Wanderer, Charlotte Watson. The Indians came back into the game, as they gained possession in higher parts of the game. Just before the first interval Lalremsiami scored a deflection at the back post to level the game. A reverse stick goal from Navneet Kaur put the Asians in the lead for the first time in the game. In the second half Team GB had a lot of possession and tried to move their opponents about. In the 41st minute they finally converted one of the several penalty corners that they had been awarded, with Grace Balsdon providing the all important low shot from the top of the circle. With less than three minutes of the match to go, Britain got themselves another short corner, with Balsdon securing herself a brace. This is how it finished.
Great Britain 3 – 2 India (Men)
Similarly to the earlier ladies match, the men started quickly. Very quickly, in fact, as Phil Roper scored with 48 seconds of the push back. Sukhjeet Singh scored a deflection at the back post in the 19th minute to level the scores. The game was combative and competitive in the first half and after an aerial pass into the circle from the British, the active umpire awarded a penalty stroke for dangerous defending by India. Zach Wallace’s attempt, however, was saved by the goalkeeper, Sreejesh.
The Indians were awarded a penalty stroke six minutes into the second half. They used their referral well, as an attacker had been pushed by a British defender inside the circle. Harmanpreet Singh duly tucked it away. Not long afterwards Jack Waller absolutely walloped an open stick shot, quite close to the baseline, to make it two goals apiece. Britain continued to turn the dial, as they created more and more chances. After picking up the ball near the penalty spot, Lee Morton spun on a sixpence and sent his shot just inside of the goalie’s left hand post, whereupon fellow Scotsman Alan Forsyth made sure the it crossed the line to retake the lead. A top notch save from Ollie Payne kept this one goal advantage intact, after he parried away close range shot with his right hand deflector pad. With five and a half minutes to go of the match India took off their goalkeeper for an extra outfield player. However, they couldn’t find a third goal and the game ended with a British victory.
Australia 2 (4) – (5) 2 Germany (Men)
The first quarter of this match was the typically tight contest that one might expect between these two teams. It was, though, the Aussies who opened the scoring with a flowing and direct passing move that started with Aran Zalewski and was finished off by Tom Craig. At the start of the second period, we had a brief stoppage to the game, as the stadium lights went out. Die Honamas came out strong in the second half and got a goal through Johannes Große in the 33rd minute. Moments later Gonzalo Peillat got himself on the scoresheet from a penalty corner. The Aussies looked to fight back coming at their opponents in a rather direct fashion. Tom Craig almost scored with a bullet after his team mate found him via a route one pass. They finally equalised through a clever short corner routine, that saw Tim Brand get a good deflection in the 44th minute. The regular match finished with the scores at two apiece, so the fans who were left in the stadium for this fourth and final fixture were treated to a penalty shootout. This itself was a tense affair, with both teams missing shuffles and a stroke each after infringements from the goalkeepers. At three a piece from five attempts we saw the tie-breaker go to sudden death. Eventually, it’s the Germans who came out on top with a six-five win and got the subsequent bonus point.
Star Player
Die Danas captain Nike Lorenz is a standout player. Today she linked up well with team mates, when going forward and was often seen at the heart of a defensive set up, as she led her team as the focal point of all that happened. She also provided a threat from short corners, where she even got on the scoresheet, against the Aussies.
Moment of the Day
It was great to see Alan Forsyth back in a Great Britain shirt today. He is a world class player that is under utilised in the GB programme. However, my favourite moment of the day came in the Germany versus Australia tie-breaker. Amy Lawton’s goal during the penalty shootout against Germany was quite nice. It was a cheeky little scoop of a shot that she lifted over the goalie to keep her side in it. It wasn’t spectacular, but showed some creativity that I enjoyed.
Goal of the Day
There had been a few good goals seen across day 6 of this mini-tournament. Jack Waller’s thunderbolt of a strike in the third quarter of the men’s game against India, was special. About five yards off of the baseline and roughly ten yards from the near post, his powerhouse effort would have taken the metaphorical barn doors off. Additionally, In a tournament very close to the start of the Olympic Games we haven’t seen many of the A-Grade short corner routines this last week. However, Australia brought out one of their more creative set pieces today that saw them equalise against Germany today. We saw a dummy shot from the second castle, whilst the first changed the angle of approach. As the ball then went towards goal Tim Brand came across the face of the German goalkeeper before deflecting the ball over the line.
My pick for the ‘Goal of the Day’ was the first that was scored in the Great Britain versus India ladies match came about after a good bit of team play. An attack down the right wing saw Tess Howard receive the ball slightly off centre high up in her opponents half. She cut inside to the left, a movement which helped her to beat a defender and then released Charlotte Watson inside the circle, on the left hand side. The Scottish forward had to take a couple of touches to avoid an encroaching Indian, but managed to find space towards the back post and forced the ball over the line.
