FIH Pro League results: Kookaburras battered by World No.1 The Netherlands
Just days after being humiliated by the Kookaburras, world No.1 The Netherlands struck back with a vengeance.
World No.1 powerhouse The Netherlands has struck back with a vengeance after a shock FIH Pro League capitulation at the hands of Australia.
Stung by a 7-2 hammering at the hands of the Kookaburras two days earlier, the Dutch came out breathing fire, slamming home three goals in the first 13 minutes of play to lay the foundation for a 5-2 reversal in Eindhoven.
It was the young brigade of boom teen striker Timo Boers and 20-year-old Duco Telgenkamp who inflicted the damage on the Kookaburras with two goals each, sandwiching 23-year-old Tjep Hoedemakers’ strike.
Boers bagged the first — and last — goals of the game, both from penalty corners, opening the scoring on six minutes.
The Aussies immediately replied through the skill and precision of prolific striker Nathan Ephraums, his sixth of the campaign taking him to fifth on the Pro League goal-scorers list.
Despite Jeremy Hayward’s 25th-minute penalty corner finish and the Kookaburras’ superior circle penetrations (30-25) and shots at goal (9-8), the Oranje were always in control.
Gun midfielder Tom Craig lamented his side’s inability to capitalise on opportunity.
“It was a similar lesson to Friday but in reverse … efficiency on one side, inefficiency on the other,” Craig said.
“It goes to show how close the top seven or eight teams in the world are at the moment … an eight goal swing over the two games is a lot.
“Consistency is the main learning we will take from here. Consistency, efficiency and getting our processes right.”
The Kookaburras sit third on the table behind Great Britain and India as they head to Antwerp to test their resilience against World No.2 — and Tokyo Olympic gold medallist — Belgium in a pair of clashes that will close out their FIH Pro League campaign, the first in the early hours of Sunday morning.
HOCKEYROOS STUN WORLD NO.1 IN WILD UPSET
By Michael Randall
The Hockeyroos have anointed a new hero in their bounce back boil over shock of the world’s best, decided by a thrilling sudden death shootout.
On a hiding to nothing after a 7-2 annihilation at the hands of The Netherlands in the early hours of Friday morning, the Aussies regrouped, reloaded and then held their nerve to become the first team to take points against the Dutch in the 2022-23 FIH Pro League.
The shootout bonus point drew them level with top-of-the-table Argentina on 26 points and helped them leapfrog The Netherlands.
The Aussies looked set for more of the same when they conceded during the opening salvos of the match but the two teams traded six goals within the first 28 minutes in what promised to be a high-scoring affair.
Delightful then turned to dour as neither side could find a way to break the deadlock, triggering a decisive shootout — which belonged to substitute goalkeeper Jocelyn Bartram.
The Albury-born custodian — called on for the shootout — was a wall for the Aussies, denying four Dutch tries as successful efforts from Rosie Malone — who was already on the sheet during regulations — and Steph Kershaw ensured a 2-1 win.
Veteran prime mover Brooke Peris provided the impetus for the Hockeyroos, knocking in their first goal and having a hand in the third — popped in by teen sensation Maddison Brooks.
“I’m really proud of the girls. To bounce back like that after the first game takes real resilience and strength and I couldn’t have asked for a better performance from the team,” Peris said.
“Leading into the game, we spoke about getting our connections up, staying stronger on the ball and playing our game for as long as we can.
“It’s always exciting when the game ends in shootouts, you never know which way it’s going to go so it was great to come out on top.”
The Hockeyroos Pro League season ends with a pair of clashes — the first on Saturday — against Belgium in Antwerp.
KOOKABURRAS THRASH WORLD NO.1 IN STUNNING UPSET
By Erin Smith
The Kookaburras have executed a massive upset dethroning the world No. 1s in spectacular fashion overnight.
The Aussie men’s team, ranked sixth in the world trumped Netherlands 7-2 at Eindhoven in their FIH Pro League clash.
Netherlands have struggled to perform to their usual standard this Pro League season winning just two of their six clashes so far.
While the Aussies have five wins from their 13 games.
Kookaburras, who were bolstered by the return of five players fresh from a domestic season in Europe, were ruthless from the start.
The first goal, just 12 minutes in, went to Tom Craig, off the back of a beautiful pass from Eddie Ockenden.
Four more goals were rocketed into the backboard by the 22nd minute.
Kookaburras didn’t just attack though – they had to work hard to keep a persistent Netherlands side away from the goal.
Keeper Andrew Charter made several crucial saves before Dutch player Miles Bukkens slotted one past him just before half time.
Some exceptional work from James Collins helped the Kookaburras earn two penalty corners early in the third quarter.
On the second one Blake Govers got his stick on a deflection from the Dutch keeper, firing it back into the backboard – scoring his 130th international goal in 141 appearances.
Nathan Ephraums second goal of the match in the 49th minute was the Kookaburras final for the day.
Bukkens scored a consolation goal in the dying minutes of the game.
Craig said it was the perfect start to the Kookaburras European tour.
“It has been a difficult period for our group,” Craig said.
“We have had some guys in Europe and guys missing tours for various reasons so we wanted to focus on ourselves today and the big thing was we were really efficient in front of goal and defending the goal.
“The energy was really good. There was a good feeling out there and things were clicking well.”
Kookaburras and Netherlands will face off again early Tuesday morning (AEST).
The match will be broadcast live on Fox Sports and Kayo.
GOAL SCORERS
Netherlands 2 (Miles Bukkens 29’/53’)
Kookaburras 7 (Tom Craig 12’/17’, Lachlan Sharp 15’, Nathan Ephraums 16’/49’, Jeremy Hayward 24’, Blake Govers 35’)
Rebecca Greiner of @Hockeyroos discusses the positives from her team's performance against Netherlands in the #FIHProLeague. pic.twitter.com/nVopqtQKtI
— International Hockey Federation (@FIH_Hockey) June 9, 2023
HOCKEYROOS COP BRUTAL OLYMPICS REALITY CHECK
The Hockeyroos have been given a reality check ahead of the Paris Olympics with the No. 1 ranked Netherlands side smashing them 7-2 in the FIH Pro League.
The Netherlands were always strong favourites to win but the scoreline proves the new-look Hockeyroos still have a lot of work to do and not a lot of time in which to do it if they wish to be a contender in Paris next year.
The Australian squad underwent a big makeover following their shock 1-0 quarter-final loss to India at the Tokyo Olympics – mostly due to players hanging up their sticks.
Going into the match coach Katrina Powell knew it was going to be a “challenge”.
Netherlands have played six FIH Pro League matches this season and won every clash.
Ahead of the match-up with Australia they had conceded just two goals – Hockeyroos’ Rosie Malone added two more to their stats.
It was actually the Hockeyroos who were first to strike in the game, played at Eindhoven early on Friday morning (AEST), as Malone placed the first ball into the backboard just four minutes into the game.
Her second came half an hour later off the back off a brilliant pass from Courtney Schonell.
Netherlands were just too clinical though.
Yibbi Jansen scored a hat-trick, proving tricky to stop from penalty corners, while Frédérique Matla and Pien Dicke both scored braces.
There were some promising moments from the Hockeyroos, particularly from keeper Jocelyn Bartram who kept the hosts’ score from reaching double digits.
Malone said they had a lot to work on.
“The first quarter was good … we came out really hard and put it to them in the opening 15 minutes,” Malone said.
“There are obviously things we need to work on and the Dutch are really clinical in their penalty corner attack, but we had some great passages of play.
“The Dutch are very good at closing down the space and we probably needed to move the ball on quicker.
“Overall, it’s positive the way that we’re building and we’re not going to let that scoreline happen on Sunday.
“Our improvement will come from being really strong on the ball and moving the ball quickly in and out of the middle.”
More Coverage
The Hockeyroos and Netherlands will meet again on Sunday at 11.10pm (AEST).
The Kookaburras will take on Netherlands at 3.40am (AEST) on June 10.
The FIH Pro League matches are live on Fox Sports and Kayo.
Originally published as FIH Pro League results: Kookaburras battered by World No.1 The Netherlands
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