07 June 2022 Lausanne, Switzerland: Belgium men continued their winning run as the FIH Hockey Pro league moves into the latter stages. It was business as usual for Tom Boon as he scored another three goals as Belgium put on a masterclass in game management against South Africa. Against China, the Belgium women put on a passing masterclass with two of their three goals splitting the normally solid China defence. Belgium vs South Africa (men) – Sportcentrum Wilrijkse Plein-Antwerp (BEL) Belgium men put paid to South Africa’s hopes of a first win in the FIH Pro League when they put on a clinical display of goalscoring and possession play to dominate proceedings in this mid-week fixture. Nicolas de Kerpel opened the scoring for Belgium when he ran onto a cross from Arthur de Sloover in the fifth minute of the game. It was another 21 minutes before the Red Lions found the net again and that was largely thanks to the heroic goalkeeping efforts of Gowan Jones and Siyavuya Nolutshungu who shared responsibilities during the match. The next goal was the first of three from Tom Boon. Clever running in the circle by the striker meant he received the ball from Tanguy Cosyns behind the line of defence and was able to tap the ball home for Belgium’s second. South Africa were unlucky when Conor Beauchamp’s penalty corner strike bounced off the post and Beauchamp came close a few minutes later when his shot just flew wide of the Belgium goal. Tom Boon’s second goal was a ripper of a penalty corner that flew into the goal after taking a touch from Nicholas Spooner. Alexander Hendrickx was next to find his way onto the scoresheet, again from a penalty corner. The fifth and final goal came from the stick of Tom Boon as he latched onto a penalty corner rebound. His shot from a slightly raised ball went into the ground and bounced past the ‘keeper, who was wrong-footed. If there were to be a criticism of the Belgium team it would be that during the match the team had 43 circle entries and 29 shots, with just five goals to show for that amount of attacking incursions. Head Coach Michael van der Heuvel may well see that as an area for improvement. Unsurprisingly Boon was Player of the Match. He said: ‘I think we didn’t start too well but we built during the game. Their goalies played very well. Our press was good and five goals was a good reward. It was good to have Alex Hendrickx and Arthur van Doren back. We are now building towards the World Cup, so it is good to have all the players back.’ Boon’s goals put him in equal second place in the FIH Pro league goal scorers table, level with Nick Bandurak of England and six behind Harmanpreet Singh of India. South Africa Head Coach Gareth Ewing said: ‘We showed a lot of intent but the third quarter put the game to bed. the guys played really well defensively. Tomorrow we have to make more of the situations when we have the ball. We need to put them under more pressure. We need to make the goalkeepers make some saves.’ The result moves Belgium to fifth with five games still to play. South Africa remain at the bottom of the table with just one game to play. Belgium vs China (women) – Sportcentrum Wilrijkse Plein-Antwerp (BEL)  Ahead of the first of two matches between Belgium and China, the new Head Coach to China Alyson Annan spoke admiringly of her team’s ‘extraordinary skills levels’ and willingness to work hard. That said, the first quarter was all about the vision and passing ability of the home side. A beautiful cross-field pass from Pauline Leclef split the China defence and Charlotte Engelbert was on hand to receive the ball, twist and turn past the defence and then place her shot neatly into the corner of Liu Ping’s goal. The second goal came from a cross-field aerial. Captain Michelle Struijk played the next ball swiftly and Alexia T’Serstevens was on hand to tap the ball into the goal. With only a couple of seconds left in the quarter, it seemed as if the China defence had momentarily switched off. The second quarter saw China with a chance to come back into the game when Gu Bingfeng stepped up to take a penalty stroke after Stephanie vanden Borre stopped the ball on the line with her body. The stroke itself was weak and Elena Sotgui in the Belgium goal had no problem saving it. There were no further goals in the first half but just 90 seconds into the third quarter and Belgium’s captain Michelle Struijk got onto the scoresheet. An initial shot was well saved by Liu Ping but the rebound fell kindly to Struijk, who made no mistake as she fired the ball home to bring the score to 3-0. A late surge by China in the fourth quarter saw the visiting side win a series of penalty corners. Eventually Zhang Ying made a penalty corner count with a well-placed shot into the corner of the goal. This was Zhang’s first senior goal. China won more penalty corners in the final minutes and it will be a concern to the China coaching team that the conversion rate – one from seven – wasn’t better. Player of the Match, Michelle Struijk (BEL) said: ‘It was an important game to win. These games are perfect preparation for the World Cup. Every game we play some good hockey but also we play some bad hockey, so it is good to look back and learn from each match. We were winning 3-0 and now we need to keep the zero and score more goals. That is a big thing for us. We need to find the way to dare to play when we are ahead.’ Alyson Annan, Head Coach to China, said: ‘After the third goal we

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Hero FIH Hockey5s Lausanne 2022 – Standings (M/W)  

After 2 days of swashbuckling Hockey5s action through 22 total games, we have our first ever winners of the Hockey5s event, with Uruguay, who won every match they played at the event, overcoming hosts Switzerland in the women’s final to become the Women’s Champions; while India who started the event as favourites in the men’s event, lived up to the billing prevailing over Poland to become the inaugural Champions in the Men’s event! Overcast conditions in Lausanne proved to be a foreshadowing of the day to come as it rained goals throughout the day with teams getting more familiar with the format of the game and the tactics best suited to prevail in it. India, the eventual champions set the tone for the day with an offensive masterclass in a 7-3 win over Malaysia and from there the barrage of goals never ceased with a total of 78 goals scored in the 10 games! Switzerland men caused the biggest upset of the day with a 7-5 win over Pakistan in a game that they trailed for most parts but kept finding ways to come back! India defeated Poland with another clinical attacking performance in the group stage match which left Pakistan to win their final match against Malaysia to seal their place in the finals. Malaysia, who had just 1 point from their first 3 games, brought their A-game into their last match and played out a thrilling 5-5 draw against Pakistan in a game where the lead swung from every couple of minutes! The draw for Pakistan meant Poland finished over them in the 2nd position with 2 wins and 2 losses, and moved to the finals against India who ended the group stage with 3 wins and a draw. On the women’s side, Uruguay won their 3rd and 4th match of the pool stage against South Africa and Poland to go 4 for 4 and finish top of the table with comfortable ease. The 2nd final’s spot was up for grabs for all the other 4 teams however. Hosts Switzerland who started the day in the 2nd place lost their opening encounter to India and had to rely on other results to make it to the finals. India and South Africa played the final pool stage game and after a thrilling 4-4 draw, it was the Swiss fairytale that continued to the final. The women’s final started off with an early goal from the home team on the back of a booming crowd that certainly believed in their team. But Uruguay showed no nerves and went about their business in the calmest of manners and within 5 minutes of going behind they had not only restored parity, but also found a second and third goal to take a comfortable 2 goal lead into the half time. Skipper Manuela Vilar found the goal twice and Teresa Viana, who finished as the Top Goal Scorer and Best Player overall, found the third. The second of the game was a clinic in game management from Uruguay as they bossed possession and killed off any hopes of a Swiss comeback to win the finals by a 3-1 margin, becoming the inaugural champions of the Hero FIH Hockey5s Lausanne 2022! If there were any doubts about the ability of the Hockey5 format to upset the pecking order, it was erased within 4 minutes of the Men’s finals, as Poland, who were the distinct underdogs, shocked India with 3 goals before India could find their feet in the game! But with 16 minutes left in the game, Indian nerves were settled by a thumping goal by Sanjay that got them going. Captain Gurinder got a second goal before the half time, that allowed India to trail by just 1 goal going into the half, and the game was anyone’s to win! India had all the momentum going into the half and they started the second half in a similar vein. Boby Singh Dhami got India the leveller in the 1st minute and that was followed by some genius from the Player of the Tournament and Top Goal Scorer Raheel Mohammed scoring 2 goals to give India a 2-goal lead. Poland got a 4th goal that could have got them a way back into the game, but once again it was Raheel Mohammed who brilliantly set up another goal for Boby Singh Dhami that effectively ended the game with just 1 minute left. Awards: Best Goalkeeper (Women): Ursina Fazis (SUI) Best Player (Women): Teresa Viana (URU) Top Scorer (Women): Teresa Viana (URU) Best Goalkeeper (Men): Lars Kleikemper (SUI) Best Player (Men): Mohammed Raheel (IND) Top Scorer (Men): Mohammed Raheel (IND) Results: Women’s Competition URU 4-2 RSA IND 4-3 SUI POL 1-2 URU IND 4-4 RSA Men’s Competition IND 7-3 MAS SUI 7-5 PAK IND 6-2 POL PAK 5-5 MAS Women’s Finals: URU 3-1 SUI Men’s Finals: IND 6-4 POL

The Hockey5s era has officially gotten underway in the Olympic Capital, Lausanne, as 10 teams took to the field on Day 1 of the Hero FIH Hockey5s Lausanne 2022, with the Lac Leman providing a serene backdrop, in contrast to the unceasing thrill of Hockey5s being played on the field right next to it! The day started off with a bang, with the Swiss men’s team scoring in the final seconds to draw 4-4 against Malaysia, after having trailed 4-1 with just 5 minutes left in the contest. The women’s team did one better, also overcoming an early deficit to win their first contest against Poland by a 3-1 scoreline. Two great results got the home crowd going early and it was a perfect precursor to the action that was to follow the rest of the day. The crowd was further entertained early as what followed was the “Grass meets Ice” exhibition match between Lausanne Hockey Club (ice hockey) players and a special FIH team! An early upset followed the exhibition match through a win by Uruguay over India in the women’s competition, but it was proof of the notion that Hockey5s make for an open contest with any team having a good chance of beating their opponent on the day. There were further upsets on the card through the day as Poland registered a thumping 5-0 win over a more fancied Malaysian men’s team, while the pre-tournament favourites, Indian eves, suffered a second consecutive loss at the hands of Poland. Pakistan and Indian men took wins in their first matches against Poland and Switzerland respectively, which set up the much-awaited clash between the two classic hockey rivals. The crowd filled in and the atmosphere was at its liveliest, and the two Asian hockey giants did not disappoint with a thrilling contest that ended in a 2-2 draw, but was not lacking in action, with Pakistan scoring an equaliser with just 30 seconds left in the game after India had taken a 2nd half lead. With the top 2 teams in each of men’s and women’s category, going straight into the finals tomorrow, the value of each point and each goal is massive for all teams. The points table in the Men’s category currently has Poland (3 games played) on top after their 2 consecutive wins against Malaysia and Switzerland, following an early loss to Pakistan. Pakistan and India sit on 2nd and 3rd positions respectively with 4 points apiece, having played 1 fewer game than Poland and Switzerland. Switzerland sit in the 4th position with 1 point from 3 games ahead of Malaysia who have 1 point from 2 games played. In the Women’s competition, Uruguay sit in the first place having registered 2 wins in 2 games, with a 4-0 win in their second contest over hosts Switzerland, who themselves sit in the 2nd place with 2 wins out of 3 beating South Africa and Poland before falling to Uruguay late in the day. South Africa are placed third after a win in the last game of the day against Poland, who are placed 4th ahead of India who are pointless after 2 defeats in 2 games. On the occasion of the first FIH Inclusion and Diversity Day, the following statement has been read out by players of the national squads during the opening ceremony. A lot more of scintillating Hockey5s action to come tomorrow as the teams will all complete their set of 4 league games, before the top two teams go ahead to play the finals! Results Hero FIH Hockey5s Lausanne 2022 (Men) (M) SUI 4-4 MAL (M) PAK 4-2 POL (M) IND 4-3 SUI (M) MAS 0-5 POL (M) PAK 2-2 IND (M) POL 3-2 SUI Hero FIH Hockey5s Lausanne 2022 (Women) (W) SUI 3-1 POL (W) IND 3-4 URU (W) RSA 1-3 SUI (W) IND 1-3 POL (W) URU 4-0 SUI (W) POL 2-5 RSA

It’s a world first that will provide a showcase for hockey and bring the sport to new audiences.  The Hero FIH Hockey5s Lausanne 2022 event is the first official senior World Hockey5s competition to be organised by FIH and it builds on the success of Hockey5s events that have been taking place across the world, including the Youth Olympic Games events in Nanjing 2014 and Buenos Aires 2018. Taking place in the centre of the Olympic Capital Lausanne on June 4-5, Hockey5s Lausanne 2022 will be two days of hockey action, fun and entertainment. The hockey action will see the men’s teams of India, Malaysia, Pakistan, Poland and Switzerland compete in a round robin style tournament, with a final between the two top teams. The women’s competition, following the same format, will see home nation Switzerland take on teams from India, Poland, South Africa and Uruguay. Spectators at the event will be able to enjoy some amazingly fast and skilful hockey action. Hockey5s is a shorter, more intense style of play. A match comprises two halves of 10 minutes and the ball is in play for 90 per cent of that time, thanks to perimeter boards that the ball can be played off. There should also be a glut of goals as players can shoot from anywhere in the attacking half.  This event, and the increasing number of Hockey5s events world wide is creating excitement among players and coaches. South African coach Tsoanelo Pholo said: ‘Hockey5s is an initiator into hockey, a developer into the full-field version. If you have a Hockey5s court in three or four places in the country, I am telling you now, we are going to have way more hockey players in developing countries.’ Swiss athlete Sae Fontana said: ‘As early adopters of Hockey5s, we want to gain a competitive advantage, to get better rapidly, as a small country. Hockey5s is a fast game which makes it intense for the players.’ There will be some superstars, both established and up and coming, showing their skills at the Place de la Navigation, near Lake Geneva.  For India men, Dilpreet Singh is an exciting young player who has already played for the national team 63 times. He and Sumit, who will also be in Lausanne, won a Bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics last year! India men will be a leading contender for the title. If Dilpreet is experienced with 63 caps, then Nabil Noor of Malaysia is a veritable veteran of the game. With 239 international appearances, the captain will look to lead his side of talented players to a first title. Pakistan men led the way in the sport throughout the 20th century and it is exciting to see what this young team can do in a new format of the game. The speed and intensity will suit the super close skills of the Pakistan team. Both Poland and Switzerland men’s teams will be looking to transfer some of the skills and tactics of the indoor game onto the court in Lausanne. Poland is a specialist when it comes to the short form of the game and Switzerland, led by Sebastian Schneider, will have the advantage of a home crowd. In the women’s section, Uruguay will be bringing some South American flair to the hockey party. They will also bring a lot of experience, with Manuela Vilar leading the way. Elisa Civetta was one of the Uruguay stars of the Junior World Cup in April and will be keen to show her goal scoring abilities.  Like their male counterparts, Switzerland will enjoy a home crowd cheering them on. They are early adopters of Hockey5s and will relish this opportunity to star on the international stage. Jade Mayne and Dirkie Chamberlain are veterans of the South African team and bring a wealth of experience. With a compelling mix of experienced and young players, the African challengers will be looking for a top of the podium finish. Poland has the most overall experienced side at the competition and will be looking to use their indoor hockey skills and tactics to make a big impact in Lausanne. The Poland U18 team finished seventh in Buenos Aires at the 2018 Youth Olympics, so will be tapping into that experience too. The fifth women’s team in Lausanne is India. Having enjoyed a silver medal performance in the Hockey5s in Buenos Aires in 2018 and a fourth place at the Tokyo Olympics 2020, India women will be determined to continue their upwards trajectory. For all information on the Hero FIH Hockey5s Lausanne 2022 event in Lausanne, click here.