Amsterdam (Netherlands), Dec 9 Striker and penalty corner expert Tom Boon struck a fine hat-trick as Belgium overcame Olympic silver medallist Germany 6-3 as the first stage of the new FIH Hockey Pro League season came to an end here on Monday. The Red Lions produced a dominant second-half performance to overcome Germany to finish the stage on top of the table with eight points.
Belgium snuffed the life out of Germany with a purple patch in the fourth quarter, claiming a dominant 6-3 win, according to a report on the FIH website.
The teams had to wrestle for space in a cagey first quarter. Belgium started the better team, opening the scoring in the fifth minute from a quick free hit, the deflection off a German stick 30 yards out travelling straight to William Ghislain in front of the goal who slotted in the opener. There were a couple of circle entries at both ends before Tom Boon stretched Belgium’s lead with a well-struck field goal in the 15th minute.
Germany stepped up in the second quarter and pulled one back in the 18th minute when Thies Prinz fed a magical pass to Raphael Hartkopf who chipped the ball high into the net from close range. Germany’s Joshua Onyekwue Nnaji was the busier of the two goalkeepers in the middle of the period, combining good positional work with some excellent reflex saves. The Germans equalised in the 26th minute, passing patiently to set up Prinz for a tap-in at the left post. Play ebbed and flowed without further goals and it was locked at 2-2 by half-time.
A tight third period was played mostly in the middle third of the pitch, but there was a flurry of late activity. Boon fired Belgium ahead with a 42nd-minute penalty stroke, and Germany responded immediately with Elian Mazkour scoring a scrappy field goal.
The match was poised for an exciting finish and the Belgians delivered three quick goals to squeeze the life out of Germany. Guillaume Hellin completed a well-timed deflection for a 49th-minute field goal. Thibeau Stockbroekx then put the finishing touch to Boon’s feed a minute later, and Boon completed his second hat-trick of the tournament so far with a sublime running flick off his right foot in the 51st. He is the leading scorer in the Pro League with eight goals so far.
Belgium threatened repeatedly in the closing minutes and only an exceptional triple save from Onyekwue Nnaji denied them the goal of the tournament from four pinball touches.
Action now moves to Argentina, where matches continue from Tuesday.
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