ISLAMABAD, Jun 29 (APP): The final mini-tournament of the FIH Hockey Pro League 2022/23 season would get underway from Friday (June 30), in Antwerp, Belgium with massive stakes in championship and relegation battles in the men’s and women’s competition respectively.
In the men’s competition, New Zealand have already been relegated, having taken 3 points from their 16 matches, but the hunt for the title is still on. Great Britain currently occupy the top spot with 32 points from their 16 games. Netherlands 29 points from 14 games, Belgium 24 points from 12 games and Spain 21 points from 12 games are all in the run for the title, and play their final set of matches over the next week, as this 4-way title fight promises to go down to the wire, said a press release.
In the women’s competition, Netherlands sealed a third title in four years in the Pro League, but the battle for relegation remains wide open. New Zealand have completed their set of 16 matches and find themselves in the eighth place, one spot above USA, having scored 3 more point than the team from America. But with 4 games in hand, USA need four points from their matches in Antwerp, to lift them above the Black Sticks and keep them in the competition next season.
Schedule: June 30: Germany vs USA (W), Belgium vs Spain (M); July 1: Belgium vs Netherlands (W), Belgium vs Netherlands (M); July 2: Germany vs Spain (M), Belgium vs USA (W); July 3: USA vs Germany (W), Belgium vs Spain (M); July 4: Belgium vs Netherlands (W), Belgium vs Netherlands (M); July 5: Spain vs Germany (M), Belgium vs USA (W).