"VAN" (Sports Desk - 31.03.2023) :: With the FIH Hockey Pro League 2022/23 season nearing its midway point, there has been action and drama aplenty that has led to major ups and downs for teams throughout. While we wait for the action to resume from Christchurch, New Zealand on 22 April, here’s a breakdown of how things currently stand heading into the business end of the tournament.
Women’s Competition:
Argentina are the only team to have played 12 games so far in the competition, which sees them sit at the top of the table with 23 points. The Leonas, who went through all of the 2021/22 campaign unbeaten in regulation time, have suffered 3 outright losses and 2 shoot-out losses this season, which gives other teams an opportunity to catch up with them through the games in hand.
Australia, Germany and Netherlands sit in the next three spots with 15, 13 and 12 points respectively. Australia and Germany have played 8 games each but the biggest threat comes from Olympic and World Champions, the Dutch who have secured 12 points from just 4 matches, winning all of them.
In a competitive season, China and USA have produced exciting hockey to currently occupy 5th and 6th spot on the table taking 10 and 7 points from their respective 8 games. New Zealand are currently placed below them, taking 5 points from their opening four games at home. Belgium and Great Britain are in the final two spots, with Belgium also on 5 points from 4 games, while Great Britain had a tough start to their season losing all 4 opening games and remain the only team yet to open their points account.
Men’s Competition:
India’s blistering form at the Rourkela mini-tournament, which saw them pick up 11 out of 12 possible points against Germany and Australia has taken them to the top of the table with 19 points from their 8 matches. Spain who won 3 out of 4 games in the mini-tournament in Australia against the hosts and Argentina sit in the second place, trailing India by 2 points. Argentina have played 12 out of their 16 matches and are currently in third place with 13 points.
Germany and Australia have had staggered starts to their campaigns and find themselves in the 4th and 6th spots, on either side of Great Britain. But while Germany and Australia are on 11 and 8 points respectively from their 8 games, Great Britain have taken their 9 points from just 4 encounters.
Belgium, Netherlands and New Zealand occupy the final three spots, with each team having played 4 games so far. Belgium have two wins and two losses for 6 points, while defending champions Netherlands have 5 and New Zealand have 2.
Stats at a glance:
A total of 233 goals have been scored so far in the 60 games across both men’s and women’s competition. 133 of those goals have come from the 30 men’s matches at an average of 4.4 goals per game! In the women’s tournament 100 goals have been scored in 30 games at an average of 3.3 goals per game.
Indian men’s team continuing with their free flowing style of attacking hockey are the top scorers in the men’s tournament, scoring 31 goals in their 8 games. Argentina lead the way in the women’s tournament with 21 goals from their 12 games, but it's Netherlands who have the best goals-to-game ratio, scoring 13 times in their 4 games.
Interestingly, in the men’s competition field goals makeup less than 50% of all goals scored, with 66 of the 133 goals coming from open play, while 55 goals have come through penalty corners and 12 goals have come from penalty strokes. A bigger share of goals in the women’s tournament come from open play as 58 of the 100 goals scored have been field goals, with 35 goals scored via penalty corners and 7 more through penalty strokes.
Women’s Top Scorer: Maria Granatto, ARG (6 goals)
Men’s Top Scorer: Harmanpreet Singh, IND (11 goals)
Up next:
The next mini tournament of the FIH Hockey Pro League season will begin on 22 April at Christchurch, New Zealand. Hosts New Zealand will take on Great Britain and Australia in both men’s and women’s competition between 22-30 April.
Responses
Leave your comment