Olympics: Hockey At Olympic Video games Paris 2024: World Champions Germany Announce Title Intentions 

Paris, France – Day 1: Reigning males’s world champions Germany stole the headlines on the opening day of the hockey competitors on the Olympic Video games Paris 2024 because of a formidable victory over host nation France on the Yves-du-Manoir Hockey Stadium. There have been additionally wins for the boys’s groups of Nice Britain, the Netherlands, Belgium, Australia and India, whereas the ladies of Argentina and the Netherlands additionally prevailed on a wet however vastly entertaining day.  

Extra data on at this time’s matches will be discovered under.  

Males’s Pool A
Germany, Nice Britain and the Netherlands opened their respective Olympic campaigns with victories, getting early factors on the board within the race to achieve the quarter finals. 

Nice Britain claimed a 4-0 victory in opposition to Spain, though the match was far nearer than the scoreline would recommend. The Crimson Sticks impressed within the early phases however GB have been distinctive in entrance of objective with Nick Park, Gareth Furlong (2) and Rupert Shipperley all on track. Park’s gorgeous chipped end opened the Olympic scoring in fashion, with the person himself describing it as “the very best objective I’ve ever scored”.

The Netherlands versus South Africa recreation was an exciting encounter, with the Oranje snatching a 5-3 win because of strikes from Jip Janssen (2), Jonas de Geus, Tjep Hoedemakers and Duco Telgenkamp. “We have been pleased with the primary half, we performed very nicely and have been sturdy defensively however the second half was a bit messy”, mentioned double goal-scorer Janssen. “South Africa have some superb gamers (who’re) world class, so you may by no means underestimate them.”

Germany stormed to an 8-2 victory over host nation France, with the packed stands creating an astonishing environment. Germany have been ruthless in entrance of objective, with Justus Weigand and Niklas Wellen each scoring doubles alongside contributions from Thies Prinz and a objective every for captain Mats Grambusch and his youthful brother Tom. “It’s an superior begin, it’s undoubtedly how we wished to start out the match”, mentioned Germany’s Christopher Rühr. “Completely wonderful environment. To play France in France as a begin is one thing you dream of, and I feel we managed to play very well.”

Males’s Pool B

Whereas Belgium, Australia and India have been all recorded wins, the Pool B matches have been fiercely contested. 

Reigning Olympic champions Belgium got a stern check by Eire earlier than rising 2-0 winners because of strikes from Tom Boon and Alexander Hendrickx. Talking after the match, Hendrickx mentioned: “It was efficiency. It’s not our greatest efficiency, however it’s logical that we need to develop through the match, to do every recreation higher and higher. It’s base to start out on.”

Blake Govers scored a surprising penalty nook drag-flick as Tokyo 2020 silver medallists Australia battled to a hard-earned 1-0 victory over Rio 2016 gold medallists Argentina. Govers was stuffed with reward for Los Leones, stating: “We all know the Argentinians are a very good outfit, they defend very well. We received a pair extra probabilities, however we’re fairly comfortable. It’s the Olympics, so a win is an effective outcome.”

The India versus New Zealand conflict was one other tight affair, with Harmanpreet Singh’s late penalty stroke sealing a 3-2 win for the eight instances Olympic champions. Speaking about how he saved his nerve from the penalty spot, Harmanpreet mentioned: “It’s a psychological factor. You have to keep targeted and simply go for it. I attempted to govern the goalie with my eyes and it labored, however the win is all due to the group.”

Girls’s Pool A
Yibbi Janssen scored 4 instances because the Netherlands opening their Olympic title defence with a 6-2 conquer host nation France. Nonetheless, it was nonetheless a memorable second for the Olympic debutants, with Yohanna L’Hopital and Paola Le Nindre sending the house followers into raptures with targets in opposition to the reigning Olympic, World, European and FIH Hockey Professional League champions. Though proud moments for the house favourites, it was the Oranje who made the proper begin as they bid to say their fifth Olympic gold medal. 

Girls’s Pool B 

Tokyo 2020 silver medallists Argentina have been 4-1 winners of their Pan American derby match in opposition to USA, with Rocio Sanchez – Argentina’s flagbearer in Friday’s dazzling opening ceremony – Agustina Gorzelany, Julieta Jankunas and Zoe Diaz netting for Las Leonas. Commenting on the help of the Argentina followers within the stadium, Maria Campoy – who made her 100^th look for her nation – mentioned: “You possibly can really feel the chants and the help. Argentines are all the time in all places, and so they help us lots.”

Match data and statistics will be discovered by clicking right here.  

Quite a few high-profile figures got here to observe their groups in motion at Yves-du-Manoir, with King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of the Belgian Royal Household and Mr. Alexandre De Croo and Mr Simon Harris, the respective Prime Ministers of Belgium and Eire, additionally in attendance. King Willem-Alexander, Queen Maxima, Princess Catharina-Amalia and Princess Alexia of the Netherlands watched their males’s group triumph in opposition to South Africa. 

The Paris 2024 Olympic hockey motion continues at Yves-du-Manoir on Sunday 28 July with one other eight matches, 4 in every of the boys’s and ladies’s competitions. 

The 4 morning session matches are all within the girls’s competitors, with Belgium and China beginning their Pool A marketing campaign on Pitch 1 at 10:00 (CEST). Additionally in Pool A, Athens 2004 Olympic gold medallists Germany face a tough opener in opposition to a well-drilled Japan group on Pitch 2 at 10:30. The eye switches to Pool B at 12:45 when Pitch 1 gives the stage for Australia and South Africa, the respective continental champions of Oceania and Africa. Two former Olympic champions meet within the 13:15 match on Pitch 2, with Rio 2016 gold medallists Nice Britain dealing with Spain, winners at Barcelona 1992. 

The night session sees consideration revert again to the boys’s competitors, with Germany males aiming for back-to-back Pool A victories after they tackle Spain within the 17:00 match on Pitch 1. Belgium can even be looking for a second win on the bounce after they face Pool B rivals New Zealand on Pitch 2 at 17:30, as will the Netherlands in opposition to host nation France within the 19:45 Pool A conflict on Pitch 1. Sunday’s remaining match of the day takes place on Pitch 2 at 20:15 with in-form Nice Britain dealing with a swashbuckling South Africa aspect that impressed all onlookers on the opening day.

The hockey competitions on the Olympic Video games Paris 2024 happen from Saturday 27 July to Friday 9 August. Each the boys’s and ladies’s competitions function 12 groups, break up into two swimming pools of six forward of quarter-finals, semi-finals and medal matches. For extra details about the hockey competitions at Paris 2024, go to Olympics.Hockey.
 

Olympic Video games Paris 2024 – Hockey