The national women’s hockey team has indeed won 6-1 (half-time: 3-0) against the 15th nation in the world after having already dominated it 3-0 on Saturday in its first official game of the year. . Belgium, 12th in the FIH, thus added a third victory to its record in the competition but remains 7th in the standings. Without his main coach Raoul Ehren on the bench, but present in the stands and replaced by his new Australian assistant Tim White, and with a slightly different core (Sophie Limauge, Shaunda Ikegwuonu and Elodie Picard replacing Pauline Leclef, Sophie Versavel and Elena Sotgiu ), Belgium was less incisive than the day before in the 1st quarter. Well led by Barbara Nelen and Charlotte Englebert (elected player of the match), the Belgians rectified the situation in the second quarter, scoring three times. The first goal was scored by Ambre Ballenghien, on a nice deflection back to the goal (16th). The second following a penalty corner (pc) with Stéphanie Vanden Borre at the cannon (23rd) and the next by Ikegwuonu celebrating his 3rd cape with a 1st international goal (24th).
With Aisling D’Hooghe between the boards to replace Picard, the Panthers, not satisfied, have not released the pressure after the break. As reduced to a college team, the Americans conceded 3 more goals in 4 minutes of time. Ballenghien signed his double with a new deviation (31st). Vanden Borre imitated him with a backhand shot on a new series of pc (34th), before Lucie Breyne also managed a nice deflection (35th), obviously a new specialty for Raoul Ehren’s players.
Belgium had several opportunities to feed the scorer in the last period but were too rushed, especially on a missed stroke by Tiphaine Duquesne. Conversely, the USA were finally realistic on a series of pc, saving the honor by Linnea Gonzales (54th).
With 11 games played, Belgium now has 3 wins, 3 draws including one with bonus and 5 defeats. The Panthers are still in 7th place out of 9 nations in the standings, with 39.39 pc. The United States remains ninth and last with 0 pc. After the postponement (or cancellation) of the double duel against Argentina next weekend, Belgium’s next meeting will take place on May 30, still in Antwerp, with the return match against the Netherlands (FIH- 1), strong competition leader with 87.88 pc.
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