Rourkela (Odisha), Feb 13 (NationPress) In a gripping showdown at the Men's FIH Hockey Pro League held at the Birsa Munda Stadium, the Belgian men's hockey team showcased a remarkable second-half performance, decisively defeating Argentina 5-2. Earlier, the Kookaburras of Australia maintained their unbeaten streak in Hobart with a solid victory over Pakistan, while Argentina's women fought hard to secure their win against a resilient Ireland.

In Rourkela, Arthur de Sloover marked his 200th appearance for Belgium with an impressive win, as the match was balanced at 2-2 with just 11 minutes remaining.

The game began with a scoreless first quarter, both teams playing cautiously between the 23-yard lines. Argentina nearly took the lead when a ball deflected into the goal off a defender, but they opted not to challenge the decision after reviewing replays.

In the 19th minute, Argentina took the lead with Tomas Domene scoring a spectacular drag flick, enhancing his position as the top goalscorer. Belgium faced immense pressure, defending against five consecutive penalty corners until De Sloover made a crucial save, ensuring Belgium went into halftime trailing 1-0.

Argentina attempted to extend their lead with a penalty corner at the beginning of the third quarter, but goalkeeper Simon Vandenbroucke made an excellent save. Belgium then surged back, dominating the third quarter. After missing a penalty corner, De Sloover equalized in the 36th minute with a powerful tomahawk shot.

Just three minutes later, Tobias Biekens scored following a quick pass from Roman Duvekot. Argentina leveled the match again in the 45th minute, with Matias Rey capitalizing on a fortunate bounce. However, Belgium’s Alexander Hendrickx ignited their performance in the final quarter, scoring two drag flicks in the 49th and 54th minutes.

Duvekot sealed the victory in the 55th minute with a precise flick under pressure. Argentina pushed for a comeback in the final minutes but failed to close the gap.

In Hobart, Australia’s men achieved a convincing 3-0 victory over Pakistan, marking three wins in a row in the FIH Hockey Pro League.

Australia set the pace early, with Blake Govers breaking the deadlock in the 14th minute by slipping a shot into the net after evading defenders. Pakistan had a few opportunities, but goalkeeper Ali Raza managed to keep them at bay until halftime.

In the third quarter, Govers netted again from a penalty stroke, extending the lead to 2-0. A well-executed play led to Jack Welch scoring the final goal in the 42nd minute. Australia comfortably maintained their lead to finish with a flawless record.

Meanwhile, Argentina's women had to work hard for a 2-1 win against a spirited Ireland team. After falling behind early, María Granatto equalized for Argentina in the 15th minute, and Agustina Gorzelany put them ahead in the 37th minute. Despite late pressure from Ireland, Argentina secured the win.