|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Tom Boon scored four times as Belgium beat Malaysia 5-3 to secure second place in Pool B at the FIH Hockey World Cup 2026. France pulled their goalkeeper and equalised with 39 seconds remaining to hold defending champions Germany to a 1-1 draw, while England hammered Wales 8-2 in the highest-scoring match of the tournament so far.
Wavre, Belgium: The pool stage does not usually save its drama for the last night. This one did — twice at the Belfius Hockey Arena, where Germany were held after appearing to have won, and where the world’s top-ranked side survived a scare from a team ranked fourteenth.
Wednesday closed out the men’s Pool B and Pool D programmes, sending four teams into the second round and four into the classification stage.
Thirty-Nine Seconds From the End
Germany looked to have done what they needed against France. Thies Prinz struck from just outside the circle in the 42nd minute and the ball fell perfectly for Justus Weigand, who tapped in from close range. For the next quarter of an hour the defending champions were in complete control, and France could not find a way through.
ALSO READ: Harmanpreet, Abhishek strike twice each as India beat Pakistan 5-3 to reach second round
Then came the gamble. With the clock running down, France withdrew their goalkeeper for an extra outfield player. Germany, by that point reduced to ten men, held out until 39 seconds remained. Louis Haertelmeyer finally breached a resolute German defence with a reverse-stick shot into the roof of the goal, and France had their point. Michel Struthoff was named Player of the Match for Germany — a modest consolation on a night when his side surrendered a lead they had protected for seventeen minutes.
Boon’s Four, and the Stroke Malaysia Missed
The last match of the night belonged to Tom Boon. The Belgian forward scored four in a 5-3 win over Malaysia, with Thibeau Stockbroekx adding the other for the hosts. On paper it reads like a comfortable evening for the world No. 1. It was nothing of the sort.
READ MORE: Toppo and Sakshi star as India beat South Africa 6-1 for their biggest-ever World Cup win
Malaysia kept Belgium under pressure throughout, an impressive showing against the former world champions. Among their scorers was Aiman Rozemi, marking his 200th international cap. The Speedy Tigers were then awarded a penalty stroke in the dying minutes with the margin still in play, and missed it. Belgium held on, and the win confirmed their second-place finish in Pool B behind Germany.
England Run Riot in Amstelveen
At the Wagener Stadium earlier in the day, England produced the tournament’s highest-scoring match to date. Sam Ward opened after two minutes, Will Calnan struck twice inside seven to make it 3-0, and Tom Sorsby added a fourth in the 22nd minute. Zach Wallace made it five in the third quarter before England scored three more between the 48th and 54th minutes.
Wales owed a great deal to goalkeeper Toby Reynolds-Cotterill, whose repeated saves kept the margin from becoming grotesque, and they kept playing to the end — Gareth Furlong scoring twice in the final three minutes to restore some respectability. Sorsby, named Player of the Match, reflected afterwards that England had left some goals out there, but was “super happy with scoring eight goals.”
Two Pools Down, Two to Go
Germany top Pool B, having beaten Malaysia and Belgium before the draw with France; Belgium follow them into Pool F of the second round. France and Malaysia drop into the classification stage.
England finish Pool D with a perfect nine points from three matches and move into Pool E. Wales, whose only point came from a 3-3 draw with Pakistan, are out of title contention.
Under the format introduced for this edition, the quarter-finals have been scrapped: the top two from Pools E and F progress directly to the semi-finals. Pools A and C conclude on Thursday.
Results — 19 August 2026, Men’s
England 8-2 Wales (Pool D) — Player of the Match: Tom Sorsby (ENG)
France 1-1 Germany (Pool B) — Player of the Match: Michel Struthoff (GER)
Belgium 5-3 Malaysia (Pool B) — Player of the Match: Tom Boon (BEL)
