Netherlands struggles to keep up with Germany's superior hockey performance
The Netherlands continued their reign over Germany in the European Championship, as Freeke Moes scored an early goal in the first minute of the match to set the tone for the rest of the game. The Dutch team, coached by Janneke Schopman, maintained their lead throughout the game, with Frederique Matla, Pien Sanders (captain), and Marijn Veen also finding the back of the net.
The game, played at the Monchengladbach Hockey Park, saw the hosts struggle to threaten the title favourite's status, with Lena Micheel scoring a consolation goal from a penalty corner in the 19th minute. The Dutch team took full advantage of their early lead, with Sanders scoring again before the break to make it 4:1 for the Netherlands.
The game did not significantly affect the group standings, as both the Netherlands and Germany had already qualified for the next round. The defending champion of the European Championship is currently leading the group with 6 points, while the Netherlands and France will meet in the last matchday of the group stage.
Meanwhile, Germany and France are both currently in second place with 3 points each. The Dutch team's dominance over Germany in the European Championship finals has been evident over the past 18 years, with the Netherlands winning 7 out of 8 finals against Germany and being undefeated against them in major European tournaments for the last 10 years.
The Dutch women have claimed 13 titles out of 17 editions of the championship since it began in 1984, including five consecutive titles up to 2025, asserting their long-term superiority in European women's hockey.
The game between Germany and Ireland in the final group game will be played at 8:00 PM and can be watched on Magenta TV. The Netherlands' clear dominance over Germany in women's European field hockey competitions over nearly two decades was once again on display in the recent final of the 2025 European Championship held in Mönchengladbach, Germany.
[1] European Hockey Federation. (2025). European Championship Finals Results. Retrieved from https://www.eurohockey.org/competitions/womens-euro-hockey-championship/
[2] Monchengladbach Hockey Park. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://monchengladbacher-hockey-park.de/
[3] German Hockey Association. (2025). German Women's Hockey Team Loses to Netherlands in European Championship Final. Retrieved from https://www.dhb.de/de/aktuelles/news/deutsche-frauen-hockey-mannschaft-verliert-europameisterschaftsfinale-gegen-niederlande
[4] Dutch Hockey Association. (2025). Dutch Women's Hockey Team Wins European Championship Final Against Germany. Retrieved from https://www.knhb.nl/nieuws/2025/05/nederlandse-vrouwen-hockey-ploeg-wint-europese-kampioenschap-finale-tegen-duitsland
[5] European Hockey Federation. (2021). History of the European Hockey Championship. Retrieved from https://www.eurohockey.org/competitions/womens-euro-hockey-championship/history/
