Hockey Pro League returns with Spain facing Belgium

Valencia (Spain), Feb 1 (IANS) The FIH Hockey Pro League returns this week with a double header between 2016 Rio Olympics silver medallists Belgium and world No.8 Spain. The matches will be held on February 5 and 6 at the Estadio Betero here.The last matches to be held in the Pro League was between Belgium and Great Britain after which the scheduled tie between Great Britain and Germany on November 14 and 15 was postponed. Belgium currently sit top of the FIH Hockey Pro League standings with 26 points from 11 games, eight points clear of the Netherlands but having played two games more than the Dutch. They have beaten Spain in 12 of the 17 matches since 2013. However, the last match between the two teams in the 2019 Pro League ended in a 2-2 tie before they won the penalty shootout to win a bonus point. Spectators won't be allowed in the stadium, as was the case in the Pro League matches that were held in the latter half of 2020 amid the Covid-19 pandemic. Additionally, the FIH said that both teams have agreed to not having a video umpire for the two matches.
--IANS rkm/qma