Mixed results and major milestones marked the two matches taking place as FIH Hockey Pro League action resumed in Hobart on Friday.
An inexperienced Hockeyroos side went down 4-1 to Spain, while in the corresponding men’s fixture, the Kookaburras put in a commanding performance to secure a 3-1 win.
(Women’s) Australia 1 – 4 Spain
Spain’s women took on a new-look Australian outfit, with the majority of the Hockeyroos’ first-choice squad on their way to Chile for the FIH Hockey World Cup qualifiers, and ran out convincing 4-1 winners.
Spain struck first from a penalty corner with Lucia Jimenez plugging it into the bottom right corner in the sixth minute. Just four minutes later, the Australians came back at them from a broken-down penalty corner. Rebecca Greiner fired the ball across the face of goal for an outstretched Mihaylia Howell to make her Hockeyroos debut a memorable one by deflecting it in for the equaliser. The Spanish looked the more threatening side throughout the half, and a baseline pass from Marta Segu found Sofia Rogoski to knock it in at the far post for a 2-1 lead in the 25th minute. A superb reverse-stick strike from Laura Bosch then put the Spanish further in front with less than two minutes remaining in the second quarter to take her team into half time 3-1 up.
After a third quarter of entertaining end-to-end hockey, the Hockeyroos earned numerous penalty corners towards the end of the period but were unable to convert any of these opportunities to make up the deficit. Spain then put the game beyond the home side in the final quarter from a penalty corner breakdown – an unmarked Segu receiving the recycled ball straight in front of goal and slotting it in for the 4-1 victory.
Spain’s Lucia Jimenez was named as player of the match and said: “We knew that the Australian team was new, but we knew that every Australian girl is really strong, speedy, and good. So we were really curious about them because we didn't know them very much, and we are really, really happy to get the win. I think we have to improve our basics and our defence, but it was really nice to be here in Hobart.”
(Men’s) Australia 3 - 1 Spain
Captain Jeremy Hayward enjoyed a memorable 250th match for Australia as his side claimed a 3-1 win against Spain, with José Basterra celebrating his 100th cap in a losing cause.
The Australians struck early in a high-intensity opening quarter. Cambell Geddes’ solid run into the circle teed up Jack Welch, who controlled well before firing off a shot that took a fortunate deflection, popping up off a Spanish defender’s stick and over the keeper’s head for a 1-0 lead in the third minute. Joel Rintala then doubled the home side’s lead early in the second quarter, rocketing one in low and hard from a penalty corner in the 16th minute. The Australians dominated the remainder of the period, controlling much of the possession and producing wave after wave of attack. But the Spanish defence managed to hold firm and deny any further addition to the scoreline before half time.
The tempo dropped off somewhat in the third quarter, but the Kookaburras continued to create several scoring opportunities. Again, the Spanish defence kept them out. The Red Sticks finally found the breakthrough with just over seven minutes to play in the match when a penalty corner flick wasn’t properly cleared and Nicolas Alvarez was able to help the rebounding ball over the line. Australia had a chance to reply immediately, but an excellent stick save from goalkeeper Luis Calzado kept his team in the match. Welch then completed his brace with a contentious strike in the 58th minute, which had the Spanish side up in arms even after a referral, but that ultimately took the game away from the Red Sticks as the Australians wrapped up a 3-1 win.
Australian Tim Brand was named the player of the match and said: “Job's not done here. We’ve got eight matches in total, and today we knew it was a big one because of Jez's 250th… He's been a massive part of our team for a long time. I've played my whole career with him and he's a great hockey player, but an even better person.”
Current Hero Top Scorers:
Women – Yibbi Jansen (NED) (8 goals)
Men – Tomas Domene (ARG) (12 goals)
To see the current standings in the FIH Hockey Pro League, click here.
FIH Hockey Pro League – 20 February 2026
Tasmania Hockey Centre, Hobart (AUS)
Women
Result: Match 31 (W)
Australia 1 - 4 Spain
Player of the match: Lucia Jimenez (ESP)
Umpires: Junko Wagatsuma (JPN), Lani Nichol (NZL), Rebecca Edwards (ENG-video)
Men
Result: Match 31 (M)
Australia 3 - 1 Spain
Player of the match: Tim Brand (AUS)
Umpires: David Tomlinson (NZL), Sophie Bockelmann (GER), Ben Grant (NZL-video)
