Rourkela: The German men’s hockey team, who won the FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023 in January, reached here on Monday for the upcoming FIH Hockey Pro League 2022/23 which will begin on March 10.
The Mats Grambusch-led German team touched down at the Veer Surendra Sai Airport in Jharsuguda.
From the Jharsuguda airport, the team travelled to Rourkela, which will host all six matches at the newly-built crown jewel of hockey — Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium, where India, Germany, and Australia will clash with each other.
Germany, who have won the Men’s Hockey World Cup thrice in 2002, 2006, and 2023, will be looking to continue their rich vein of form. They are currently fifth in the Pro League 2022/23 rankings with eight points from four games.
As per the new format of the FIH Hockey Pro League 2022/23, Rourkela will host all six matches, where the three teams will play each other twice. Germany will clash with India in the first match on March 10 and their second match will be against Australia on March 11.
India and Australia will go head-to-head on March 12, while on March 13, Germany and India will lock horns for the second time. The World Champions will then take on Australia on March 14. The final match in Rourkela will be played on March 15, with India taking on Australia for the second time.
Last year in November, at the FIH Hockey Pro League 2022/2023, Germany played in Mendoza, Argentina. The Germany Men’s hockey team kicked-off their campaign with a hard-fought 3-2 win and 0-1 loss against Belgium, followed by 2(4) – 2(3) and 3-0 wins against Argentina.
(IANS)
