Manchester, Aug 20: World champions Germany scored five goals and Netherlands eight to dominate their respective pools on the first day of the Eurohockey Nations Championships men's tournament in Manchester, England on Sunday.
Hosts England and defending champions Spain could only manage to draw their matches.
Reigning World Champions and tournament favourites Germany began their Eurohockey campaign in Pool A with a 5-0 victory over lowest-ranked team Czech Republic in Sunday's opening game.
Benjamin Wess and Carlos Nevado both scored twice and Christopher Zeller once in a fast and physical match.
The first goal came from Wess, brother of team captain Timo, in the 9th minute and just seconds after he came on as a substitute. He picked up a loose ball in the circle and reverse-swept it into the net.
The Germans spent most of the first half in the Czech half and their dominance paid off with a penalty corner in the 22nd minute from which Christopher Zeller made it 2-0.
Two minutes into the second half, Moritz Furste smashed a free hit across the goal and Carlos Nevado pushed in the third.
Eleven minutes later, Benjamin Wess slotted a tap-in for his second and Germany's fourth.
The Germans had another penalty corner in the 55th minute from which a Zeller drag-flick was blocked by Czech goalkeeper and captain Filip Neusser, but Nevado smashed it back with an upright-reverse for his second and Germany's fifth goal.
Hosts England came from behind for a 2-2 draw with Belgium, also in Pool A.
The match started slowly, then England gradually established a midfield advantage and got two penalty corners, without scoring from either. Then in the 26th minute Matt Daly converted their third penalty corner.
Five minutes later, a rare defensive lapse by England allowed John-John Dohmen time in the circle to score a field goal.
England came out strongest in the second half, but the Belgians snatched the lead when Charles Vandeweghe found space to hit a low backhand past English goalkeeper James
Fair in the 46th minute.
England still had 24 minutes in which to catch up and with 10 minutes to go, Belgian goal scorer Dohmen was given a yellow card. Facing just 10 men, England pressed their
attacks and with three minutes left Barry Middleton deflected a cross high into the net.
Both sides struggled for the winner in the last minutes, but had to settle for the draw.
Ireland looked for a while like beating defending champions and number two seeds Spain in Sunday's third match, scoring through a Mark Gleghorne field goal in the second minute then holding the Spaniards at bay for 40 more. But 11 minutes into the second half Xavier Ribas equalised from a penalty corner to give the sides equal points in Pool B.
John Jermyn smacked a free hit from outside the circle and Gleghorne deflected the ball past Spanish goalkeeper Francisco Cortes.
Spain were obviously missing Santi Freixa, who is still recovering from surgery, but the Irish were strong in defence.
The Spaniards came out stronger in the second half and won several penalty corners, the third of which led to Xavier Ribas hitting a low shot to the right of goalkeeper David Harte.
The Irish did well to hold Spain, but insist they can do even better.
In the day's last match, Netherlands beat France 8-3, with five of the goals scored by Taeke Taekema. His first two came from penalty corners, then Matthijis Brouwer
scored a field goal with a hard shot that French goalkeeper Julien Thamin could only parry into the net.
Taekama then got the first of three penalty strokes so Netherlands were 4-0 up before the French retaliated when Sebastien Jean-Jean broke free and finished off in an open net.
Shortly after the interval Thamin brought down Rob Reckers in the circle and could do nothing about Taekema's well struck penalty stroke to make the score 5-1.
Martin Genestet got one back for the French but Brouwer added another for 6-2 and Taekema hit another penalty stroke after 59 minutes, making the score 7-2.
Charles Verrier scored a third for the French from a rebound, but Erik Bouwens kept Netherlands five goals ahead, scoring with a great reverse stick shot.
The Dutch say they hope to get as far as the semi-finals, but after Sunday's showing could be new tournament favourites.
Three berths in the Olympics will be decided at the Manchester tournament, with the rest of the teams competing in one of the qualifying events that will be held between
February and April 2008.
The Eurohockey competition ends next Sunday (August 26).
Bureau Report