Amsterdam are the new national champions after shoot-out thriller

Den Bosch took the lead at home through Lieve Wijckmans, who took advantage of a Bossche breakthrough in a phase when the home team was down to ten players after a yellow card for Babs Reijnen. Amsterdam completely turned the game around after half-time, however. Dutch player Imke Verstraeten netted two penalty corners within two minutes, putting her team ahead 1-2.

Den Bosch refused to accept defeat and came alongside five minutes before time through Charlotte Englebert, from a rebound of a penalty corner: 2-2. As the first final game on Saturday had also ended in 2-2, shoot-outs had to bring the decision.

In that nerve-wracking series - which counted no less than 14 attempts - both teams had chances to finish it off. Englebert missed in the tenth round on behalf of Den Bosch, then Frédérique Matla later left her second shoot-out of the afternoon unused. That gave Amsterdam the opening it needed. Albers remained cool and decided the final.

For Amsterdam, it means the first national title since 2023. Den Bosch ends the season empty-handed for a change. Earlier this season, coach Marieke Dijkstra's team also lost the final of the Euro Hockey League.