Waterloo Ducks’ mixed run of form to start the season saw them tie 2-2 with Daring as they now look to their return to the EHL KO16 next weekend in Barcelona.

They were unable to see home a 2-0 lead, created by Blaise Rogeau and Gaëtan Dykmans, against the Molenbeek club as Benjamin Marque scored twice in the last five minutes.

For the WatDucks, it leaves them with seven points from five games to date though the draw does make it three games without defeat following big wins over Uccle (5-1) and White Star (6-0).

They did miss the services of ket figure Victor Charlet for the Daring game who had returned in the early phases of the season after missing the EuroHockey Championships with France due to an injury sustained in last term’s playoffs.

It follows their excellent run to the Belgian playoff finals last season. Since then, they had a reasonably quiet summer in terms of player movement with French international Eliot Curty arriving from Orée the main addition. Alex de Paeuw retired while Louise De Baecker moved to Léopold.

There remain of links to the side who won the EHL in 2019 with Maxime van Oost, William Ghislain and Jeremy Wilbers making spectacular strides since then. Youth internationals Charlie Langendries and Larry Fauchey are hoping they can follow that ascendancy. Experienced duo Nicolas Dumont and Charlet also link the generations.

Since that 2019 success, they also finished third in the EHL Ranking Cup in Terrassa in 2022 but key men Gauthier Boccard and Elliot van Strydonck have since moved to Léopold from those vintages.

The side is coached by Jean Willems who has plenty of EHL experience, coaching in 20 fixtures in the competition across 10 different events.