The defending champions Belgium overcame Netherlands scare to book the second straight Hockey World Cup final berth on Friday (January 27). Belgium set the final date with two-time champions Germany, after winning the semifinal match 3-3 in penalty shootout against Netherlands. The teams were tied 2-2 at the end of regulation time.
The three-time consecutive FIH Goalkeeper of the Year (2017-19) denied Thijs van Dam and Terrance Pieters while Seve van Ass missed his shot. Belgium converted all four of their attempts at the other end to deservedly move into the title clash. Four years ago, Vanasch had been the hero in the final against the Dutch and it was no different this time around.
The Belgians, though, should have finished the game early. They were the better side all through, creating wave after wave of shots at the goal from every direction but failed to find a way past Dutch goalkeeeper Pirmin Blaak. Tom Boon kept lurking around in the circle for the final touch while Arthur van Doren, Antoine Kina and Florent van Aubel kept creating the openings and entering the Dutch circle.
For the first two quarters, it was more about possession and percentages and the teams split honours for 30 minutes. The Belgians hoped to score from aerial passes from deep its own half but could not finish the moves while the Dutch tried to chip away little by little through the field but were unable to breach the Belgian defence. It took Jip Janssen’s powerful flick to get the opener in the 12th minute only for Tom Boon to level scored three minutes from half time with a booming flick of his own.
Belgium came out much more attacking and determined post break and was all over Netherlands in the third quarter, muscling the ball through the field from all directions but a turnover in the 35th minute saw the Dutch earning back-to-back penalty corners and Janssen got them ahead again against the run of play.
But barring a few opportunistic runs along the baseline on the counter, the Dutch had little to show for their efforts, barely managing to get the ball inside the Belgian circle as the Red Sticks practically parked in the Dutch half and finally got the equaliser at the stroke of 4th quarter, Nicolas de Kerpel making no mistake in slotting the ball in through Blaak’s outstretched legs. A penalty stroke in the 51st minute for a tackle on de Kerpel could have sealed the win for Belgium but saw Blaak stood tall, denying Boon and then a few more, taking the game into the shootout. But it just wasn’t an Oranje day.
Peillat's hat-trick sends helps Germany tame Australia
Germany rode on a splendid hat-trick by their star player Gonzalo Peillat to waltz into the final of the FIH Odisha Men's Hockey World Cup after edging out Australia 4-3 in the nail-biting first semifinal match at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar on Saturday.
While, Gonzalo Peillat (42nd, 51st and 58th minutes) scored three goals , Wellen Niklas struck another in the 59th minute for Germany. In-form Jeremy Hayward (11th minute), Ephraums Nathan (26th minute) and Blake Govers (57th minute) scored a goal each for Australia.
The Australians, who have been in great form throughout the tournament dominated the first quarter. They started with an aggressive instinct and hardly gave any space for the Germans. They earned their first penalty corner in the very first minute of the match. However, the opportunity was spoiled by the agile defenders of Germany. They earned their second penalty corner in the 11th minute. Jeremy Hayward duly converted it to open the team's account.
In the second quarter, Germans clawed their way back into the game to a little extent. They earned their first PC in the 19th minute, but could not capitalise. Australia retaliated as Ephraums Nathan scored a brilliant goal with a fierce hit from the right flank of the goal post in the 26th minute to give Australians 0 -2 lead. Germany tried their best to make a comeback into the game by pressing hard and earning a PC in the 28th minute. But they could not grab the opportunity. In the next minute Australia got their third PC, but it was thwarted by the opposition defenders. The first half ended 0-2 in Australia's favour.
However, the second half was dominated by Germany. Australia started well by creating a PC in the 35th minute, but failed to capitalise. Then Germans were all over the ground with an attacking surge. They earned as many as five PCs in the 42nd minute and the last one was converted by Gonzalo Peillat to reduce the margin to 1-2. They also created three more PC opportunities in the next two minutes, but failed to grab the chances.
In the fourth and final quarter, Germans started attacking again from where they had left. They earned two back- to-back PCs in the 51st minute. Gonzalo Peillat found the equaliser by converting the last one.
Despite an all-out attack by the Germans, Australia found their chances. They created back-to-back penalty corner chances in the 57th minute. Blake Govers duly converted the last one to increase the lead to 3-2 in Australia's favour.
Germany were not left behind and they created two more PC chances in the next minute. Gonzalo Peillat took advantage of it to complete his hat-trick and level the score to 3-3.
Germany were soon rewarded because of their relentless attack. Niklas Wellen scored one of the best goals of the tournament in the 59th minute to seal the fate of the keenly-contested match 4-3 in Germany's favour.
