1′: Victor Wegnez’s loss of possession brought Germany in front of the Belgian goal after just a handful of seconds, but Arthur De Sloover smothered the danger. Belgium countered with a counter, but Felix Denayer found no freestanding mate.
5 ‘: A stick stroke by Tanguy Cousyns led to Germany’s first penalty corner after an intervention by the video ref. Specialist Gonzales Peillat moored, the advancing Simon Gougnard was transverse. In the following phase, goalkeeper Vincent Vanasch had to intervene for the first time.
9 ‘: Tom Boon provided the first Belgian threat, but it was Florent Van Aubel who nicely scored the opening goal. What a technical mastery: 1-0.
This contains embedded content from a social media network that wants to write or read cookies. You have not given permission for this.
10 ‘: Germany had claimed the opening phase, but now the Lions took over. Our northern neighbors had to pull out all the stops to stay afloat. That didn’t work: Cousyns immediately made it 2-0 after a nice assist from Antoine Kina.
This contains embedded content from a social media network that wants to write or read cookies. You have not given permission for this.
16 ‘: Gauthier Bouccard forced the German goalkeeper to make another save on a penalty corner.
19 ‘: After a wipe by Wegnez, Germany received a penalty ball. Could the Germans work their way back into the game? Vincent Vanasch was of course standing by. Via his stick – what a reflex! – and the post bounced the ball back into the field. It remained 2-0.
This contains embedded content from a social media network that wants to write or read cookies. You have not given permission for this.
22 ‘: The arbitration had to call the two captains, with the message that both had to encourage their boys to calm down. A World Cup final: emotions tend to run high in that.
28 ‘: A ball that unfortunately landed on Antoine Kina’s foot resulted in another penalty corner for Germany. Vanasch initially made a phenomenal save, but the German top scorer Niklas Wellen made it 2-1 through a magic trick. Just before the break, a tap for the reigning world champion.
This contains embedded content from a social media network that wants to write or read cookies. You have not given permission for this.
31 ‘: Germany immediately went on the attack, which already indicated what the rest of that second half could look like.
34′: A sublime pass from Wegnez put Sebastien Dockier alone in front of goal, but the ball bounced over the stick. Momentum shifted.
37 ‘: Germany started to increase the pressure more and more and Belgium collapsed deeply. Vanasch had to intervene again and the counters did not come out.
39 ‘: Germany got a fourth penalty corner, which Gonzalo Peillat used to score the equalizer with a blast. At that time, Belgium was with a man less after a green card. Not undeserved, that 2-2. Not for the first time in this tournament, Germany caught up.
This contains embedded content from a social media network that wants to write or read cookies. You have not given permission for this.
46′: And that wasn’t the end of it. Mats Grambusch lashed out from a sharp angle: 2-3. Between Vanasch’s feet: painful.
This contains embedded content from a social media network that wants to write or read cookies. You have not given permission for this.
52′: The clock was ticking away and Germany remained in control.
58 ‘: Belgium needed a lot of time to get into the circle of Germany, but that one time did not lead to any concrete danger. Until the referee awarded a light penalty corner. Without his injured specialist Alexander Hendrickx, Luypaert and Boon did not succeed at first, but at a third attempt it was a prize: 3-3. The Lions survived. So shoot-outs, again.
61′: Belgium missed two of its first three shoot-outs, but specialist Vanasch kept Belgium alive. 3-3, sudden-death. In which Germany was the best.
