WK HOCKEYThe semi-final at the World Cup between the Red Lions and the Netherlands was a nail biter. In the first half, the Dutch dominated, after the break Belgium. That resulted in a 2-2 draw after sixty minutes. Just like during the World Cup final in 2018, shoot-outs had to make the decision. And again the Lions won. On Sunday at 2.30 pm, the Red Lions will compete for a second consecutive world title. It will be a duel for gold against Germany.
A good 49 months after their World Cup final in December 2018, Belgium and the Netherlands faced each other again in Bhubaneswar. This time, a place in the final was the stake of the Derby der Lage Landen. Compared to that match in 2018, the Lions had no fewer than fifteen same players on the game sheet today. Only John-John Dohmen, Tanguy Cosyns and Maxime Van Oost replaced Thomas Briels, Augustin Meurmans and the injured penalty corner specialist Alexander Hendrickx. In the Netherlands it is a completely different story. After Tokyo, Jeroen Delmee took over from Max Caldas as national coach and did a big clean-up. Only seven players from the 2018 World Cup final were back at the appointment today.
For Antoine Kina, this Belgium-Netherlands meant the hundredth international match of his career. The hungry Netherlands provided the first threat in the game and also received a first penalty corner in the eighth minute. After a lesser stop by Lars Balk, Florent Van Aubel turned the danger in the resumption. The Red Lions were unable to make a fist and three minutes later penalty corner number two followed for the Orange. This time it was worth it. Jip Janssen’s fairly central shot surprised Vincent Vanasch (0-1). In the first quarter, Belgium could not cause any danger.
At the start of the second quarter, the Netherlands brought the Lions into trouble again. From close by, Tjep Hoedemakers and a little later Thijs Van Dam couldn’t get past Vanasch. The Lions got away well here. It continued to look for Belgium against the well-organized Netherlands. Captain Felix Denayer scored in the 24th minute, but the goal was disallowed for a previous foul by Sébastien Dockier. As the second quarter progressed, the Belgians got into the match a bit better. Just after Dutch keeper Blaak saved an attempt by Tom Boon, the Lions got their first penalty corner. Tom Boon got behind the ball and now it was Blaak who couldn’t save the central shot (1-1). The Belgians were back in the match. After a difficult first half for the Lions, the players went into the break with a 1-1 score. “We gave away too much space,” said coach Michel van den Heuvel at the break. “We have to become more aggressive, we play hockey too hesitantly.”
On the counter-attack, the Orange again created the first danger in the second half. Van Dam went towards Vanasch, but ‘The Wall’ made the save. Moments later it was John-John Dohmen on the other side who was able to give the Lions the lead. Blaak made a great save. Too bad, because in minute 36 it was the prize for the Netherlands. The Dutch got two penalty corners in a row and Janssen scored again on the second attempt. Line stopper Florent Van Aubel couldn’t save the ball (1-2). The Belgians had to come now and they did. Cédric Charlier couldn’t work a cross from Tanguy Cosyns into goal, Felix Denayer saw two shots saved and Tom Boon couldn’t get past Blaak either. The Belgian pressure – they woke up so late today – eventually resulted in the equalizer. The ball entered the circle in front of Nicolas de Kerpel’s stick and the Antwerp native, initially as sixth, superfluous attacker always on the bench, finished mercilessly: 2-2.
In the last quarter, a ball that fell unluckily on the foot of Tanguy Cosyns led to two Dutch penalty corners. The two PCs posed no threat. In a Belgian video referral, the Lions got a third penalty corner. However, the ball was stopped badly. In a nerve-racking final phase, it was a matter of waiting to see which team got the next opportunity and with ten minutes left on the clock, a unique opportunity followed for the Lions. Florent Van Aubel was pushed into the circle in the back and the Belgians received a penalty ball. However, the stroke was missed by Tom Boon. The Dutch came under more and more pressure and the Lions looked for the decisive opening. However, that was not found and just like in the 2018 World Cup final, shoot-outs had to make the decision.
Just like four years ago, the Belgians were the coolest. It became 3-2 thanks to goals from Van Aubel, De Sloover and Tanguy Cosyns on penalty after a foul on Victor Wegnez. And then of course there was national hero Vanasch with three saves.
To celebrate a second world title in a row in Bhubaneswar’s Kalinga Stadium, the Red Lions still have to beat Germany in the final at 2.30 p.m. on Sunday. Both teams already faced each other in the group stage at this World Cup. At stake was first place in the group and a direct ticket to the quarterfinals. After a difficult game for the Lions, Victor Wegnez scored the 2-2 equalizer in the 54th minute. That later turned out to be enough for place one in the group.
The Mannschaft proved in both the quarter and semi-finals that you have to take the Germans into account until the final whistle. In the quarterfinals against England, the Germans faced a 0-2 deficit with just under three minutes left on the clock. They turned the tide and won after shoot-outs. Today in the semi-finals, the Germans again made a remarkable comeback. Against Australia, previously considered the Red Lions’ biggest competitor for the world title, they made up for a 0-2 and 2-3 deficit. Six seconds before the final whistle, Niklas Wellen scored the winning goal. A player to keep an eye on: Gonzalo Peillat. The ex-Argentinian scored three times from a penalty corner today. In 2006, the Germans celebrated a world title for the last time. In recent years, Belgium and Germany have fought a lot of tricks, but it was almost ten years ago for a grand final between the two countries. At the European Championship 2013 in Boom, the Germans then won 3-1 in the final.
The Red Lions started with: Vincent Vanasch, Loïck Luypaert, Gauthier Boccard, Arthur Van Doren, Arthur De Sloover, Felix Denayer, Antoine Kina, Victor Wegnez, Florent Van Aubel, Sébastien Dockier and Tom Boon. Then followed: John-John Dohmen, Maxime Van Oost, Simon Gougnard, Nicolas de Kerpel, Tanguy Cosyns and Cédric Charlier.
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