World Cup: Quarter Finals Underway As Kookaburras And Crimson Lions Safe Closing 4 Berths

Kookaburras edge previous Crimson Sticks in a thriller whereas defence carries the Crimson Lions over Black Sticks

Australia and Belgium are the primary semi-finalists on the FIH Odisha Hockey Males’s World Cup 2023 incomes wins towards Spain and New Zealand of their respective quarterfinals. Within the semi-finals, Australia will face the winner of the match between Germany and England, whereas Belgium will tackle the winner of the quarterfinals match between Netherlands and Korea. 

Match 1: Australia vs Spain 4-3

The primary quarterfinals arrange an intriguing contest because the high-flying Australian assault got here up towards the Spanish defence that all the time raises its recreation towards robust oppositions. The primary quarter adopted that sample as Australia loaded up within the Spanish half, pinning them into their very own circle for essentially the most a part of the opening fifteen. However Spain had been very disciplined of their defence and the three penalty corners they conceded had been stopped brilliantly by Adrian Rafi who seemed in nice type. Spain had one nice likelihood within the quarter, as a penalty nook stopped by Rafi allowed Miralles to launch a counter assault, permitting Spain to create a 2-on-2 likelihood, however Gispert’s go within the circle was properly intercepted by Constitution and cleared by the defence. 

Australia once more began on the entrance foot within the second quarter, however it was Spain who discovered the opening objective within the twentieth minute, as a uncommon foray into the Australian half, noticed them win an extended nook which was taken shortly by Xavier Gispert and his shot on the reverse discovered the underside proper nook of the objective to perfection giving Spain the lead towards the run of play. Australia continued their seek for a gap objective and one other penalty nook alternative amounted to nothing as Blake Govers’ flick was excessive and broad to the keeper’s proper. Spain as soon as once more managed to launch a counter from the appropriate and a speculative cross by Pepe Cunill was missed by Gonzalez and Harvie couldn’t get a clear intercept. The ball lastly fell to Marc Recasens who discovered himself in house on the far publish and his fast response shot beat Constitution and doubled Spain’s lead! Australia did discover a objective again proper earlier than half-time as a strong go into the circle discovered Ogilvie unmarked on the appropriate and his low pushed shot couldn’t be stopped by Rafi, giving Australia some momentum heading into the break.

Australia had been again on degree phrases inside 2 minutes of the second half as a mazy run alongside the left baseline by Jake Whetton was not checked by any Spanish defender and his go throughout the objective was tapped into an empty objective by Aran Zalewski. One other minute later, the turnaround was full as a penalty nook, flicked by Hayward took a deflection off a Spanish stick and beat Rafi to present Australia the lead, with a mere 167 seconds between the primary objective and the third. Hayward then doubled Australia’s lead within the thirty seventh minute from a penalty nook, however 4 minutes later Miralles pulled one again for Spain via their second penalty nook of the sport.

Australia retreated into their very own half within the remaining quarter permitting Spain to achieve a larger share of possession however Australia remained an enormous menace on the counter assault. Spain had an enormous likelihood within the remaining 5 minutes via a penalty stroke, and captain Marc Miralles stepped as much as take it. He went to his proper, however Constitution guessed accurately and acquired his hand to the ball to avoid wasting the try and keep the Kookaburras’ lead. Australia negotiated the ultimate minutes brilliantly, holding the ball within the Spanish half and irritating the Crimson Sticks who had been starved of all possession until the ultimate whistle.

Andrew Constitution was awarded participant of the match for his heroics all through the sport and mentioned: “It was an enormous take a look at of our mentality to come back again from two objectives down and win the sport. For the video games going ahead, clearly we have to enhance on our defence a bit and we are going to take it game-to-game primarily based on who we face. 

Match 2: Belgium vs New Zealand 2-0

The information cycle earlier than the sport was dominated by the harm suffered by Alex Hendrickx leaving the Crimson Lions with out their ace drag flicker for the remainder of the World Cup. Star ahead Tom Boon allayed a number of the worries by scoring the primary penalty nook Belgium gained by dissecting the hole between the keeper and the publish defender completely. It was an amazing begin to the sport for Belgium who performed confidently from the primary whistle calmly circulating the ball back and forth on the lookout for openings within the skilled Kiwi defence. New Zealand primarily seemed to catch Belgium out with fast counter assaults, however the skilled Belgian midfield stored stopping any makes an attempt they made at getting out on the break. 

Belgium scored a second objective within the first minute of the second quarter as nice work from the appropriate by Boccard led to a cross that was completed off by Florent van Aubel, to extend the scale of process forward of New Zealand in the event that they wished to maintain their World Cup marketing campaign alive. New Zealand tried their greatest to spark a comeback earlier than the half time, as that they had accomplished simply 48 hours in the past towards India, however Belgium’s defence was determined. The Black Sticks did handle to win a penalty nook within the remaining minute of the primary half as nice work by Sam Lane on the left baseline led to a Belgian foot within the circle. The tried drag flick by Russell although was properly watched by Vanasch until the very finish and he dived low to his proper and made the save to maintain Belgium’s clear sheet and two-goal lead intact on the break. 

Belgium continued to stifle New Zealand, regardless of switching from a excessive press to a midfield press. John-John Dohmen was notably spectacular within the center, swarming any Kiwi participant who tried to hold the ball out from the again. With their counter attacking skills curbed, New Zealand tried to construct from the again and did handle to create a few capturing alternatives within the Belgian circle, however Belgium all the time acquired again in numbers and the photographs had been blocked off earlier than they might get to Vanasch within the objective. Belgium ended the third quarter with the very best scoring alternative as a excessive ball by Denayer discovered Charlier alone within the circle, however his try at foxing Hayward on the close to publish was thwarted by the alert Kiwi shot-stopper. 

New Zealand had an amazing begin to the ultimate quarter as a deliberate kick by Arthur de Sloover inside their defensive 25m, earned them a penalty nook inside the primary minute. The Kiwis went with a variation as Russell pushed the ball in direction of Phillips on the appropriate, who tried to deflect the ball into the objective, however his try went narrowly broad and Belgium survived. The following massive likelihood of the sport additionally fell New Zealand’s means as a crashed go into the circle by Ross was deflected by an onrushing Greentree, however the ball handed by the far publish of the objective, lacking it by a whisker. New Zealand took their keeper off with 7 minutes left within the recreation to present them a bonus within the outfield, after failing to breach the Belgian defence all through the sport. Nevertheless, Belgium remained unaffected, calmly holding New Zealand out of their circle for essentially the most a part of the ultimate 7 minutes, to assert one other spectacular win and securing their spot within the semi-finals as they try and defend their World Cup title. 

Felix Denayer was awarded participant of the match and mentioned: “We knew New Zealand would give us a tricky match. We watched their recreation towards India they usually performed rather well to get the win in that recreation. So we’re fairly joyful to have gained this recreation and we now have gamers who will step up in Hendrickx’ place, although we are able to’t exchange him like for like, we now have guys who will step up in numerous methods to hold us ahead.”

FIH Odisha Hockey Males’s World Cup 2023 Bhubaneswar-Rourkela  

24 January 2023 Outcomes

Outcome: Match 1 

Australia 4-3 Spain

Participant of the Match: Andrew Constitution (AUS)

Umpires: Martin Madden (SCO), Coen van Bunge (NED), Marcin Grochal (POL-video)

Outcome: Match 2

Belgium 2-0 New Zealand

Participant of the Match: Felix Denayer (BEL)

Umpires: Raghu Prasad (IND), Dan Barstow (ENG), Ben Goentgen (GER-video)

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