General
Boxtel national coach Jeroen Delmy and his assistant Eric Werboom have won a medal at the World Cup of Hockey in India. On Sunday afternoon, the men’s national team defeated Australia 3-1. With that, the disappointment of Friday’s semi-final defeat against Belgium was largely washed away.
In advance, both Delmy and Verboom have already lowered expectations for the hockey world champion in this newspaper. The team they have been working with for a year is young and has relatively little experience in major international tournaments. Gold at the Olympic Games in Paris in 2024 is a dot on the horizon, with the World Cup a good measuring point.
The two Boxtel residents and their team did not take the fighting in India too seriously. The first three group matches against New Zealand, Chile and Malaysia were all easily won, but not against the real front-runners. However, in the semi-finals, the Orange team met Belgium, one of the favourites, and managed to keep the Netherlands from gold in the 2018 finals after shoot-outs. Once again, it was Belgium who denied the Orangemen a place in the finals, and again after shoot-outs, the score was 2-2 in regular time.
He held his head high
So the hangover was huge, but Delmy and Werboom still managed to raise their players in the battle for third place. Australia still fought back, particularly in the first half, but the Orange took control more strongly in the second half. With a 3-1 win and a bronze medal in their pocket, the two Boxtel residents can leave the tournament with their heads held high. Delmy has enough information to prepare his team for the Games in Paris.
Germany won the World Cup after beating Belgium in the final after shoot-outs. So all the medals went to three neighboring countries.
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