The Red Lions easily won the 3rd match of the ongoing World Cup in India. Japan is no match for Belgium who have scored 7 times. One ticket is enough for the quarter final round. The only drawback: an injury to penalty corner specialist Alexander Hendricks.
Objectives:
- 17′ Charlier 1-0
- 21′ Bean 2-0
- 26′ Bean 3-0
- 27′ Tokier 4-0
- 46′ Fukuda 4-1
- 50′ Bean 5-1
- 51′ Tokier 6-1
- 55′ Boon 7-1 (Pen)
Hendricks with a knee injury
Japan was not a sparring partner for the Belgians. Number 1 of the Games is much bigger than Tokyo 2020’s number 11.
The Red Lions’ only blemish: Alexander Hendricks’ injury. The penalty corner specialist had to leave the field in the first quarter after clashing with a knee against a Japanese player.
In the second quarter, his teammates started a goal fair. Charlier shot the ball across the corner and then Boon (2x) opened his account at the World Cup. Dockier posted the halftime score: 4-0.
Straight to the quarter finals
After the break, the Japanese showed they could play hockey too. Fukuda saved his country’s honor by heading the ball past Vanassi.
Belgium won 7-1 with a solid final sprint. After Boon’s 5-1, Tokier rounded off the Belgians’ best attack.
Boon scored the final score on a penalty kick. The attacker left the stadium with 4 goals.
The big win was enough to secure a spot in the quarter-finals. Germany may have thrown a spanner in the works, but couldn’t beat South Korea by 9 goals (7-2).
Belgium won the group on goal difference (+11 vs Germany +8).
The defending champion will compete in the quarterfinals New Zealand or host country India. The match will be held on Tuesday.
Red Lions at the World Cup of Hockey
| quarter final | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 24/01 | Australia | Malaysia/Spain | 12:30 p.m |
| Belgium | India/New Zealand | 2.30 pm | |
| 25/01 | Netherlands | Argentina/South Korea | 12:30 p.m |
| England | Germany/France | 2.30 pm | |
| Group B results | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14/01 | Belgium | South Korea | 5-0 | |
| Germany | Japan | 3-0 | ||
| 17/01 | South Korea | Japan | 2-1 | |
| Germany | Belgium | 2-2 | ||
| 20/01 | Belgium | Japan | 7-1 | |
| South Korea | Germany | 1-7 | ||
| Group B Finals | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I am | W | G | v | +/- | points | ||
| 1. | Belgium | 3 | 2 | 1 | +11 | 7 | |
| 2. | Germany | 3 | 2 | 1 | +8 | 7 | |
| 3. | South Korea | 3 | 1 | 2 | -9 | 3 | |
| 4. | Japan | 3 | 3 | -10 | |||
The winners of the 4 groups will qualify directly for the quarter finals. Numbers 2 and 3 go to shortcuts.
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