AMSTELVEEN (TIP): The FIH Hockey World Cup has caught the co-hosts – the Netherlands and Belgium – in varying and contrasting moods. While the Netherlands has every reason to feel cheerful about the performance of its teams, both men and women, the Belgians are heartbroken.
In the first semifinal in the women’s section, the Netherlands playing before a packed Wagener Stadium, set aside the challenge of Belgium by a solitary first half goal in a game of exciting and pulsating hockey. Though the Belgians who travelled to Amsterdam to play their first game – a semifinal on Dutch soil – had disappointment writ large on their faces.
The game could have gone either way. But the Dutch knowing their opponents inside out played a strategy of taking the lead and then defended it stoutly.
Belgian hopes of glory, both in men and women sections, already stood shattered. The men’s team will be playing India for the seventh and eighth position on Friday. The women lost the battle for a place in the gold medal match.
The Netherlands have an impressive record in women’s World Cup winning the coveted trophy nine times (1974, 1978, 1983, 1986, 1990, 2006, 2014, 2028 and 2022) besides finishing runners-up four times (1981, 1998, 2002 and 2010). Today when the Dutch beat Belgians, it was their eighth successive entry in the gold medal round.
Belgium, on the other hand, has never won the Women’s World Cup. Earlier in the day, India upset the applecart of former World Cup champions (1976 and 1981) Germany 3-1 to take the fifth spot, the best it ever got since finishing fourth in the inaugural World Cup in 1974.
Australia (1994 and 1998) and Argentina (2002 and 2010) are the only other winners of the Women’s World Cup Hockey titles in the past. Now the Netherlands awaits the winner of the other semifinal featuring Argentina and Australia, both former champions.
The all-important goal for the Netherlands was scored by Frederique Malta in the 28th minute. It followed an excellent move by skipper Marijin Veen that saw Malta getting past the Belgian defense for the match decisive goal.
Though the Belgians had many opportunities coming their way, including four penalty corners, two in each half, they could not get the better of the solid Dutch defense.In the 55th minute, Belgians found the target. Their goal, however, was disallowed because of an infringement inside the circle by the video referee. It came as a big heartbreak for the Belgian players.
For the last three minutes, Belgium withdrew its goalkeeper and brought in an extra striker, but the move failed to yield the desired results.
The Netherlands now awaits the winner of the Argentina-Australia tie for the summit clash on August 29 at Wagnere Stadium in Amstelveen while the men’s final will be played in Werve in Belgium on August 30.
(Prabhjot Singh is a Toronto-based senior journalist who writes on Sports, politics and community. He can be reached at prabhjot416@gmail.com)
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