The Red Panthers failed to beat the Dutch champions. They started their quarter-final badly and only made them doubt at the end of the match. Back to the game.
Q1
There is no way to slip any supporter into the Wagener stadium: The few hundred Belgian admirers of the Red Panthers were going to be completely suffocated by the other 9,500 Oranje fans. A factor that the players will have to try not to take into account: the atmosphere is terrible and terribly oppressive even before the kick-off.
The ball passed fairly quickly through the Dutch sticks, which already allowed Brasseur to show his skill in placement. The first 5 minutes were spent in the Belgian half: twice, Puvrez countered Albers’ circle entries on the right. In the 8th minute, Matla received a long shot and tried to turn around to fire a backhand, but with Brasseur in the legs, it was difficult to arm a shot which was finally deflected into the clouds. On the long corner, Struijk conceded the first pc of the game and Jansen turned on the gaiters of Sotgiu, very attentive. The same Struijk found himself a minute later on the other side of the field for the first entry into the Belgian circle: the Belgian attempt was easily countered. In the 12th minute, Ballenghien almost took advantage of a quibble in the local defense to worry the back line On the counter-attack, Verschoor found himself alone in front of the Belgian goalkeeper, but Sotgiu got the ball out of the Dutch striker’s stick: brilliant . In the 14th, Verschoot pulled on the side board. 30 seconds later, it was goal with a deflection from Leurink on a serve from Eva de Goede (1-0). The Dutch had perhaps done the hardest…
Q2
As soon as the restart, De Mot voluntarily put the ball out and the referee awarded a very severe pc. Jansen found D’Hooghe’s hoof clearing cleanly. The Dutch mobilized the ball by making the Belgians run in all corners of the field. In the 18th, the Oranje obtained their 3rd pc: Matla found the glove of the Belgian goalkeeper. 20 seconds later, 4th pc: Matla sent wide. For the moment, a health walk for the locals; the Red Panthers react only on rare occasions. As in the 22nd minute, theater of the second entry into the Belgian circle. In the 23rd minute, Nelen sent the ball to De Mot who was easily pushed around by the (too) tall Dutch backs. In the 24th, Albers took over a ball released from the stick by d’Hooghe. In the 25th, Vanden Borre crossed for de Mot who did not deflect the ball. In the 27th, Versavel struggled like a devil to serve the ball in front of the goalkeeper: no one picked up. The Belgians finally came out of their half of the field. A circle entry one minute from halftime for Englebert deserved better. The first half was therefore mostly in favor of the Dutch but in the end, they might only score once. Little for them, good for the Panthers who limited the damage.
Q3
Start of the second half with the Oranje still on the attack and a shot from Jansen went wide. The game became a little messy and less intense, with a few more Dutch errors like this pc too easily conceded in the 37th minute: Vanden Borre did not ask for so much and equalized with a flat sleep deflected by the stick of Gerniers.(1-1). We might then only hear the Belgian supporters in a dumbfounded stadium. This goal did not wake up Albers who sent a shot into the clouds (30th) or Verschoor who was blocked at the top of the circle despite a lot of work. Undermining work that annoyed the Oranje who lost their hockey somewhat. The Panthers had finally awakened their more forward-facing hockey.
Q4
The final quarter was barely started by 2 minutes when Moes ran over but over the goal. At the 54th, 5th pc that Matla sent into the clouds. The Belgians pressed so much and more but fell on well grouped Oranje who slowly felt the qualification coming. The sequences followed, there was always a Brasseur in the way. In the 57th, D’Hooghe might thank his post which deflected a shot from Moes. In the 58th, de Goede swung Gerniers in the 23 meters: pc. Pushed back, then Dutch foot 4th Belgian pc. The first sending was postponed and the resumption of Brasseur failed next. The Dutch were huffing and letting the last seconds tick away; it was not easy and the latest Belgian attacks caused them a lot of worry.
Belgium is therefore eliminated at the quarter-final stage, an honorable course which will leave a taste of too little, especially once morest Australia, and which is nevertheless promising. On the other hand, these Netherlands that we saw this evening are not yet champions.
Netherlands : Konig ; Kooel, Leunink, de Waard, Albers, Welten, Matla, Sandrs, Nunnink, van Geffen, van Laarhoven, puis Moes, Keetels, Verschoor, de Goede, Plonissen, Jansen
Belgium : Sotgiu ; Puvrez, Brasseur, Vanden Borre, Hillewaert ; Nelen, Struijk, Vandermeiren ; Englebert, ‘t Serstevens, Ballenghien, puis Rasir, Gerniers, Versavel, Leclef, De Mot, Breyne, D’Hooghe (16th)
Referees : Mrs. I. Presenqui (Arg) and A. Neumann (Aus)
Green card : 24th Albers, 31st Moes, 32nd Struijk, 37th Englebert
yellow card : /
The goals : 15th Leurink (1-0), 38th Gerniers on PC (1-1), 48th Moes (2-1)
Penalty corner : Netherlands 0/6, Belgium ¼
