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Final Up to date: January 24, 2023, 23:03 IST
Belgium beat New Zealand 2-Zero within the quarterfinals of the FIH World Cup 2023 (FIH)
The Crimson Lions struck by way of Tom Boon within the 10th minute and Florent Van Aubel then doubled their lead within the 15th minute. The 2 strikes within the first two quarters proved sufficient as they defended stoutly to thwart New Zealand
Defencing Champions Belgium remained on target for back-to-back titles as they reached the semifinals of the FIH Odisha Hockey Males’s World Cup 203, prevailing 2-Zero over New Zealand within the quarterfinals on the Kalinga Stadium on Tuesday.
They joined World No.1 Australia within the semifinals and await the winner of the Netherlands and Korea on Wednesday to resolve a spot within the last.
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The Crimson Lions struck by way of Tom Boon within the 10th minute and Florent Van Aubel then doubled their lead within the 15th minute. The 2 strikes within the first two quarters proved sufficient as they defended stoutly to thwart New Zealand.
The discuss earlier than the sport was the damage suffered by Alex Hendrickx leaving Belgium with out their ace drag-flicker for the remainder of the World Cup.
Nonetheless, star ahead Tom Boon allayed among the worries by scoring the primary penalty nook Belgium received by dissecting the hole between the keeper and the submit defender completely.
It was an amazing begin to the sport for Belgium who performed confidently from the primary whistle, calmly circulating the ball backward and forward in search of openings within the skilled Kiwi defence. New Zealand primarily seemed to catch Belgium out with fast counterattacks, however the skilled Belgian midfield saved stopping any makes an attempt they made at getting out on the break.
Belgium scored their second aim within the first minute of the second quarter as nice work from the appropriate by Boccard Gauthier led to a cross that was completed off by Florent van Aubel to make it 2-0.
This compounded New Zealand’s issues as they now wanted to attain three targets to maintain their World Cup marketing campaign alive. The Black Sticks tried their finest to spark a comeback earlier than halftime, as that they had performed simply 48 hours in the past in opposition to India. However Belgium’s defence was determined.
The Black Sticks did handle to win a penalty nook within the last minute of the primary half as nice work by Sam Lane on the left baseline was interrupted by a Belgian foot within the circle. The tried drag flick by Kane Russell although was well-watched by goalkeeper Vincent 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 talents curbed, New Zealand tried to construct from the again and did handle to create a few taking pictures alternatives within the Belgian circle, however Belgium all the time acquired again in numbers and the photographs have been blocked off earlier than they might get to the aim.
The defending champions ended the third quarter with the most effective scoring alternative as a excessive ball by skipper Felix Denayer discovered Cedric Charlier alone within the circle, however his try at foxing substitute Leon Hayward on the close to submit was thwarted by the alert Kiwi shot-stopper.
New Zealand had an amazing begin to the ultimate quarter as a deliberate kick by Belgium’s Arthur de Sloover, inside their defensive 25m, earned them a penalty nook inside the primary minute. The Black Sticks went with a variation as Russell pushed the ball in the direction of Hayden Phillips on the appropriate, who tried to deflect the ball into the aim, however his try went narrowly huge and Belgium survived.
The subsequent huge probability of the sport additionally fell New Zealand’s means as a crashed go into the circle by Nick Ross was deflected by an onrushing Connor Greentree, however the ball handed by the far submit of the aim, lacking it by a whisker.
New Zealand took their keeper off with seven minutes left within the sport to offer them a bonus within the outfield, after failing to breach the Belgian defence all through the sport. Nonetheless, the Crimson Lions remained unaffected, calmly preserving New Zealand out of their circle for many of the last seven minutes, to assert one other spectacular win and secured their spot within the semi-finals as they try to defend their World Cup title.
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