Defending champions Belgium and three-time winners Australia booked their locations within the semi-finals of the FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup after defeating Spain and New Zealand of their respective quarter-final matches, right here on Tuesday.
Australia fought laborious for a 4-3 win over Spain within the first quarter-final, whereas Belgium didn’t face a lot hassle in India’s 2-0 win over defending champions New Zealand within the day’s second last-eight match on the Kalinga Stadium .
With the win over Spain, Australia made their twelfth straight World Cup semi-final look.
Winners of the 1986, 2010 and 2014 editions, Australia have made the semi-finals of the World Cup 11 instances because the 1978 version in Buenos Aires. They had misplaced to the Dutch within the semi-finals within the penalty shootout within the final version right here in 2018.
Belgium suffered a blow simply forward of their quarter-final match as their star penalty nook specialist Alexander Hendrickx was dominated out of the rest of the event after injuring his knee of their ultimate Pool B match towards Japan on 20 January Was.
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Australia progress to the semi-finals after an unimaginable match towards Spain, which included a penalty stroke save by keeper Andrew Charter within the 57th minute! #HWC2023
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– International Hockey Federation (@FIH_Hockey) January 24, 2023
Belgium will now await the winner of Wednesday’s quarter-final between England and Germany within the semi-finals, whereas title contenders Australia will face the winner of the last-eight match between the Netherlands and South Korea.
It was a detailed affair within the Australia v Spain quarter-final match however two penalty nook strikes from Jeremy Hayward within the third quarter made the distinction.
Spain captain Marc Miralles made a pricey mistake as he failed to attain from a penalty stroke 4 minutes after the ultimate hooter along with his staff trailing 3-4. Had he scored, the match would have gone to a shootout.
Hayward scored within the thirty third and thirty seventh minutes, whereas Flynn Ogilvie (thirtieth) and captain Eran Zalewski (thirty second) scored for Australia.
Javier Gispert (twentieth), Marc Ricksens (twenty fourth) and Miralles (forty first) scored for Spain, who will now return residence. Last time he was at thirteenth place.
Spain denied Australia taking part in their fast-paced one-touch recreation within the first quarter. Australia although earned three penalty corners within the first quarter-hour however couldn’t rating a single one.
Australia and Belgium are the primary semi-finalists of the FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023 after registering hard-fought wins towards Spain and New Zealand of their respective quarter-finals. #HWC2023
Read the total breakdown of the day’s play beneath 👇
– International Hockey Federation (@FIH_Hockey) January 24, 2023
Penalty nook specialist Blake Grover shot two to no avail whereas Hayward flicked one with the identical end result as the perimeters failed to interrupt the impasse within the first quarter.
But Spain stunned Australia by scoring two objectives within the second quarter.
At one stage, it appeared as if an upset victory was on the best way for Europe after they had been main 2–0 till the final minute of the second quarter.
Spain scored two fantastic area objectives within the twenty fourth minute by way of Gispert and Rekassens to take a 2–0 lead.
But simply seconds earlier than the second quarter Australia mounted a comeback and Ogilvie discovered himself unchallenged by Matt Dawson’s move into the Spanish placing circle.
Ogilvie hit laborious and beat the goalkeeper to alleviate the strain.
If Spain had been the higher facet within the second quarter, Australia had been clearly the dominant staff within the third as they scored three of the 4 objectives scored in that interval.
It was a three-goal burst within the area of 5 minutes for Australia as Zalewski discovered the goal within the second minute of the third quarter, earlier than Hayward scored twice in fast succession within the thirty third and thirty seventh minutes.
Trailing 0–2 simply earlier than the top of the second quarter, Australia led 4–2 within the third quarter.
Four minutes earlier than the top of the third quarter, Spain pulled one again with Miralles scoring from a penalty.
The fourth quarter was a detailed contest and Spain had an opportunity to attain the equalizer and take the match to a shootout.
But Miralles wasted a penalty stroke with Australia goalkeeper Andrew Charter, later named man of the match, blocking the shot by extending his left leg.
Afterwards, Belgium took a while to settle of their quarter-final towards New Zealand however as soon as they did the defending champions took management of the match as they scored one purpose every within the first and second quarters.
They maintained a 2–0 lead within the first half till the top of the match.
Star ahead Tom Boon opened the scoring for Belgium within the eleventh minute from a penalty nook.
The New Zealand protection was caught napping within the first minute of the second quarter.
Simon Gougnard’s cross from the precise of the ‘D’ went previous at the least two New Zealand defenders and Florent van Aubel was left to fit residence a simple purpose within the sixteenth minute.
The third and fourth quarters noticed no objectives, with Belgium largely attacking whereas New Zealand defended their defenses nicely.
The Black Sticks made some spirited challenges within the fourth quarter with some good offensive strikes however their ultimate touches or deflections didn’t come.
With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
