Rio de Janeiro, Aug 17: Belgium stymied favourites the Netherlands 3-1 to set up the men’s hockey final clash with Argentina at the Olympics between the two first-time finalists.
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New Zealand’s Gemma Flynn, fights for the ball with Australia’s Karri McMahon, left, and Australia’s Jane Claxton, right, during their women’s field hockey quarterfinal match at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, Aug. 15.
The NZ women’s team is in medal contention after a 4-2 win over Australia put them into the semi-finals.
It’s just not the team their deliriously happy compatriots thought would be playing for a gold medal.
Four years ago, they could only manage a fifth-place finish but they have been revived by New Zealand coach Shane McLeod who led the Kiwis at the 2008 and 2012 Games.
It was the first time the Leonas have failed to reach the semifinals in an Olympic Game, a World Cup, a Champions Trophy or a World League final since 1998.
Billy Bakker had been a key contributor in the quarterfinal round, but his play did not shine through against Belgium.
“This is insane”, said Argentina midfielder Lucas Rey, who could have also spoken for Belgium.
“We know the job’s not done”.
Germany have also gone through already, with their opponent in the next round to be decided.
Defender Gonzalo Peillat hit a hat-trick of penalty corners with Joaquin Menini and Lucas Vila giving Argentina a 5-0 lead. That’s when Germany replaced its goalie for an extra forward to try and limit the humiliation.
The first quarter-final day was the Oceania derby, with Pool A second place finishers New Zealand claiming a 4-2 victory over Oceania champions Australia, who finished third in the Pool B standings.
Furste said Germany had only themselves to blame for losing control so early in the match. For a detailed account of the game’s back-and-forth, we refer you to USA Field Hockey. “It was a great game, fantastic against Holland”, said Dohmen.
“We just had to believe in ourselves, execute the game plan and chase”.
Not until the last minute did Argentina coach Carlos Retegui, responsible for numerous women’s triumphs, finally accept he’d masterminded the men’s biggest success yet, and began hugging his assistants.
Emotions ran deep at the Olympic Hockey Centre after the second semifinal.
The men’s team has come on in the last three years, thanks to five veterans with more than 200 caps, including goalie Juan Vivaldi, who made 10 saves, and relative newcomers Peillat, who draws all the attention with his penalty shots, and Menini.
The European neighbours play their semi-final later Tuesday.
The end came for Australia’s streak of six straight medals at Olympics that began at the 1992 Barcelona Games.
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“It’s very disappointing for our girls considering we played some really good hockey but when it comes down to these games, you’ve got to be at your best or you get punished”, Blyth said.
