Rio de Janeiro: India’s men’s hockey team chief coach Roelant Oltmans conceded that Belgium played with much more quality and experience and deserved to progress to the semi-finals here on Sunday.
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A disjointed India’s Olympic hockey medal hopes went up in smoke as they crashed 1-3 to Belgium in the quarter-final here on Saturday. We are happy that the team could reach the quarter finals, but the team we have had the potential of going higher.
Top four finishers from Pool A and Pool B qualify for the quarterfinals.
After a roller-coaster run through the pool stage, highlighted by four goals to draw with Germany, the defending two-time champion, the Leones proved the 2014 World Cup’s third place was no fluke.
They ultimately won 3-1, eliminated Britain, and ended the unbeaten start of Belgium, which still topped the pool. New Zealand; and Australia vs. Brazil.
One has to understand that back-to-back matches are never easy in the sweltering Rio heat, but credit must go to India for rising to the occasion and sneaking past tenacious Argentina 2-1, after soaking up a barrage of offensive pressure in the final quarter of the match. Canada are at the bottom with no point. A cross was cut enough by Jeroen Hertzberger that the goalie missed it but Van Ass didn’t.
After 36 years, the Indian men’s hockey team has qualified for knock-outs.
Maria Barrionueva laid off behind her at a penalty corner and Carla Rebecchi fired it home, Agustina Albertarrio’s cross was accidentally put in by an India defender, and Cavallero swept in her second goal from a Delfina Merino pass through a defender’s legs. With only eight outfield players for India available, the Netherlands saw this as a great opportunity and peppered the Indian circle, but the Indian defence stood strong.
The fourth Quarter-Final was unquestionably the most dramatic of the day, with Pool A’s fourth placed team New Zealand giving Pool B winners Germany a huge scare before eventually suffering the most painful of defeats.
It’s Argentina’s first time in the semifinals in 11 Olympics, while Belgium last played for a medal in 1928. They had their first attempt at goal in just 15 seconds.
Sombroek appeared to be unpassable but enjoyed some luck.
Gonzalo Peillat’s penalty corner shot had been saved by the stick of Spain’s Miguel Delas in the goalmouth. Forward Zhang Xiaoxue had the best chance of the match, clear in front and hitting the post with six minutes to go. Of course, they had a tough Olympic first match against dogged Ireland and only managed to beat them by the skin of their teeth by the odd goal in three, they appeared to have reserved their “best” against reigning Olympic champions Germany and almost pulled off a 1-1 draw before hugely talented Christopher Ruhr struck with just three seconds remaining.
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India played better in the third quarter but failed to reduce the margin despite getting a few chances.
