Belgium hit the right notes ahead of the knockouts in its final Pool B World Cup game by walloping Japan 7-1 here at the Birsa Munda International Stadium on Friday.
The Red Lions top the group with seven points, and second-placed Germany, which takes on South Korea in the final game of the evening, will need to win by a nine-goal margin to leapfrog them.
The defending champion put on an exhibition in attacking hockey with its quick passing and penetrative play. Dragfick specialist Alexander Hendrickx went off injured in the sixth minute during a penalty corner attempt when he twisted his right knee in his follow-through. While Belgium failed to convert any of its seven penalty corners, it showed its riches in attacking quality with six field goals.
Cedric Charlier came close to opening the scoring at the end of the opening quarter, but he was denied from close range twice by Takashi Yoshikawa. Belgium’s possession and persistence paid off in the second quarter with four goals. Yoshikawa couldn’t keep out Charlier’s powerful finish after the forward turned away from two defenders inside the circle.
Tom Boon then got off the mark in the tournament with a hat-trick in six minutes in a display of his finishing instincts. For the first, he held off two defenders using his strength before reverse flicking the ball high into the net. He then capitalised on a failed clearance to slot in his second and rounded off his third with a deft deflection from Sebastien Dockier’s shot.
Japan conjured some promising situations in the Belgian half in the opening 30 minutes from transitions, but Kentaro Fukuda failed to make the most of the three chances that came his way. A turnover in Belgium’s defence released Fukuda but his weak effort was kept out by Vincent Vanasch.
Japan coach Akira Takahashi stressed an improved effort in defence in the second half, and he got that in the third quarter of the match by keeping Belgium quiet. It got a goal through Fukuda to start the fourth quarter when he got a touch to redirect Seren Tanaka’s backhanded effort.
With the crowd willing it on, Japan continued to press in attack, but Belgium scored twice against the run of play through Boon and Dockier. Boon turned the face of his stick to guide Florent van Aubel’s pass and was involved in a quick interchange in play from the right side to release Dockier, who finish emphatically on the slide.
Boon capped off the scoring in the night for Belgium with his fifth from a penalty stroke.
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