Hockey World Cup, Pool C: Netherlands looks for early qualification; Chile, Malaysia aim maiden win

Netherlands got off to a 4-0 win over Malaysia in the first match and will secure qualification if it beats New Zealand in the next game.

Despite opening the World Cup with a thumping win, Netherlands has stressed on the fact that the team ‘can do better’. | Photo Credit: Biswaranjan Rout / The Hindu

Netherlands will take on New Zealand in their second Pool C match at the Birsa Munda International Stadium on Monday to seal its qualification into the knockouts of the World Cup.

The Dutch got off to a 4-0 win over Malaysia but were left unsatisfied and frustrated with their performance. Both the head coach Jeroen Delmee and captain Thierry Brinkman echoed the sentiment that the team ‘can do better’.

“There was room for improvement [in our game]. The quality of our technical skills wasn’t good enough and we couldn’t get a good tempo into the game. Malaysia played very defensive and didn’t really want to play hockey. We need two teams to get a certain flow,” said Delmee.

Malaysia’s tactics would have provided New Zealand, which beat Chile 3-1 in its opener, with a blueprint to emulate and frustrate the inexperienced Dutch by denying them the space to attack into.

The Blacksticks also have the speed and penetration from attack and midfield to hurt the Dutch on the transition.

Brinkman, however, noted that the Netherlands team will look to adapt and draw the opposition forward by sitting back to counter the approach.

In the other Pool C match, Chile will take on Malaysia with both teams hoping to stake a claim for a place in the crossovers.

Despite the defeat, Chile finished the game strongly with a first-ever World Cup goal and came close with their penalty corners. Malaysia coach Arul Anthoni felt the team needed to cut out the individual errors and take the chances that come their way.