Hockey World Cup 2023, HIGHLIGHTS Semifinals: Defending Champions Belgium edges Netherlands in shootouts, faces Germany in finals

Catch all the updates, results, and highlights from the FIH Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023 in Odisha

Belgium’s Tom Boon (centre) scored brace as the defending champions face Germany in the finals. | Photo Credit: PTI

Thank you for tuning into Sportstar’s LIVE Coverage of the Hockey World Cup 2023 - Day 15 in Bhubaneswar and Rourkela.

Here’s what happened in the first semifinal -Germany beats Australia 4-3 to enter HWC final for the first time in 13 years

BELGIUM VS NETHERLANDS (MATCH 38)

PLAYER OF THE MATCH- VINCENT VANASCH

PENALTY SHOOTOUT (Belgium defeats Netherlands 2-2 (3-2 SO))

• Vanasch makes the save Van Ass Seve missesand BELGIUM FACES GERMANY IN THE FINALS
• Cosyns misses Netherlands 2-3 Belgium
• Pieters hits off the back stick Netherlands 2-3 Belgium
• Wegnez refers and its a penalty stroke. Cosyns scores Netherlands 2-3 Belgium.
• Geus scores Netherlands 2-2 Belgium
• Sloover scores Netherlands 1-2 Belgium
• Croon scores Netherlands 1-1 Belgium
• Aubel scores Netherlands 0-1 Belgium
• Thijs Van Dam misses Netherlands 0-0 Belgium

FOURTH QUARTER

• YES, ITS A PENALTY SHOOTOUT !
• Van Ass and Brinkman have a collision and the Dutch captain looks to have suffered cramps.
• WILL IT BE PENALTY SHOOTOUTS TO DECIDE THE FINALIST?
• PENALTY STROKE FOR BELGIUM DUE TO A STICK ON STICK. HOWEVER, TOM BOON, BELGIUM’S LEADING GOAL SCORER MISSES AS BLAAK READS THE BALL AND SAVES IT
• A mistake by the Belgian’s Van Dorem as the ball bounces off his stick in the penalty corner.
• DUTCH HAVE A CHANCE WITH A PC. A second PC, which is well defended by Van Dorem’s, who launch a fast counter-attack but it hits the foot of Bijen, who ensures Belgium gets a PC.

THIRD QUARTER

• ITS A GOAL! AS KERPEL SMASHES THE BALL PAST BLAAK AND EQUALISES FOR BELGIUM 2-2
• PC for Belgium, Tom Boon saves and Dutch attack. However, they fail to connect and Belgian players take it again and Boon comes into the circle.
• Tanguy passes to Denayer, however he fails to connect and Charlier who’s on the far post lifts his stick up missing the ball.
• PC FOR NETHERLANDS! AND ITS JIP JANSSEN WHO DOES IT AGAIN FOR THE DUTCH AS IT DEFLECTS OFF THE POST MAN’S STICK AND GOES FAR INTO THE LEFT HAND CORNER OF THE GOALKEEPER! NETHERLANDS LEADS 2-1
• WHAT A SAVE FROM BLAAK, Tanguy Cosyns gets a deflection off Doren and almost gets a goal, but Blaak saves it inches away from the goal-line
• Thijs van Dam takes a shot with only one Belgian player marking him, but Vanasch lifts his left hand and saves it with ease.

SECOND QUARTER

• A good chance for Brinkman but not able to make a contact as Vanasch saves it and the ball is out of the Belgian circle.
• Obstructed in the circle and PC for Belgium! Tom Boon beats Blaak as it touches the left leg of Dutch ‘keeper and finds the target. BELGIUM EQUALISES VS NETHERLANDS
• Belgium takes the ball after Netherlands play touch the stick one by one and before Vanasch saves it.
• Simon Gougnard plays the ball across and Dockier fouls not allowing the defender to stop.
• Wortelboer intercepts the Belgian defence and the Dutch gets the ball possession back.

FIRST QUARTER

• Netherlands gets an early lead in the first quarter
• Another PC for the Dutch as Brinkman gets the ball off Doren’s body. Jip Janssen fakes to the left and pulls the ball and slings it straight to the right hand side of Vanasch. Netherlands leads 1-0
• Bijen lefts the ball and hits the foot of Belgian player. Penalty corner for Netherlands, Beins deflects the rebound wide after the drag flick was stopped by the Belgian defenders.
• Brinkman tries to spin past the defenders in the circle inorder to get a score on board, however, Boccard deflects the ball.
• Netherlands’ squad seems to be far inexperienced in terms of matches played in comparison to veteran Belgian line-up.
• The players enter the field and the anthems are sung.
• Belgium’s Antoine Kina will play his 100th match today

WHAT HAPPENED THE LAST TIME THE TWO TEAMS FACED EACH OTHER?

Netherlands defeated Belgium 2-1 in the 2021-22 FIH Hockey Pro League.

STARTING XI

AUSTRALIA VS GERMANY (MATCH 37)

FOURTH QUARTER

PLAYER OF THE MATCH- NIKLAS WELLEN

• THE HOOTER GOES OFF AND GERMANY DEFEATS AUSTRALIA 4-3 TO REACH THE FINALS
• With six seconds left, GERMANY SCORES Niklas Wellen finds an empty space and its a GOAL! GERMANY ARE INTO THE FINALS OF THE WORLD CUP
• German goalkeeper Stadler, who was substituted for a field player comes back again.
• PC FOR GERMANY, CAN THEY MAKE IT COUNT? YES, THEY MAKE IT! PEILLAT GETS A HAT-TRICK AND EQUALISES IT YET AGAIN!
• PENALTY CORNER FOR AUSTRALIA! WILL THEY MAKE IT WITH 2 MINUTES AND 40 SECONDS TO GO. AUSTRALIA SCORES AS BLAKE GOVERS FIND AN EMPTY SPACE BETWEEN STADLER AND DEFENDER! AUSTRALIA LEADS 3-2
• Its 12th PC FOR GERMANY AS PEILLAT SCORES HIS SECOND GOAL OF THE EVENING BEFORE CHARTER COULD REALIZE WHAT HAPPENED. GERMANY EQUALISES 2-2!
• PC for Germany with nine minutes to go as Howard gets his stick down. Germany ask a referral and gets it in their favour.
• Green card for Tom Craig and Australia are a player down for two minutes.
• PC goes Australia’s way. However, Hinrichs stops Haywards’ effort.
• Wellen in an attempt to flick one onto the goal, Brand tackles and sticks clash as the ball possession goes the Aussie way.
• Will Germany be able to equalise?

THIRD QUARTER

• Australia keeps its referral. It’s five on five for Australia when it comes to video referral decisions.
• PC for Germany, make it two. Still they are unable to score in neither as Ogilvie saves.
• Peillat misses the pickup on a PC. But German fans worry not, they get two consecutive corners after that. THEY GET LUCKY THE THIRD TIME AS PEILLAT FLICKS IT IN BETWEEN ZALEWSKI AND CHARTER. GERMANY 1-2 AUSTRALIA
• Whetton almost scores for Australia but Stadler comes in the front and the two clash. However the ball is in play but Stadler stands firm as the ball is nipped outside.
• Ruhr lands a ball on top of the goalpost.
• PC for Australia and Stadler saves one on his right using his legs to kick the ball.
• GERMANY GETS A PC! A Penalty stroke awarded by the umpire. However, video referral shows no stick tackling by the Australians and they keep their referral yet again and no stroke awarded. Grambusch had a chance but looked confused as the PC hits the umpire off the rebound.
• Craig and Brand fail to connect as Germans take ball possession.

SECOND QUARTER

• A PC FOR THE KOOKABURRAS. Make it two PCs. Govers steps across but misses the goalpost as two German defenders block his attempt.
• Germany misses yet another PC opportunity as Peillat misses and hits the ‘keeper’s water bottle behind the goal.
• Sharp passes the ball from outside to Wickham, who’s inside the circle, as he assists the ball to Ephraums and finds an empty spot to score as the ball passes Stadler’s leg. Australia leads 2-0
• Australia tries to attack using right flank, however, Grambusch intercepts and the Germans charge in as Miltkau wins a penalty corner. Australia asks for a referral and gets it as Miltkau fails an scoring attempt and hits Zalewski, so the PC decision is reversed.
• The Germans try to constantly attack the Australian D.
• PC for Germany. Tom G from the second battery, Charter saves the ball even in the rebound via Hinrichs.
• DID YOU KNOW? AUSTRALIA HAS THE BEST PENALTY CONVERSION RATE IN THIS WORLD CUP 10/24
• Dangerous situation for Germany as Wickham goes near the goalpost setting out to score from the baseline. Stadler puts it aside.

FIRST QUARTER

• Harvie takes a shot and hits Grambusch’s stick. PC FOR AUSTRALIA! DAWSON AND HAYWARD COMBINE AS THE JERSEY NO 32 FLICKS IT NEAR THE LEFT FOOT OF THE GERMAN KEEPER STADLER WHICH SWIFLY GOES PAST! AUSSIES LEAD 1-0
• Yet another referral won by the Australians as it is deemed dangerous inside the circle.
• Germans squander around in the Australian circle as Prinz fails to connect the ball and attempt a goal.
• Harvie gives up ball possession inside the German circle.
• Germans win a PC, but Aussies ask a referral. The ball is deemed to be dangerous and Australia keeps its referral.
• The Kookaburras attacks from the left side as they close in into the circle, however, the German defenders intercepts and the ball possession is with the Die Honamas.
• PC FOR AUSTRALIA! Haywards takes the first attempt to flick it as he tries to play the ball in the corner, however, Stadler saves it with ease.
• Australia tries to enter the German D, however, Grambusch pushes it away.
• The teams enter the field and the anthem is played.

WHAT HAPPENED THE LAST TIME THE TWO TEAMS FACED EACH OTHER?

Australia defeated Germany 3-1 in the Tokyo Olympics 2020.

STARTING XI

HERE IS THE SCHEDULE FOR THE DAY!

PREVIEW (Uthra Ganesan)

A circumspect Australia will be hoping to find its rhythm and keep its victory streak intact against a resurgent Germany when the two face-off in the World Cup semifinal here on Friday even as defending champion Belgium takes on Netherlands in a repeat of last edition’s title clash for a final spot.

Despite several close games and quite a few upsets, the existing top-order in world hockey has remained unchallenged in the tournament with the four top-ranked teams in the semifinals, reaching in vastly contrasting manner which makes calling favourites impossible.

Australia had a major scare against Spain in the quarterfinals and Argentina before that in the pool game while Germany had to overcome the crossovers and a dominant England.

Belgium and Netherlands had comparatively easier outings but would be wary of their toughest test in the competition so far.

Numbers favour World No. 1 Australia, which last lost to the Germans in the 2014 Champions Trophy and in World Cups, further back in the 2006 edition despite every match between the two being closely contested.

But the usual dominance it is known for has been missing here.

Despite scoring the second most number of goals (24), the team has often been slow off the blocks, instead building up pace and intensity through the game and relying on its resilience to stay undefeated.

“We do prepare to play and start well, it hasn’t happened so far but...that’s just the way it goes,” coach Colin Batch admitted ahead of the semifinal.

The tentative start has meant the team needed a 58th minute equaliser against Argentina and had to fight back from a two-goal deficit against Spain and only a penalty stroke save from Andrew Charter in the final few minutes prevented the game from going into shootouts.

Its biggest advantage is the success through penalty corners, something most other teams have struggled with. Against a stubborn Germany, which has made a habit of scoring last minute goals in major tournaments and finding ways to win from seemingly lost situations, the Kookaburras will have to bring their A game, and a bit of luck, if they wish to play their fifth final in six editions.

The other semifinal will be a clash of the oldest and youngest sides in the competition playing a similar style and having been far less tested than the other two.

Netherlands has scored 27 goals so far but hasn’t really found a tough opponent so far. That could be Belgium and the Dutch would be wary of faltering at the first major hurdle.

Belgium, among the fittest teams here despite their age, have made optimum use of their experience and found ways to score around obstacles including losing its key drag-flicker Alexander Hendrickx.

With little to separate the sides in style or results, expect a cracker.

WHAT HAPPENED IN THE QUARTERFINALS?

Dominant Belgium ends New Zealand hopes, advances to semifinals (READ MORE)

Australia pulls of a stunning comeback to beat Spain 4-3 in quarterfinals (READ MORE)

Danneberg, Grambusch brothers star in Germany’s QF win; Netherlands completes semifinal line-up (READ MORE)

Where to watch the 2023 Men’s Hockey World Cup matches live?

The 2023 Men’s Hockey World Cup matches will be telecast live on Star Sports First, Star Sports Select 2 HD, Star Sports Select 2 SD. The same will be streamed live on Disney+ Hotstar.

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