Australia – Belgium 1-3 (0-2 halftime)
Belgium proved yet again that they are one of the fastest improving nations in world hockey by recording a superb 3-1 victory over reigning world champions Australia on day 2 of the Rabobank Hockey World League Semi Final tournament in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. It was a top class performance Belgium, with goals from Sebastien Dockier, Cedric Charlier and John-John Dohmen giving the Europeans a memorable win over the world’s number 2 ranked team.
Belgium made the perfect start to their Hockey World
League Round 3 campaign when Dockier produced a wonderful deflection
inside the first 30 seconds of the match. It was a goal which rocked the
Kookaburras, but it they were soon back on steady ground and began to
mount wave after wave of positive attacking play. However, the Belgians
dealt with the challenge impressively, and soon doubled their advantage
when Cedric Charlier fired home from close range after being teed up by
the outstanding Thomas Briels.
The Australians could easily have been level ahead of the break were
it not for some fine saves from Vincent Vanasch, who also watched a
diving effort from five times FIH Player of the Year Jamie Dwyer go
agonisingly wide of the target.
Australia were hugely impressive in the second half,
but continued to struggle to find a breakthrough despite numerous
penalty corner efforts. That was until the 63rd minute, when
Russell Ford reduced the deficit from open play following some masterful
work from Dwyer. However, The Belgians re-established their two goal
advantage five minutes from full time, with John-John Dohmen producing a
clinical finish to seal a memorable victory over the 2010 World
Champions.
