A day after the Red Panthers, the Red Lions also won the Olympic hockey tournament in Valencia. In an unnecessary final against host country Spain – the ticket for Paris had already been received on Friday – the Belgian hockey men deservedly won 2-3. The Red Lions are heading to the Games with confidence, where a difficult group stage awaits them.
The Red Lions apparently did not have too much of an Olympic qualifying party on Friday, because they presented themselves on Sunday evening in Valencia as a team that also wanted to win an unnecessary match. It characterizes the eager Olympic champion, who, six months before Paris, does not even grant the opposition crumbs. “We want to impress the world with our hockey,” Arno Van Dessel had said on Friday. The Red Lions did not impress in the final against Spain. Do dominate.
The number eight in the world rankings was not involved for their own people in the first half. Without really going all out, the Red Lions pushed the Spaniards against their own goal. That only resulted in a deserved lead in the second quarter. Tom Boon scored his sixth goal of the tournament. The 33-year-old attacker was conspicuously left out of the European Championship selection last summer and was again in the spotlight of national coach Van den Heuvel this week in Spain. We dare to think that Boon will soon be there in Paris.
Tom Boon. — © BELGA
The Red Lions were also better after half-time, but Spain managed to equalize somewhat out of nowhere in the third quarter: 1-1. The goal gave the home team a mental boost, because the Spaniards suddenly started playing better and also created a few chances. Belgium subsequently failed to convert its dominance on the field into goal danger. A crazy final phase brought the decision. Three minutes before the end, Van Aubel scored the 1-2, but the Red Lions were immediately surprised by a rare Spanish counter-attack. The match seemed to end in shoot-outs, but a minute later Onana scored the winning goal against the ropes.
Van Aubel and Onana celebrate the 2-3. — © BELGA
Difficult group at the Games
As number two in the world rankings, the Red Lions will meet India, Australia, Argentina, New Zealand and Ireland in group B. The first four of the two groups go to the quarter-finals and the Belgians will always be there. However, if the Red Lions want to avoid world champions Germany and European champions the Netherlands in the quarter-finals, they should also win their group. No easy feat because India and Australia are certainly shadow favorites for the Olympic title.
The Red Lions can prepare for the Games. — © BELGA
Van Aubel: “Difficult to prepare for this final”
“I’m going to be very honest, it was really difficult to recharge for this final,” admitted Florent van Aubel, scorer of the second Belgian goal. “This entire tournament was all about an Olympic ticket. When we won that on Friday, the pressure was off our shoulders. Then you play that final with a different feeling.”
Spain was the first country that managed to make things difficult for Belgium in this Olympic qualifying tournament. “It was the first time this week that we were put under pressure. Logically, in a final in and against Spain. But we handled that pressure very well. I think we played a very good tournament. We are on track. The preparation for the Olympic Games can officially begin. And I’m looking forward to it. I didn’t even know that we were playing against Australia, India, Argentina, New Zealand and Ireland in Paris. We will figure out how to approach that in the coming days. And then to the quarter-finals. And then let’s go, like in Tokyo.”
National coach Van den Heuvel: “Not the clear top favorite at the Games”
Van den Heuvel. — © BELGA
National coach Michel van den Heuvel understood that his players were not fully concentrated for the unnecessary final against Spain. “It was difficult to find the real focus. But we did win nicely. Although the way it was done was not really special. The fact that we can accelerate twice when there is a tie shows why we are a special team.”
Unlike Van Aubel, Van den Heuvel had done his homework about the group stage in Paris. “A difficult group, but at the Olympic Games every group is difficult. We are not the clear top favorite for the Olympic title, but we do belong to the group of six countries that will compete for the very highest. We are being hunted. We like that. In Paris we play eight matches in thirteen days. It is the toughest tournament there is. But I feel there is still a lot in this team.”