HWL semifinals as it happened: Belgium overpower India 4-0 to enter finals
India need to improve their defence as they will be up against an attacking Belgium for a place in the final of the Hockey World League (HWL) Semi-Final at the Brasschaat Municipal Park here on Friday.
 "HWL semifinals as it happened: Belgium overpower India 4-0 to enter finals")
On that note, its goodbye from us here at Firstpost. A disappointing defeat for India, but there is still the 3rd place playoff to look forward to on Sunday. Join us then. Have a party-tastic Friday night, everyone.
Viren with the final words on the night. Sure there are lots to fix, but this team has shown a lot of promise and there is a great platform being laid for Paul van Ass to improve on.
Van Ass has many things to fix. 2nd GK, porous defence, all at sea PC defence, slow starts to big matches, excessive holding onto the ball
— Viren Rasquinha (@virenrasquinha) July 3, 2015
For the first time this tournament, India did not score in a game. And the Belgian ‘keeper Vincent Vanasch had a big role to play in that. Having said that, Belgium were relentless in their attack except maybe in Q2.
India will now play the loser of Australia and Great Britain to find out who’ll finish 3rd. A thoroughly entertaining Belgium team head to the finals.
AND THAT’S IT! As that familar IPL music plays in the background, crowd and players break out in cheer as Belgium thrash India 4-0!
Oh, its overturned. And that should be it.
Hits a rushing Belgian defender on his foot. Another PC for India! Being referred by Belgium.
Less than 30 secs to go here. INDIA win a PC from Ramandeep! Can India get a consolation goal? Will it be Jasjit?
Really, India have been poor in 3 of the 4 quarters and Belgium thoroughly deserve their 4-0 lead. Belgium attacking for fun now. Great aggression. Errors galore from India from who are struggling to keep the ball.
Poor Sreejesh. What more can he do? India probably has the worst PC defense in world hockey. #WHL2015 #IndvsBel
— Viren Rasquinha (@virenrasquinha) July 3, 2015
Seemed like Sreejesh was the only one wanting to keep the goal away from Belgians. Poor from India.
Really feel sad for Sreejesh, he has no support from his defenders, they are letting him down everytime #HWL2015 #INDvsBEL
— Give Me Hockey (@hockeyind) July 3, 2015
GOAL BELGIUM! Superb double-save by Sreejesh but he’s drawn out of his line and cant save the tap in from van Aubel deflects home for his hat trick.
PENALTY CORNER BELGIUM!
Errors from India at the back, patient passing by Belgium with sudden penetrations into the Indian circle. Easy does it for the hosts.
Akashdeep pulls his hamstring trying to lead a counter down the right. That;s the end of his night and perhaps the tournament for him.
Akashdeep pulls his hamstring trying to lead a counter down the right. That;s the end of his night and perhaps the tournament for him.
Save SREEJESH! It was hit straight at him and the ‘keeper manages to stop it and push it away, no rebounds this time.
Another PC, as Manpreet takes one on his foot rushing out of the goal.
India lose the referral and PC stays.
Another PC to Belgium, they have scored from both theirs of the night so far. India are taking this up with the TV umpire.
Crowd break into a chant of “Come on you, Reds!!” India look disjointed now. Belgium untroubled.
Never say never in sports. Can India find one final push in Q4? Let’s find out.
End of Q3. Belgium with a comfortable 3-0 lead.
Missed again by Rupinder Pal. A good hit but no one has to get a touch. Flies wide. Jasjit would have been the better option?
Manpreet wins a PC for India!
The PC drag flick from John Dommen hit the post and fell to the injector van Aubel who lifted it into a empty net. That’s his 2nd of the night. Very difficult to see India comeback into this now.
BELGIUM LEAD 3-0! That’s probably it for India.
Poor tackle from Jasjit just outside the circle. PENALTY CORNER BELGIUM!
OH RUPINDER, CLOSE! Hits a 113-kph drag flick that flies half a foot wide. India still trailing 2-0 with 8 mins left in Q3.
PENALTY CORNER FOR INDIA!
Seems like a deliberate ploy from India to slow things down in this half. Sardar sets on a mazy run.
Karthik Simha, with his take on what India needs to do. Let us know on Twitter what’s in store for the rest of this game.
@FirstpostSports India have more circle penetrations than Bel, need to attack more from left channel,Bel have weak link there. Come on India
— Karthik Simha 🇮🇳 (@karthik025) July 3, 2015
India pushing forward no. Committing to tackles high up in the Belgian half to win back possession. But too many shots into the circle from far too long.
Belgium have started this quarter on the front foot, conscious to not give India possession.
Belgium get us underway in Q3..
On replays, the first half save from Vincent Vanasch is spectacular! Satbir got a stick to a hit from the right for a tap in, Vanasch got his stick across in a flash and tapped it away. BRILLIANT FROM THE BELGIAN STOPPER!
India coach Paul van Ass: Make a goal in Q3, we’ll win the match. Some of the young players started the game nervously.
STATS: With 12 circle penetrations each, Belgium have out-shot India by 5 to 3. India with the bulk of the possession.
Poor first quarter but greatly improved as the game went on. Defense still looks shaky but Gurbaj, Akashdeep and Sardar doing a good job in the opposition half. Belgium keeper Vanasch has kept them in the game. This might not be over just yet, folks.
Really disappointing first half. Miss trapping. Miss passing, over dribbling and poor teamwork in defense. Come on India #WHL2015 #IndvsBel
— Viren Rasquinha (@virenrasquinha) July 3, 2015
India has made all the attacks from right flank, need to use the other flank, spread the game, make it difficult for Belgium to cover
— Give Me Hockey (@hockeyind) July 3, 2015
And that’s HALF TIME in Antwerp. Belgium preserve their 2-0 lead.
India playing much better in Q2, fashioning some good chances. Gurbaj at the heart of it. All of India’s attacks coming down the right. Forcing Belgian defenders into mistakes too. Can India make the pressure count?
1 min to go in Q2. Belgium lead 2-0.
Good chance India! Gurbaj does a 360 and plays a good pass before receiving it in the circle again. His reverse hit inches away from the far post.
Belgium not committing players forward in counter attacks anymore. India much more involved in the game now with Sardar driving through the middle and Gurbaj from the right.
Akashdeep does well at the by-line dribbling past defenders with great skill but ball touches his feet and Belgium get the ball back.
Belgium lead 2-0 with 8 mins to go in the half
That was very loose from Belgium. India will be encouraged by that, good high press from Satbir. Vanasch keeps the hosts ahead by 2 goals.
Great save Vincent van Ash!!! India thought they had scored after mistake at the back by Belgium. Satbir steals and gets a shot away but van Ash steps out quickly and saves what a was a certain goal.
Great run from Sardar Singh from deep in his own half, but fouled outside Belgian circle. Nothing comes of the free hit.
Quarter 2 underway. India have to show a great deal more characted than they did in the QF against Malaysia.
Harsh but true words from Viren..
Terrible 1st quarter for Ind. We were slow, sloppy and soft. Lucky to be just 0-2 down. Need to wake up boys. #IndvsBel #WHL2015
— Viren Rasquinha (@virenrasquinha) July 3, 2015
Hooter goes to signal the end of first quarter. Belgium lead 2-0.
India enjoying possession in the Belgian half but no penetration. Belgium dominating the shot count.
INDIA 0-2 BELGIUM with 2 mins to go in Q1.
After a spell of possession for India, Belgium break at speed from a high ball that finds a forward and was almost one on one with Sreejesh but fires his shot wide.
India stunned by an early blitzkreig from the hosts here. That really was some poor defending from the PC as Cosyns had all the time in the world to place the shot to the bottom right of Sreejesh.
GOAL Belgium! The first hit is saved by Sreejesh brilliantly but there is no pressure on the rebound on Tanguy Cosyns who lets fly from a few yards away from goal.
PENALTY CORNER FOR BELGIUM! A loose back pass by Jasjit picked up by Belgium and Lakra commits a foul in the circle.
A square hit from the right flank makes it all way to the Belgium keeper who makes a good save. But Belgium creating chances from their forays forward. The high press is proving difficult to handle for India.
The goal for Belgium came from a ferocious reverse hit from the edge of the circle from Tom Boon, who had Sreejesh beaten for pace but the final touch came from Florent van Aubel.
India almost hit right back, but Belgium ‘keeper makes a great save.
GOAL Belgium! Perfect start for the home side. Score in the 2nd minute.
Off we go in Antwerp..
All set for the match. No Rupinder and Devindar in the starting line-up for the match.
It’s time for semifinals in the #HWL2015. Watch India take on hosts Belgium, LIVE on Star Sports 1/HD1. #IndiaKaGame pic.twitter.com/3Z6wj67eb0
— Hockey India (@TheHockeyIndia) July 3, 2015
Just a little something to get you in the mood for the game – the mighty impressive #DeshKeLiye campaign of Star Sports.
The players walk out in Antwerp to loud cheers and blistering heat.
Time for the National Anthems..
Belgium are served well by their star player Tom Boon and captain John-John Dohmen. The coach spoke about conceding more goals in the QF against France than in their group games put together and will have to work on that.
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Jasjit Singh, the penalty corner specialist, hails from Sansarpur in Punjab. Why is that special, you wonder?
Paul van Ass: The Belgium team will be fired up to make up for the women’s team loss. India are underdogs for this game. The pressure will be on hosts to entertain the crowd.
In recent head-to-head, Belgium got the better of India in their World Cup 2014 and London 2012 matches, while India tasted successive champions trophy victories over Belgium in Melbourne and Bhubaneshwar.
India coach Paul van Ass: “Playing Belgium suits our game. Belgium play a structured game and we’re ready for this contest,” he said before the match, bracing to take on the higher-ranked Belgium. van Ass said his team usually found Asian teams to be tougher rivals.
(source: PTI)
The official broadcaster of the event setting the tone for the semifinals…
Can @TheHockeyIndia beat hosts Belgium and make it to the #HWL2015 final? Cheer loud, cheer long! #DeshKeLiye pic.twitter.com/zIaXvwl7dT
— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) July 3, 2015
FORM GUIDE:
Belgium topped Pool B in the HWL, going undefeated in their league games scoring 10 goals and conceding just 3. Their defence had a much sterner examination in the Quarter-finals over France, however, as the hosts won a pulsating game 5-4.
India, meanwhile, finished 2nd in their pool behind World Champions Australia who were scoring goals for fun in the group stages. India’s sole defeat was against the Aussies – a 6-2 drubbing. But that aberration apart, India have looked in good touch. They showed excellent character to come back from 2-1 down against Malaysia in the QF to win the match 3-2. They even converted two PC’s in the match, after troubles through out the tournament.
#HWL2015 "I feel sorry for the hockey lovers" - It's a black day for Pakistan hockey http://t.co/blhsqHdrVJ pic.twitter.com/kAYSyoUANR
— NDTV Sports (@Sports_NDTV) July 3, 2015
Apart from being the most improved team according to Viren, Belgium are also ranked 4 in the world right now behinf powerhouses Australia, Netherland and Germany.
Ire beat Pak. I would have never predicted this 10 years ago. Belgium, France and Ire,most improved nations in world hockey in last 10 yrs
— Viren Rasquinha (@virenrasquinha) July 3, 2015
But, let bygones be bygones. Time to look forward to India’s young brigade take on the favourites & hosts Belgium on Antwerp. Both teams have had an excellent tournament so far and can play with the freedom of knowing their flights to Rio de Janeiro – beautiful Rio de Janeiro – have been booked.
With that result, Pakistan have failed to qualify in the Men’s field hockey event in Olympics for the first time ever, since they started participating in 1948. They had boycotted the event in 1980, but have played in every single Olympics till date.
In case you missed it, Pakistan were stunned by Ireland today earlier as they lost 1-0 in the 5-8 playoff match. The result puts paid to Pakistan’s hopes of qualifying to Rio Olympics, as their best shot was to finish 5th in the event in Antwerp.
Hello and welcome to the live blog of the semi-finals of HWL semi-finals (not a typo, that) in Antwerp where India’s men take on hosts Belgium. The kickoff is at 10 pm.
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