New Delhi: Finally, the Netherlands coach broke the jinx of losing in the finals and put their best foot forward to win a FIH grade 1 tournament and vowed that this would change their fortunes in the World Cup and pave the way back to the top.
The Dutch team became the first-ever winners of the Hero Hockey World League after handing out a crushing 7-2 defeat to the Black Sticks at the Dhyan Chand Stadium here on Saturday night.
Both the teams played listless hockey for the first few minutes indulging in scrappy midfield mediocre game and the few attacks that came lacked the sting and it took Constantijn Jonkers to showcase his talent to strike an acute angle goal, reminiscing the Dhanraj Pillay of yore. Kiwi custodian stretched himself but could not do anything from Jonkers posting the lead.
There after it was the Dutch all the way. They played like a well-oiled machine and looked like a completely transformed team. The Netherlands switched gears and started dominating from then on scored two more goals in the last ten minutes of the first session. Jonkers struck his second goal on the stroke of half time and in between Billy Bakker was in the right place at the right time to deflect home a short back pass from Robert Kemperman in the 23rd minute. Kemperman completed an attack from the left flank and got the ball near the corner flag. He cut into the circle and zoomed down, parallel to the goalline, and sent in a deft pass to Bakker, who was unmarked near the penalty spot. The latter made no mistake for a 3-0 lead.
The Orange Brigade continued the onslaught and picked up from where they left off, to score immediately after the start. That gave them a goal on either side of the break.It was Bob de Voogd who made it 4-0.
Striker Steve Edwards pulled one back for the Black Sticks immediately in the very next minute to make it 4-1 but the 37th minute field goal was too little as the Dutch went on to strike three more,
The match however, proved different from the regular stuff dished out by the top teams in the sense that there was no short corner conversion. And all the goals in the high-scoring match were field goals. Some of them were a brilliant exhibition of hockey lore.
Sander Baart and Rogier Hofman were involved in a 1 to 1 passing drill combo that looked like a text book coaching manual move. The duo move like a well-oiled machine from the half-way line indulging in short passing bouts and it was Hofman who reached the circle first. He cut into thecircle and without wasting any time he unleased a stinging shot that brooked no answer from Devon Mancheste in the 45th minute and the score was 5-1.
Steve Edwards scored his second for the Black Sticks in the 52nd minute but that is not even a consolation goal as the Europeans went on to pump in two more. Bakker added his second in the 59h minute, again a field goal that bounced around the circle before the tall Dutchman slammed home. Minutes later Jonker got his third goal of the day, as he sealed the issue with a 61st-minute goal.
The Netherlands Chief Coach Paul Van Ass said: “Earlier we had qualified in three finals but couldn’t win the finals. This time it was important for us to win it. For more than 10 years we were one of the top countries, but now we are in the second rung. I am very happy the way the tournament went, our victory with Germany and Australia had boosted our confidence and today’s game we played good hockey. For me the tournament was special as the way it has carried and there was no favourite team. There were a lot of upsets. India beat Germany, New Zealand beat Belgium and Argentina had its day, which makes it interesting for everybody involved. Now we are on our way back to the top. But it is not easy we have to work hard.’’
New Zealand coach Collin Batch said: “In the first half, Netherland dominated the game but we were better in the second half. Unfortunately when you are four nil down it is very difficult to come back, this was really disappointing, Holland thoroughly deserves top win this match. But I am pleased by what we have developed and experienced in this tournament.’’
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