The Spanish team of field hockey has agreed on Thursday to the final of the Men's European Championship , which is being played in Antwerp (Belgium), thanks to its hard-earned victory in the semifinals. The double of Pau Quemada's penalty-corner and the superb performance of Quico Cortés under sticks were key to leaving the score in the final 3-4 against the main favorite and defender of the title, the powerful Dutch team.
The Red Sticks , who playing this game had returned ten years later to a 'semis' of the continental tournament, took another step in their progression and will now fight for the title of champions, which also awards a direct ticket to the Tokyo Olympic Games 2020 To find what would be the third title of the Spanish medal winners (the previous ones were obtained in 1874 and 2005), Fred Soyez's pupils carefully settled the previous appointment before Holland. The current European champion suffered a setback in her aspiration to reissue the gold of 2017, fitting her first defeat of the championship.
Thus, the Dutch national team was left without seeing a door in the first two quarters and had to rely on everything after their break. He did not start the tulip attack at the beginning, while in front Pau Quemada soon sharpened his aim in two sets of penalty kicks. The first of them, about to meet the 2 minute meeting, put the 0-1 on the scoreboard with a shot to the right side of the rival goalkeeper. Although Sam van der Ven touched the ball, he was not able to completely deflect the launch of the inaugural goal.
The orange set entered the auger, still with a world ahead, and never took possession. The Marc Sallés, Quique González de Castejón, Xavi Lleonart and company moved the ball well in the center of the field and controlled the offensive zone, without scares either behind. And as if that were not enough, Quemada scored his second target in a traced action. When he was running on the 19th minute, the Achievement player hit another penalty kick from the corner of Van der Ven . It was a high and cleaner pitch, straight to the bottom of the net.
Similar dynamics after the break
The break did not change the dynamics of a game that was very expensive for the Red Sticks , calmed in defensive work and spurred on after a couple of interventions by Quico Cortés . The veteran Egarense goalkeeper despaired the pupils of Max Caldas . The Netherlands failed two penalty kicks in the third period, the second of which seeing how Cortés looked in his stretch. Even the VAR deprived the tulips of scoring in the 42nd minute, canceling Thierry Brinkman somewhat for previous infringement of his partner Mirco Pruijser in an irregular hit of the stick .
It was the last serious bullet for the Dutch national team, which in 34 'had suffered 0-3 through the mediation of Josep Romeu by taking advantage of another penalty kick. His shot, on the left, also went to the top of the goal and was impossible to tackle for a deranged Van der Ven. To round off the good performance of the Red Sticks , the 0-4 came in the 50th minute and by the work of Ricardo Sánchez , who grabbed a loose ball inside the area and outlined himself to send a right throw to the net. Although the VAR reviewed the set, the goal definitely went up to the electronic.
With the victory on track, Spain granted three goals in the final leg and suffered more than expected . He opened the Dutch account Billy Bakker , almost at close range, after a good individual play by Sander de Wijn entering the area by the left-handed band. And then Jip Janssen scored twice, transforming two penalties-corner. However, the rush of the Dutch, who bet on the heroic goalkeeper-player, did not get the prize to overcome or bitter Spain. As a consequence, the Netherlands will cede the European throne and Fred Soyez's candidates are now submitting their candidacy.
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