Men’s Hockey Pool B: Belgium 2 Ireland 0
It wasn’t to be three in a row for Ireland in their first Pool A match of the Olympic Games against reigning Olympic champions Belgium. Ireland had twice beaten the gold medallists from Tokyo earlier in the year in the Pro League. But more streamlined in Paris to defend their title, the Belgian side that turned out at in Stade du Yves Manoir were an entirely different set up.
The ground held much history for Ireland. Formerly known as Stade Colombes, it was the main venue for the 1924 Games in the French capital where Ireland competed as an independent nation for the first time.
That is where any sentimentality ended with Belgium good for their win with Ireland now facing into another challenging game in their second match against Australia.
“A bit deflated but also it’s just an amazing feeling being back playing in an Olympic Games and writing history once again for this group and for Irish men’s hockey,” said Irish goalkeeper David Harte. “It doesn’t get much better than this playing against the reigning Olympic champions in front of a packed crowd here in Paris.
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“Looking at the overall 60 minutes Belgium were worthy winners but I think we could have been just that bit better and perhaps a bit smarter when we did have possession.”
Although Ireland played a controlled game for much of the match, too few circle penetrations and a sharp attack from the Belgians ensured that once they had settled in Ireland would find the pressure bearing down. In that respect Ireland were fortunate goalkeeper Harte was in such good form, repelling half a dozen shots on target and a slew of penalty corners.
In the last 12 minutes Belgium earned six penalty corners with retakes, scoring from just one, which killed off any prospect of Ireland charging back into contention
It took Belgium 27 minutes to get on the board with their first score and it came from what looked like a fortuitous connection when a ball was drilled into the Irish circle. Striker Tom Boon stuck out his stick in the crowded area and the ball took an awkward deflection into the Irish goal.
Boon was the top scorer at the Valencia Olympic qualification event with seven goals, so fortune is often not very far away. Although Ireland held possession for large parts of the game, the threat up front was missing with Belgium growing in confidence as the game progressed.
The Irish defence worked well against the champions given the number of Belgian players making runs into the danger zone, with Shane O’Donoghue and Peter Brown making some telling interventions. Belgium knew they needed one more insurance goal and that came from a set-piece late in the game when a ball was touched on to the foot of Tim Cross after Belgium mounted a counterattack when Ireland were caught in possession around the halfway line.
Alexander Hendrickx finally found his range on the penalty corner retake with a well-placed drag flick for 2-0. Ireland made a few raids in the closing spell but little that really challenged Belgian goalkeeper Arthur van Doran.
“Going through my head is pure unfortunate and unlucky, the first one a bit of a pinball the ball comes crashing in, misses a few sticks,” said Harte about the first goal.
“The penalty corner they have is the best in the world and we know how many that we’ve given away today. That we ultimately came away with only conceding one was not so bad. But I think the manner in which we gave the penalty corners away is an area that we’ll have to improve.”
Ireland play their second pool game against Australia on Monday.
IRELAND: D Harte, T Cross, J McKee, M Nelson, D Walsh, K Marshall, S O’Donoghue, S Murray, P McKibbin, P Brown, B Johnson. Rolling subs: J Duncan, M Robson, B Walker, L Cole, N Page.
BELGIUM: A van Doren, F van Aubel, G Boccard, N de Kerpel, A Hendrickx, F Denayer, V Vanasch, A de Sloover, A Kina, V Wegnez, N Onana Alima. Rolling subs: T Stockbroekx, J-J Dohmen, L Luypaert, T Boon, A van Dessel.
