The stage is set for the finals in Paris
The medal games in Paris are on Thursday for the me and Friday for the women
Every four years hockey plays its pinnacle event like so many other sports. The Paris 2024 Games have reached the final stage. The once iconic Stade Yves du Manoir is the place to be. The men’s medal games are scheduled for Thursday August 8 and the women fro Friday August 9.
The men
All experts agreed upfront this would be one of the toughest Olympic events with 6 or 7 teams as gold medal potentials. So we knew some big names would go home disappointed following the quarters finals.
Pool A winners Germany, reigning world champions, had one off day during their pool games resulting in their only loss so far to Spain (0-2). Beating eternal rivals the Netherlands 1-0 in the pool games was key to finishing first, heading into a quarter final vs Argentina. The Dutch lost to the Germans and drew with the British to finish second in pool A, ahead of Great Britain and Spain.
Pool B winners Belgium, reigning Olympic champions, were unbeaten in the pool games and impressed the world when they trashed Australia convincingly 6-2. The Aussies were among the gold medal favourites before, having won the Pro League this season. But after a second loss in the pool games vs India (2-3) they finished third behind India.
As predicted the quarter finales would bring surprises and tears… The biggest one was without doubt the win from Spain over Belgium. Yes, Spain played a good game and won deservingly 3-2. But it was a surprise to see how the most experienced team - three players on their fifth (!) Games - and huge favourite, Belgium, had a really bad day in the most important game for them this year. It means the end of an international career for some iconic players.
Germany, winners from the other pool, were not surprised by Argentina winning in an evenly contested game 3-2. Nor were the Dutch who had less problems with the truly dissapointing Australians, beating them 2-0 to progress to the semis. India was the other surprise to come out of these quarter finals. Winning the shootouts from Great Britain. India is capable to beat anybody on a good day. Still the progress made by GB in recent times meant they were considered the favourite to win, but the stumbled in the shootouts following the 1-1.
This meant semifinals between the Dutch and Spain and the Germans had to face India. In the first semifinals it was clear from the beginning Spain would not surprise a second time. The Dutch won convincingly 4-0 and never were in any real trouble after their captain Thierry Brinkman scored a rocket to make it 2-0. Special mention for their goalie Blaak who has been crucial in all of their wins. The second semifinal between Germany and India would bring an exciting game between equals. India starting strong opening the score in Q1 through Harmanpreet when early in Q2 Peillat evened the score for Germany on his trademark PC before Germany took the lead just before half time on a penalty stroke. India however very much still in the match scored their equaliser in Q3. In Q4 Germany sealed the 3-2 win with a very typical Miltkau goal and despite India fighting to the every end their was no more comeback after this one.
So the final will be a repeat of the London 2012 final between Germany and the Netherlands. Still impossible to predict a winner here…
The women
In the women’s event in Paris it was clear from the beginning there is only one big favourite for gold, the Netherlands. Still, in the pool games both China and Germany showed it is possible to rattle the Dutch women. They were unlucky not to walk away with a win from these games.
Pool A was by far the stronger from the two pools with the Dutch, Belgium, Germany and China finishing the pool games in that order. It’s the Belgian girls who surprised with strong wins over both Germany and China to avoid meeting up with the Dutch in the semifinals.
Pool B saw the Hockeyroos from Australia finish on top before Argentina, Spain and GB to move on to the quarter finals. The Duch women had no problem moving beyond GB to the semifinals where they would meet up with their eternal rivals Argentina. Las Leonas however needed shootouts to go passed Germany who probaly were the stronger team. Belgium continued their dream run with a solid 2-0 win over Spain. But the most exciting games was the one between Australia and the Chinese women, coached by Australian legends Annan and Charlesworth. In the end it was China who won 3-2 and would face Belgium in the second semifinal.
The first of today’s semifinals resulted again in a convincing 3-0 win for the Dutch who never were in any danger vs Argentina. Las Leonas are not the fierce lionesses they once were anymore.
Belgium and China played the second semifinal. For China a comeback after their silver medal in Beijing 2008. For the Belgians a first since their ascencion in the global rankings.
The Chinese showed in their QF before they can pull off amazing PC’s with immaculate precision and did it again early in their semfinal vs Belgium to take a 1-0 lead. A lead they defended well until the final minutes of the game when Belgium scored from a rebound on PC to take it to shootouts. The exceptional lob on Belgium’s second attempt and an early save from their goalie was not enough for Belgium. China won the shootouts and will face the Netherlands in the final.
