KUALA LUMPUR – The Red Sticks to play Jong Oranje in the quarters?
Spain are expected to meet the Netherlands in the quarter-finals of the Hockey Junior World Cup if Pakistan happen to defeat Belgium in their final Group C match later today.
Earlier, European powerhouses the Netherlands and Spain showed no mercy to their opponents, securing their quarter-finals berths.
Sports journalist turned hockey coach Jesse Mahieu displayed a range of emotions on the sidelines, ensuring that his Dutch side qualified for the knockouts by defeating New Zealand in a scorching morning Group D encounter at the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil.
The Jong Oranje, aiming to clinch their first Junior World Cup in 13 attempts, easily cruised past the Black Sticks, winning 3-1.
“Throughout the game, I was nervous, and we all knew that we had to win this match to guarantee our spot in the next stage,” said Mahieu in today’s post-match press conference.
“New Zealand gave us a tough match in the opening and closing quarters, and our boys struggled against them on several occasions.
“We could have scored more, but I’m happy that we won and secured our slot. It was a great end to our group matches, considering the number of goals and chances we created in our campaign.”
Mahieu, a former defender and a silver medallist with the Netherlands in the 2004 Athens Olympics, is looking forward to the next round and hopes his team can live up to his expectations.
“We have progressed, but I need more from my players as the real test has just begun.
“We have no idea who we are playing next, but we aim to give our best and bring this prestigious title to Amsterdam,” Mahieu added.
The Netherlands’ goals were scored by Olivier Hortensius (19th minute, 31st) and Casper van der Veen (22nd), while James Nicolson scored one for New Zealand.
In the earlier Group C match, Spain guaranteed their spot in the quarters with maximum points, easily overcoming South Korea 8-2.
Coach Oriol Puig Torras said the Red Sticks are now confident facing any opponents in their quest to win the World Cup.
“Whoever is next, we are ready for it. We just need to recover well as we have been attacking a lot, and we have to be ready for the quarter-finals.
“The temperature is hot here, and it’s difficult to play. It’s the same for all teams, and we need to drink a lot of water to stay hydrated,” said Oriol.
Pol Cabre Verdiell (fifth, sixth), Enric Miralles (14th), Bruno Font (16th), Nicolas Alvarez (18th, 26th) and Pablo Espino (32nd, 35th) scored for Spain, while Lee Seung-hwan (29th) and Park Geon-woo (58th) were on target for South Korea.
It was the second time the Spaniards won with a big score over the Koreans in the Junior World Cup.
In the 2021 Bhubaneswar edition, Spain won 9-0 in a pool match. – December 9, 2023