Holders Belgium thrashed South Korea 5-0 to begin their hockey World Cup title defence in style, while two-time champions Germany beat reigning Asian Games champions Japan 3-0 in Bhubaneswar on Saturday.
The Koreans did not allow Belgium to open the scoring till the half-time but the World and Olympic champions struck two and three goals in the third and fourth quarters respectively to eventually notch up a convincing win in a Pool B match at the Kalinga Stadium.
Five different players scored for the world’s No. 2 team with three strikes from open play. Hendrickx Alexander opened the account for Belgium in the first minute of the third quarter before Cosyns Tanguy struck a field goal in the 42nd minute.
The Korean resistance broke down after that and Belgium were rampaging in the final quarter with goals from Van Aubel Florent (49th, penalty corner), Dockier Sebastien (51st, field goal) and De Sloover Arthur (57th, field goal).
In the second Pool B match played at the same stadium, no goal was scored till the half-time. Grambusch Mats gave the lead to world No. 4 Germans in the 35th minute through a penalty corner conversion before Ruhr Christopher struck a field goal five minutes later.
Prinz Thies (48th minute) then sealed the issue with a field effort in the final quarter as world number 16 Japan failed to score a goal.
Netherlands players celebrate after Thijs van Dam (jersey No. 7) scores in their 4-0 win over Malaysia in Rourkela on Saturday. PTI photo
Dutch thrive
Three-time champions the Netherlands began their campaign in style, outplaying Malaysia 4-0, while New Zealand defeated Chile 3-1 in Pool C matches in Rourkela.
In the opening match of the day, Sam Hiha (11th, 18th minutes) scored two field goals in the opening two quarters, while Sam Lane opened the account for the Black Sticks with another field strike in the ninth minute.
New Zealand (white) and Chile (red) players vie for the ball during their World Cup match in Rourkela on Saturday. PTI photo
Chile’s lone goal came from the stick of Ignacio Contardo in the 49th minute.
In the other match, Thijs van Dam scored a field goal in the 19th minute to hand world No.3 Netherlands, who won the title in 1973, 1990 and 1998, the lead before Jip Janssen converted a penalty stroke four minutes later.
Teun Beins (46th) made it 3-0 for the Netherlands by converting a penalty corner a minute into the fourth and final quarter, while Jorrit Croon scored the final goal a minute before the final hooter.
Meanwhile, the international hockey federation (FIH) has said that the brand new Birsa Munda Stadium in Rourkela is the world’s largest all-seater field hockey-specific arena and called it a “work of art”.
“This stadium is not only a work of art in terms of architecture but also the largest all-seater field hockey-specific arena in the world,” the FIH said.
