Day 4 Match Reports:
Spain have stunned the world of indoor hockey by beating the world champions Germany 4:3. The most incredible of matches was enlightened by a superb performance from Spanish keeper Maria Jesus ROSA who made a string of wonderful saves throughout the match. Earlier The Netherlands women stormed into the women's final with a devastating display against Ukraine. Tomasz DUTKIEWICZ was the hero for Poland as his side secured a place in the men’s final of the Samsung Indoor World Cup. In the final match of the day, Germany beat Spain 3:2 and have set up a mouthwatering clash with Poland.
SEMI FINALS: WOMEN
Netherlands 8 defeated Ukraine 0
The Netherlands stormed into the final with a devastating display against Ukraine. The result never looked in doubt as the Dutch girls controlled the game from start to finish, and look in exceptional form ahead of tomorrows’ final. Netherlands captain Marieke DIJKSTRA opened the scoring six minutes into the game with a penalty corner, and it was soon 3:0 thanks to two goals in a minute from Belle van MEER and Alessia PADALINO. By the 13th minute Joelle HOEBERT and Jolanda PLIJTER had added to the score with van MEER making it 6:0 at half time. Ukraine coped better in the second half, but with the game already won the Netherlands in no hurry to score. However, a 26th minute goal from Claire VERHAGE and another PADALINO strike two minutes from time produced an emphatic semi-final score-line.
Spain 4 defeated Germany 3
Spain have stunned the world of indoor hockey by beating the world champions Germany 4:3. The most incredible of matches was enlightened by a superb performance from Spanish keeper Maria Jesus ROSA who made a string of wonderful saves throughout the match. Against all the odds, Spain had the better of the first half, and put Germany under more pressure than they have experienced at any other point in this tournament. Julia MUELLER scored an excellent field goal for Germany in the fourth minute, but Spain stunned the crowd with an equaliser from Silvia MUNOZ, who finished off a slick passing move. Germany then fell behind for the first time in the tournament when Nuria CAMON scored, and made it 3:1 thanks to another MUNOZ field goal. Germany looked in shock, but started the second half brilliantly with goals from Marion RODEWALD and Jennifer PLASS to tie the scores. The match became a fiercely intense contest, with both sides defending excellently. However, Spain’s captain marvel MUNOZ scrambled the ball over the line to complete her hat-trick on 38 minutes. Germany chased hard, but Spain hung on for one of the most unexpected results in the history of indoor hockey.
SEMI FINALS: MEN
Poland 4 defeated Czech Republic 2
Tomasz DUTKIEWICZ was the two-goal hero for Poland as his side bounce back from a goal down to secure a place in the men’s final of the Samsung World Cup. Czech Republic were quickest out of the blocks and scored the first goal of the game, with Stepan BERNATEK’s strike in the second minute stunning the match favourites. DUTKIEWICZ had a penalty flick expertly saved by Czech Republic keeper Filip NEUSSER, but Poland found an equaliser from playmaker Dariusz RACHWALSKI’s penalty stroke. DUTKIEWICZ then bounced back in the best possible way with two stunning strikes. He gave Poland a 2:1 lead just after the break with a brilliant flicked penalty corner effort that flew into the bottom left corner. Czech Republic chased for an equaliser, but Polish powerhouse DUTKIEWICZ scored another sensational corner, and then provided a visionary pass from defence all the way through to Piotr MIKULA who deflected the ball into the goal for a winning score-line of 4:2.
Germany 3 Defeated Spain 2
The second Germany vs Spain game of the day was another stunning match, but this time the honours went to the defending world champions. Oskar DEEKE guided his team to a 3:2 victory with a hat-trick of field goals, defeating a Spanish side that pushed them every inch of the way. It was Oskar DEEKE who opened the scoring in the game, when he moved down the right and found the bottom corner in the eighth minute. It took Spain eight minutes to equalise, when Oriol FREIXA flicked in from a tight angle. Just before half time Germany moved ahead once again when DEEKE scored his second. After half time Spain’s Miguel DELAS grabbed an equaliser with a magical penalty corner routine that gave Germany goalkeeper Max WEINHOLD no chance. Just like in the women’s contest between the two countries, the match became very tense, with nothing to choose between the two countries. The game further imitated its predecessor with a late match winning goal, but it did not go to Spain. DEEKE latched onto a lose ball at the top of the circle and ruthlessly fired the ball past keeper Bernardino HERRERA to guarantee a World Cup Final match against Poland.
