Rajeev Kumar
Bhubaneswar, Dec 14: In the battle for the last two places between the Red and Three Lions Sunday, only consolation prizes were at stake. And Florent Aubel (10th and 40th minute) and David Condon (14th and 19th minute) scored twice each for Belgium and England respectively. But Chris Griffiths got the winning goal for England to push Belgium to the last spot. Funny indeed as these two teams were unbeaten in their group campaign.
For the Red Lions, Florent started the proceedings in the 10th minute itself when he latched on to a loose ball to hit past the English goalkeeper George Pinner. England, however, retaliated soon in the 14th minute when Condon slapped the equaliser from the left flank of the Belgium ‘D’ after England had failed to convert a penalty corner.
Condon struck again in the second quarter when he banked on a great finish on the turn to hit past the Belgium custodian Vincent Vanasch. By the end of the second quarter, England were 3-1, courtesy Chris Griffiths (30th) who smartly dived in the Belgium ‘D’ to tap the ball past Vanash.
Desperate to avoid a humiliating last place finish in the tournament, the battered Belgium applied all their energy and controlled proceedings mostly when they came to the ground after the big break. But to their dismay, their charge failed to breach the English defence.
Pinner smartly saved two hits from Amaury Keusters and Felix Denayer in the third quarter before Aubel struck again with a beautiful field goal, but that was the last time Belgium could score.
With 20 minutes to go, Belgium had a realistic chance of edging past England but the English defence stood tall and crafty to foil all of the Red Lion’s charge.
And although the Belgium coach said after the match that his players ‘grew in this tournament’, much remains for them to introspect in the days to come.
