Space was classified for semifinals of the Hockey Olympic Tournament after overcoming Belgium, the current Olympic champion, 3-2 with goals from Chefo Basterra, Marc Reyné y Marc Miralles. In the semifinals they will face the winners of the duel between Netherlands y Australia. Spain played very well collectively and left the Belgians without ideas, who did not show themselves with the forcefulness that is usual in a team that was Olympic champion three years ago in Tokyo 2020. Los 'Los'Redsticks'They were growing during the party, winning possession (52%), achieving penetrations and being lethal for goal to minimize a Belgium That, despite being a world power, it is in a change of cycle.
Max Caldas took Spain to the semifinals of the Olympic tournament
The Spanish team He took the game going from less to more, enduring Belgium's onslaught in the first quarter and keeping the goal to zero. The 'Redsticks'They managed to reach the break without fitting any goal, enduring the initial arreón of the Belgians, the best of the news, and that was already celebrated as the first success of the plan of Max Caldascarefully drawn to take the team alive to the decisive section of the match. The initial approach of both teams was very tactical and there were few goal occasions.
In the second quarter it was already seen Space Arrive much more to the rival goal, playing much more orderly, without rushing and being very involved in the game. After the break, Spain came out with the pressure above and Belgium, increasingly precipitous, looked for fast passes that ended up being errors. Spain planted the almighty Olympic champion without wrinkling until Chefo Basterra He managed to inaugurate the score with a great goal to play from Jordi Bonastre. But the joy lasted very little the next play, the Belgians tied the work of the work of Arthur de Sloover.
From here, the game took a lot of intensity by both teams. Marc Reyné He advanced the Spaniards (2-1) again in the fourth period thanks to a good center to the area of Gerard Clapés. In the absence of four minutes to the end, Belgium wasted his fifth penalty corner and Spain did not waste his in the next play. Marc Miralles He scored the third goal to the score for the 'Redsticks', expanding the advantage and sentenced in meeting. A minute later, the frenzy in which the duel was generated another corner penalty for the Belgians, the sixth, and this time they did not fail thanks to the success of Alexander Hendrickx. Spain won the 3-2 meeting suffering with arbitration and accessing the semifinals, where in case of losing, they will have another game to fight for bronze.
