On the final day of the BDO Hockey World Cup Qualifier in Quilmes, the USA booked their first win to take fifth place, Ireland slipped past the Czech Republic with a golden goal for bronze, while Argentina wrestled down the Belgians for the last available ticket to Delhi.
Argentina – Belgium 4:3 (0:2)
The final match of the tournament between Argentina and Belgium, the all-important fight for the last remaining ticket to Delhi, was an expectedly fiercely contested battle between two worthy teams.
Belgium worked their way to an early advantage when Cedric Charlier sunk a field goal in the 14th minute and Jeffrey Thys added another ten minutes later. Two goals up at the end of the first half, it looked like Belgium were going to run away with the match, but Argentina were not defeated just yet. With Pedro Ibarra sinking a penalty corner just after the break, Argentina first got on the scoreboard, only to see Jerome Dekeyser re-establishing the two goal lead ten minutes later.
A penalty stroke awarded to Argentina five minutes later turned the tide however, Pedro Ibarra displaying the same reliability as ever, which eventually made him the topscorer in the competition. Fuelled by the goal, Argentina played more and more offensively, attacking continuously, and getting in the equalizer a few minutes later.
With the scores level, it was all open battle between the two top teams in this competition, but to the great joy of the stadium-filling crowd at the Quilmes stadium, it was the Argentine team who edged the Belgians out for the elusive ticket to Delhi with a goal from Mario Almada eight minutes from the end. A fierce final phase of the game, in which both teams played their hearts out, saw no further goals, and the Argentineans erupted in cheers after having ended up defeated at the last three occasions it really mattered.
Argentina thus took victory in the match and gold in the tournament, while Belgium took silver. Ireland ended up with Bronze, ahead of the Czech Republic, the USA and Chile.
Individual awards were presented to Argentina for Fair Play, Pedro Ibarra of Argentina as the topscorer, Filip Neusser of the Czech Republic as Best Goalkeeper and Felix Denayer as Best Player.
5th/6th: Chile – USA 1:2 (0:0)
48min USA Pat HARRIS (PC)
64min USA Will HOLT (PC)
70min CHI Alfredo THIERMANN (PC)
Bronze Medal: Ireland – Czech Republic 1:1 (1:0) 2:1 AET
25min IRL David AMES (FG)
53min CZE Stepan BERNATEK (FG)
77min IRL Timothy COCKRAM (PC) – Golden Goal
Final: Argentina – Belgium 4:3 (0:2)
14min BEL Cedric CHARLIER (FG)
25min BEL Jeffrey THYS (FG)
39min ARG Pedro IBARRA (PC)
48min BEL Jerome DEKEYSER (FG)
53min ARG Pedro IBARRA (PS)
57min ARG Lucas VILA (FG)
62min ARG Mario ALMADA (FG)
Source: www.worldhockey.org
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