Australia Beat Germany To Clash In Dream Final Against Belgium

Tokyo: The men’s hockey gold medal match at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 will be contested between the two highest-ranked teams in the world, with Australia set to face Belgium in a dream title match here at the magnificent Oi Hockey Stadium.  

Goals from Tim Brand, Blake Govers and a late tap-in from Lachlan Sharp put the mighty Kookaburras into their first Olympic final since Athens 2004 when Jamie Dwyer famously scored a dramatic golden goal to win Australia’s only Olympic gold medal in men’s hockey, something they will be determined to change here in Tokyo. 

Australia’s opponents in the gold medal match – which takes place on Thursday 5 August at 19:00 Japan Standard Time (UTC/GMT+9) – will be reigning World and FIH Hockey Pro League champions Belgium, who defeated eight-times Olympic gold medallists India 5-2 in a thrilling semi-final contest watched by International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Dr. Thomas Bach. Red Lions defender Alexander Hendrickx scored his third hat-trick of the competition, taking his remarkable tournament tally to 14 in seven matches, just three goals short of the record 17 scored by Netherlands legend Ties Kruize at the Munich 1972 Games. 

The bronze medal match between Germany and India will be played on Thursday 5 August at 10:30 JST. Germany will be aiming to match the third-place finish they achieved at Rio 2016, with India looking for a first Olympic medal since Moscow 1980. 

Many thought that it would be difficult for this evening’s semi-final to live up to the brilliance of the morning’s incredible encounter between Belgium and India. However, the clash between Australia and Germany was another sensational contest between two teams playing at the very top of their games. 

Australia took the lead when Tim Brand showed lightning-quick reactions to volley Flynn Ogilvie’s right-field pass into the Germany net just seven minutes into the contest. Germany pulled level three minutes later, with Lukas Windfeder sending a low penalty corner drag-flick against the backboard for his sixth goal of the tournament. 

The two teams went hard at each other throughout the second period, but it was Australia who put their noses in front again when Blake Govers netted his seventh goal at Tokyo 2020 with a typically fierce penalty corner drag-flick. 

The Australian defence – marshaled by goalkeeper Andrew Charter and central defender Matt Dawson – were outstanding in the third and fourth periods, repelling numerous attacks as Germany threw everything they had at their opponents. 
The result was eventually sealed in the 59th minute when Tom Wickham broke through Germany’s last line of defence and supplied Lachlan Sharp, who tapped into an empty net after Die Honamas had replaced goalkeeper Alexander Stadler with an outfield player in a last-ditch attempt to turn the situation around.

“It was great to get the result … what a great occasion and a great moment”, said Australia captain Aran Zalewski, who made his 200th international appearance this evening, before commenting on when his team will start focussing on the gold medal match. “I think we’ll enjoy tonight’s win. We’ve still got 48 hours I think before the game. We’ll stay the course, do what we usually do – recover, de-brief tonight’s game and move on sometime tomorrow and start looking at Belgium really closely.”

Looking ahead to the Belgium match, Kookaburras head coach Colin Batch said: “The hockey fans are in for a real treat, aren’t they. The last time we met each other in a final was in the Pro League in 2019. This will be very different. Both teams have fought their way through some difficult matches to get to the final, and it is not easy these days as there are a lot of good teams around. They [Belgium] would have been pleased with their win this morning against India, so I think it will be a great game and two very good teams.”  

Reflecting on his team’s defeat, Germany’s Mats Grambusch said: “We have to recognize that we are not dangerous enough in the opponent's circle compared to Belgium and Australia. Australia has this quality of scoring goals with few chances. We are simply not making enough of the many opportunities and corners. In the end, what counts is what is on the scoreboard - it is of no use to you if you were superior. But we will also get out of this situation and get bronze on Thursday! "