New Delhi, 13 December 2013: Just a day after been booted of contention in the quarter-finals, it was a difficult match for both teams, especially for European Champions Belgium, widely expected to go all the way in this Junior World Cup.
Match started at a half-hearted pace. Belgium had some chances, including on an early penalty-corner, but play was marred by unforced errors and passes going astray. Belgium bobbled another penalty-corner, Korea wasted a three-on-two counter-attack, Alexandre Vanlinthoudt with time and space at the top of the circle blasted a shot wide and high in the stands…
Belgium finally scored on their third penalty-corner by Alexander Hendrickx in the 27th minute, but it was all they could produce and the break was reached with a meagre one-goal lead for the Europeans.
Belgium opened second period with two quick field goals by Maxime Plennevaux and their captain Mathew Cobbaert. The Korean players were clearly not at their best, accumulating the defensive errors and unable to string three passes in midfield. Gaetan Perez and Maxime Capelle added two more goals for Belgium within the same minute and the road seemed impossibly steep for the visibly exhausted Korean defenders.
With twenty minutes to go and the result not in doubt any more, Belgium gave some turf time to their alternate goal-keeper in replacement of Arnaud Flamand, who had hardly seen any action. Korea had a lone chance on a penalty-corner but top scorer of the competition You Seungju was way off target.
Korea finally scored on another penalty-corner by Nam Yunseon, temporarily filling in while You Seungju was resting in the sin bin. Belgium scored one more goal by Dorian Thiery with a sweet lob over diving Korean goal-keeper Lee Seyoung, and the European Champions ended with a clear win to book their birth for the 5th-6th classification match.
Speaking on the win, Belgium Coach, Philippe Goldberg said “it was a satisfying game post yesterday’s loss to France. The team showed character of strength for a match that was scheduled just 24 hrs after their loss and the team has come back hard today and won convincingly. We do not chart out any strategy but completely believe in each other’s strength. The Korea team is a tough team but today they were not up to the mark which in a way gave us the edge”.
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