Alexander Hendrickx’s hat-tricks gave Belgium a 5-2 win over India in the Olympic Hockey Tournament. It has helped in securing the place in the men’s Olympic hockey final against Australia. Loick Luypaert has put Belgium ahead. However, India was at 2-1 up at the end of its first quarter. The credit goes to the goal that Manpreet Singh and Mandeep Singh have made.
Hendrickx smashed home two penalty corners and a penalty stroke before John-John Dohmen’s late goal. Now Belgium will battle with Australia for the gold in the final. Previously they earned a win of 3-1 that they secured with Germany.
Tim Brand has put the hockeyroos ahead early on. However, Lukas Windfeder has equalized the Germans.
Blake Glover got Australia in front again from its penalty corner in the third quarter before the winning stroke of Lachlan Sharp. He sealed the win a minute from the time. The hat-trick of Hendrickx from Belgium, who is ranking second in the world, was his third treble for the tournament. It has ended the bid of India to claim an overdue for the Olympic Gold in this hockey match.
India is the historically most successful team in Olympic hockey. But the last of their eight golds came back in 1980. This team will now face Germany in a play-off match for the bronze medal. The whole world is looking at these teams to know which one will be the ultimate winner for the gold and the bronze medals.
Hendrickx of Belgium has completed his score for the 14 goals in the Olympic hockey tournament for men. His performance is also highly impressive, and he has shown the potential that the team can rely upon him for the upcoming race for the Gold. Now it is about to see who will wear the winning crown, Australia or Belgium.
Credits: BBC
