Indoor Red Lions grab in addition to European gold, Austria wins after a wildly exciting final

The Belgian hockey players, there are not managed to the European indoortitel to address in Antwerp. In the final against Austria had shoot-outs to bring the decision, after the regular time was a 4-4 tie on the board. The Belgians missed two of three attempts and must be satisfied with the silver. It is the second medal ever for Belgium in the indoor hockey.

Benjamin Stanzl (5’, 9’) and Sebastian Eitenberger (10’) gave the Austrians a droomstart, with a solid 0-3 lead after just ten minutes of play. The Austrians on roses, but on the stroke of peace , brought Nicolas Vandiest via a penaltycorner the Belgians back into the game.

And the home team drew courage from that hit, because after the break, it was the leaning situation is completely rectified. Halfway through the second period, it was suddenly 3-3 equal, after goals scored by pilou pocket strip Maraite (26’) and Tom Degroote (29’). The match was still not done. Austria came seven minutes before time, again lead by Schmidt and got that 3-4 lead with a penalty corner. The Belgian goalkeeper saved, however, handsome and on the subsequent counter made Plennevaux it 4-4 with 5 minutes to go. In the final stage, affected the Belgians in the hope of the job in regular time, but that did not work.

Shoot-outs had to bring the decision. Therein, showed the Austrians are better to withstand the pressure. They captured two, while the Belgians only Degroote was able to score: 2-1 in the shoot-outs, and so is Austria the new European champion.

Belgium in the Lotto Arena to the group winners crowned after victories against Russia (5-1) and Switzerland (2-1) and a draw against Austria (3-3). In the semi-final battle knocked them Saturday night Poland (FIH 5) with 7-3. Austria had in the other semi-final, the defending champion and vijftienvoudig European champions Germany (FIH 1) surprised. The Germans won Sunday the bronze after a spectacular 9-8 victory against Poland.

The troops of coach Alexandre De Chaffoy do with the silver as well as the generation of 1976 in Arnhem, the netherlands. That was the only medal of the Belgians so far in the usc.

Coach Alexandre De Chaffoy: “Big downer”

The Belgian national indoorhockeyploeg could thuisfans no gold medal delivery at the european CHAMPIONSHIPS in Antwerp. The Indoor Red Lions lost Sunday in the final of the runner up at the worlds in Austria after shoot-outs. “Of course it feels like a big downer to here, for your own audience, the first place on a to miss”, said the Belgian coach Alexandre De Chaffoy.

“It will take a few days before we this narrow defeat to be processed”, stated The Chaffoy. “But on the other hand, we would advance for a second to have drawn. In the beginning of the match, when, after ten minutes, 3-0 in the chalk were defended we do not, in contrast to our previous competitions. We knew that we felt could be improved, and that in the second half is shown. The shoot-outs at the end were a lottery.”

“I remember especially that we have this tournament in the final played on the pitch not a single party have lost”, continued the coach. “Now we must all think about our preparation for the next world CHAMPIONSHIP in Berlin. It will be important to what we are during the european CHAMPIONSHIPS have been taught to take. But first, we have our batteries, both mentally and physically just, recharge.”