Stylish display delights the fans
The Kyocera Stadium turned orange as 15,000 people turned up to cheer the home team in their opening match against Argentina. And the Oranje did not disappoint as they played hockey that was both spectacular and stylish to win their opener 3-1. And Argentina added their own substantial skill and flair to the occasion, keeping the Dutch attack at bay for periods of the game and forcing goalkeeper Jaap Stockmann to make saves from the top drawer of goalkeeping.
In a dramatic opening five minutes, Rogier Hofman and Valentin Verga both came close to scoring as they fired shots inches past Juan Vivaldi’s goal, but Argentina dug deep and it was not until the 26th minute that the home side scored the breakthrough goal. It came when Seve van Ass delivered a pacy ball into the Argentine circle and Verga (26′) got the slightest of touches. Argentina asked for a referral but the goal stood, and the volume in the stadium rose.
Just minutes later Guillermo Schickendantz was unlucky not to get Argentina straight back into the game when he just missed a tap-in following a rebounded penalty corner, but the goal seemed to have woken Carlos Retegui’s men and they began to pile their own pressure onto the Netherlands circle. This paid off when Gonzalo Peillat (33′) equalised from a penalty corner just before half time.
In the second half, an early goal for the Netherlands – a trademark Mink van Weerden drag flick – gave the third-ranked team the momentum. Van Weerden’s shot thundering past Vivaldi with just five minutes of the second half gone. Although Argentina counter-attacked quickly, Stockmann was in fine form as he dived full-length to deny the second equaliser.
Matias Rey was a rock at the heart of the Argentine defence, but even he was not equal to the blistering speed of Verga and the cracking finish of Rogier Hofman (50′) for the Netherland’s third goal. Verga picked up the ball on the edge of his own circle and ran full-pelt down the pitch, before giving the ball to Hofman, the two players demonstrating route one hockey at its finest.
A blistering penalty corner from van Weerden was disallowed; deemed to be dangerous play, and Argentina were able to relieve the unrelenting Netherlands pressure. With less than 10 minutes remaining, Argentina won a penalty corner, but Stockmann again pulled off an incredible save to maintain the two-goal cushion.
“We watched our women’s team last night so we knew what to expect from the game,” said Hofman after the game. “We changed our plans accordingly because we knew we wouldn’t be able to hear each other. But we also knew we had to be patient because when Argentina play well, they are a side to fear.”
Hofman said that the team had accepted that they would not race to a 5-0 lead, but the Argentine equaliser just before half-time had been a knock to the team’s confidence. “We had to come out well in the second half, because this is the World Cup and everyone is well-prepared and ready to play their best game.”
Official Match Report (PDF)