Spain Defeat Belgium 2-1 in a Hard-Fought Euro Hockey Battle
Spain secured a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Belgium in a tightly contested encounter . Alejandro Alonso opened the scoring for Spain before Nicolas de Kerpel equalized for Belgium . Therefore , José Basterra then hit to restore Spain’s lead in , which they held onto despite Belgium’s relentless pressure .
The match kicked off at a steady pace, with both Spain and Belgium sharing possession and building up attacks cautiously. Both sides tested each other’s defenses but struggled to create clear scoring chances in the early minutes.
Just as the first quarter was about to end, Spain broke the dead end in the 15th minute when Alejandro Alonso found the net, giving his team a 1-0 lead-in heading into the break.
Hence, the 2nd quarter began at a steadfast stride before Belgium struck in the 18th minute of the arc, leveling the score with a well-taken field goal by Nicolas de Kerpel. Belgium then applied heavy pressure, earning three consecutive penalty corners at the 23rd minute but failing to convert any of them.
Additionally, Spain responded with a dominant spell, earning four consecutive penalty corners in the 26th minute of the arc but failing to find the net. That changed in the 28th minute when José Basterra struck to restore Spain’s lead.
Belgium replied with a penalty corner in the 29th minute, yet they couldn’t convert, and the half concluded with Spain holding a 2-1 advantage.
The third quarter maintained a steady tempo, with both teams sharing possession evenly. Spain created a golden opportunity in the 37th minute, earning three consecutive penalty corners, but Belgium’s defense stood firm to deny them each time.
Furthermore, neither side could break the deadlock, and the quarter ended with Spain still holding a narrow 2-1 lead over Belgium.
Consequently, The fourth quarter began at a steady pace , with both teams maintaining possession and looking for openings . Belgium’s hopes took a slight hit in the 55th minute when Alexander Hendrickx received a green card . Despite late efforts from both sides , no further goals were scored , and Spain held on to claim a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Belgium .
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