Belgium 2nd, France 13th
World Cup malee hockey/field 2023 ended on Sunday at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar, in India, by the final between Belgium (n°2 in the world), and Germany (n°3). Defending champions, the Red Lions finally lost in the “shoots out” (shots on goal), after a final rich in twists and turns (3-3, 4-3) This German victory will console a little the France team, which had been eliminated by the Germans in the round of 16 (5-1). But the 13th final place of the Blues, led by the Valenciennes Frédéric Be, is clearly a disappointment.
The Belgian hockey players therefore experienced this Sunday evening in India the same trauma as the French footballers two months earlier. Belgium loses its world title, after a shooting session, similar to the penalty shootout of France-Argentina.
The Red Lions, world champions and Olympic champions in title, nevertheless quickly led 2-0 in the final of this World Cup of Hockey 2023. But Germany completely reversed the trend by coming back 2-2 at halftime . Better, the Germans will take the advantage. But the Red Lions managed to equalize with 97 seconds remaining, thanks to Tom Boon.
A fatal shooting session for the Belgians
But this time, the shootings did not smile on Belgium. After a first series of 5 shots, the two teams are in fact decided by “sudden death”. Cosyns notes his shot in the 2nd series. The Germans are crowned world champions (3-3, shoot-outs: 5-4) for the third time in their historythe Red Lions settle for the silver medal. A real disappointment after the 2018 world title, and the Olympic title in Tokyo.
France ends with a victory against Chile
The France team finally finished 13th in this 2023 World Cup, played in the Odisha region, in India. After being eliminated in shoot-outs (2-2, 1-2) on Thursday against Wales, the Blues beat Chile (23rd nation in the world) 4-2. This last classification match took place on Saturday in Rourkela.
After dominating the 1st half, leading 3-0 thanks to three goals from Eliot Curty (14th), then two on PC marked by his captain, the Lille Victor Charlet (17th and 18th), the tricolor selection will again show weaknesses in defense.
The Blues thus cash a but Chilean (Francois Becerra, 20th) before rest. The scenario will also repeat itself in the 2nd period. The young Gaspard Xavier scores his first goal in the World Cup and gives France a comfortable advantage (4-1, 42nd) against Chile. But the South Americans receive the score one last time by Andres Pizzaro (53rd).
The team led by the Valenciennes Frederic Be therefore wins 4-2, without worry; but without having produced a big game either. After this victory against Chile, the Blues have a balanced record of 2 wins, 2 draws and 2 losses in this 2023 World Cup. It therefore ends in a disappointing 13th place, given the progress made in recent years.
Victor Charlet 2nd goalscorer of the tournament
And even if it did not reach the objective of the quarter-finals, the French team was able to measure the work to be done to try to win against the nations of the top 5. We will thus count the two corrections against the Australia (0-8), and Germany (1-5), both reached the last four of this Indian World Cup.
This France team has enlightened five northern players in its ranks. One of them, the captain Victor Charlet finished 2nd scorer in the competition, tied with the Belgian Tom Boon (8 goals each), behind the Australian Jeremy Hayward (9 mas). Charlet managed a great 2023 World Cup, and was named MVP (best player of the match) several times.
See you now at the European Cup next August in Mönchengladbach. A competition for which the French qualified last summer in Calais.
The final standings for the 2023 World Cup of Hockey
- Germany
- Belgium
- The Netherlands
- Australia
- England
- Spain
- New Zealand
- Korea
- Argentine
- India
- South Africa
- Wales
- France
- Malaysia
- Chili
- Japan