With a chance to guarantee a spot at the 2016 Olympic Games, the Canadian Men’s Field Hockey Team was beaten by Netherlands by a score of 6-0 in the Bronze Medal match of the World League Semifinal Sunday afternoon in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Despite losing in today’s match, Canada – ranked fifteenth in the world – will finish at a respectable fourth place in the tournament behind the Dutch. In terms of Olympic qualification, although Canada hasn’t officially confirmed their spot, the fourth place finish means the men have still have a good chance to be playing in Brazil in 2016 by way of tournament ranking.
With the win, the Netherlands, the tournament’s top team, secures its spot in Rio and is headed off to the Hockey World League Final in India this coming November along with Germany and Argentina.
Coming into the Bronze Medal match, Canada knew that they had a big task at hand facing off against the Netherlands – ranked second in the world – with Olympic qualification on the line.
The match got off to a quick offensive start for the Dutch side with Constantijn Jonker scoring within the first couple minutes. Despite Canada conceding an early strike from the Netherlands, they were able to settle in and neutralize their opponent’s offence keeping the score close at 1-0.
Going into the second quarter, Canada found themselves down by another goal after Netherland’s Billy Bakker scoring in the seventeenth minute off smashing a heavy shot passed goaltending David Carter.
Following the goal, Carter was able to prove why he has been the best keeper of the tournament making some spectacular saves throughout the quarter. The Dutch were able to put themselves up 3-0 off a high flick from Mink van der Weerden in the twenty-sixth.
Down a score of 3-0 heading into the half, Canada knew they had quite a challenge to get back into the Bronze Medal match. The Netherlands struck twice in the third quarter with goals from Robbert Kemperman in the thirty-fourth minute and Robert van der Horst in the fortieth minute of play.
Putting the game out of well reach, the match’s first goal scorer Jonker was able to tally another sealing the deal for his country scoring the game’s sixth and final goal.
As the clock wound down, Canada had a couple of chances of their own to get at least one on the board from great play from both Gabriel Ho-Garcia and Brenden Bissett respectively failing to convert on their chances.
Closing out the match and the tournament, Canada was able to display some good perseverance and pride representing their country in Argentina.
Finishing fourth in the tournament, it has been a successful outing heading into the Pan American Games next month at home in Toronto.
Canada will have to patiently wait out a number of situations in order to officially qualify for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
In order for Canada to go through, they will have to wait a combination of results from the other World League Semifinal (June 20-July 5 in Antwerp, Belgium) and continental qualifiers from around the world. Canada can also qualify for Rio in their own continental qualifer if they win the 2015 Pan Am Games.
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS:
