FIH Hockey World League Final 2017 : Netherlands salvage pride by defeating England 1-0
Netherlands, who had nothing to lose after being ousted in the quarterfinals of the FIH Hockey World League, salvaged some pride by defeating England 1-0. The Dutch thus avoided the wooden spoon and claiming the seventh position among the eight teams participating in the tournament.
Netherlands had lost the quarterfinals against Germany by 3-4 in the penalty shootout. This time around, they pulled out all stops against England.
During the first two quarters, England put up a rock solid defence against the Dutch team to denying them even the smallest of slips to push the ball through. However, their aggression proved too costly for one of their own members. Christopher Griffiths was sent back with a yellow card and England were reduced to just ten men on the field.
In the third quarter, the Dutch team was running out of patience. Almost halfway through the quarter, they gave up their defensive mode and switched gears to come out all guns blazing.
Netherlands' attack finally brought some positive results when star player Mirco Pruijser smashed the ball past England goalkeeper George Pinner. The 42nd minute clincher eventually turned out to be the only goal of the match.
Credit must be given to Dutch goalkeeper Perminn Blaak as well. He ensured that England's strikers were not able to pierce his wall of defence. With that, Netherlands have finished at the seventh position, their lowest finish in the tournament's short history. They had won the inaugural edition of the league during the 2012/13 season and had lost to India in the bronze medal match of the 2014/15 edition.
As for England, they have found themselves suffering the ignominy of finishing last in the final stage of the 2016/17 edition of the FIH Hockey World League.