A sensational males’s hockey competitors on the Olympic Video games Paris 2024 will attain its climax on Thursday, with 4 unbelievable groups preventing it out for the three medals on provide in entrance of deafening capability crowds on the Yves-du-Manoir Hockey Stadium.
At 14:00 CEST, India and Spain will battle for bronze, with each proud hockey nations decided to finish their Olympics on a excessive after dropping their respective semi-final matches.
The primary occasion takes place at 19:00, a basic encounter between historic European rivals Germany and the Netherlands, with Die Honamas looking for a fifth Olympic title and the Oranje aiming to land gold for the primary time since profitable back-to-back titles at Atlanta 1996 and Sydney 2000.
We take a fast take a look at the 2 medal matches.
India vs Spain – 14:00 CEST
Whereas defeat to Germany signifies that India’s 44-year look ahead to a ninth Olympic gold medal goes on, they are going to be decided to complete an in any other case excellent Olympic competitors on a constructive observe. Regardless of that heart-breaking end result, India’s glorious performances at Paris 2024 ensures they will go away with their heads held excessive, ideally with bronze medals hanging round their necks. After profitable bronze at Tokyo 2020, they’ve the possibility to repeat the trick right here on the Yves-du-Manoir stadium.
Standing of their approach are Spain, a facet on the lookout for a primary Olympic medal since profitable silver at Beijing 2008. Whereas their heavy 4-0 semi-final loss in opposition to the Netherlands could have been troublesome to take, head coach Max Caldas – who masterminded their sensational quarter-final victory over reigning champions Belgium – will make sure that his staff will likely be prepared for the problem that awaits them.
Participant views
Harmanpreet Singh (IND): “After all, (all) medals are medals. That is our final probability (of this Olympic Video games) and final hope to get a medal. However Spain are good. If they’re certified for the semis, it means they’re good, they usually beat Belgium. So we’re not going to take the match (calmly) and we attempt to give the whole lot we’ve and attempt to get that bronze medal.”
Marc Miralles (ESP), talking earlier than India’s semi-final defeat to Germany: “I don’t know who we’re going to play, however we’re going to do what we at all times do. We’re going to attempt to discover their weaknesses and attempt to win the sport.”
Germany vs Netherlands – 19:00 CEST
Germany versus the Netherlands is a fixture with an enormous historical past. Their fierce European rivalry has commonly been performed out at world stage occasions, with the 2 assembly within the Olympic gold medal match at London 2012. After thrashing Nice Britain 9-2 within the semi-final, the Dutch began that contest as heavy favourites. Nevertheless, Germany had been at all times going to have their say, with Jan-Philipp Rabante scoring each the objectives in 2-0 win as Die Honamas claimed their fourth Olympic gold medal. Following their battling win over India, you actually wouldn’t guess in opposition to the present world champions including a fifth title right here at Paris 2024.
Whereas European champions the Netherlands suffered a 1-0 loss to Germany within the pool section, their excellent 4-0 thrashing of Spain within the semi-finals ensures that they enter the gold medal match on a excessive. The Oranje had been distinctive in opposition to the Spaniards, with staff captain Thierry Brinkman scoring among the best objectives of the event with a surprising first-time strike into the highest nook. With the ladies additionally reaching the gold medal match, the dream of a Dutch double at Yves-du-Manoir might grow to be actuality, bringing the lads’s staff’s 24-year look ahead to Olympic gold to an finish. The groups that gained gold at Sydney 2000 and Atlanta 1996 each featured present males’s head coach Jeroen Delmee and head coach and Jacques Brinkman, father of Thierry.
Participant views
Jean-Paul Danneberg (GER): “We all know from the previous that the Dutch have extraordinarily huge issues to attain in opposition to us. All (the) video games had been very shut up to now. And we all know the place our qualities are, and our qualities are undoubtedly in defence. The Dutch gamers want an excellent day to attain 4 objectives in opposition to us. So I feel we’ve a mountain, and they’re going to have huge issues to climb us.”
Thierry Brinkman (NED): “On this event, when you possibly can win a quarter-final in opposition to Australia and a semifinal on the Olympics, we all know precisely what we’re doing. We have now been working for a few years with one another now. We all know precisely what to do. The ultimate will likely be a detailed recreation for positive. However we all know how one can end video games.”
Medal Matches – Thursday 8 August 2024 (all instances CEST)
14:00: Bronze medal match 19:00: Gold medal match
The hockey competitions on the Olympic Video games Paris 2024 happen from Saturday 27 July to Friday 9 August. Each the lads’s and ladies’s competitions characteristic 12 groups, cut up into two swimming pools of six forward of quarter-finals, semi-finals and medal matches. For extra details about the hockey competitions at Paris 2024, go to Olympics.Hockey.
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