German men with an important win in the first match of the tournament

20th August, EHC (M) in Mönchengladbach: Germany - Belgium 3:1 (0:0)

20.08.2011 - The German men’s hockey team defeated the Belgian team 3:1 (0:0) in their first tournament game at the GANT EurHockey Championships. In front of more than 5,000 spectators at the Warsteiner HockeyPark, the guests of the reigning Olympic champions put up a good fight and showed that they are a force to be reckoned with in the struggle for the group A semi-final place. Thilo Stralkowski, Florian Fuchs and Jan-Marco Montag (penalty corner) all scored for the German team.

After early tentative play, it was the Belgians who first threatened to score. After Thomas Briels took a futile stab (4), the DHB keeper Max Weinhold prevented the guests going into the lead by spectacularly saving a shot from Tom Boon (7). It took Germany a good quarter of an hour before they could make a dent in the well positioned Belgian defense and create their first goal chance. Chances were missed by Matthias Witthaus who failed from a sharp angle and Florian Fuchs who after 26 minutes narrowly missed a backhand flanker from Thilo Stralkowski.

However it was Stralkowski himself who had the best German chance in the first half when, after being ably assisted by Moritz Fürste, he missed an eight metre shot by no more than a hair’s breadth. But Belgium was still dangerous and in an immediate counterattack only just missed with a backhand edge stroke. Germany was rather lucky after a free hit on the circle shortly before the break, when the umpires awarded a bully and not a penalty corner following a tackle.

The tempo of the game became noticably faster after the start of the second half and it developed into a real skirmish. Belgium had the first real chance with a penalty corner, but Max Müller deflected Jerome Dekeyser’s flat scoop over the line (37). Shortly afterwards Florian Fuchs narrowly missed from the opposite side from a half left position, but the DHB squad did better with their next attack: Mo Fürste had come through the middle field and passed to Oliver Korn, who then passed to Stralkowski at the front. The man from Mülheim took advantage of the opportunity and netted the ball at half height.

The second German goal which came shortly afterwards was just as nicely prepared: Benjamin Weiss sent a dream pass from half right to Florian Fuchs, who took the ball beautifully with a small backhand and slammed it in (51). But the Belgians didn’t give up and just four minutes later were rewarded with their second corner, which Dekeyser converted flat down right.

But the DHB team reacted immediately: Matthis Witthaus forced his way over the left side into the circle and hit a Belgian foot. Jan-Marco Montag converted the ensuing penalty corner with an unstoppable scoop into the corner of the goal to the cheers of the crowd (3:1). Germany skillfully defended the score for the last ten minutes of the game and thus took the first important step towards the semi final.

Goals:

1:0 Thilo Stralkowski (41.)

2:0 Florian Fuchs (46.)

2:1 Jerome Dekeyser (PC, 55.)

3:1 Jan-Marco Montag (PC, 57.)

Penalty corners:

GER 1 (1 goal) / BEL 2 (1 goal)

Umpires:

Andy Mair / David Gentles

Original Article: http://www.hockey.de/VVI-web/default.asp?lokal=DHB&innen=/VVI-web/EM/2011/Ergebnisdienst.asp&auswahl=1&spiel=1&version=EN