EuroHockey warm-up: Clinical Belgium stun Netherlands 3-0

Belgium’s Tom Boon (red)

Belgium is considered as one of the top hockey teams in the world.

The rapid strides the Red Lions have made first under Australian coach Colin Batch and then under equally-celebrated Dutch coach Marc Lammers in the last few years has made them the team to watch out for.

Their fifth place finish in the 2012 London Olympics served a warning to other teams that they are indeed a side which cannot be taken lightly.

The Red Panthers showed that their London effort was no flash in the pan as they surprised big guns like Australia and Netherlands to win the Hockey World League Round 3 crown in Rotterdam recently.

The Marc Lammers-coached side warmed up nicely for the upcoming TriFinance EuroHockey Championships with a superb 3-0 victory over Olympic silver medallists in Boom, a venue which will host the upcoming marquee event in August.

Belgium opened the account with Jerome Dekeyser, converting their first penalty corner.

Tanguy Cosyns extended the lead five minutes later as the home side enjoyed a 2-0 cushion at half-time.

The Dutch needed to score early in the second half to stay in the contest but the Redshirts kept them at bay.

It was left to prolific Tom Boon to put the issue beyond the Dutch seven minutes from the final hooter.

Thus, Beligum exacted sweet revenge for their 2-7 drubbing at the hands of the Netherlands in their first warm-up game six days back.