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Defending champions Belgium will take on an upbeat Germany side in the finals of the 2023 FIH Hockey World Cup at the Kalinga Stadium on Sunday, January 29.
The Belgians had a relatively smooth passage barring a semifinal shootout win against the Dutch. Germany, meanwhile, have manufactured a couple of incredible comebacks to advance to the finals of the tournament after a gap of 13 years.
The Germans trailed England by two goals until the 57th minute before leveling the score and winning the quarterfinal shootout in dramatic style. Niklas Wellen's goal in the final minute and Gonzalo Peillat's fourth-quarter hat-trick then helped them oust pre-tournament favorites Australia 3-4 in the semifinals.
GER vs BEL match preview and details
It was at the Eurohockey Nations Cup in 2007 that the Belgians first won a medal on the big stage. Back then, they defeated a strong German side that had won two back-to-back World Cup titles in 2002 and 2006.
Thanks to the win, the Belgians qualified for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games after a gap of 32 years and went on to win a silver medal at the 2016 Rio Games.
A gold medal at the 2018 Odisha World Cup was followed by an Olympic gold in 2021 with the Belgians rising to the pinnacle of world hockey under the tutelage of Shane McLeod.
The Kiwi coach has since left the Red Lions camp. However, Belgium continue their medal hunt with Michel van den Heuvel now at the helm of the most experienced side in the tournament.
The head-to-head stats between the two European giants now read 15-14 in favor of Belgium while there have been seven drawn games. This includes a 2-2 draw in the group stages of the ongoing tournament.
The Belgians begin as the favorites against two-time Hockey World Cup champions Germany, who have stunned many by making it all the way to the finals.
Gonzalo Peillat's PC hat-trick in the semifinals could, however, prove to be a game-changer for the Germans. This is also because Belgium's Alexander Hendrickx will be watching the proceedings from the stands owing to a knee injury.
Peillat almost singlehandedly steered Argentina to Olympic glory in 2016. He now adds firepower to a German side that boasts the likes of Christopher Ruhr, the Grambusch brothers (Mats and Tom), Niklas Wellen, and Martin Zwicker.
Andre Henning's team will be up against phenomenal talents like Tom Boon, who has scored seven goals thus far. Cedric Charlier, Sebastien Dockier, Gauthier Boccard, and Vincent Vanasch in goal are just a few for the in-form players in the Belgium camp.
While the hockey may not be free-flowing to begin with, expect nothing less than a humdinger with the pace continuing to increase as the contest progresses.
Germany vs Belgium prediction for Hockey World Cup 2023
Germany 2-2 Belgium (Belgium win shootout)
Germany vs Belgium Hockey World Cup 2023 match Live Streaming details
The Germany vs Belgium FIH Hockey World Cup 2023 final will take place on Sunday, January 29, 2023, at 7.00 pm IST.
Star Sports Network has acquired the broadcast rights for the 2023 FIH Hockey World Cup in India. The match will be live on Star Sports First, Star Sports Select 2 HD, Star Sports Select 2 SD, and on the Disney + Hotstar App across the Star Sports Network from 7:00 pm IST.
