'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAHAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFQABAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAb/2gAIAQEAAAAAlh//xAAUAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAF/9oACAECEAAAAHf/xAAUAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAF/9oACAEDEAAAADv/xAAiEAACAQMCBwAAAAAAAAAAAAABAgQREiEAAwUTFSIyUWH/2gAIAQEAAT8AHCFWFYkyTzbmYve2RbhaV966a7dzTd9GOSoLGnzy1//EABkRAAEFAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEAAwURIf/aAAgBAgEBPwARjVnSv//EABgRAQADAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEAAhQh/9oACAEDAQE/ANlwOE//2Q=='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Shane McLeod's side had quite a task on their hands in their last pool game of the Hockey World Cup. They had to beat the South Africans by at least half a dozen goals to exert pressure on India in an effort to top the pool.
The hosts, however, had the luxury of knowing exactly what was to be done, unlike the Belgians who played the first match of the evening and had no way of knowing just how many it would require to get past the Indians on goal difference.
The South Africans did not make Belgium's task any easier by scoring a stunner in the opening seconds while the final hooter too played spoilsport for the Olympic silver-medalists by sounding a couple of seconds before the ball found the back of the net for the sixth time.
Stung by the early reverse, the Red Lions came back strongly to lead 4-1 at halftime but failed to continue the goal fest in the second half -and following India's emphatic win against Canada, the Belgians will have to aim for the quarterfinals via the crossovers just as the Canadians will.
Let us take a look at 3 factors that may have been significant in determining the ultimate course of the match which ended with a 5-1 scoreline in Belgium's favour.
#3 South Africa begins with a bang and causes a few ripples
The crowd had just begun to take their seats and the Red Lions were just about settling into their respective positions when Nicholas Spooner advanced menacingly and made his way to the Belgian circle without being challenged.
Spooner then picked up a long cross from the left and sent a scorcher from the edge of the circle which Vincent Vanasch may have been able to stop on another day - or indeed if he had been better prepared for what was coming.
The Belgians who relish storming the opposition circle with early attacks had a taste of their own medicine for once and the goal could not have come at a worse time for a side who were aiming to score as many as they could instead of having to play catch up.
Julian Hykes then had a chance to double the lead which could have been disastrous for the Belgians who took a while to recover before tilting the scales on their lower-ranked rivals.
#2 Alexander Hendrickx shows he is on par with the best
Belgium earned a PC just before the end of the first quarter after some sustained pressure exerted by Tom Boon and van Aubel but it was not Loick Luypaert who took the flick but Alexander Hendrickx, who scored with a superbly executed direct flick which went low and to the left.
Hendrickx was at it again in the second quarter and scored in similar fashion to beat Rassie Pieterse all ends up.
Loick Luypaert scored off the third PC that the Belgians earned, and the Red Lions who were struggling a bit with their conversions thus far in the tournament had a one-hundred percent conversion rate at the end of the first half.
Hendrickx found the back of the net yet again in the third quarter but the goal was disallowed as the ball had not left the circle before the drag-flick was taken.
The Belgians will be hoping that Hendrickx can carry his good form into the crossovers and beyond.
#3 Belgium lose their way in the second half
After having scored four goals in the first half, the Belgians would have fancied their chances of scoring the same number in the second as well but failed to get their passes right in the striking circle.
The Belgians managed just one shot on goal in the third quarter off eight circle entries and failed to convert the three PCs which they earned.
Cedric Charlier was the only Belgian who got his name on the scoresheet in the final quarter in spite of the fact that McLeod's boys managed to fire seven shots on target with Gowan Jones doing well in the South African goal.
The inability of the Olympic silver-medalists to get their act right in the striking circle may cost them dear in the knockouts ahead and, sadly, there is no way that Belgium can make up for the loss of Emmanuel Stockbroekx and John-John Dohmen who has the experience of 366 international caps behind him.
Head to Sportskeeda to check out the schedule for the upcoming matches.
