Netherlands:
The Oranje Heren have lost their second game of the Pro League series from 2023. The team of national coach Jeroen Delmée was unable to cope with the strong Australians with a 7-2 defeat. The Orange received a huge blow and was already behind 5-1 before the break. On an evening in which KZ’er David Huussen made his debut.
The very first for Huussen, but the second for Miles Bukkens, Boris Burkhardt, Jasper Tukkers and Timo Boers. Number three for Luke Dommershuijzen, international match number four for Floris Middendorp. And nine for Jaïr van der Horst. For example, the selection had eight players on Friday evening with fewer than ten Orange appearances.
Again a very young Orange and especially one with little experience – almost all internationals from Kampong and Bloemendaal get this series rest – but that made no difference against India on Wednesday evening. Then the selection was given a crash course in international hockey. A quarter getting used to and then three quarters the better.
But on Friday night, Australia waited. The team that last met the Orange, during the consolation final of the World Cup, last January. Then the Orange won. But the current group only experienced Thijs van Dam, Seve van Ass, Tjep Hoedemakers, Koen Bijen, Steijn van Heijningen, Pirmin Blaak, Tijmen Reyenga and Justen Blok in that match. Then there was a bronze medal at stake.
David Huussen dueling with Lachlan Sharp. Photo: William Vernes
Price shooting for Australia
No medal this time, but the earlier crash course hadn’t helped. The Dutch got off to a difficult start in a warm Eindhoven. Duco Telgenkamp, Max de Bie, Pepijn Reyenga and Sheldon Schouten also saw this. They were still within the lines on Wednesday evening. Debutant Huussen clumsily played the ball over the back line, causing a penalty corner. Fortunately for the defender who was still playing in the Third Division three years ago, the Aussies forgot to stop the corner.
But the Orange did not get away well again, when Tom Craig was able to hit hard: 0-1. It got even worse for Delmée’s team in the first fifteen minutes. The shot chance that followed from Lachlan Sharp also ended up behind goalkeeper Pirmin Blaak, 0-2. There was only an attempt from Steijn van Heijningen, after a combination of captain Thijs van Dam and Miles Bukkens.
Anyone who thought that the Orange would come out better in Q2 was completely wrong. The first minute was not over yet, when a third goal could already be added. Nathan Ephraums was the lucky one this time. The Circle of Orange looked like a fairground. With the shooting gallery as the most popular attraction. A minute later there was Craig again, who signed for his second and fourth for the visitors.
But the poison cup was far from empty. Miles Bukkens defended like an attacker – much too enthusiastically – and thus caused a corner. While on the penalty box with green, he watched as Jeremy Hayward scored goal number five. The same Hayward made two penalty corners from his Den Bosch teammate Timo Boers harmless as a runner. Bukkens made up for his mistake moments later. He set up an action together with Tjep Hoedemakers, which he slipped into a little later. His debut goal, the first goal of the Orange and a cloth for the bleeding.
Miles Bukkens’ goal. Photo: William Vernes
Six goals in thirty-five minutes
Australia quietly continued what it was doing: scoring goals. Shortly after Huussen was punished with green, two corners followed. The first was nicely finished by Tjep Hoedemakers, but the second opportunity was a hit. Although Pirmin Blaak took Blake Govers’ first shot fantastically from the bottom corner, he had no answer to the rebound. For example, the Dutch team scored six goals in thirty-five minutes of hockey.
But of course Orange also tried to do something in return. A backhand from Jaïr van der Horst went just over and Boris Burkhardt’s drag push was narrowly saved. While a little later it hit the other again. Ephraums tapped in goal number seven from close range.
When the Aussies allowed reserve keeper Ashleigh Thomas just a few minutes – and took their captain Andrew Charter off the field for that – the Orange decorated the third corner of the game. That attempt became a prey for Bukkens, who still put his fist in the air for his second goal.
A bummed Jeroen Delmee. Photo: William Vernes
Biggest home defeat ever
Other fists no longer appeared in Eindhoven. Where it was a hopeless and painful evening for the Orange. One that even goes down in the history books as the greatest home defeat. An unpleasant statistic and above all a defeat that should soon be forgotten. Because in twenty hours (Saturday at 5.40 pm) India is waiting. The opponent against whom it all worked out on Wednesday evening.
by Hockey.nl
