The Orange girls are European champions. In a thrilling final against Belgium, coach Daan Sabel’s team won 3-2. This ended a seven-year title drought at the European Championships in Lille, France. The Netherlands’ last U18 title dated back to 2018. Then the girls also defeated Belgium, at the time it was 5-0.
After the final whistle, the excitement erupted. The bench stormed onto the field, parents and teammates in the stands screamed themselves hoarse. Tears of happiness for some, fists in the air for others. The Belgian opponents drifted off, while the Netherlands celebrated the victory. Gold. Finally gold again.
The last time the Netherlands captured the European U18 title was seven years ago, in 2018. Then, too, Belgium was defeated in the final – with a big 5-0 victory. That batch included players like Luna Fokke, Danique van der Veerdonk and Rosa Fernig, now familiar names in the big Oranje. Now it is the turn of a new generation, which wrote its own story in Lille.
The corners of Isabel Boere
The European Championship final between the Netherlands and Belgium began fiercely and physically. In the first fifteen minutes, Imme de Leeuw and Rosa Kooijmans, among others, were tackled hard, but the Dutch held their own. Belgium was slightly more dominant in the first minutes and also claimed the first penalty corner of the match. That followed after a ball on the feet of Anouk Slotema. However, Emma Herzeele’s flat was turned away by runner-up and captain Isabel Boere. It was uncertain whether she would get to play, as she sat out the last pool match with an ankle injury. Belgium was a bit brighter in the first quarter, supported by the boisterous legion of their boys’ team, which took the bronze earlier in the day after beating Spain after shoot-outs.
Photo: WorldSportPics
In the second quarter, the Netherlands took over the initiative little by little. Only when Merle Blaffert got a stick on her nose and left the field, Belgium created danger. The Amsterdam defender watched, with a bag of ice on her face, as Famke van Heel tested goalkeeper Marit van Buul for the first time, but the Pinoké closing post had no trouble with her shot. At the other end, Roos Alkemade was brought down and a corner followed. A series of corners followed (three in total) but all were turned away. Until penalty corner number four. Captain Boere stepped up and pushed low: 1-0. Less than 24 hours earlier it was still uncertain whether she would play, now she put her team ahead.
In midfield, Lotte Ruts played a strong game. Nothing showed that she is only sixteen. She was close to scoring 2-0 with a dry hit – her specialty – but the ball remained just in front of the goal line. Before that, the Dutch escaped the equalizer when Belgium got two penalty corners in a row. The first attempt – a failed variation – landed on a Dutch foot. The second was hit too high. The Netherlands survived and Boere delivered again. At penalty corner number six she pushed in unerringly: 2-0.
3-0 with fifteen minutes to play
When Olivia Huisman, after an excellent preparation by Roos Alkemade, worked in the 3-0 shortly thereafter, the game seemed to have been played. The striker of Kampong jumped a hole in the air; the Netherlands had now managed to score not only corners, but also field goals.
Photo: WorldSportPics
Yet Belgium did not give in yet. And with two corners – twice completed by attacker and captain Fee van den Abeele – they created a lot of tension. Because suddenly it was 3-2, in a game that the Netherlands might have already won in their minds.
Belgium changed their goalkeeper, but to no avail. That it became so exciting only made the victory sweeter; this new generation showed that they can not only win, but also fight until the final whistle.
Netherlands – Belgium 3-2 (1-0)
28. Isabel Boere 1-0 (SC)
44. Isabel Boere 2-0 (SC)
46. Olivia Huisman 3-0
53. Fee van den Abeele 3-1 (SC)
55. Fee van den Abeele 3-2 (SC)
Photo: WorldSportPics
Read back the highlights of the final of the European U18 Championship in Lille between the Orange girls and Belgium below
by Hockey.nl
