Red Lions Open World Cup with Thrilling Win Over France
Belgium’s Red Lions launched their FIH Hockey World Cup campaign with a nail-biting 3-2 victory over France at the Belfius Hockey Arena in Waver on Saturday night. Alexander Hendrickx emerged as the hero, scoring twice from penalty corners — including the decisive goal with just three minutes remaining — in front of a sold-out crowd of 10,000 spectators.
The win, reported by Sporza, marks a strong start for the world’s third-ranked team in a tournament they are co-hosting with the Netherlands. The Red Lions were forced to dig deep after falling behind twice against a disciplined French side that proved far more stubborn than expected.
A Slow Start Against a Stubborn France
The match began ominously for the hosts. Just three minutes in, France took the lead through Curty, whose hard shot left goalkeeper Vincent Vanasch with no chance. The early setback seemed to rattle the Belgians, who struggled to find their rhythm in front of an expectant home crowd.
“I think we were somewhat overwhelmed by the crowd in the first five minutes,” Hendrickx admitted after the match. “For some, the adrenaline was running a bit too high.”
Belgium finally found their equalizer in the second quarter when Nelson Onana tapped in from close range following a well-worked cross from De Kerpel. But the relief was short-lived — Florent Vaal restored France’s lead almost immediately, making it 1-2.
The French team, coached by John-John Dohmen, employed a low defensive block that proved difficult to break down. Belgium dominated possession but struggled to create clear-cut chances against the well-organized visitors.
Hendrickx Delivers in the Clutch
It took until the closing stages of the third quarter for the Red Lions to draw level again. Roman Duvekot converted a penalty corner variant — following Hendrickx’s drag — to make it 2-2 and send a wave of relief through the arena.
The breakthrough finally came with approximately three minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. Hendrickx stepped up for a direct penalty corner and rifled the ball into the net, sparking wild celebrations among players and fans alike.
“It was something more exciting than we had hoped beforehand,” Hendrickx said with a smile, as quoted by Sporza. “But those three points are the most important.”
The match winner also reflected on the unique experience of playing in front of a packed home crowd: “It was very beautiful to play in front of such a sold-out stadium. Now we also know how the footballers feel.”
Learning Lessons for the Road Ahead
Despite the victory, there was a sense of realism in the Belgian camp. Head coach Shane McLeod acknowledged the team’s struggles, noting that “pressure is like water: it always finds a crack.” He added: “Happy with the 3 points, but there are some points to work on.”
Roman Duvekot echoed those sentiments: “If we want to go far in this tournament, we need to be sharper defensively. But this was a good learning experience.”
The match was played in front of a completely sold-out Belfius Hockey Arena, which was temporarily expanded from 4,000 to 10,000 seats for the World Cup. Tournament CEO Serge Pilet had earlier expressed pride in the venue, calling it “a unique thing for a team sport in Belgium,” as reported by Sporza.
A Crucial Clash with Germany Looms
Belgium’s next test comes on Monday against reigning world champions Germany — a match that carries extra significance under the tournament’s new format. Under the revised structure, results from the first group phase carry over into the second group stage, meaning a win against Germany could provide a significant advantage later in the competition.
Arthur Van Doren, one of the team’s veterans, stressed the importance of the upcoming fixture: “We realize the importance. More than ever it’s more important than a regular group match, because it can give us a great starting position for the rest of the tournament,” he said, as noted by Sporza.
The Red Lions have history with Germany — they lost the 2023 World Cup final to the Germans in a shoot-out, as documented by VRT NWS. But Van Doren played down any talk of revenge: “Is there still a score to settle? Not necessarily. Of course you think back to it sometimes, but not everyone in our group experienced that defeat.”
Germany opened their own campaign with a commanding 5-1 victory over Malaysia, setting up what promises to be a pivotal Group B encounter at the Belfius Hockey Arena on Monday at 20:30 local time.
For the Red Lions, the opening victory provides a solid foundation — but the real test of their title ambitions begins now. As Hendrickx put it: “The most important thing is that we kept our heads calm. We kept playing our game and increased the tempo. In the end we created enough chances.”