Spain loses to England (0-4) and will play in the round of 16 against Malaysia

The rival of the 'RedSticks' in the 'crossover' will be the Malaysian team, second after the Netherlands in Group C

MADRID, 19 Ene. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The Spanish field hockey team lost this Thursday against England (0-4) in the last match of the group stage of the World Cup in India, in a duel played in Bhubaneswar, and will advance to the round of 16, with Malaysia as rival, as third in the group after not being able to break the losing streak against the English.

Spain had not been able to avoid defeats against England in the two games in February 2022 in the FIH Hockey Pro League, and could not this time with the British, much superior throughout the game and without giving the 'RedSticks' an option.

At halftime the score was already 0-2 and the feeling of Max Caldas's players was, seen from the outside, impotence. England took advantage of almost every Spanish defensive error to score, and when the Spaniards tried to re-engage they scored, in the second half, two goals in two minutes to seal.

Despite already being classified for the following rounds with the victory over bottom team Wales, Spain had the possibility of going second (remotely first, depending on India's result against Wales) if they beat England. It was not like that and Spain did not improve its initial third place.

In the 10th minute of the game, in the first period, Spanish goalkeeper Adrián Rafi saved the first shot in England's first penalty corner of the game, but he parried it loosely and the ball fell to Phil Roper, who scrambled for a low shot. and manage to overtake England.

César Curiel missed a great opportunity, perhaps the best for Spain, at the start of the second quarter after an associative play in the area, with a pass from Álvaro Iglesias. But it was the English, with goal review included in their favor, who made it 0-2 before the break with a goal from David Condon, in an acrobatic shot (no dangerous play in the opinion of the referees).

Max Caldas could not change too much in the talk at halftime. Spain tried to go up and enjoy more opportunities, but the goal did not come and, in defense, the inaccuracies and errors ended up sinking the 'RedSticks'.

In two minutes, at 50' and 51', England sentenced. First, in the umpteenth attack play by baseline, and after an error by not clearing quickly by Alejandro Alonso, Nichoals Bandurak scored. Instantly, with the English in superiority due to a green card to Marc Vizcaíno, Liam Ansell scored with a cross shot after a beautiful assist from a teammate's back.

After this defeat, the second conceded in three games after the one on the first day against India (2-0) -with a 5-1 victory against Wales-, Spain advances to the round of 16 'crossover' as third in the group.

It will be measured, on January 22 at noon, in that key duel for being in the quarterfinals against Malaysia, second in Group C behind the powerful Netherlands and after beating New Zealand (3-2) in direct combat by the second place.