BlitzStoks triumph over Belgium to secure historic bronze medal
South Africa’s men’s indoor hockey team ended their World Cup campaign in Croatia on a high, beating Belgium 6-5 in a pulsating bronze medal match on Sunday night.
Skipper Dayaan Cassiem could not hold back the tears after the BlitzStoks sealed their first medal at a World Cup in dramatic fashion at the Zatika Sports Centre in Porec.
Head coach Justin Rosenberg also struggled to contain his emotions in the aftermath of the dramatic triumph.
“The only thing that separated us from a medal today was belief,” he said.“Everything else we matched them, player-for-player. Today was about belief.”
The Belgians had taken the early lead and managed to hold on to it until the end of the first quarter.
Belgian star Philippe Simar was the danger man. He made it 2-0 early in the second period, off a short corner.
The BlitzStoks then hit back off a special penalty corner of their own. Player of the tournament Mustaphaa Cassiem had been almost unstoppable with his roundhouse flicks for SA while airborne and off-balance during the tournament. And he added one more to the highlights reel.
The BlitzStoks had their tails up. They were pressing for the equaliser.
The electrifying Mustaphaa would draw SA level with a swivel and fierce low shot that beat the Belgian keeper. Big brother Dayaan would then produce a magic moment of his own. He flicked the ball into the roof of the net off a tight angle, having danced his way into the circle.
SA goalkeeper Cullin de Jager made a fantastic save off a penalty corner with seconds left in the half.
The BlitzStoks went into the break 3-2 up. Early in the second half Dayaan saved off the line, with the keeper beaten.
A Hans Neethling penalty stroke extended the SA lead to 4-2 before Belgium pulled a goal back through Max Langer.
The BlitzStoks came close to adding to their advantage, first through Dalpiarro Langford and then Dayaan Cassiem.
Mustaphaa Cassiem completed his hat-trick with a brilliant drag flick from the right in the opening minute of the final quarter (5-3). It was an incredible 17th goal of the tournament for the younger Cassiem brother.
The South Africans kept their composure. They were dominating the game.
Dayaan Cassiem would cap this period of dominance as he fired in low past the keeper. But there was still time for a bit of late drama, after Belgium pulled their keeper off.
There were four minutes left in the game. They cut the deficit to two goals before De Jager made a great save with 90 second left on the clock.
It would prove crucial, with a great Max Langer goal for Belgium ensuring a tense final seconds. However, the BlitzStoks would not be denied.
Elated skipper Dayaan Cassiem would later reveal some of the adversity the team had faced in reaching the milestone.
“It means so much to us,” he said in a post-match interview.
“At the beginning of the tour we weren’t sure about funding or anything and we said it doesn’t matter about money or anything, we’re going to come here and make sure that we make the country proud.”
Mission accomplished.
The skipper also had high praise for defensive ‘bus’ Jethro Eustice. He stepped up in the absence of veteran Justin Domleo, who got injured earlier in the tournament.
“We’re competing with the best in the world and we’re shaping up to be a team to be noticed on the world stage,” Eustice said.
“We’ve got some serious players on our team, I think world-class players that turned the game today.”
Germany beat Austria in the men’s final, which had to be decided in a shoot-out after the match ended 6-6. Poland’s women also secured a first World Cup gold medal with a 1-0 win over Austria in the final.