If third place games are often forgotten, we can assure you that the one between the U19 of South Africa and Spain was worth the detour! The two teams, still disgusted with their elimination in the previous round, were far from unmotivated and gave us an epic fight that we will rewind for you.
It got real immediately with a huge opportunity for the South Africa team and their serial goalscorer, Liam Elferink, who loses his one-on-one against Juan Carlos Roldán. But it will only be a postponement for the Englebrecht’s little proteges since Ethan Martin will concretize the domination of the Springboks a minute later after a beautiful attack placed. We haven’t even been playing for two minutes and there is already one goal. Well, this is the start of the game, all the players may not have gotten into the match yet, it can happen.
South Africa: 1 (Martin 2 ’) – Spain: 0
After the first goal, it gradually balances and the two teams go sticks against sticks. Suddenly, Arnau Sanchez Chacon was a little tired of waiting and activated beast mode by dodging three South African players like a bullfighter in full performance. A fourth ends up making a foul 5 meters from goal to stop his lonely raid. A bad thing for a… bad thing since in the following action, Álex Amado sends the puck right in the South African goals and the score is even.
The game becomes more and more physical and the first temporary expulsion will be for Arnau Sastre. Exclusion which may have caused him to lose his bearings since he will commit a stick infringement as soon as he returns to the pool. 20 seconds before the end of the first period, a penalty shot is awarded to South Africa. Liam Elfernik will not hesitate to take advantage of it and consolidate his status as top scorer of the tournament. The rainbow nation takes advantage just before halftime.
The Spanish are back in the fight, and Arnau Sastre leads his crew. He will quickly make up for his mistake by scoring between a huge crowd of South African players. Are we keeping the same pace as in the first period? Sold !
As if they were being polite, it’s the turn of the South Africans to besiege the Spanish camp. The problem is, when you go ferociously in the attack, you sometimes forget how to defend. Ain’t that right Bokkies? Led by the ubiquitous Arnau Sastre, the Iberians will play in counter-attack. They will even do it very well since Victor Mateo will allow Spain to lead for the first time in the match. It’s starting to get interesting isn’t it?
Still in ultra-offensive mode, the South Africans are once again establishing themselves in the Spanish camp. Do you see the new counter-attack coming ? Not Marnus Van Reenen anyway.He launched perfectly the vice-captain Christian Swanevelder who pushed the puck to the inevitable Liam Elfernik. The Springboks forward scored his 28th goal of the competition (yes yes 28) and allowed his team to return to the level of La Roja. Is it underwater hockey or tennis?
At the end of the game, pretty muddled, marked by the respective one-minute exclusions of Hendrick Venter on the South African side and David Cepero on the Spanish side, the signal sounded. On the way to Overtime! And it’s clearly not a punishment.
Overtime:
If the players of the brothers Quintero Busigo and Eloy Weitzmann had suffered badly before the end of regulation time, they did not give in to the pressure. After taking the puck in the South African camp, the Spanish goleador, Oriol Moraleda, gives the advantage to his team We are clearly in a crazy game. But guess what? It is not even over.
30 seconds before the end of the first overtime period, Arnau Sanchez Chacon makes a foul that offers a golden opportunity for South Africans. And who is there to conclude? The Captain, Liam Elferink, who scores a hat-trick and allows his fellow partners to tie. Can you still follow, are you ok?
But despite the rainbow nation’s momentum and their push to take back the lead, Hendrick Venter was excluded for two minutes. This is the turning point of the game. In power play, Spain scores the goal that will seal the fate of this incredible game. The executioner of South Africans is called Victor Mateo.
South Africa will not come back from it. Spain win 5-4 in the third place match. Following a crazy game, Spanish guys will accompany the British and New Zealanders on the podium and receive the bronze medal in the U19 category of this world championship.
