In an exciting day of hockey action at the Paris Olympics, Spain’s men’s team pulled off a significant upset by defeating reigning champions Belgium 3-2. Spanish skipper Marc Miralles scored a crucial third goal with just three minutes remaining, and despite a late Belgian push, Spain held firm to secure their place in the semi-finals. This marks Spain’s first semi-final appearance since the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
The Netherlands also advanced to the semi-finals with a 2-0 victory over Australia, a match marked by physical play and several injuries. The Netherlands’ Thijs van Dam scored the second goal, and the Dutch team’s aggressive play proved too much for Australia.
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In another quarter-final, India overcame Britain 4-2 in a penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw. Despite playing with 10 men for most of the match following a red card, India’s Raj Kumar Pal scored the decisive penalty, securing their semi-final spot for the second consecutive Olympics.
Germany also advanced, narrowly beating Argentina 3-2.
In women’s hockey, China achieved a notable upset by defeating Australia 3-2 to reach the semi-finals for the first time in 16 years. Australia, the top seed, had high hopes of reaching the gold medal match but fell short despite a late comeback attempt. China’s goals came from Alice Arnott, Wen Dan, and Jiaqi Zhong, with Australia only managing one goal in response.
