Charlet puts an end to the crazy Dragons series and sends his Watducks to the final
Dragons 1-3 Watducks
Dragons : Van Doren; Lootens, Della Torre, Harte, Geers; Rubens, Foubert, Denayer; Raes, Crols, T. Luyten; then Lambert, Vanderkeilen, Putters, Luyten, Martinez
Waterloo Ducks : Vandenbroucke; Van Marcke, Van Oost, Willems, Charlet; Sidler, Curty, Langendries; Dykmans, Depelsenaire, Rogeau; then Petit, Wilbers, van de Kerckhof, Fauchey, Hertschap.
Referees : MM. D. Van Den Eede and M. Dutrieux
Green cards : 13th Luyten, 40th Depelsenaire
The goals : 2nd Charlet on pc (0-1), 39th Charlet on pc (0-2), 48th Charlet on stroke (0-3), 58th Della Torre on pc (1-3)
Penalty corner : Dragons (1/1) and Waterloo Ducks (2/7)
The controversial action, the one which perhaps changed the course of this confrontation, took place in the last ten seconds of this match. Trailing 1-3, the Dragons pushed harder, without a goalkeeper, to get back into the score and push for shoot-outs. A free kick is awarded to the locals, Charlet pushes the ball away. Referee Dutrieux goes to the PC before reversing his decision and only awarding the initial free kick, to the defiance of the local public. This decision sealed the bad day for the Dragons who saw their two teams eliminated on the threshold of the final. It all started with a very big atmosphere on the Brasschaat side for this return leg. Antwerp started with a goal in advance. The Waterloo Ducks put their foot down directly and caused a first pc in the first minute of the match and Charlet already allowed the Brabançons to make up for their delay conceded the day before (0-1).
There were few surprises in the tactical plans of the two teams who generally played in their respective systems. The Dragons' man to man allowed him to go on the counter quickly while trying to place the stick on the ball. The positional play of the Waterloo Ducks and its numerous switches to counter the individual marking of the Dragons allowed Willems and Van Oost to crisscross the field with the full technical palette at their disposal. They were nevertheless embarrassed from time to time when the Dragons decided to press higher. Paradoxically, we felt that the two teams did not dare to press too high and were content to wait in the middle of the field whereas as soon as a press was initiated, on either side, it considerably hampered the opponent.
Nevertheless, the start of the match was of high quality and pleasant to follow. The first quarter ended with a particular action. “Twenty seconds” screamed Mickael Cosma, T2 of the Dragons, at Della Torre who threw a long ball into the circle, visibly on a Waterloo foot. The referees did not flinch and on the counter, Rogeau found himself alone in front of Van Doren but completely missed his recovery in one time.
The match remained balanced and undecided, with both teams sharing the few actions of the match fairly. Their intentions were above all cautious and calm. They were waiting for the right moment to hurt without rushing, without revealing too much. This made for an interesting game of possession but few interventions for the goalkeepers. Denayer and Della Torre changed sides regularly and the Dragons increased their pressure at the end of the half but without this changing the course of the match.
The locals started the second half with more offensive intentions, a big press and especially Della Torre and Denayer on the same flank. Synonymous with potential damage on the right. But, on a harmless long axial ball, an Antwerp foot offered a second pc as an offering to Wadu who did not ask for so much to make 0-2 by Charlet (Van Doren had a little hole) and to take the cumulative advantage . Van Doren nevertheless made up for it on Charlet's third try with a magnificent save with the stick on the ground. Wadu took the lead, particularly psychologically, in this match and it was not a canceled goal that stopped their momentum. A high recovery from Wilbers brought the fourth pc of Wadu. Charlet's sleep was postponed but a stroke was awarded. Charlet went for his hat trick. What an offering for his last week in green and white. The Dragons were stunned but still had time. However, he complicated his game by wanting to make the difference too quickly. His enterprises were unbridled and poorly thought out. The Waterloo Ducks continued to try to play, without taking any risks and above all looking for the PCs at each circle entry. The fifth, sixth and seventh were whistled in succession, without Charlet on the field. We remained at 0-3 and the last break mainly served to re-motivate the troops. The speeches resembled scenes from well-known American films.
The stadium still believed in it and ignited with each ball from the red and blue, but the defense did not let itself be impressed. A first pc was nevertheless awarded to the locals, for an unnecessary stick move near the corner corner. Della Torre used the same entry gate as Charlet and reduced Wadu's lead to one unit (1-3). There were eleven minutes left. The Waterloo Ducks now discovered the fury of the Dragons and the instructions were “don’t get eliminated, don’t give up”. And they should have added “not to discover themselves” because on a counter, Henry Raes forced Vandenbroecke to save his team. It was time for the Dragons to take out their goalie and play on the power play for the last five minutes. The Wadu stood back, and held out well until this last action which infuriated the locals.
Wadu takes its revenge from last year against Gantoise. We are waiting for a grandiose poster.
Boon still deprived of a final despite a double
Leopold 2 – 3 Gantoise
Leopold : Henet ; Eaton, Van Strydonck, J. Verdussen, Forgues; Boccard, Poncelet, Englebert; Baumgarten, Boon, De Backer; then Zimmer, Cuvelier, De Trez, A. Verdussen,
Ghent : Carr ; M. Clément, T. Deplus, M. Deplus; Kina; Masson, Goyet, Murray; Duvekot, Tynevez, Hellin; then T. Clément, Esquelin, Molenaar, Paton, Rogge
Referees : MM. L. Dooms and S. Michielsen
Green cards : 44th Englebert, 57th Hellin, 58th Zimmer, 60th Duvekot
Yellow cards : 51st A. Verdussen, 63rd M. Deplus, 68th Goyet
The goals : 20th Boon (1-0), 31st Kina on PC (1-1), 32nd Boon on PC (2-1), 48th Esquelin on PC (2-2), 67th Tynevez (2-3)
Penalty corner : Léopold (1/7) and Gantoise (2/4)
After Saturday's short defeat (2-1), Leopold, leader of the regular championship, was expected to turn the corner. Elliot Van Strydonck was back in the core.
Ghent took the start of the match on their own with an exit from Henet in the 4th minute. Ghent accelerated the game while Léo was much too slow in his offensive reconversions. Mr Michielsen whistled a foul in the 25 which turned into the first pc in the 11th minute. Boon was not on the field. Zimmer was countered. Léo remained slow but went for a second pc in the 15th minute. Boon was countered. Ghent went on the counterattack, but Eaton was there to block the ball in the circle.
The second four resumed with a duel between Boon and Carr. The Red Lion made no mistake in erasing the late goal from the first leg (1-0). Casually, Leo was more and more present without creating real opportunities in the circle. Clément shot wide of the… ball when he had the goal almost ready in the 23rd minute. Arthur Verdussen accelerated on the baseline and pushed the ball next to the square. The match had just turned into ping-pong for a few minutes. Mr. Dooms whistled a little quickly for a mistake by Van Strydonck. Clément would have left alone in the circle. For a stick shot from Boccard, Mr. Dooms whistled Ghent's first pc in the 27th minute. Kina stopped him badly and the phase did nothing. Leo retreated and left the initiative to the Buffalos. On an action 100% in the axis, Tynevez shot at Henet, but the ball came back to offer a 2epc. Kina pierced the Uccle wall. On the throw-in, Cuvelier went directly and found Boon's deflection which Carrr stopped. Masson conceded a pc for a foul on Poncelet. Boon sent a missile to the line-stop side when the ball was poorly given. The first half kept all its promises between two teams who quickly got to the heart of the matter.
The second half resumed with a shot from J. Verdussen and a third pc for Ghent. Kina was countered. Murray didn't have a shot on target. Englebert took the first card of the match for grumbling. Maxime Deplus caught a ball at the edge of the circle. It didn't fit. Ghent went to look for a 4th pc for a kick while Léo was having rather sluggish minutes. Boon's 3 pc series led to nothing. Leo was getting angry at the end of the 3rd quarter.
Poncelet found himself alone against Carr but lost his duel. Hellin was taking a green one. Poncelet missed the empty goal in a confused phase in front of Carr. Clément dived on a cross but Henet anticipated well. De Backer still had a good shot at the end of the match. Leo failed to appear dangerous at the end of the match. Ghent were reduced to nine after the yellows of Deplus and Goyet. Henet had gone out. Leo forced a final pc, but it was diverted.
Like last year, the leader of the regular championship came out in the semi-final.
Results and program
Play-off: semi-finals
Go (Saturday)
Watducks – Dragons 2-3
27th Dykmans (1-0), 55th Della Torre on pc (1-1), 59th Raes (1-2), 67th Charlet on pc (2-2), 70th Della Torre on pc (2-3)
Gantoise – Léopold 2-1
12th Hellin (1-0), 37th A. Verdussen (1-1), 62nd Kina on pc (2-1)
Return (Sunday)
Dragons – Watducks 1-3
Léopold – Gantoise 2-3
Finals (Wilrijkse plein, Antwerp)
Ghent – Watducks Sa 4 p.m.
Watducks – Ghent Sun 4 p.m.
