Spanish resurgence continues with triumph over Dutch
The Netherlands 1-3 Spain

Spain continued their remarkable return to form with a superb 3-1 win over The Netherlands to set up a mouth-watering meeting against Australia in the final of the Owen G Glenn FIH Champions Trophy. Goals from Edi Tubau, Roc Oliva and Gabriel Dabanch proved to be enough for a Spanish team that has come on leaps and bounds since their hugely disappointing 6^th place finish at the EuroHockey Nations Championships last summer.

The result guaranteed Spain’s participation in the final even before New Zealand stepped onto the field against Australia as the Black Sticks could no longer get enough points to secure a top two finish in Pool C.

The Spaniards blasted out of the blocks at the start of the first half and took the lead inside two minutes when team captain Santi Freixa fed Edi Tubau who lashed home from a tight angle. Gabriel Dabanch almost made it two with a clever deflection but Netherlands goalkeeper Jaap Stockmann pulled off a fine save to keep the score to 1-0.

The Netherlands had some very good chances to equalise, with Roderick Weusthof coming the closest with a low penalty corner effort that was brilliantly cleared off the line by Spain defender Juan Fernandez.

Spain moved into a 2-0 lead in the 25^th minute and again it was Santi Freixa who was the provider. Freixa’s perfectly weighted pass from midfield was beautifully finished by Roc Oliva, who touched the ball over Stockmann’s pads and into the goal.

The Netherlands pulled a goal back just before half time thanks to a field goal from Bob de Voogd, and the Dutch began the second half determined to grab an equaliser. They would surely have done so were it not for some high quality goalkeeping from Francisco Cortes, who made important saves from Rogier Hofman and Jeroen Hertzberger.   

The killer blow arrived in the 51^st minute when Jose Carlos Ballbe worked his way into the circle from the right and set up the easiest of tap-ins for Jorge Dabanch to give Spain a 3-1 lead. The Netherlands rallied hard towards the end, but Spain defended their lead resolutely to confirm their place in the tournament final.  

Netherlands - Spain 1-3 - Owen G Glenn FIH Champions Trophy Men 2011

> Spain take on Australia in the final on Sunday, qualifying for their first CT final since 2008 and their third in total.
> This marked Spain’s first CT victory over Spain since 2004 (4-2in the final).
> Netherlands will play New Zealand in the Final 3-4. This is the fifth successive year the Netherlands play in the third place play-off.
> Netherlands failed to convert any of 6 PCs awarded and are now on 2 for 21 in the tournament.
> Spain failed to convert 2 penalty corners in this match and are now on 5 for 20.
> Eduard Tubau scored in the 2nd minute. Santi Freixa also scored for Spain in the 2nd minute of the match against Pakistan (4-2 win).
> Tubau is now on 5 goals, only Jamie Dwyer (AUS) has scored more (7).
> Gabriel Dabanch scored his 4th goal in 5 matches at Auckland 2011.
> Roc Oliva scored his 2nd goal at Auckland 2011. In the 2010 CT he collected 4 goals.
> Bob de Voogd scored his first goal for Netherlands at a major tournament since netting twice against Ireland at the 2011 Eurohockey Nations Cup: NED - IRL 7-4.
> Goalkeepers Pirmin Blaak (NED) and Xavi Castillano (ESP) are 2 of 3 players that have not seen any action so far at Auckland 2011. The other player is New Zealand goalie Stephen Graham.

Netherlands - Spain (10 Dec 2011, 16:05) - Owen G Glenn FIH Champions Trophy Men 2011

Head-to-heads

> Netherlands have won 15 of 21 CT matches against Spain (15W – 3D – 3L).
> Netherlands are unbeaten in 6 successive CT matches against Spain, winning the last three.
> Spain’s last CT victory over the Dutch came in the 2004 CT final (4-2).
> Their last encounter came at the 2010 CT. Netherlands won 5-2, goals scored by Jeroen Hertzberger (2), Mink van der Weerden (PC), Teun de Nooijer and Rogier Hofman. Spanish goalscorers: Pau Quemada and David Alegre.

Netherlands Facts

> A victory over Spain will see the Dutch progress to the Final 1-2 if New Zealand fail to beat Australia. If both Netherlands and New Zealand win, goal difference and goals scored will be the tie-breakers.
> Coming into Day 5 New Zealand have a goal difference of -1, Netherlands are on -2.
> The Dutch have finished in the top 4 in each of their last 24 CT tournaments (including 2011), since finishing 6th in 1986.
> Netherlands are on 2 for 15 in terms of penalty corners converted (13%).
> Netherlands have only faced 5 penalty corners so far, conceding 2.
> Billy Bakker has scored in every match so far for his team at Auckland 2011 (4 FG), as has Jamie Dwyer (AUS).
> Jeroen Hertzberger (2FG), Taeke Taekema (2PC), Rogier Hofman and Valentin Verga are the other Dutch goalscorers.
> Taeke Taekema is all-time top goalscorer in CT competition on 47 goals. Teun de Nooijer is on 42 goals.

Spain Facts

> Spain qualify for the final Final 1-2 if they beat Netherlands. A draw will also see them through if New Zealand fail to beat Australia.
> In case both Spain and New Zealand collect 4 points goal difference if the first tie-breaker followed by goals scored.
> Spain have reached the CT medal round for the first time since claiming silver in 2008. They failed to reach the semifinals in their last two CT appearances finishing 5th in 2009 and 2010.
> Spain have converted 5 of 18 penalty corners awarded (27%)
> Spain have conceded 4 PC goals from 16 PCs awarded to their opponents.
> Eduard Tubau is on 4 is on 4 goals. Only Australia’s Jamie Dwyer had scored more goals (6).
> Gabriel Dabanch, Pau Quemada and Santi Freixa are all on 3 goals so far at Auckland 2011.
> Santi Freixa (34 goals) is ranked fourth on the CT all-time top scorer list after Taeke Taekema (47), Teun de Nooijer (42) and Sohail Abbas (41).
> Gabriel Dabanch was born in Mendoza, Argentina. He moved to Spain at age 12. His older sister Paula represented Spain in hockey at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.
> Ramón Alegre faces his team mates from Dutch side Kampong Quirijn Caspers and Sander de Wijn.