The “Red Stick” team plays the quarter-final against the mighty Australia

Madrid, 29 years old (Europe Press)

The Spanish field hockey team will attempt to qualify for the quarter-finals of the Tokyo Olympics on Friday (3:00 AM ET), which means not losing to strong Australia.

The obligatory victory over Japan, the difference obtained, left the “red sticks” alive with the goal of being at a crossroads. The four points added currently leave him in third place, tied with Argentina and New Zealand, who play on the final day, opening up his options a bit more against ‘Kookaburas’.

Spain knows that not losing to Australia gives them the ticket no matter what happens in the duel between the Argentines and New Zealanders who will jump on the field knowing what Fred Swayze’s men did. If they win, they will be in third place, and if they draw, they will be left in the hands of their opponents to find out where they are, with one of them winning by sending them to fourth place and a cross against the ‘Black Beast’. Belgium.

The Australians have fewer calculations to do, already ranked on full points and as a first in the group, something that could ‘relax’ them in the game against the Spanish side, who hope the win over Japan has lost their weight. their shoulders to present your best version in a very challenging game where you have to face the strong physique of your opponent.

However, Spain does not give up anything, not even a victory over the world number one, which it already managed to defeat two years ago in Madrid in the professional league 3-2. In addition, in the last games in Rio de Janeiro, he also managed to defeat it 1-0.

The “red sticks” will need to perform near perfection, especially at the defensive level, and improve the “penalty kick” to be able to have options against an opponent who has scored 21 goals, six of them from a. Blake Govers is very dangerous in the “penalty kick”.

data sheet.

–groups.

Australia: Charter (p), Sharp, Wickham, Dawson, Peltz, Ockenden, Wheaton, Govers, Symonds, Howard, Zalosky, Ogilvy, Bell, Mitton, Brandway Hayward.

Spain: Quico Cortés (p), Alonso, Romeu, Sallés, Delàs, González, Alegre, Oliva, Lleonart, Ruiz, Quemada, Sánchez, Iglesias, Piera, Basterra, Boltó.

Stadium: Hockey Stadium Oi.

Time: 3.00.