Men’s EuroHockey U21 Championship (Valencia, Spain) – bronze medal match
Pau Gesti’s penalty stroke 16 seconds from time earned Spain’s men bronze from the EuroHockey U21 Championship to the delight of their home fans in Valencia.
They won an archetypal rollercoaster as they led by two goals three times only for Belgium to fight back each time but they stayed the distance to win 5-4.
In the first half, they were able to punish Belgian mistakes with Nicolas Mustaros hoovering up a chance from a half-cleared ball in the first quarter.
Albert Serrahima then pressed the elevator button to the top corner after the young red lions again found it hard to clear their lines. Mathis Dewitte gave Belgium some solace before half-time, though, with a low corner shot down the middle for 2-1.
Spain restored their two-goal gap with Gesti’s first stroke of the day following a string of penalty corners; he made no mistake from the spot in the 37th minute.
Belgium fought back, Jayd Poels picking out the bottom corner from a PC; the Spanish side replied, a beauty of a corner move switched right and then guided in by Serrahima for 4-2.
Dewitte’s second corner goal, however, set up a grandstand finish and it was level with seven minutes to go when Marin Van Heel intercepted and set up Sascha Kinnen who dug the ball out and into the goal.
Spain, however, summoned one last attack and – from a corner – hit a body on the line, leading to the stroke with only seconds left. Gesti remained calm and whipped in the chance from the spot for a thrilling bronze success.
