Field Hockey at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, results, groups, how to watch,

The hockey is always one of the most highly anticipated events at the Olympic Games and it will be no different in Tokyo. 

Australia have a great chance of taking home gold in the men’s hockey with the Kookaburras coming into Japan as the number one ranked team in the world. 

As for the Hockeyroos, they were well placed going into the Games as the fourth best team in the world but suffered a shock 1-0 loss to India in the quarter finals. 

With plenty of debutants across both squads, it’s a great mix of youth and experience which is hoping to bring hockey gold back to Australia. 

MEN’S OLYMPIC HOCKEY GOLD MEDAL GAME SCORE

Belgium claim their first ever Olympic gold medal in hockey in a nail-biting encounter with Australia.

After going behind early in the third quarter, Australia drew level in the final term and neither side could find a winner in the frantic final minutes.

Australia – 1 (Tom Wickham – ’47)
Belgium – 1 (Florent van Aubel – ’32)

The match was decided via one-on-one penalties after it ended in a draw in a normal time.

Penalties:

Australia – Govers X, Ogilvie O, Brand O, Simmonds X, Whetton X

Belgium – van Aubel O, de Sloover O, Denayer X, Wegnez O

MEN’S GOLD MEDAL GAME PREVIEW

Australia will play Belgium in the men’s hockey gold medal game on Thursday.

They previously drew 2-2 in 1956 and Belgium won 1-0 in the first round in 2016.

Belgium lost their two finals in major competitions against Australia (2-1 in the final of the World League in 2015, and 3-2 in the final of the FIH Pro League in 2019).

World champions Belgium can become the fourth World Cup holders to win Olympic gold, after Pakistan in 1984, Netherlands in 2000 and Germany in 2008.

Australia can become the sixth NOC to win multiple Olympic titles in men’s hockey. The Australians defeated Netherlands 2-1 after extra-time in the final at Athens 2004.

Australia picked up a medal in men’s hockey at six of the past seven Olympic Games (G1-S1-B4), with a sixth place at Rio 2016 as the only exception in this run.

The sixth place in Rio marked Australia’s joint-lowest rank at the Olympic Games (also sixth in 1960).

WHO WON BRONZE IN THE MEN’S OLYMPIC HOCKEY?

India beat Germany 5-4 on Thursday, with team India capitalising on two penalty corners and one penalty stroke.

“It’s a fantastic feeling, I must admit,” India’s Australian coach Graham Reid said. “It’s come after a lot of sacrifices that I think everybody in our group has made over the last… well, I said before the game 15 or 18 months, but actually it’s more like 15 years, I think.

“It takes a long time to get where these athletes have gotten over this period, and all the sacrifices that that go unseen, I think, came back in spades today.”

WHO IS PLAYING IN THE WOMEN’S OLYMPIC HOCKEY GOLD MEDAL GAME?

Netherlands and Argentina meet for the eighth time at the Olympic Games when they go up against each other in Friday’s final at Oi Hockey Stadium.

Netherlands have won six of their seven matches against…