SOFIA - The national selection U18 Men started their World Championship campaign in the Bulgarian capital Sofia today, 27 March, from which their peers of the Women’s Team returned with silver earlier this year. Opponents are Chinese Taipei, China, Australia, the Netherlands, and host country Bulgaria.
The first opponent of the Belgians was Chinese Taipei. Team Belgium started the match well and took the lead in the first period through a goal by Kacper Raciborski, who scored solo in the fourteenth minute. Due to the loss of the opponent's puck, Raciborski forces a break away, comes all alone in front of the goalie and finishes off.
In the second period, Chinese Taipei can keep up with an equalizer in the seventh minute. Towards the end of the period, they took the lead by scoring two quick goals within the minute, once on the rebound and a second through an error by the defense.
At the start of the third period, Daan Vermeulen closed the gap with a second goal for the Belgians. He hits a hard long shot against the Taipei nets.
Tibo van Reeth scored the equalizer in the 56th minute. The Belgians are completely back in the game. However, the disappointment hits hard when with barely 11 seconds on the clock, Chinese Taipei sealed the fate of the Belgians with a fourth goal.
Final score: 3-4 (1-0; 0-3; 2-1) with goals from Kacper Raciborski, Daan Vermeulen, Tibo van Reeth
MVP Team Belgium: #1 Gregor Steegmans (G)
“We got off to a strong start in the first period where everyone did their job,” reacts coach Marc Fransen from Sofia. “We are without a doubt the dominant team in the first period. In the second period, however, we take way too many penalties. We had to do ten minutes of penalty killing. As a result, we let the opposing team organize their game, and we gave them opportunities and they collected. We lost the game in the second period, not in the third. In that last period, we come back strongly. Few penalties, we draw the match. And then the discipline is lacking to play that match as it should be done. In the final phase we get a 3 on 1 situation. Our goalie takes the first shot, the second and then the rebound comes and that's where we go wrong. It is what it is. Tomorrow, we have a new assignment, and we will do everything we can to get that job done.”
Competition Schedule
MON 27/03/2023
15h30: BEL vs. TPE: 3-4
TUE 28/03/2023
19h00: BUL vs. BEL
THU 30/03/2023
15h30: CHN vs. BEL
SAT 01/04/2023
12:00: BEL vs. NED
SUN 02/04/2023
12:00: AUS vs. BEL