Belgium win maiden World Cup

Belgium won a tense penalty shootout 3-2 against three-times champions The Netherlands to win their first men’s hockey World Cup title at Bhubaneswar’s Kalinga Stadium on Sunday.

A goalless stalemate in regulation time forced the shootout which also resulted in a 2-2 deadlock after five penalties each.

Florent van Aubel then converted to put Belgium ahead before The Netherlands’ Jeroen Hertzberger shot wide to dash their hopes of a fourth title as Belgium became the sixth nation to win the World Cup.

Earlier, two-times defending champions Australia thumped England 8-1 in the third-place playoff match. (RTRS)

A first win in 13 league games since Sept 1 sent Southampton above Burnley into 17th place while Arsenal, who had last lost to Chelsea in the Premier League in August, remained fifth in the table.

Unai Emery’s team had Laurent Koscielny starting in defense for the first time this season but they were uncertain at the back from the first to last minute against a side that at one stage this season went five league games without scoring.

Koscielny was at fault in failing to

Arsenal’s Alex Iwobi (left), and Southampton’s Jan Bednarek in action during their English Premier League soccer match at St Mary’s Stadium in

Southampton, England on Dec 16. (AP)