Belgium – team
Even though head coach Gert Vande Broek decided to rest some of his starting players, the second lines did show no mercy for Northern Ireland (25-7, 25-4, and 25-8) so that on Sunday Belgium will be playing Switzerland for first place in the Pool and for that much desired ticket to advance directly to the third qualification round scheduled for early January 2014.
With 850 fans in attendance at “Lange Munte” sports centre in Kortrijk, Belgium did just outclass their opponents from Northern Ireland who are celebrating this year their first World Championship appearance in history.
“Since Sunday’s match with Switzerland is extremely important, I decided that our best players could have a day off” the Belgian mentor says.
Ilka Van de Vyver set the tone in the first set for the home side as she contributed to a 10:0 lead before Amy Wethers scored the first point for the guests from Northern Ireland. Afterwards Rhian McCarroll and team captain Chloe Walkingshaw added some more to the count but the girls from Northern Ireland are too short to be able to compete even with Belgium’s second lines.
“We are here to learn” US-American born head coach Sarah Jankowitz said in the end.
To read more news from this competition click on World Championship – European Qualification W.
