England win Champions Trophy play-off against Belgium
- From the section Hockey
England avoided finishing last at the Champions Trophy in India following a 3-2 play-off win over Belgium.
Florent van Aubel had put Belgium in front but two goals from David Condon and a Chris Griffiths effort put England 3-1 up going into half-time.
Another Aubel strike gave his side hope but England held on for the win.
"It is nice to finish on a high," said Condon, whose side had finished top of their group after two wins and a draw before losing to Germany and Argentina.
England Head Coach Bobby Crutchley added: "Although we didn't play our best hockey today I'm very pleased with the win.
"It was a difficult game with both teams missing players at the end of a long and tough tournament.
"We coped well with the physical demands out there today and I think the victory was a justifiable reward for the overall performances during the last week of competition."
Olympic champions Germany beat Pakistan 2-0 in the final through goals from Christopher Wesley and Florian Fuchs, and five-time defending champions Australia won the bronze medal with a 2-1 win over India.
| England at the Champions Trophy |
|---|
| 6 December: |
| 7 December: |
| 9 December: |
| 11 December: |
| 13 December: |
| 14 December: England 3-2 Belgium |