FIH Hockey Men's World Cup 2026, Semis: Netherlands vs Spain | #HWC2026

Excitement, it's all on the line yet again for the second time in two days. The Amsterdam faithful, who are getting wet today, get to wish a noisy hello to their home stars. The Aranya men versus the Red Sticks of Spain. A replay of the Paris 2024 Olympic semi-final. A replay of the World Cup final from 1998. He's built this Spanish team to be a really awesome force in the world game when it comes to the last four and here we go for the last four. The last semi-final in Amsterdam with one to come later of course down in Warth into the circle straight away. Brinkman, the save is there by Calzado. I haven't even introduced my co-commentator. That is the danger of Brinkman and the excellence of Calzado. Nicky Lloyd. Brinkman firing himself into the circle. Calzado makes the save and with that, it then goes on to the foot of Brinkman. Excellent save. 61 goals between them, actually 51 of those. Brinkman finding a cross and it's gone in. Beautiful touch from Bayern there. The last moment smoothly over. Brilliant goal. And the Dutch, they've found the gaps. And that's all it takes. From the Dutch once more into the circle it goes. Oh, now Bastiera thinks he's scored. And he has scored. Van Gogh confirms and we said that the Spanish weren't out of it we said if the Spanish could force the Dutch hand then this was wide open and Jose Bastera who's done so much gets the touch. He gets the faintest of touch in real time you heard the noise but it's that slider with a little lift and Bastera Leaving the space in front of the goal, open, and then at the last minute that lateral lead across, the stick slightly behind his body, and that's what's wrong-footed, Dirk Meijer in goal for the Netherlands. You do see more and more now short corner, penalty corner wins, good defensive. Call across, and should let the goal in. Bastere once more, Spain. advantage and they've got the goal advantage and the Wagner goes silent. The Dutch are in disbelief and it's Bastera with the brilliance in front to go once more. The ball across from Klapp has Bastera in the right place coming in and he's unmarked. De Hoest there is standing upright. This yellow card has impacted the players on the pitch as well as Telken Kam off the pitch now. What a response from Spain. As the ball goes back to Boya Lacalle, he's got Bastiera on the left-hand side. Here is Bastiera. Cross it goes. It flashes up. Reina was there. Penalty corner. Jose Bastiera at the moment, supported by Lacalle. And Reina are pulling the trigger for the Spanish. Spain really utilising having that extra player on the pitch. They're creating these 2-on-1 opportunities. And it's in. A 3-1 to the good, Pepe Canel, what a time for Spain, 9 minutes 30 left, 8 minutes and 7 left with the Dutch yellow card, and talk about double whammy. This is a game they really have to go for, so at the moment they're a player down, they're two goals down, do they continue to fight in high press or do they make a huge sacrifice and risk and take their goalkeeper off? Penalty stroke, it was always Cardi's position, was always there, and Nico Alvarez has won a penalty stroke for the Spanish. Astera has scored another one, and it's 4-1, and it's turning into the Jose show. That's Astera with that third goal of the game, a hat-trick that makes him to seven goals in the World Cup. The issue is back, alongside him went Font, and then into the circle, Kroon-Pelty corner, wow, the Dutch are finding some bite of their own. 3.57 left to go, Dutch get 11 players, they're taking Doukmar off, Yip Yance has scored again, to the circle it goes, now the Dutch get Pelty corner, 1 minute 21, Tolgenkamp... He's been released from his 10-minute indiscretion. Both teams have lost their referral. The Dutch have an empty goal. Lifted ball up here. There is definitely body check on Kroon as he lifts this ball up. I think he makes the most of it, but I do agree, penalty corner, the decision. Gonskun is saying if anyone breaks the line at halfway they're carded and he's having to face that way. Janssen again, it's a lovely finish, it's a fabulous goal and Joop de Mol, Injecta has scored and it's 4-3. The whole of the Netherlands holds its breath, Spain also wait and hope. Nicky, that's it. That's it. Time is done. Time is dusted. The Dutch complain. Some fall to the floor. But it's Spain that celebrates. It's Spain that again, in the Netherlands, as they did in 1998, make it to another. World Cup final. It's been a rarity in World Cup history. It will be just their third. Spain have never won the Men's Hockey World Cup. The finger on the lips in the photo shoot. The hand over the mouth in the World Cup semi-final. It finishes Netherlands 3, Spain 4 and Spain... Again, in the Netherlands, make it to a World Cup, but this time they dispatch of the Netherlands before the final.