Spain ran up a huge 10-0 win over Austria to put them right back in the frame for a semi-final spot at the EuroHockey Championships, setting up a showdown with Belgium on Tuesday.
An 11-goal target would have seen them jump above Belgium on goal difference heading into the final pool games.
The game was less than 40 seconds old when Spain went in front, Bruno Font taking a quick free and entering the circle before shooting home on his backhand.
Pol Cabré-Verdiell got his first of the day soon after, profiting from Nicolas Alvarez’s industry, and Gerard Clapes extended the lead to three inside the first 10 minutes with a close-range volley.
That was it for the first half but Clapes got the scoreboard moving in the second half with another neat touch; José Basterra’s thin touch made it 5-0 and Marc Reyne tacked on the sixth before the end of Q3.
Alvarez thrashed in another before Cabré-Verdiell got the goal of the game, an upright reverse-stick shot from the top of the D. Alvarez scored number nine to move within two of their target and they removed their goalkeeper in pursuit of that total.
Pepe Cunill’s corner somehow snuck in but they could not find one more in the last two minutes to grab the unlikely edge on the Belgians.
All to play for
It sets up a tasty last round of games in both pools.
With the Netherlands likely pool winners and facing bottom side Austria, Belgium and Spain are locked on three points and set for a winner take all battle for the semi-finals.
In the other pool, England head the standings on goal difference from Germany after their 1-1 draw.
Both teams are one point ahead of France, who play England on Tuesday. France will need a win to progress.
England need to avoid defeat to make it through to the semi-finals, with Germany favourites to overturn Polan.
