Belgium and Canada are separated by seven ranking places but the Europeans highlighted how vast the gap was in their Pool A match of the Hockey World League Finals here on Sunday, thrashing Canada 7-2 for its first win in the tournament.
Dominating the game completely in the opening and closing quarters and playing at half intensity in the middle half hour, the Red Lions were all over hapless Canada.
Three goals in as many minutes in the first quarter, taking full advantage of Canada being a man down, Belgium was 4-0 up in the first 15 minutes.
Two of them were initiated by Alexander Hendrickx from the 25-yard line to the left and deflected into the goal by alert strikers inside the striking circle even as the Canadian defence was scattered away.
First, Sebastien Dockier took the ball to the left backline and scooped it, Florent van Aubel directing it in.
Then, Thomas Briels received the ball at the penalty spot and deflected it in past a spread-eagled Canadian goalkeeper.
A fifth goal off a penalty corner at the stroke of the first quarter was cancelled after referral.
With a 4-0 cushion, the Belgians knew all they had to do was sit tight and control possession, which they did perfectly.
Canada tried to fight back and even got a couple of goals, one each in the 2nd and 3rd quarters, but Belgium was never under pressure.
It decided to get a few more goals in the last quarter to wrap up victory in style as van Aubel struck his second and the team’s seventh in the last two minutes.
The results:
Pool A: Belgium 7 (Florent van Aubel 2, Sebastien Dockier, Thomas Briels, Jerome Truyens, Arthur van Doren, Tom Boon) bt Canada 2 (Mark Pearson, Devohn Noronha Teixeira).
Pool B: The Netherlands 3 (Thierry Brinkman, Severiano van Ass, Roel Bovendeert) bt Argentina 2 (Gonzalo Peillat 2).