The Kookaburras’ Olympic tormentor has come back to haunt them in Paris.
In a gold medal rematch, Belgium put the Aussies to the sword, winning comfortably 6-2.
Last time the teams met at the Tokyo Games, the Belgians were also supreme.
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After going down in the final following a thrilling penalty shootout, the Belgians claimed the gold and handed the Kookaburras their fourth consecutive silver medal.
This time, however, it was a very different scenario … and it would be worrying the Australians.
Unbeaten from their opening two matches at Yves du Manoir Stadium, the Australians fancied their chances against the Europeans.
But veteran Belgian striker Tom Boon had something to say about that with a hat-trick of goals, as his team relished the big stage of the Games.
The four-time Olympian’s second goal of the Pool B match was a moment of magic just eight seconds from halftime.
The 34-year-old flicked the ball up and then backhanded it over the shoulder of Australian goalkeeper Andrew Charter.
The goal was reviewed by British video umpire Martin Madden, who ruled it stood with Belgium taking a 3-1 lead into halftime.
Belgium’s first two goals came through Alexander Hendrickx and Boon, with their team nailing two of five penalty corners in the half while the Kookaburras were zero from six.
That became four from nine for Belgium while Australia finished the match with an ugly return of zero from eight.
Lachlan Sharp score his first goal of the tournament to put Australia on the scoreboard in the 29th minute, blasting into the net off a high ball from Flynn O’Gilvie.
That closed the gap to 2-1 before Boon’s late second-quarter effort.
The Kookaburras’ plans to take control of the match were in disarray early in the third quarter after another successful Belgian penalty corner, scored by Florent van Aubel.
And then the score blew out to 5-1 when Antoine Kina ripped the ball past Charter.
Colin Batch’s team clawed back a goal after Blake Govers capitalised on some neat lead-up work by Tom Wickham but the margin proved too big to peg back.
Boon then added his third and final with three minutes remaining with another penalty corner blasted up and over Charter.
The result means unbeaten Belgium go top of Pool B, ahead of India, who earlier downed Ireland 2-0.
Australia sit third.
The top four teams of six qualify for the quarter-finals.
– With AAP