Paris — Cool, calm and composed in Colombes. In the Paris suburbs, Team GB men got off to the perfect start, courtesy of two deft field goals – the standout being Nick Park’s memorable lob, the first goal of this Olympics – and a brace of piercing penalty corner goals from Gareth Furlong in a 4-0 win over Spain.
It wasn’t meant to be this easy. Matches against Spain have been historically tricky for GB and England over the years. Take last summer’s 4-3 nerve-jangling EuroHockey win. Here, despite consistent Spanish pressure, GB gave themselves the freedom to attack and carve chances of their own. The GB of old may have found it far harder going. For Spain? Well their day got worse after their team bus got lost on the way to the ground.
But not with this side, a mix of experience and youth which has garnered plenty of junior title success.
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