Junior hockey World Cup: Germany trounces India, sets up title clash with Spain

CHENNAI:

What was billed as an thrilling contest turned out to be a one-sided affair as Germany outclassed India 5-1 within the semifinal of the FIH Junior Males’s World Cup on the SDAT-Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium on Sunday.

The seven-time champion produced a medical efficiency, cruising to an enormous victory to achieve its tenth last in 14 editions.

Earlier, a late and controversial objective despatched Spain into its maiden last because it edged previous Argentina 2-1 within the different semifinal. Spain will conflict with Germany within the last on Wednesday whereas India will combat it out with Argentina for the bronze on the identical day.

The India–Germany contest was nearly determined within the opening quarter itself, when the customer struck twice. Germany’s excessive depth, compact defensive construction and ruthless ending left India chasing the sport from the outset.

Germany opened the scoring by means of a penalty stroke transformed by Lucas Kossel late within the first quarter. A fierce drive by Quirin Nahr struck Ankit Pal on the physique, leading to a stroke.

The second objective got here in freak style as a sideline drive by Titus Wex was inadvertently deflected into the online by Sunil Palakshappa Bennur.

India seemed deflated after conceding the second objective. Kossel transformed a penalty nook for his second objective.

The Indian midfield lacked creativity whereas the ahead line’s circle penetrations have been ineffective.

Within the different semifinal, the decisive second got here beneath controversy when Bruno Avila fired from effectively outdoors the 23-yard line. An apparently faint contact from Albert Serrahima directed the ball into the publish. After a video referral and deliberation, the umpires upheld the choice, leaving even Spain head coach Oriol Puig Torras visibly stunned.

The outcomes (semifinals): Spain 2 (Mario Mena 6-PC, Albert Serrahima 55) bt Argentina 1 (Juan Fernandez 20-PC); Germany 5 (Lucas Kossel 13-PS, 29-PC, Titus Wex 14, Jonas von Gersum 39, Ben Hasbach 48) bt India 1 (Anmol Ekka 51).