KUALA LUMPUR: Germany are only a win away from ending a decade long wait to wrest back the Men’s Hockey Junior World Cup, after beat India 4-1 in the semi-finals at the Bukit Jalil National Hockey Stadium here, today.
The tournament’s most successful team Germany with record six titles, took early control of the match when Ben Hasbach netted the first goal in the eighth minute, but India managed to equalise three minutes later as Sudeep Chirmako’s reverse stick strike which ended in the top right corner of the goal post.
World number three, India then went offensive in the second-quarter and squandered as many as six penalty corners, but Germany defended well before regaining their lead when Hasbach converted a penalty corner rebound at the end of the quarter (30th minute).
Germany, who missed the last edition’s title after 2-4 defeat to Argentina in the finals, then increased the margin through Paul Glander’s 41st minute penalty corner, while Florian Sperling netted a close range shot ahead of ground stopper Shashikumar Mohith Honnenahalli in the 58th minute to conclude the victory and check into their eighth JWC finals.
In the final on Saturday (8.30pm) Germany are set to take on the winner of France and Spain clash, with both teams gunning for their first final, while the loser will face India in the bronze-medal playoff.
Germany had lifted the under-21 World Cup trophy in 1982, 1985, 1989, 1993, 2009 and 2013, while India had tasted the success in 2001 and 2016. -Bernama