Picture Credit: Hockey India and FIH
Argentina handed a shocking 4-2 defeat to Germany in the final match of the Junior Men's Hockey World Cup 2021. The six-time champions were the favourites to win the World Cup but Argentina played a brilliant game to outplay their opponent on the matchday.
Argentina earned the first penalty corner of the game in the 10th minute and Lautaro Domene took the 2005 champions in the driver's seat by converting the chance. The goal not only gave Argentina added confidence but also saw the German players getting desperate for an equaliser. Pushing too hard for a goal, Germany's Julius Hayner mistakenly hit Joaquin Toscani with his stick on the latter's forehead. Such severe was the injury that Toscani started bleeding from the injured right side of his forehead while Hayner was shown a yellow card by the umpire.
Minutes later, Maximilian Siegburg of Germany missed a good opportunity. After receiving the ball inside the striking circle, he failed to find the back of the net. Apart from this, the Argentinian defence was spot on. The one-time champions got their second penalty corner in the 24th minute and Lautaro once again scored for the side riding on a brilliant gameplan of his teammates.
Germany bounced back beautifully and scored their first goal of the game in the 36th minute when Julius Hayner scored off a rebound after Argentina goalkeeper Neuhen Hernando failed to defend the ball properly. The field goal from Hayner instilled the lost energy in the German team. However, that all couldn't push Argentina behind and they produced some good attacks. Francisco Ruiz missed a clear opportunity to put the ball at the back of the net after he failed inside the striking circle in the 41st minute.
Germany got three back to back penalty corners and Masi Pfandt converted on the last time. The equaliser came in the 47th minute, but Germany's respite couldn't last long as three minutes later, Argentina also got a penalty corner and Lautaro Domene got the goal for his side once again. This saw Argentina leading once again in the game. Franco Agostini put the final nail on Germany's coffin with the fourth goal for the side.