New Delhi, Dec 13 (IANS) Holders Germany will face challengers France in their title defence at the Hockey Junior World Cup final after both teams won their respective semifinal matches at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium here Friday.
While France surprised Malaysia by winning the penalty shoot-out 3-1 — after a tied score of 1-1 after 70 minutes of regulation time, Germany drubbed the Netherlands 5-3 to book a date for Sunday’s final.
A formidable encounter between two giants of the game, the match-up was the final of the last edition of the tournament when Germany narrowly prevailed over the Netherlands.
Germany worked their way and earned a penalty corner in their first incursion of the Dutch circle, scored by Lukas Windfeder with a high drag flick. Five time champions Germany seemed like an impregnable fortress and their goalkeeper Victor Aly was hardly seen in action.
They had another penalty corner in the 14th minute and Windfeder scored his second. Netherlands substituted their goalkeeper and replacement Jan De Wijkerslooth was immediately into the match, deflecting a high shot from close range. Germany walked into the break with a comfortable two goal lead.
Germany increased their lead in the 47th minute after a phenomenal 50 metre run by Christopher Ruhr through the entire Dutch defence concluded by a shot over the keeper’s head for his eighth goal of the tournament.
The Dutch suddenly surged forward and scored two goals in a minute. The first was by Tom Hiebendaal on a penalty stroke and then by Thierry Brinkman. Things got exciting in the 60th minute when Hiebendaal was pushed down while shooting on goal, earning a penalty stroke which he dutifully converted to tie the score.
The Dutch now had the momentum but Timur Oruz and Niklas Wellen gave back a solid 5-3 lead to Germany by the 68th minute to earn their ticket for the final.
Earlier France, which had never reached the top-four of any previous edition of the prestigious tournament, came back from a goal-down, to first level the match 1-1, and then beat Malaysia in a penalty shootout.
Malaysia were quick in action by surprising the French with a quick free hit drilled into the circle that found Azri Hassan totally unmarked in front of goal with plenty of time to beat stopper Edgar Reynaud. The French went into the break trailing 0-1.
France were finally rewarded with their persistence in the 63rd minute when Jean-Laurent Kieffer managed a slight touch on a ball drilled into the circle to tie the proceedings and maintain the scoreline till the end and force a penalty shoot-out, the first of the competition.
France missed their first attempt but goalie Corentin Saunier outplayed two Malaysian strikers to put his team back on top, with Hugo Genestet finishing the job to send the ‘Les Bleus’ in the final.
