Germany dash Indian hopes, again

Profligate India squander 12 penalty corners as six-time champions win 4-1 to enter their ninth junior men's hockey World Cup final

- Sandip Sikdar

December 2021. India were hopeful of spreading the senior hockey team's success at the Tokyo Olympics to the junior level as well.

Playing at home, the conditions and momentum favoured India. But Germany dashed Indian hopes by winning the Junior World Cup semi-final 4-2 in Bhubaneswar.

Two years later, while the location changed to Kuala Lumpur, the opponents, stage and platform remained the same. And so did the result.

Germany once again blew away India's dream by winning 4-1 and enter yet another Junior World Cup final at the Bukit Jalil National Hockey Stadium on Thursday. They will face France in the final on Saturday.

Germany proved yet again that they are the most dominant force in junior hockey by reaching their ninth final out of which they have won six.

In 13 editions, only once (2005) have they not stood on the podium as the Matteo Poljaric-led outfit will be aiming to clinch their country's seventh title on Saturday- and emulate the senior team that won the World Cup in January in Bhubaneswar.

While India tried hard and attacked well, they fell significantly behind when it came to their finishing. The biggest difference between the two sides proved to be penalty corners (PC). While Germany were all about precision, converting both their short corners, India were wasteful converting none of 12 PC chances they created.

Wasteful India