Junior World Cup Hockey: Germany, Argentina, Belgium Start with Big Wins

Justus Warweg (18:34 mins), Ben Hasbach (42:18 mins), Paul Glander (43:45 mins), and Justus Warweg (55:22 mins) scored for Germany to give the defending champions the right start. Germany are the most successful team in the World Junior World Cup with seven titles.

In other matches in the competition, Ireland defeated Canada 4-3 in a well-fought encounter in the second match in Group A in Madurai. Germany lead the standings with three points, with Ireland in second position on the basis of goal difference. Canada and South Africa are yet to open their accounts.

Argentina, New Zealand, Switzerland, Belgium, and Spain also made a winning start in the first phase of the biggest competition for junior men in field hockey.

In Group B, Switzerland handed Oman a 4-0 defeat at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Hockey Stadium in Chennai. Jonathan Baumbach, Mattia Ribaudo (2 goals), and Léonard Kraxner scored for Switzerland.

In Group C, two-time champion Argentina and New Zealand made a winning start with contrasting wins.

Argentina defeated former Asian Games gold medallist Japan 4-1, with Nicolas Rodriguez scoring two goals while Mateo Torrigiani and Bruno Correa contributed one each for the winner. Naru Kimura scored the lone goal for Japan.

In the second match in the group, the Black Sticks prevailed over China 5-3 at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Hockey Stadium in Chennai.

In Group D, Belgium and Spain started with wins, the junior Red Lions thrashing first-timers Namibia 12-1, while Spain outplayed another African team, Egypt 8-0 in Madurai.

This edition of the FIH Hockey Men's Junior World Cup is the biggest ever, with 24 teams playing in Chennai and Madurai in Tamil Nadu. The 24 teams have been divided into six groups of four teams each, playing in a preliminary round-robin format in their respective group, with the group winners qualifying for the quarterfinals. The six second-placed teams in the group stage will compete in a round-robin format, with the top two teams making it to the last-eight stage.

- IANS