Spain beat Korea 2-0 to finish fifth; qualify for Champions Trophy
New Delhi: Olympic silver medallist Spain ended their hockey World Cup campaign on a high, defeating Asian champions Korea 2-0 here today to finish fifth in the mega-event and qualify for this year’s Champions Trophy.
With this win, Spain have kept their slate clean in the fifth-sixth classification match in the World Cup, having won four out of as many appearances.
Today’s win also extended the Spaniards head-to-head against Korea.
The two teams have earlier met once in the tournament in the bronze medal play-off match in last World Cup in Monchengladbach, where the European side came out victorious.
Experienced striker Pol Amat scored both the goals (first minute, 32nd), including the second fastest goal in the history of the game to hand Spain a comfortable win at the floodlit Major Dhyn Chand National Stadium.
Amat’s goal within the first 22 seconds of the match is the second fastest goal in history of the game after India’s Ajit Singh who achieved the feat in 11 seconds against Argentina during the 1976 Montreal Olympics.
Korean players were sharp in midfield but were not that effective inside the Spanish Dee.
With a place in this year’s Champions Trophy in sight, Spain began with a bang as a sliding Pol Amat registered the fastest goal of the tournament in 22 seconds from an Alex Fabregas pass from the left.