Germany snatched a lastminute goal to down Spain 5-4 in a thrilling contest at the men’s field hockey Champions Trophy in Melbourne Tuesday.
In later matches, South Korea downed the jetlagged Netherlands 2-1 and Australia squeezed past England 2-1.
Germany got off with a first-minute bang as Benjamin Wess followed up his own pass to the right and drove home in the circle, redeeming himself for a disqualification in the Germans’ last game, a 5-3 defeat by South Korea.
Jan-Marco Montag flicked a penalty corner conversion four minutes later to give Germany a 2-0 lead. Spain were quick to respond, Albert Sala and Eduard Arbos combining for a right-side challenge to Germany’s defence with a last touch by Arbos sending the ball into goal.
Aged just 18, the tournament’s youngest player, Florian Fuchs, replied for Germany seconds later, deflecting in a long pass from the midfield to give his side a 3-2 lead.
Field goals by Eddie Tubau and Jordi Carrera put Spain back in front early in the second half, with Tubau managing a back-stick drive across German goalkeeper Tim Jessulat just inside the right post.
A defensive error left Carrera with a loose ball which he drove past Jessulat to make the score 4-3 in Spain’s favour. With eight minutes to go, Fuchs retaliated with an opportunistic goal from the top of the circle to level play 4-4.
A penalty corner and three shots on goal from Germany followed, with Matthias Witthaus’s winning goal upheld by the video umpire with 33 seconds left to play.
“We had a good start but we lost our way a bit in the second half, losing possession contests when Spain pressed us,” said Germany coach Markus Weise.
Later, The Netherlands showed signs of fatigue against the fitter South Koreans.
After 11 minutes, Florian Evers broke on the right side, faking one pass before delivering another to Jeroen Hertzberger at the top of the circle who tapped on to an unmarked Roderick Westhof to score from the left.
Dutch player Taeke Taekema hit the post with a penalty corner drag-flick conversion attempt minutes later, before Hong EunSeong equalised for South Korea late in the first half, deflecting in a drive from the right.
South Korea lifted the tempo against their tiring opponents in the last minutes and were rewarded with the winning goal.
In the last match of the day, England attacked through the wings in the opening minutes of their 21 loss to Australia