MELBOURNE: Germany snatched a last-minute goal to down Spain 5-4 in a thrilling contest at the Champions Trophy on Tuesday.
Benjamin Wess burst into action with a first-minute goal, following his own pass to the right and driving it home in the circle, redeeming himself for a disqualification in Germany’s last game, lost 5-3 to South Korea.
Jan-Marco Montag flicked a penalty corner conversion four minutes later to give Germany a 2-0 lead.
But 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 at the break.
Early 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 opportunist’s 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 green-lighted by the video umpire with just 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.
“The result could have gone either way and a draw would have been a just result,” Weise added, reserving special praise for rookie Fuchs.