Spain 9 South Korea 0
The Netherlands 14 USA 0
Argentina 4 Pakistan 3
Germany 11 Egypt 0

S2H Team

Argentina vs Pakistan on Sunday was refreshment in the 2021 FIH Men’s Junior World Cup.

The South Americans won 4-3 in the battle of former champions but not before Pakistan, in a revival mode of their beleaguered hockey, fought back magnificently.

A taut vigourously fought encounter was much welcomed on a day when scores such as The Netherlands’ 14-0 win over the US, Spain’s 9-0 over South Korea and Germany’s 11-0 over Egypt was the trend.

Pakistan showed great resolve in equalizing twice and were 2-3 down at the start of the fourth and final quarter. A defensive blunder gave Argentina a 4-2 cushion but a late goal by Aqueel Ahmed from a penalty corner promised a grandstand finish but Pakistan, needing a win to go through, fell short as the minutes ticked away.

Captain Abdul Rana echoed his coach Danish Kaleem’s words when he said, “Watch out for Pakistan in two years’ time.”

Rana reflected on a spirited performance by his team even though he, like the rest of his camp, looked bitterly disappointed at making their exit from the medal race. Pakistan, who missed the last event in 2016 because of visa problems, took the pitch with a goal difference reading 5-6 before the pitch compared with Argentina’s massive 16-3.

Victory was therefore imperative for what would have been a remarkable entry into the quarterfinals.

Argentina, who lost to pool toppers Germany 2-3, have shown an appetite for scoring exemplified by their 14-0 demolition of Egypt.

They displayed their prowess against Pakistan, netting all four goals from open play and now set up a tantalizing quarterfinal against familiar European rivals The Netherlands.

Bautista Caprico opened the scoring in the 10th minute but Pakistan restored parity through Rana from a penalty corner. Ignacio Nardolillo regained the lead for 2005 champions in the 20th minute only for Rizwan Ali to equalize from a 28th-minute penalty stroke.

Francisco Ruiz, however, struck a vital blow to put his team 3-2 ahead on the dot of half-time.

Pakistan enjoyed their best spell in the third quarter when they stretched the Argentine defence but there was no addition to the score. Ibarra’s 47th minute strike from close range after an air shot by a defender who tried to clear appeared to be the killer blow.

Aqueel’s strike following a penalty corner rekindled Pakistan’s faint hopes with seven minutes remaining but Argentina had the wherewithal to play out time, even threatening to score a fifth.

The young Green Shirts whose distant predecessors won the inaugural 1979 Junior World Cup at Versailles, France, will now take on the USA in the 9-16 classification matches.

The quarterfinal line-up is set. To be played on Wednesday, December 1, it’s Belgium vs India, Germany vs Spain, France vs Malaysia and The Netherlands vs Argentina.