India steamrollered Oman 17-0 in a Pool-B match of the FIH junior men’s hockey World Cup at the SDAT-Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium here on Saturday, for its second successive win.
It was a dominant performance from the host in all aspects against a team, which was a late replacement for Pakistan.
But the only concern was the inability to convert penalty corners, especially the first 10 PCs. It was only off the 11th that India was able to score through Anmol Ekka. In all, India had 19 penalty corners and converted only four.
Earlier, Bangladesh may have lost to Australia 5-3 in its first Pool-F tie, but it won the hearts of one and allwith a spirited display. The debutant matched the former champion in defence and attack in the third and fourth quarters played under heavy showers.
Amirul Islam, who has played for the senior team in the 2022 Asian Games and the 2025 Asia Cup, scored a hat-trick, all his goals coming through penalty corners.
Last edition’s finalist France looks to be on a mission to burnish its credentials for the crown. The French sounded a warning by trouncing South Korea, a 10-time participant and two-time runner-up in the competition, 11-1 in a Pool-F contest.
Arthur Plauche was the star for France completing a hat-trick. If France sat pretty, due credit should go to its goalkeeper Antoine Robert, who guarded the post like a man possessed, producing at least a couple of wonderful saves.
The results: In Chennai: Pool-B: Switzerland 3 (Jonathan Baumach 6, Jens Fleuck 17, Matlia Ribaudo 44) bt Chile 2 (Tomas Hasson 36, Felipe Duisberg 56); India 17 (Arshdeep Singh 3, 32, 39, Luwang Thounaojam Ingalemba 42, Gurjot Singh 38, 44, Manmeet Singh 25, 35, 49, Ajeet Yadav 33, 46, Dilraj Singh 28, 31, 49, 57, Anmol Ekka 28, Shardanand Tiwari 54) bt Oman 0.
Pool-F: Australia 5 (Oliver Will 1, Ian Grobelaar 17, Dylan Brick 21, Duncan Jackson 22, Daykin Stanger 47) bt Bangladesh 3 (Amirul Islam 13, 41, 58); France 11 (Gabin Lorrazuri 1, 48, Hugo Dolou 7, Arthur Plache 22, 25, 41, Achille Loussif 36, Tassilo Sura 42, Satint-Martin Victor 44, 54, Arthur Morcrette 58) bt South Korea 1 (Lee Gyeonghu 39).
In Madurai: Pool-A: South Africa 2 (Reuben Sendzul 43, Ross Montgomery 54) bt Ireland 1 (Matthew McKee 45); Germany 7 (Quirin Nahr 14, Ben Hasbach 24, 51 & 52, Jonas von Gersum 39, Ferdinand Steinebach 39, Alec von Schwerin 42) bt Canada 0.
Pool-E: Netherlands 5 (Jan van‘t Land 2 & 49, Casper van der Veen 26, Joppe Wolbert 39, Danilo Trieling 54) bt England 3 (Kaden Draysey 11, Michael Royden 29, George Fletcher 49); Malaysia 5 (Harris Osman 28, Adam Johari 47, Naaveenesh Panicker 55, Danish Khairil 56 & 57) bt Austria 1 (Julian Kaiser 56).
Sunday’s matches: In Chennai: Japan vs China (1.15 p.m.); New Zealand vs Argentina (3.30 p.m.); Korea vs Bangladesh (5.45 p.m.); Australia vs France (8 p.m.).
In Madurai: Egypt vs Namibia (9 a.m.); Belgium vs Spain (11.15 a.m.); England vs Austria (1.30 p.m.); Malaysia vs Netherlands (3.45 p.m.).