India Start Favourites Against South Korea In Men's Junior Hockey World Cup Opener

04.12.2023 - 11:57 sports.ndtv.com

Two-time champions India will look to make a winning start against Asian rivals Korea in their pursuit of another podium finish in the FIH men's Junior World Cup hockey tournament starting here on Tuesday.

India have won the tournament twice, in 2001 in Hobart and 2016 in Lucknow, besides finishing runners-up once in Milton Keyes, England in 1997.

In the last edition of the event in Bhubaneswar two years back, the Indians finished fourth and they would be hoping to clinch their fourth podium at the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil here.

India are placed in a relatively easy Pool comprising Canada and Spain besides Korea. After Korea, India will play Spain on Thursday and Canada on Saturday.

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India's hopes of redeeming some pride in the junior men's hockey World Cup remained only a dream as they lost 1-3 to Spain in the bronze medal playoff on Saturday. Goals from Nicolas Alvarez (25th and 51st minute) and Petchame Pau (40th) sealed the deal in Spain's favour as Sunil Jojo's 28th-minute penalty-corner strike was the only saving grace for the two-time junior world champion Indians, whose perennial frailty with penalty corner conversions came to the fore yet again on Saturday. This was India's second defeat to Spain in this edition of the tournament, having lost to the European team 1-4 in the pool stages. India had also finished fourth in the last edition of the tournament in 2021 in Bhubaneswar. Spain, following the win against the Uttam Singh-led side, equalled their best showing in the global tournament, adding to the bronze they had won in the 2005 edition in Rotterdam, beating India 6-5 on penalties.

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