Chennai/Madurai, Dec 4 (NationPress) The FIH Hockey Men’s Junior World Cup in Tamil Nadu 2025 has commenced the classification rounds for positions 9-16 and 17-24 on Thursday in Madurai and Chennai following a day’s pause, showcasing some thrilling outcomes. Teams that fell short of reaching the quarterfinals are now competing for the best possible outcomes, with the top team in the 17-24 bracket earning the Challenger Trophy, a concept initiated by FIH President Tayyab Ikram. The day featured exhilarating hockey with eight matches across Madurai and Chennai, including the tournament’s inaugural shootout, a notable victory for Bangladesh, and a challenging match for Australia.

Namibia vs. Austria

The initial match for the 17th to 24th classification positions produced the tournament's first shootout, with Austria triumphing 2-0 in the shootout after regulation time concluded 2-2 in Madurai.

All four goals were netted in the second half, with Namibia breaking the stalemate in the 40th minute via John-Paul Britz’s penalty corner strike. The game swung dramatically in the following minutes, with Austria equalizing through Benedikt Meisel in the 42nd minute. Britz then scored again for Namibia, only for Austria to level again through Julian Kaiser’s penalty corner.

With no goals in the final quarter, the match proceeded to a shootout, as reported by the FIH. Namibia faced difficulties in the shootout, with Abraham Graham, Josh van der Merwe, James de Jager, and Mathew Lassen all failing to outmaneuver Austrian goalkeeper Lorenz Breitenecker. Austria’s Meisel and Andor Losonci each converted, sealing their victory.

“I aimed to keep the ball out of my net. I specialize in shootouts. I’m thrilled,” remarked Austria’s goalkeeper Breitenecker. “We are eager for the Challenger Trophy and will give our best.”

Bangladesh vs. Oman

Bangladesh showcased an extraordinary performance against Oman in Madurai, scoring 13 goals for a decisive and historic win, highlighted by Amirul Islam’s five penalty corner goals. Rakibul Hasan also made a significant contribution with a hat-trick.

The Oman defense struggled against relentless Bangladeshi attacks, leading to additional goals from Mohammad Abdullah and Mohammad Saju, who each scored twice, while Obidul Joy added another.

“Winning is always gratifying. We play hockey to win. I believe we’ve improved with each match,” stated Bangladesh coach Siegfried Aikman. “Facing a tough pool has allowed us to reach levels we’ve never experienced. This World Cup, with 24 teams, is a boon for teams like ours. We now understand where we need to enhance.”

England vs. Chile

Disappointed to miss the quarterfinals, England kicked off their classification round (9-16 place) campaign with a 3-1 victory over Chile at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Hockey Stadium in Chennai.

England established a lead by the 19th minute with goals from Kaden Draysey and Max Anderson. The second quarter saw Chile narrow the gap to 2-1 with a goal from Javier Vargas, only for Jonny Sturch-Hibbitt to restore the two-goal cushion shortly after.

The final two quarters witnessed missed opportunities, particularly by England, leaving the second half scoreless.

“It was a good game. We needed to start strong, and the boys delivered. We aim to win every game from here,” remarked England’s Cole Pidcock. Reflecting on the pool stage, he added, “Our first match against Holland was against one of the best teams here. We performed well throughout the tournament.”

Korea vs. Egypt

Korea, having struggled in the pool stage, defeated Egypt 6-3 in Madurai on Thursday.

Minhyeok Lee stole the show with four goals, three from penalty corners and one from a penalty stroke. Korea led 3-1 at halftime, leveling from an early Egyptian goal by Basel Abdelmonem. Lee’s first goal equalized the score, followed by goals from JeongSeob Song and Seowon Park.

Lee extended the lead to 4-1, but Egypt responded with another goal from Abdelmonem. In the final quarter, Lee sealed his hat-trick, leading Korea to a comfortable win despite Egypt adding a late goal.

“We had a solid start, leading 3-1 at halftime. We scored three more goals and enjoyed the game,” said Korea’s captain Seunghan Son.

South Africa vs. Malaysia

South Africa claimed a 3-1 victory over Malaysia, with Jaydon Brooker scoring twice after a goalless first quarter.

Brooker broke the deadlock in the 18th minute via a penalty corner, followed by another in the third quarter. Malaysia fought back with a goal from Aqil Mat but was thwarted by Ross Montgomery’s late penalty corner goal, securing the win for South Africa.

“Winning feels amazing. While we couldn’t qualify for the top eight, we believe we should be there,” remarked South Africa’s Ozair Pillai. “We approach this as our quarter-final. We take this seriously. Malaysia is a strong side, and we view these classification rounds as a new tournament.”

China vs. Canada

China executed a remarkable comeback to defeat Canada 3-2 in Madurai on Thursday, with Wang Yubo leading the charge with two goals.

After Robin Thind’s early goals for Canada, Yubo’s penalty corner goals brought China back on level terms, and Ning Dongjun scored the decisive goal in the 60th minute to clinch victory. “Our teamwork was crucial in this win,” stated Player-of-the-Match Yubo.

Switzerland vs. Ireland

In a spirited performance, Ireland triumphed over Switzerland 5-2 at Chennai’s Mayor Radhakrishnan Hockey Stadium.

Gregory Williams was instrumental, contributing significantly after a balanced first half. Three penalty corner goals in the third quarter gave Ireland a solid 4-1 lead. Switzerland attempted to rally but fell short, with Ireland sealing the match with a late goal.

“It’s fantastic to score five goals, but we need to maintain our focus and be more clinical,” remarked Ireland’s James Clark. “We’re treating this as the second part of our tournament after missing the quarter-finals.”

Australia vs. Japan

Australia faced a challenging match against Japan, securing a narrow 1-0 win thanks to Ian Grobbelaar’s goal. Both teams struggled with opportunities, but Grobbelaar’s penalty corner strike in the 56th minute made the difference.