Did the Indian Junior Men’s Hockey Team Suffer a Crushing Defeat to Germany in the 4-Nation Tournament?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- India suffered a 1-7 defeat in their opening match against Germany.
- Germany scored early and maintained pressure throughout the game.
- Sourabh Anand Kushwaha managed to score for India.
- Next matches are against Australia and Spain.
- The tournament format is a round-robin.
Berlin, June 21 (NationPress) The Indian junior men’s hockey squad faced a challenging beginning to their journey in the 4-Nation Tournament, facing a staggering 1-7 loss against the formidable German team during their first match here on Saturday.
Germany initiated the game with intensity, placing India under significant pressure. Nico Kistein (4’) kicked off the scoring by converting a penalty corner, quickly followed by a field goal from Alec Von Schwerin (5’), which propelled the hosts to a 2-0 lead in the early stages of the quarter.
The second quarter saw Germany maintain their momentum, continuing to exert attacking pressure. Hasbach Ben (25’) further extended their lead with another field goal, ensuring Germany went into halftime with a solid 3-0 advantage.
The second half provided little relief for the Indian Colts, as the hosts retained control of the match. Paul Babic (39’) added another goal, pushing the score to 4-0. Yet, India showed glimpses of determination in the fourth quarter when forward Sourabh Anand Kushwaha (50’) managed to score, reducing the gap to 4-1.
However, Germany quickly retaliated as Hasbach Ben (51’, 54’) scored twice to complete his hat-trick, while Paul Babic (54’) netted his second goal, sealing a decisive 7-1 victory for the hosts.
India aims to recover when they face Australia on June 22, followed by a match against Spain on June 24 in the remaining Pool stage fixtures.
The tournament employs a round-robin format, where each of the four teams – India, Germany, Australia, and Spain – will compete against each other once in the Pool stage. The top two teams at the conclusion of the group matches will advance to the Final, while the other teams will battle for 3rd/4th place.