Germany once again proved their dominance on the global junior stage, securing their eighth FIH Hockey Men's Junior World Cup title after a tense 3-2 shoot-out victory over Spain in the final on Wednesday.
The two European giants were locked 1-1 at full time, setting up a nervy finish to an enthralling summit clash.
Germany struck first in the 26th minute when Justus Warweg finished a superb attacking move, giving his side the early advantage. Spain responded immediately after halftime, with Nicolas Mustaros restoring parity in the 33rd minute through a well-executed field goal. The remainder of the match saw both teams create promising openings, but neither could convert, pushing the contest to a shoot-out.
In the penalty decider, Spain found the target through Pablo Roman and Juan Prado. However, Germany held their nerve, with Benedikt Geyer, Alec von Schwerin and Ben Hasbach converting their attempts to seal yet another Junior World Cup triumph for the reigning champions.
Earlier in the day, hosts India produced a spirited comeback to defeat Argentina 4-2 and claim the bronze medal. Trailing early in the match, India turned up the intensity in the second half to secure a podium finish in front of a rousing home crowd. The victory capped off a strong campaign for the young Indian side, who showed resilience and attacking flair throughout the tournament.
Belgium and the Netherlands delivered one of the most dramatic games of the placement round, finishing 3-3 in regulation time before Belgium edged out the Dutch 4-3 in the shoot-out to claim fifth place. Hugo Labouchere was the standout performer for Belgium, scoring a remarkable hat-trick with goals in the 18th, 30th and 58th minutes. The Netherlands kept the contest alive with strikes from Thies Bakker, Casper van der Veen and Joppe Wolbert, but fell short in the final contest.
France wrapped up their campaign with a 4-1 win over New Zealand to secure seventh place. Tom Gaillard netted twice (41st and 60th), while Gabin Lorrazuri (2nd) and Victor Saint-Martin (13th) added their names to the scoresheet. New Zealand managed a late consolation through Jonty Elmes in the 59th minute.
Germany's triumph added another glittering chapter to their Junior World Cup legacy, while India's bronze offered plenty of promise for the emerging generation of hockey stars.
