India's Junior Hockey Team Clinches Bronze with Dramatic Comeback

NEW DELHI: The Indian junior hockey team achieved a remarkable 4-2 victory against Argentina, securing the bronze medal at the Junior World Cup. This victory marks India's return to the podium of the prestigious tournament for the first time in nine years. The match, held in Chennai, saw India come from behind after trailing 0-2 deep into the fourth quarter.

Argentina initially took control of the match, with Nicolas Rodriguez converting a penalty stroke in the third minute. The South American team maintained their lead, with Santiago Fernandez scoring again in the 44th minute, seemingly putting them in a dominant position.

However, the Indian team, led by coach PR Sreejesh, mounted a stunning comeback. Ankit Pal scored in the 49th minute, followed shortly by Manmeet Singh in the 52nd minute. Shardanand Tiwari and Anmol Ekka added two more goals within a minute, turning the game around in just 11 minutes.

"We did not lose hope and kept pushing forward. Our teamwork and determination made all the difference in the end," said Tiwari after the match.

This victory marks India’s fourth medal at the Junior World Cup, having previously won the title twice in 2001 and 2016, and a silver medal in 1997. Since their last title win in 2016, the team had reached the bronze playoff in the subsequent editions held in Bhubaneswar in 2021 and Kuala Lumpur in 2023 but failed to secure a medal.

In the match against Argentina, India struggled initially. Despite creating several scoring opportunities, they went into halftime trailing 0-1. The team showcased resilience and determination, dominating possession and making multiple attempts to equalise.

The turning point came in the third quarter when India's forwards began to exploit the Argentine defence, earning multiple penalty corners. The team's persistence paid off when Pal deflected a shot past Argentine goalkeeper Joaquin Ruiz, sparking a shift in momentum.

With the score levelled, India continued to press forward. A penalty stroke awarded to India allowed Tiwari to score, putting India ahead with just under three minutes remaining. In a desperate attempt to regain control, Argentina played without a goalkeeper, which allowed Ekka to score from a penalty corner, sealing the match for India.

As a reward for their achievement, Hockey India announced a financial incentive of ₹5 lakh for each player and ₹2.5 lakh for the support staff.

In the final match, defending champions Germany retained their title, defeating Spain 3-2 in a penalty shootout after the game concluded 1-1 in regulation time. Justus Warweg scored for Germany, while Spain's Nicolas Mustaros found the net, leading to a tense shootout where Germany converted all their attempts.

This performance marked Spain's best result at the Junior World Cup, having previously won bronze in 2005 and 2023.