Junior Hockey World Cup 2025: Argentina thrashes Japan, Switzerland beats Oman in clash of debutants
The FIH Hockey Men’s Junior World Cup 2025 roared to life in Chennai on Friday with World No. 3 Argentina defeating Japan 4-1 in a Pool C game at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Hockey Stadium.
The atmosphere was set by a vibrant crowd of school children, whose enthusiastic cheers filled the newly revamped stand opposite the media centre, compensating for the sparsely-filled main stand.
Los Leoncitos struck within 145 seconds, as Nicolas Rodriguez slammed home a fierce drag-flick from the first penalty corner. Though ranked much lower, Japan initially surprised the South Americans by adopting a patient, possession-heavy approach instead of its usual counter-attacking rhythm.
Argentina’s relentless high press, however, constantly disrupted Japanese build-ups. Japan stretched the Argentine defence with overlapping runs and earned a handful of penalty corners, but none were converted.
Argentina doubled its lead in the second quarter through an acrobatic field goal from Mateo Torrigiani, giving the two-time champion a solid 2-0 cushion at halftime.
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The pressure resumed after the break. Though Japan defended three early short corners well, a defensive lapse allowed Bruno Correa to make it 3-0. Japan hit back almost immediately, with Naru Kimura finishing off a sharp counterattack to open its account.
Argentina closed the match strongly, earning multiple penalty corners in the final quarter. Rodriguez sealed the 4-1 win with his second drag-flick of the evening, drilled low and nudged into the net by a Japanese defender on the post.
Captain Tomas Ruiz was pleased with the win, acknowledging the importance of warm-up games against India and Australia. “We had very little idea about how Japan would come at us. It is always good to start the tournament with a win. We want to keep the momentum going,” he told Sportstar, with teammate Matias Andreotti assisting as translator.
Ruiz also praised the Chennai crowd: “Playing in front of so many people definitely gave us extra motivation. We were very excited to come to this hockey-loving country, and we are enjoying the experience.”
New Zealand beats spirited China 5-3
In the other Pool C encounter, New Zealand overcame a spirited Chinese fightback to win 5-3.
Chants of “China… China” echoed early as the Asian side pressed inside the New Zealand circle. But the noise died down quickly when Jonty Elmes converted a penalty stroke in the seventh minute after China conceded a foul.
China defended well for the rest of the quarter, but New Zealand’s superior pace and structure became evident as the match wore on. Ranked 20 places above China, the Future Black Sticks showcased their class in the second quarter, scoring four field goals to take an imposing 5-0 halftime lead. Elmes completed his hat-trick, while Owen Brown and Sam Lints added one each.
China emerged with renewed aggression in the second half, achieving an early breakthrough from a penalty corner. Yubo Wang’s forceful drag-flick threaded the gap between the defensive rushers and the postman, offering his side a flicker of hope. Pressing forward, China earned three more short corners in the quarter but failed to narrow the deficit.
Two more penalty-corner goals in the final 15 minutes brought China closer as New Zealand struggled to recreate its first-half fluency. But the early damage ensured the Black Sticks held on for a 5-3 win.
New Zealand coach Mike Delaney admitted his team lost intensity. “They took it a bit easy in the second half after scoring five. They’ll learn from it. In international hockey, you cannot switch off. This tournament will give them tough lessons, which will help their development,” he said.
Argentina now tops Pool C, with New Zealand second on goal difference, followed by China and Japan.
Switzerland sails past Oman for historic debut win
Pool B featured a landmark moment as debutants Oman and Switzerland made their first appearances on the Junior World Cup stage.
Though many school children left as the evening progressed, the main stand steadily filled up. A cool evening breeze and the glowing floodlights set the stage for the day’s final match, featuring the host nation, India.
The Europeans settled nerves late in the first quarter when Jonathan Baumbach scored with just 40 seconds remaining. Switzerland began the second quarter confidently, dominating possession and doubling its lead in the 23rd minute through Mattia Ribaudo’s penalty-corner conversion. Several family members of the Swiss players, seated in the stands, added to the occasion.
The Swiss team’s path to this historic victory appeared relatively smooth as it scored in the next quarter to book a convincing 3-0 win.
For Oman, the lowest-ranked team in the group (40), it was a difficult introduction. The side failed to convert any of its five penalty corners and struggled to penetrate the circle against the second-worst-ranked team in the pool. Adding to its woes, Sanad Sbeit and Al Balushi Hazaa were stretchered off after picking up injuries in the final quarter.
Published on Nov 28, 2025