Junior Hockey World Cup 2025: India opens campaign with thumping 7-0 win against Chile
India opened its FIH Hockey Men’s Junior World Cup 2025 campaign with a commanding 7-0 win over Chile on Friday at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Hockey Stadium in Chennai.
The start of the highly anticipated opener was delayed by 18 minutes, following an almost 40-minute-long pre-game celebration that featured music, dance, martial arts, and a dramatic laser show.
Despite the delay, India established immediate dominance in the first 15 minutes, registering numerous circle entries as it attempted to break down Chile’s compact, low block defence. The South Americans showed impressive discipline inside the D, consistently closing off paths for the Indian attackers.
The Indian team frequently relied on aerial balls launched from the back by players like Amir Ali and Talem Priyobarta, aiming for wide attackers hugging the byline, but these long-range tactics failed to generate any significant scoring opportunities.
India finally earned a penalty corner in the closing moments of the first quarter, but Chile’s first rusher successfully blocked skipper Rohit’s subsequent flick.
The floodgates opened quickly in the second quarter. In the 16th minute, Roshan Kujur broke the deadlock with a calm finish. Amir’s dashing run put pressure on a Chilean defender, causing the ball to fortuitously fall to Roshan, who skillfully rolled it between the legs of goalkeeper Nicolas Troncoso.
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Just five minutes later, the midfielder from Odisha showcased the age-old Indian flair, collecting the ball on the edge of the D and dribbling past three Chilean players before rounding the goalie to double the lead.
Dilraj Singh added a third for the Indian Colts just before half-time, capitalising on a rebound after the Chilean goalie parried Sharda Nand Tiwari’s drag-flick, giving India a comfortable 3-0 advantage at the break.
During the interval, Indian coach PR Sreejesh—who observes matches from the stands to gain a broader tactical perspective, forcing the FIH not to name him on the team sheet—rejoined the team to deliver his analysis and inputs. His guidance seemed to pay off instantly in the second half.
Three minutes after the restart, Dilraj scored his second goal of the night, further extending India’s lead. A minute later, 17-year-old Ajeet Yadav, the younger member of the squad, made it five for the hosts.
India maintained its relentless pressure in the final quarter and earned an early short corner, allowing Anmol Ekka to register the team’s sixth goal with a powerful drag-flick driven to the bottom-left corner. The scoring was completed in the last minute when skipper Rohit converted a late penalty stroke awarded to India, sealing the 7-0 rout.
The gulf in quality between the two sides was evident, especially as the match progressed, with the Latin American team looking visibly tired after an intense first quarter.
Four Chilean players were earning their first national caps, contrasting sharply with seasoned Indian players like Gurjot Singh and Amir, who have already represented the senior national side.
Despite the commanding scoreline and 38 circle entries, the world number two-ranked Indian team only managed to secure six penalty corners, a factor that Sreejesh and his deputy, Birendra Lakra, will need to address.
India now tops Pool B, holding the lead over Switzerland on goal difference, with Oman and Chile trailing behind. The 18th-ranked team will look ahead to its remaining two matches against lower-ranked opposition to solidify its objective of finishing second in the pool.
Published on Nov 28, 2025