Junior Hockey World Cup 2025: Spain, Argentina, Germany qualify for semifinals

Spain set up a semifinal clash against Argentina, while defending champion Germany overcame a spirited French defence in the quarterfinals of the FIH Men’s Hockey Junior World Cup 2025 at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Hockey Stadium on Friday.

The day’s first quarterfinal delivered a thrilling spectacle as Spain narrowly defeated New Zealand 4-3, sealing its spot in the semifinals with a dramatic, last-gasp goal.

Having established its goal-scoring prowess in the pool stage with 23 goals—including a pair against formidable Belgium—Spain came out firing on all cylinders. Los Leones immediately imposed a high press, suffocating New Zealand’s defence right from the start. The Spanish midfield, orchestrated brilliantly by Pere Amat, proved to be the engine of its attack, constantly supplying forwards who seamlessly interchanged positions to baffle the Kiwi backline.

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Amat was the decisive force in the opening period, creating the first two goals, finished by Nicolas Mustaros and Albert Serrahima. Mustaros quickly doubled his personal tally, deftly deflecting a long pass to give Spain a seemingly comfortable 3-0 lead. The margin was kept from widening only by the heroic efforts of New Zealand custodian Matthew Ruetsch, who executed a series of world-class saves.

Following the disastrous first quarter, the Future Black Sticks returned with renewed grit in the second quarter, tightening their defence and seeking swift counter-attacks. Its persistence paid off when Sam Lints clawed one back in the 22nd minute. The comeback gained significant momentum in the 34th minute as Rayan Parr smartly deflected a drag-flick to narrow the deficit to a precarious 3-2.

The fourth and final quarter was a tense affair. Amat remained Spain’s most dangerous creative outlet, desperate to find a goal for breathing room, while its defence was increasingly under pressure. With five minutes left, New Zealand gambled, pulling its goalkeeper to apply relentless pressure. With less than 40 seconds on the clock, Lints delivered the equaliser, executing a cute reverse stick shot to send the contest down to the wire at 3-3.

The final moments brought a controversial twist. Spain won a potential match-sealing Penalty Corner (PC), but New Zealand initiated a Video Referral. Although the video umpire advised overturning the call, the on-field officials made the bold decision to stick to their original ruling. From the ensuing high-stakes PC, Bruno Avila delivered the devastating blow, rocketing home his ninth PC goal of the tournament to crush New Zealand hearts and secure a hard-fought 4-3 victory for Spain.

“It’s hockey… like the rest, we make a thousand calls in a game. We could have stopped them from scoring, that’s true. But it’s disappointing after coming back to 3–3,” said New Zealand skipper Gus Nelson after the match.

“I’m so proud of the boys for coming back from 3–0 down. It just shows how special this group is — how we work together and fight for each other,” he added before refusing to comment on the controversial call.

Germany advances after shootout win over France

The stakes were high in the quarterfinal between Germany and France, a repeat of last edition’s final, and once again, Germany emerged victorious. The defending champion secured its spot in the semifinals—where it awaits the winner of the clash between India and Belgium—by conquering France 3-1 in a heart-stopping shootout following an enthralling 2-2 deadlock.

The two European rivals, familiar with each other’s tactics, began the game with a cagey approach. Just as the first half drew to a close, Alec von Schwerin finally shattered the silence to give Germany the edge. However, the lead was fleeting; Malo Martinache responded almost immediately for France to keep the score level at the break.

The second half was a relentless pursuit. Germany again pulled ahead when Paul Glander netted, forcing the French to chase the game once more. The tournament’s leading French scorer, Hugo Dolou, delivered the late-game drama, snatching the equaliser with just six minutes left on the clock. This dramatic intervention forced the first shootout of the tournament in Chennai.

The true hero of the afternoon was Germany’s goalkeeper, Jasper Ditzer. Ditzer was sensational, first pressuring two French attackers into missing the target entirely before making the decisive stop against Tom Gaillard. The final save sent the small but passionate German contingent—largely comprised of players’ family and friends—into absolute ecstasy.

German coach Mirko Stenzel is now relishing the potential semifinal challenge, especially the prospect of facing the host nation. “It will be great if we face them [India],” Stenzel opined. “It will hopefully be a full house and the biggest challenge for our players. It will give them a unique experience to learn.”

Argentina edges Netherlands in tense 1-0 victory

After two high-scoring affairs, Argentina and the Netherlands played a contest defined by measured risk and strong defence, with Argentina ultimately securing a narrow 1-0 victory to set up the last-four clash with Spain.

The deadlock was broken late in the game by Argentina’s captain, Tomas Ruiz, who scored the eventual winner in the 52nd minute. Both teams displayed controlled aggression, but execution in the final third was average for both sides.

The Argentine defence implemented an effective man-to-man system, successfully neutralising the threat of Dutch star and captain, Casper van der Veen. Goalkeeper Joaquin S. Ruiz delivered a standout performance for the South American side, keeping a clean sheet.

Published on Dec 05, 2025