Germany won the Hockey World Cup with an incredible penalty shootout victory over Belgium on Sunday.
Germany won the FIH Odisha Hockey Mens World Cup 2023 at Kalinga stadium in Bhubaneswar on Sunday, beating defending champions Belgium 5-4 in a sudden death shoot-out after a 3-3 tie in regulation time.
This is Germany’s third World Cup victory, following victories in 2002 and 2006. This brings them level with the Netherlands and Australia.
Germany also became the fourth team to win a World Cup final after coming from behind. They went from a 2-0 deficit to a 3-2 lead and, eventually, a shootout to become champions.
Belgium got off to the best possible start, racing into a 2-0 lead within the first ten minutes. Florent van Aubel scored in the ninth minute to give Belgium the lead, which they doubled in the tenth minute with another field goal.
Belgium appeared to be in cruise control when Tanguy Cosyns scored. Germany would put pressure on the eurozone in the second quarter. Despite missing a penalty stroke, Germany scored from a penalty corner through Niklas Wellen.
Peillat then rose to the occasion in the 40th minute, tying the game at 2-2 with a penalty corner as the game was evenly poised at the time.
Gramsbusch then gave the Germans the lead in the 48th minute, sending the fans into raptures as they sought to complete another comeback victory after defeating Australia and England earlier in the tournament.
Belgium, shaken by the goal, began applying pressure into the German circle, and their perseverance paid off in the 58th minute, when Tom Boon scored from a penalty corner to tie the game at 3-3 and force a shootout.
Germany and Belgium both scored on their first attempts, but Arthur de Sloover blew Germany’s lead. Hannes Muller then scored, and Victor Wegnez missed his opportunity to make it 2-1 in the shootout.
Cosyns scored to tie the game at 2-2 after Marco Miltkau missed his shot. Thies Prinz then made it 3-2 with a shot, and Antoine Kina quickly equalized.
Grambusch then blew an important chance to win it as we entered sudden death with everything on the line.
Wellen and Van Aubel tied the game at 4-4 to add to the suspense. Frinz then converted a spectacular effort to tie the game at 5-4, and Belgium missed their final shot, allowing Germany to win.
Source:IT