Chennai
Germany delivered a commanding performance to defeat India 5–1 in the semifinals of the FIH Men’s Junior World Cup, silencing a packed Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium that had turned out in full voice to support the home side. The matchup between the world’s top two junior teams promised high drama, but the defending champions quickly stamped their authority, setting up a title clash against Spain.
The contest slipped away from India well before halftime. Germany struck first in the 14th minute when Lukas Kossel calmly converted a penalty stroke. Barely a minute later, Titus Wex doubled the lead with sharp finishing inside the circle, leaving India rattled. The hosts struggled to regroup as Germany’s pace, precision and relentless pressing kept them pinned in their own half. Seconds before the halftime hooter, Kossel added his second, this time from a clinical penalty-corner routine, giving Germany a formidable 3–0 advantage.
The second half brought little relief for India. Germany’s structure and aggression in midfield and defence continued to suffocate the hosts’ attempts to build momentum. Jonas von Gersum made it 4–0 in the 40th minute, and Ben Habach’s determined run and finish past goalkeeper Princedeep Singh pushed the lead to 5–0 nine minutes later. India’s lone moment of joy arrived in the 50th minute when defender Anmol Ekka flicked in to open their account, but by then the outcome was all but sealed.
Earlier, Spain secured their first-ever Junior World Cup final berth with a gritty 2–1 win over Argentina. Albert Serrahima’s contested 56th-minute goal, upheld after review, proved decisive after Mario Mena and Juan Fernandez had traded strikes. In the classification games, Belgium edged France 3–2, while the Netherlands, led by a Casper van der Veen hat-trick, beat New Zealand 6–3. India will now meet Argentina in the third-place playoff on December 10.
