KUALA LUMPUR – The race for the quarterfinals in Group B is now wide open as France surprised Germany with a 2-0 win in their second group match of the FIH Men’s Junior World Cup at the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil today.
France head coach Matthias Dierckens said he is delighted with his team for creating history by securing their first win against the six-time Junior World Cup champions
He hopes his players can maintain their momentum and secure their spot in the top eight.
“This is the first time we have won against Germany in a major hockey competition, and I’m happy to be a part of this historical moment.
“We all know how strong they are, and the boys played fantastically well compared to their opening match against Egypt.
“Yesterday against Egypt, we were a bit slow and didn’t have the right attitude to score more goals.
“We should have won 6-1 instead of 3-1. I was angry with my boys yesterday, and they were also equally frustrated. But I’m happy that they converted their frustration into a win today.
“We hope to defeat South Africa in our next match and march into the quarter-finals,” said Dierckens in the post-match press conference today.
Dierckens also commended the performance of Jules Verrier, who scored a brace in the match, expressing hope that the attacker would reach even greater heights in his career.
“Jules is a player that I had the pleasure to coach for many years in his club at Saint Germain in France. I know him very well, and he’s someone who always shows up whenever we need him.
“This is his second World Cup, and he has been a great influence to the team in this tournament. He’s only 21 years old, and I’m 100% confident that he will be selected by the senior team to participate in next year’s Olympics in Paris,” Dierckens added.
Meanwhile, Germany head coach Rein van Eijk said he is disappointed with his team’s low standard of play.
He hopes that his charges can rectify their mistakes before their final group match against Egypt on Friday.
“The weather was bad today, but we don’t entirely blame the weather. My team’s gameplay and standards were poor from the beginning, and France took advantage of our mistakes.
“I personally believe that it’s a wake-up call for us, and our gameplay needs to be better as there will be more teams defending deep in this tournament.
“We need to buck up, and I’m expecting us to get better.
“We need to beat Egypt in the next game, but at the same time, we can’t underestimate them as they gave South Africa a good fight in their second group match,” said Van Eijk.
Verrier scored both goals for France through a field goal (10th minute) and a penalty corner (40th minute).
France currently tops Group B with six points, while Germany and South Africa have three points each, placed second and third in the group standings. – December 6, 2023
