India’s inspired run at the FIH Men’s Hockey Junior World Cup meets a formidable challenge on Sunday when the hosts take on seven-time champions Germany in the semifinals in Chennai. PR Sreejesh’s squad enters the contest buoyed by a tense quarterfinal victory over Belgium, secured through a shootout after a late equaliser pushed the match into a pressure-filled finish.
Germany arrives with similar battle-hardening, having edged France in a tight tiebreaker. Their squad combines structure, pace and technical precision, attributes that have defined their consistent success at this level.
The hosts will also need to cope with Germany’s multiple threats: goalkeeper Jasper Ditzer’s reliability, Paul Glander’s penalty-corner efficiency, and the speed of Alec Von Schwerin and Ferdinand Steinebach.
While Germany holds the historical edge, India carries the lift of home support and the composure gained from surviving a high-pressure quarterfinal.
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