Defending champions Belgium kept their hopes of a direct quarter-final alive by holding Germany to a 2-2 draw in their Pool B match of the FIH Men’s World Cup with a goal six minutes from time. Cedric Charlier gave Belgium the lead in the ninth minute with a field goal but Germany came back strongly with goals from Wellen Niklas (22nd minute) and Tom Grembusch (52nd minute) to take a 2-1 lead. Grambush scored on a penalty stroke.
Victor Vagnez, however, saved Belgium from defeat by scoring a goal in the 54th minute. Both Belgium and Germany have four points from two matches each. The group winner will be decided by the final matches of both the teams at Rourkela’s Birsa Munda Stadium on 20th Germany. Belgium will face Japan in the final pool match, while Germany will face South Korea. The Belgian team is currently on top due to a better goal difference of plus five.
Germany’s goal difference is plus three. Earlier in another Pool B match, Korea came back from a goal down to beat Japan 2-1. Lee Jung Joon scored two field goals in the 8th and 23rd minutes to seal the win for South Korea. Earlier, Ken Nagayoshi had given Japan the lead in the first minute when he converted a penalty corner. South Korea’s team is in third place with three points. The team had to face a 0-5 defeat against Belgium in the first match. Japan was also defeated 3-0 by Germany in the first match.
