ROURKELA: Malaysia, France and Argentina registered wins in their respective classification matches in the ongoing FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup at the Birsa Munda International Hockey Stadium, Rourkela on Saturday.
In the first match of the day, Malaysia defeated Japan by 3-2.
Shello Silverius (7th minute) gave the lead to Malaysia to end the first quarter on high but a goal from Kaito Tanaka helped Japan make things even in the second quarter and at the end of the first half.
Seren Tanaka’s goal in the 31st minute gave Japan a 2-1 lead, but goals from Sliverious (31st minute) and Shahmie Irfan Suhaimi (33rd minute) restored Malaysia’s lead which stayed intact till the very end.
Malaysia has finished at 13th position while Japan finished at 15th position. France thrashed debutants Chile 4-2 in the second match of the day for the 13th-16th position. Eliot Curty gave France an early first-quarter lead in the 13th minute.
In the second quarter, Victor Charlet converted two straight penalty corners in the 17th minute to make it 3-0 in favour of France.
Franco Becerra gave Chile a chance to fight after converting a PC in the 20th minute and the score was 3-1 in favour of France at the end of the second quarter and the first half. In the third quarter, during the 42nd minute, Gaspard Xavier scored a goal to make it 4-1.
A goal from Andres Felipe Pizarro in the 53rd minute made it 4-2, but Chile could not emerge as victors. Chile and Japan have finished tied for the 15th position in the tournament. In the third match of the day, Argentina defeated Wales 6-0.
Lucas Toscani (15th minute), Martin Ferreiro (28th minute and 48th minute), Agustin Bugallo (30th minute), Santiago Tarazona (36th minute) Maico Casella (47th minute) found the net for Argentina.
Argentina finished at ninth position in the tournament and Wales finished at 11. (ANI)