As part of our continued build-up to the FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s Junior World Cup Bhubaneswar 2021, we bring you the third of four Pool previews which examines the qualification routes and past form of the teams that will compete at the showpiece event in India.
Netherlands, Korea, Spain and USA all feature in Pool C, with a top two finish being the only way to secure a place in the competition quarter-finals and thus maintain hopes of Junior World Cup glory.
Netherlands
How they qualified: 3rd Place – EuroHockey Junior Championship Men 2019
Junior World Cup history: 2016 – 7th, 2013 – 3rd, 2009 – 2nd, 2005 – 5th, 2001 – 8th, 1997 – 7th, 1993 – 4th, 1989 – 9th, 1985 – 2nd, 1982 – 6th, 1979 – 3rd
About the team: Remarkably, the Netherlands are yet to win a men’s Junior World Cup title, a statistic that they will be determined to change at this year’s competition in Bhubaneswar. The silver medallists from 1985 and 2009 finished in seventh position at the 2016 competition in Lucknow and arrive back in India for this event as bronze medallists from the EuroHockey Junior Championship 2019, where they defeated Spain 3-1 in the 3-4 play-off game thanks to strikes from Pepijn Scheen, Jim van de Venne and Valentijn Charbon. Could this be the year when the end their Men’s Junior World Cup title drought
Korea
How they qualified: Nominated by Asian Hockey Federation
Junior World Cup history: 2016 – 14th, 2013 – 8th, 2009 – 7th, 2005 – 8th, 2001 – 7th, 1993 – 9th, 1989 – 4th
About the team: Korea take to the men’s FIH Junior World Cup stage for the eighth time, having previously finished as high as fourth (1989) and as low as 14th (2016). Their disappointing display at Lucknow 2016 was an anomaly which they will be keen to rectify here as they return to Indian soil to compete at the Kalinga Stadium. Korea’s place in the competition was confirmed by being nominated by the Asian Hockey Federation following the unfortunate COVID-19 related cancellation of the 2021 Junior Asia Cup, which acted as the qualification competition for the Junior World Cup in Bhubaneswar.
Spain
How they qualified: 4th Place – EuroHockey Junior Championship Men 2019
Junior World Cup history: 2016 – 6th, 2013 – 13th, 2009 – 8th, 2005 – 3rd, 2001 – 5th, 1997 – 8th, 1993 – 7th, 1989 – 8th, 1982 – 7th, 1979 – 9th
About the team: A fourth place finish at the 2019 EuroHockey Junior Championship on home soil in Valencia saw Spain just miss out on a medal but was enough for them to secure a Junior World Cup berth. The Junior Red Sticks were defeated 3-1 by the Netherlands in their bronze medal game, but their form in the group phase certainly caught the eye, beating Belgium and Poland whilst drawing with England to finish top of Pool A. Spain have competed in ten of the 11 Men’s Junior World Cup competitions played to date, with bronze at the Rotterdam 2005 event being the pinnacle of their achievements in this tournament.
USA
How they qualified: Nominated as reserve team (following withdrawal of Australia & New Zealand)
Junior World Cup history: 2009 – 20th, 1989 – 11th
About the team: Following Australia and New Zealand’s withdrawal due to COVID-related international travel restrictions put in place by their respective governments, USA were awarded the first-reserve spot FIH Odisha Hockey Men's Junior World Cup Bhubaneswar 2021. Based on their bronze medal winning display at the recent Junior Pan American Championships in Santiago (CHI), they could prove to be a very dangerous team in Bhubaneswar. The team is coached by USA all-time great Pat Harris, while Jatin Sharma – USA’s top scorer in Santiago – could be a player to watch.
The opening match of the FIH Odisha Hockey Men's Junior World Cup Bhubaneswar 2021 will see Belgium facing South Africa on 24 November at the Kalinga Stadium, the outstanding venue which hosted the last FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup in 2018. The competition final will be played on 5 December. To see the complete match schedule, click here.
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