Bhubaneswar: Everyone knows the phrase – ‘Killing two birds with one stone’, but spectators at Kalinga Stadium saw it happening when France, the lowest ranked team in the Men’s Hockey World Cup 2018, stunned the Olympic Champions Argentina 5-3 in their final Pool A match here, Thursday.
With this result, they also made it in to the cross-overs, knocking the World No.8 Spain out of the tournament.
Hugo Genestet (18th minute), Victor Charlet (23rd), Aristide Coisne (26th), Gaspard Baumgarten (29th) and Francois Goyet (54th) were on target for France while Lucas Martinez (28th) and Gonzalo Peillat (43rd, 47th minutes) struck for Argentina. France’s Hugo was adjudged man of the match for his attacking hockey.
However, it was the World No.2 Argentina who began with more confidence as they tried to advance down the middle. But, France stole the ball and tried to build the momentum.
However, Argentina quickly came back to earn a penalty corner as early as the second minute and in the resulted PC, Peillat flicked the shot wide of the post.
At the other end, Charlet tried from the left flank but failed to get past the Argentina defence. Vivaldi was called into action and France created a chance to attack, but couldn’t capitalise.
Argentine Lucas Vila displayed his stick skills in the French circle helping his team earn another penalty corner in the 12th minute, but Peillat messed it up again. France retaliated back to get their first penalty corner in the 14th minute and Charlet failed to get the flick right as the first quarter finished goalless.
In the second quarter, France came with revived energy and Genestet engineered a brilliant goal in the 18th minute to put the World No.20 team ahead.
France players began to assert themselves with Charlet scampering in from the right and in the process they got a penalty corner. This time Charlet managed to beat Argentine custodian Juan Vivaldi in the 23rd minute to double the lead.
The Argentina supporters were stunned when Coisne put France 3-0 up in the contest on 26 minutes, piling up more misery on the Los Leones.
However, the Olympic Champions had some air to breath when they pulled one back through Martinez two minutes from the half time break. With the goal, some semblance of sanity returned for Argentina.
However, the happiness was shortlived as Baumgarten restored the three-goal advantage just before the break to push the panic button in the Argentina camp.
After the change of ends Argentina tried to make amends and in the process they earned a penalty corner in the 40th minute but Peillat faltered again. It was looking like the French would extend the lead further.
However, Peillat finally left his sorrows behind as he converted a penalty corner in the 43rd minute to reduce the margin to two goals. It could have been 3-4 had Menini not missed a sitter in the very next minute.
Los Leones came into the final quarter with more determination and soon they made the scoreline 3-4 and it was Peillat again as the former Kalinga Lancers player converted a penalty corner two minutes into the final quarter.
While pressing for the equaliser, Argentina lost the ball in the striking circle. As a result, the French opened a counter attack and Goyet pulled out an opportunistic goal for France in the 54th minute to script their one of the historic victories in the game.