Thaindian News

By Avishek Roy

New Delhi, March 3 (IANS) Defending champions Germany sounded a warning to their rivals with a 6-0 pounding of Canada in their second pool A match of the Hockey World Cup here Wednesday.

After being held 2-2 by South Korea in the opening match, Germany breathed life into their campaign with a clinical routing of Canada.

Germany, who are looking to win the World Cup third time on the trot, went 4-0 up in the first half with a field a score from Benjamin Wess (3rd minute), and penalty-corner conversions from Jan-Marco Montag (21st), captain Maximilian Muller (22nd) and Martin Haner (27th).

Promising striker Florian Fuchs slotted two goals in the second half (58th, 63rd minute) as Germany logged three points to take their tally to four.

It was the second biggest victory for Germany in their World Cup history. They came close to their best performance, 7-0 win against India in 1998.

Germany completely dominated the first half and controlled the game right from the start. Much of the play was in the Canadian half as German strikers made relentless forays. Canadian goalkeeper Dave Carter had a busy day and made some good saves.

Germany, who wasted half a dozen penalty corners against South Korea, earned eight penalty corners in the match and converted three, all in the first half.

Wess scored his second goal of the tournament after Oskar Deecke set the ball up for him.

Germany then got two successive penalty corners but Canadian goalkeeper Dave Carter and defender Paul Wettlaufer did well to save the drag-flicks of skipper Muller and Montag.

But Montag found his touch five minutes later, striking home the second goal from the next penalty corner.

Montag and Muller then combined to score the team’s third goal with a beautiful set piece. The former set the ball for his captain who slammed the ball high into the Canadian goal. Haner added to the tally with a low drag flick to the bottom left corner.

Germany maintained the tempo in the second half as well.

Matthias Witthaus with a neat dribble paved the way for Fuchs to score the fifth goal and the latter then finished in style with a brilliant reverse flick for the sixth.