By Admin 
New Zealand’s exciting 3-3 draw against the higher-ranked Argentina — after twice trailing and then taking the lead — in a FIH junior men’s hockey World Cup Pool-C match made for a compelling watch at the SDAT-Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium here on Sunday.
With a win and a draw from its two matches, New Zealand is on high. It still has to face Japan, which earlier scripted its first win, a hard-fought 3-2 result over China.
Ranked 12 to Argentina’s three, the future Black Sticks played bold attacking hockey, thanks to a hat-trick by 21-year-old Jonty Elmes (his second in the competition). Given the fact that the team is funded solely by the players and their families, what it achieved on this day was heartwarming.
Correa Bruno, right, of Argentina, who scored two goals against New Zealand during their FIH junior men’s hockey World Cup in Chennai on Sunday, November 30, 2025.
| Photo Credit:
R. RAGU
At half-time, Argentina led 2-1. But New Zealand fought back and even took the lead at 3-2 after Elmes scored his third. Elmes’ second goal in the third quarter stood out. After receiving an aerial pass from Javahn Jones on the first bounce from an acute angle, the 21-year-old didn’t waste much time finding the net.
Argentina then equalised through the immensely talented Bruno Correa, who pushed one into the net after an on-the-run pass from Matias Andreotti in the third quarter.
Amirul Islam scored his second hat-trick of the competition as Bangladesh fought back from being 0-3 to draw level against South Korea.
Later, playing outstanding fast-paced hockey, France stunned former champion Australia 8-3 in a high voltage Pool-F contest to decide the potential group topper.
France, a two-time runner-up, dominated the fourth and final quarter to score five goals, after the scores were tied 3-3 in the third.
The scores: In Chennai: C: New Zealand 3 (Jonty Elmes 3, 31, 38) drew with Argentina 3 (Mateo Torrigiani 1, Bruno Correa 10, 39); Japan 3 (Shun Hara 18, Shu Ono 19, Kazuki Terasaka 49) bt China 2 (Ning Dongjun 10, 56-ps).
F: South Korea 3 (Lee Minheok 7, 16-ps, Seunghan Son 12) drew with Bangladesh 3 (Amirul Islam 35, 55, 55); France 8 (Victor Saint-Martin 8, James Liddiard 29, Tom Gaillard 32, 58, Gabriel Piole 48, Hugo Dolou 52, 59, Malo Martinache 57) bt Australia 3 (Matthew Hawthorne 11, Andrew Patrick 21, Ian Grobbelaar 27).
In Madurai: D: Namibia 4 (Liam Bruys 23, James de Jager 26, Josh van der Merwe 32, John-Paul Britz 60) bt Egypt 2 (Abdelrahman Kasem 28, Mohab Hegab 53); Spain 2 (Juan Prado 20, Bruno Avila 32) bt Belgium 0.
E: England 13 (George Fletcher 21, 27, Kaden Draysey 24, 25, 29, 53, Henry Markham 32, 38, 47, Michael Royden 36, Olly Bennet 40, Alex Chihota 49, Max Anderson 54) bt Austria 0; Netherlands 6 (Casper van der Veen 9, 10, Joppe Wolbert 20, 21, Thies Bakker 28, Pepijn van der Valk 42) bt Malaysia 0.