The 16 greatest males’s groups from world wide are converging in Odisha, India as we countdown to the ultimate few days until the beginning of the FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023. Each group comes with the intention of turning into world champions, however just one group can earn the very best honour on the finish of the World Cup. The first impediment for all 16 groups within the occasion come within the type of their pool opponents. Winning the pool provides the groups an enormous benefit, because it results in straight qualification into the quarterfinals, whereas second and third-placed groups play a further cross-over spherical.
Here is the preview for groups in Pool A:
Argentina
The Olympic champions from Rio 2016 are Pan American hockey’s most potent power, having been topped continental champions on 14 separate events. With a swashbuckling type and unimaginable technical capability, Los Leones can match any group on the planet. The group is coached by former Argentina goalkeeper Mariano Ronconi, who will do all he can to guide his proficient group to a primary males’s World Cup title.
Agustin Mazzilli, Lucas Vila and group captain Matias Rey – named Player of the Tournament as his group swept to victory within the 2022 Men’s Pan American Cup in Santiago, Chile to seal their ticket to this occasion – stay excellent performers regardless of being nicely into their 30s. The group recorded a notable 2-1 victory over reigning Olympic and World champions Belgium in November, offering a well timed reminder that they will match the very best within the business. Can Argentina emulate their males’s soccer group by successful a World Cup on Asian soil?
Australia
The Kookaburras are probably the most constantly excellent males’s hockey group of the final 30 years, having remained within the high 4 of the FIH World Rankings throughout that interval. They have gained each prize accessible, together with Olympic, World Cup, FIH Hockey Pro League and Oceania Cup titles.
In 2022, the aspect coached by former striker Colin Batch claimed a sensational seventh Commonwealth Games title, obliterating a massively proficient India group 7-0 within the occasion remaining in Birmingham. Nathan Ephraums and Jacob Anderson, the latter a travelling reserve for this occasion, each scored twice with Blake Govers, Tom Wickham and Flynn Ogilvie additionally netting in sometimes devastating shows from the good Aussies. A shoot-out loss to Belgium within the gold medal match on the delayed Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 was painful, however might function motivation because the good Aussies go in quest of a record-equalling fourth world title.
France
In 2018, France arrived in Bhubaneswar for his or her first FIH Men’s World Cup for 28 years, with their final look coming at 1990 competitors in Lahore, Pakistan, the place they completed seventh. Having been drawn in the identical pool as Rio 2016 Olympic champions Argentina, Spain, and New Zealand, many anticipated them to be on the primary aircraft out of India. However, after struggling a slim defeat towards the Black Sticks, Les Bleus achieved a set of outcomes which might see them go all the way in which to the World Cup quarter finals. A draw with higher-ranked Spain was adopted by a shocking 5-3 victory over Argentina, sealing their place within the knock-out levels of the competitors, the place they beat China to arrange a final eight assembly with Australia. Although the mighty Kookaburras introduced France’s magnificent run to an finish, they left the competitors with their heads held excessive, having earned respect from everybody who noticed them in motion.
Since then, France – who’re constructing in direction of the Olympic Games Paris 2024, the place they may compete as hosts – have been going from power to power. They competed within the 2021-22 version of the FIH Hockey Pro League, registering wins towards India, South Africa, and Argentina earlier than incomes their ticket to this occasion with a second-place end on the European Qualification occasion in Cardiff, gained by hosts Wales. A fifth-place end on the latest FIH Hockey Men’s Nations Cup South Africa 2022 occasion was maybe beneath expectations, however with the likes of penalty nook ace Victor Charlet and seasoned expertise Gaspard Baumgarten, France will likely be a harmful outfit right here in Odisha.
South Africa
Following their excellent title victory within the latest FIH Hockey Men’s Nations Cup, incomes them a ticket to the subsequent version of the elite FIH Hockey Pro League, South Africa have each purpose to imagine that they will obtain massive issues right here in Odisha. The match hosts completed high of the pile on house soil in Potchefstroom, recording victories over Pakistan, France, and Korea earlier than claiming an exhilarating 4-3 win towards Ireland – who that they had misplaced to earlier within the competitors – within the competitors remaining. Inspirational 23-year-old captain Dayaan Cassiem scored twice within the title match, with youthful sibling Mustaphaa netting a penalty stroke gained by his massive brother.
The outrageously gifted Cassiem brothers could be the poster boys of this massively thrilling new era, however the group is way from reliant on them. Striker Tevin Kok is proving himself to be a dependable supply of targets, whereas 33-year-old defender Jethro Eustice brings a gradual, skilled head to a gaggle brimming with youth and expertise.
The fifteenth version of FIH’s flagship occasion for males will likely be performed from 13 to 29 January in Odisha, India.
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