India 1-5 Germany Highlights, FIH Junior Hockey World Cup: Die Honamas Outplay IND Colts To Sail Into Final

Greetings and welcome to everyone joining us this weekend for some more hockey action. The FIH Junior World Cup is into its last-four stage and India host European titans Germany today for a place in the final. Stay with us for the build-up and live updates.

Pushback will be around 8pm IST. The India vs Germany, FIH Junior Hockey World Cup semi-final will be live streamed on the JioHotstar app and website in India. It will be telecast on the Star Sports Network TV channels in the country.

In the prior semi-final, Spain and Argentina are locked 1-1 in an engrossing battle with the last few minutes of the fourth and final quarter remaining. Remember that a stalemate would mean the winner is decided through penalty shootouts.

Here is the Rohit-led India's line-up that coach PR Sreejesh is going with for tonight's pivotal semi-final:

It's almost time for the mouthwatering last-four clash. Coach PR Sreejesh is all smiles ahe he stands on the sidelines, expecting a gritty show from his wards. The referees and two teams come jogging out to the pitch, and line up for the national anthems and other pre-game rituals.

Hope, pride and nervous energy in the air as the national anthems are sung and the players exchange high-fives. That's where the friendliness will end, for a huge test awaits the India colts. Pushback coming up next.

We are underway in Chennai! India attacking from left to right and Germany the other way in the first half. The Germans are up and running early, as expected, and goalie Princedeep is pressed into action straight away. He does well to avoid any damage.

India looking to return the favour with some swift counters. The German defence is equal to the task so far, as India have not generated a clear-cut chance as yet. A lot of aerial balls being employed already.

A strong run from German forwards leads to the first penalty corner of the game in the 14th minute. Here is the first big test for the India defence. The injection is good, and a variation leads to the drag-flick, which hits postman Ankit Pal's body. Penalty stroke for Germany.

Lukas Kossel converts from the spot and Germany take the lead in the 14th minute! Princedeep guesses right, going to his left but Kossel manages to squeeze it past him with a sharp stroke. India on the backfoot.

Germany press home the advantage with a second goal, seconds before the first quarter hooter. Titus Wex's shot catches an Indian foot in the circle, and Princedeep is undone, unable to save the deflected ball. India go two down at the end of the first 15-minute period.

The Chennai crowd is hushed into silence with those two first-quarter goals. They know it would not be easy to forge a comeback from here against the robust German defensive structure. But they wait, in hope.

Dilraj and Manmeet with a promising run into the German circle, but the communication is lacking and the assisting pass goes astray.

India's woes compound at the stroke of half-time, as Lukas Kossel nets his second goal via a penalty corner conversion in the 30th minute. India now 0-3 down and have a mountain to climb. Only an Indian goal can revitalize the Chennai crowd, who have gone utterly silent.

The second half gets underway, with Germany making the pushback. India now attacking from right to left, and in desperate need of an early goal to make a match of it.

India finally make Jasper Ditzer work, forcing a fine save from the German goalie in the third quarter. The visitors then earn their third penalty corner, but are unable to make anything of it.

All of India's efforts in Q3 so far come to nought, as Germany slot in their fourth goal. Skillful play from the visitors to draw Princedeep out of goal, and the ball is lobbed into the circle, where Jonas von Gersum taps it in. 4-0 and India are in danger of a thrashing in this semi-final encounter at home.

The final 15 minutes of the game remain, with India trailing by four goals. Something beyond miraculous can rescue them from here, but before that they would need to believe and try to find an opening goal score.

Germany drill in a fifth goal, to add insult to injury. Ben Hasbach comes up with a beautiful run, dodging the goalkeeper and sliding it into the open goal even while diving for the ball. India now left to play for pride in the remaining 10-odd minutes.

India finally break the shackles. And it is through the penalty corner route. They earn their first one, all the way back in Q4 and it leads to a re-award upon video referral. Anmol Ekka flicks the resultant PC into the German goal and India open their scoring in the 50th minute.

India have a good chance in the final minute but it goes abegging. The final hooter is blown and Germany rejoice. They deserve the 5-1 scoreline that rewards them at the end of this one-sided semi-final. The seven-time champions showing exactly how good they are at this level, and India bear the brunt of it. The hosts did pull one goal back late, but needed that sort of performance in the first half too.

Having lost in the semis, India are out of reckoning for a third Junior World Cup hockey title. Next up, the India Colts will face Argentina in the third/fourth place match on December 10.