New Zealand upset Germany 3-2 to finish 3rd

New Zealand striker Joel Baker struck in the last minute of the match to help his team shock world champions Germany 3-2 in the play-off and finish third in the first leg of the four-nation Punjab Gold Cup hockey tournament in Chandigarh.

New Zealand striker Joel Baker struck in the last minute of the match to help his team shock world champions Germany 3-2 in the play-off and finish third in the first leg of the four-nation Punjab Gold Cup hockey tournament in Chandigarh on Monday.

HT Image

Both the teams were locked 2-2 till the dying minutes of the match but Baker scored the winner to carve out a memorable win for his team.

The Kiwis, ranked as low as seven, had not won even a single match at the league stage and could not have asked for a better result.

They played attacking game and kept pressure on the German defence.

However it was Germany, who tested their young blood in the tournament, drew the first blood scoring from a penalty corner that came their way in the 17th minute, with Mortiz Furste giving them the lead.

The Black Sticks found the equaliser in the 26th minute when Andren Haywards scored from a penalty corner, second one which his team had earned.

In the final minute of the first half, the Kiwis squandered an opportunity to take laed, wasting a penalty corner.