BHUBANESWAR: South Korea stunned 2016 Olympic champions Argentina in the penalty shootout to book a quarter-final berth, while Germany also reached the last eight stage after an easy 5-1 win over France in the FIH World Cup on Monday.

The South Koreans, who had finished third in Pool ‘B’, won 3-2 in the penalty shootout after the two sides were locked 5-5 in regulation time in an entertaining and high high-scoring crossover match at the near-full Kalinga Stadium.

They rode on an inspired performance from their 38-year-old veteran Jang Jonghyun, who converted two penalty corners.

Veteran captain Lee Nam Yong, 39, was also among the scorers as he struck the equalising goal in the 56th minute while Kim Sunghyun (18th) and Jeong Jun-woo (20th) scored the other goals for the South Koreans in the regulation time.

Nicolas Keenan (21st and 47th minutes) as well as Nicolas Della Torre (24th and 41st) struck twice each for Argentina while Maico Casella (8th minute) scored the other goal in the regulation time.

South Korea remained the only Asian country in the quarter-finals and will face Pool ‘C’ toppers the Netherlands on Wednesday.

Argentina will play against Chile in their 9th to 16th classification match on January 26 in Rourkela.

Earlier in the day, Germany pumped in three goals in the second quarter to beat France 5-1 in their crossover match and make it to the quarter-finals.

Marco Miltkau (15th minute) gave Germany the lead in the first quarter with a field effort before a three-goal burst in the second.

Niklas Wellen (19th), Mats Gramb­usch (23rd) and Moritz Trompertz (25th) were on target in the second quarter. Gonzalo Peillat (60th), who had earlier represented Argentina, struck from the penalty in the last minute of the match.

Germany earned as many as nine penalty corners from which they scored twice. Ger­many, who had finished second behind defending champions Belgium, will face Pool ‘D’ toppers England in the quarter-finals on Wednesday.

Francois Goyet (57th) was the lone scorer for France, who had finished third in Pool ‘A’, as they made exit from the tournament.

France will play Wales, who had finished at the bottom of Pool ‘D’, in their first 9th to 16th classification match on January 26 in Rourkela.

Published in Dawn, January 24th, 2023