As part of our continued build-up to the FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s Junior World Cup Bhubaneswar 2021, here is the third of four Pool previews which examines the qualification routes and past form of the teams that will compete at the showpiece event in India.

Netherlands, Korea, Spain and USA are all featured in Pool C, with the top two finishers being the only way to secure a place in the competition quarterfinals and thus maintaining hopes of Junior World Cup glory.

Netherlands

How they qualified: 3rd Place – EuroHockey Junior Championship Men 2019
Junior World Cup history: 2016 – 7th, 2013 – 3rd, 2009 – 2nd, 2005 – 5th, 2001 – 8th, 1997 – 7th, 1993 – 4th, 1989 – 9th, 1985 – 2nd, 1982 – 6th, 1979 – 3rd

About the team: Remarkably, the Netherlands are yet to win a men’s Junior World Cup title, a statistic that they will be determined to change at this year’s competition in Bhubaneswar. The silver medalists from 1985 and 2009 and seventh place finishers at the 2016 competition in Lucknow, they arrive back in India for this event as bronze medalists from the EuroHockey Junior Championship 2019, where they defeated Spain 3-1 in the 3-4 playoff game thanks to strikes from Pepijn Scheen, Jim van de Venne and Valentijn Charbon. Could this be the year when the end their Men’s Junior World Cup title drought

Korea

How they qualified: Nominated by Asian Hockey Federation
Junior World Cup history: 2016 – 14th, 2013 – 8th, 2009 – 7th, 2005 – 8th, 2001 – 7th, 1993 – 9th, 1989 – 4th

About the team: Korea take to the Men’s Junior World Cup stage for the eighth time, having previously finished as high as fourth (1989) and as low as 14th (2016). Their disappointing display at Lucknow 2016 was an anomaly which they will be keen to rectify as they return to Indian soil to compete at the Kalinga Stadium. Korea’s place in the competition was confirmed by being nominated by the Asian Hockey Federation following the unfortunate COVID-19 related cancellation of the 2021 Junior Asia Cup, which acted as the qualification competition for the Junior World Cup in Bhubaneswar.

Spain

How they qualified: 4th Place – EuroHockey Junior Championship Men 2019
Junior World Cup history: 2016 – 6th, 2013 – 13th, 2009 – 8th, 2005 – 3rd, 2001 – 5th, 1997 – 8th, 1993 – 7th, 1989 – 8th, 1982 – 7th, 1979 – 9th

About the team: A fourth place finish at the 2019 EuroHockey Junior Championship on home soil in Valencia saw Spain just miss out on a medal but was enough for them to secure a Junior World Cup berth. The Junior Red Sticks were defeated 3-1 by the Netherlands in their bronze medal game, but their form in the group phase certainly caught the eye, beating Belgium and Poland whilst drawing with England to finish top of Pool A. Spain have competed in ten of the 11 Men’s Junior World Cup competitions played to date, with earning bronze at the Rotterdam 2005 event being the pinnacle of their achievements in this tournament.

USA

How they qualified: Nominated as reserve team (following withdrawal of Australia & New Zealand)
Junior World Cup history: 2009 – 20th, 1989 – 11th

About the team: Following Australia and New Zealand’s withdrawal due to COVID-related international travel restrictions put in place by their respective governments, USA were awarded the first-reserve spot at the Men's Junior World Cup. Based on their bronze medal winning display at the recent Junior Pan American Championship in Santiago, Chile, they could prove to be a very dangerous team in Bhubaneswar. The team is coached by USA all-time great Pat Harris, while Jatin Sharma – USA’s top scorer in Santiago – could be a player to watch.

The opening match of the FIH Odisha Hockey Men's Junior World Cup Bhubaneswar 2021 will see Belgium facing South Africa on November 24 at the Kalinga Stadium, the outstanding venue which hosted the last FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup in 2018. The competition final will be played on December 5. To see the complete match schedule, click here.

Pool C Schedule

TIME	TEAM		TEAM
Thursday, November 25
1:30 AM	Netherlands	vs	Korea
4:00 AM	Spain	vs	USA

Friday, November 26
1:30 AM	Korea	vs	USA
4:00 AM	Spain	vs	Netherlands

Sunday, November 28
1:30 AM	Korea	vs	Spain
4:00 AM	Netherlands	vs	USA

All times in Eastern Time Zone

The FIH is pleased to confirm that the first six days of the competition (November 24-30) will be broadcast to the global audience live and free of charge on the Watch.Hockey app. From December 1-5, the Watch.Hockey app will be live streaming matches free of charge to all territories outside of India, Maldives, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, locations which are subject to existing broadcast rights agreements.

For more information about FIH and hockey in general, download the Watch.Hockey app or follow the FIH social media channels - Facebook, Instagram and Twitter – and website.

#JWC2021 | #RisingStars | #OneTeamOneDream

Men's Junior World Cup: Preview of Pool C

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