Hockey World Cup Day 8 - Match 2: France vs Argentina 5-5

France have been a bogey team for Argentina in recent years earning important wins against the Leones in the 2018 World Cup, as well as the FIH Hockey Pro League in 2022. With France coming into the game off a big win against South Africa, and Argentina coming off an impressive draw against Australia, the stage was set for another high pressure encounter. And the teams delivered on the promise early, with Argentina scoring early in the 3rd minute through Nicolas Keenan, and France answering back in the 11th minute through Etienne Tynevez, as the teams went into the half on level terms. 

Momentum swung multiple times in the 3rd quarter as Argentina scored early to take the lead through Nicolas della Torre, before France snatched the lead back through a Victor Charlet brace. della Torre scored once again from a penalty corner to bring Argentina back level, setting up an exciting final quarter. Both teams traded a goal each in the 4th quarter and the game looked like it was heading for a draw when France won a penalty stroke with just 53 seconds left in the game, which was dispatched once again by Charlet, for his fourth goal of the game! Argentina, unwilling to give up, earned a string of penalty corners in the final seconds and scored with 6 seconds left on the clock to lock up the second spot in the group, as France finished third. 

Victor Charlet was awarded player of the match and said: “Good to get a hattrick but I would have preferred a win. We really wanted to finish second in the group, but we will take the confidence from this performance on to the next game.”