Malaysia, Netherlands and France earn important wins as Leones and Kookaburras play a thrilling draw

Day 4 of the FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023 promised close contests as teams started to get a clearer picture of the results they needed to reach the targets they had set for the pool stages. Malaysia vs Chile in Pool C and France vs South Africa in Pool A were crucial contests in terms of avoiding a 4th place finish, which rules teams out of the quarterfinals contention, with all 4 teams having lost their first matches at the World Cup. 

Malaysia were the first team to get on the board today, coming back from a goal down twice to beat Chile 3-2. France would replicate them later in the day winning another close contest against South Africa to register their first points in Pool A. 

In the battle of the unbeaten teams, Netherlands made light work of New Zealand beating them 4-0, making it two wins in two, to get to 6 points and now need just a draw in their final game against Chile to confirm their spot at the top of Pool C and earn a direct entry into the quarterfinals. In Pool A, Argentina and Australia played a highly entertaining draw where the momentum swung from one side to the other. Australia were down 3-2 with just 2 minutes remaining, but Blake Govers, returning from injury, stepped up when it mattered and scored a fantastic goal to keep Australia at the top of the pool, thanks to their vastly superior goal difference. 

Result: Match 1 

Malaysia 3-2 Chile

Player of the Match: Norsyafiq Sumantri (MAS)

Umpires: Ben Goentgen (GER), German Montes de Oca (ARG), Jakub Mejzlik (CZE-video)

Result: Match 2

New Zealand 0-4 Netherlands

Player of the Match: Thierry Brinkman (NED)

Umpires: Hong-Zhen Lim (SGP), Federico Garcia (URU), Marcin Grochal (POL-video)

Result: Match 3

France 2-1 South Africa

Player of the Match: Victor Charlet

Umpires: Coen van Bunge (NED), Rawi Anbananthan (MAS), Gareth Greenfield (NZL-video)

Result: Match 4

Argentina 3-3 Australia

Player of the Match: Martin Ferreiro (ARG)