News / Sports

Iran fails to reach 2018 Men's Indoor Hockey World Cup final

Sunday, 11 February 2018 8:19 AM [ Last Update: Friday, 09 March 2018 3:02 AM ]

The Iran men's national field hockey team (file photo)

The Iran men's national field hockey team has missed out a place in the final showdown of the 2018 Men's Indoor Hockey World Cup in Germany, after it could not triumph over the hosts in the semi-finals.

On Saturday evening, the Germany men's national field hockey team powered past Iran 6-2 at the multi-purpose Max-Schmeling-Halle arena in the German capital city of Berlin.

It was Germany which took the lead when Jan Christopher Rühr headed home the opener in the fifth minute, before Fabian Pehlke scored the second goal for the hosts two minutes later.

In the twelfth minute, Rühr netted Germany’s third.

Iranian skipper Navid Taherirad managed to narrow the deficit in the 20^th minute and scored Iran’s first.

Three minutes later, Rühr placed the puck in the back of the net and made a hat-trick.

Reza Norouzzadeh scored Iran’s second goal of the game in the 35^th minute.

Finally, Martin Häner and Ferdinand Weinke jabbed Germany’s fifth and sixth goals in the 39^th and 40^th minutes.

The Iran men's national field hockey team will face Australia in the third place play-off on Sunday.

The Iranian squad comprises Behdad Biranvand, Yaghoub Bahrami, Abbas Aruei, Amir Aruei, Hamid Nouraniyan, Alireza Chezani Sharahi, Behnam Fardi, Mohsen Bohlouli, Mohammad Asnaashari, Reza Norouzzadeh, Sasan Hataminejad and Navid Taherirad. The team is led by Esfandiar Safaei as the head couch.

The 2018 Men's Indoor Hockey World Cup, which is the fifth edition of the tournament, kicked off on February 7, and will wrap up on February 11.

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