Australia defeats Germany 2-1, wins men's field hockey World Cup

March 14, 2010

Australia won the men's field hockey World Cup for the first time in 24 years, defeating Germany 2-1. Luke Doerner scored the winning penalty only eleven minutes before the match ended. Edward Ockenden of Australia had earlier scored in the sixth minute and Moritz Furste of Germany drew level in the 46th minute.

Germany, the two-time defending champions, had beaten Australia in the final of both the previous Hockey World Cups by one goal. The Germans would have become the first team to win the World Cup three times in a row had they been victorious.

Ric Charlesworth, the Australian coach, who was one of the members of the 1986 victorious team, said, "We're delighted at winning the World Cup. We knew Germany will be a tough opponent. We played a very good game and showed a lot of control and authority. An early goal was also very helpful."

Charlesworth, who watched the match not from the bench but among other spectators, clarified that "[t]here are no superstitions involved." "I get too noisy and excited on the bench, so I always change it with other people," he said.

He added, "I am very, very pleased. We played a good game with a lot of control and authority. Scoring that early goal was very helpful. I am pleased to win both as player and captain. In 1986, the scoreline was the same, but the opponents (England) were different." According to him, the next goal is to win the upcoming London Olympics.

Max Muller, captain of Germany, said the penalty corner turned out to be decisive. "Australia scored the second goal from a penalty corner, and we had a corner at 2-1 but could not score," said he.

He also said that the team was "a young side." "Losing the final is a big disappointment at the moment, but tomorrow morning we may feel proud to have reached this far," he said.