Hockey World Cup 2023 Pool A: Australia thump France 8-0 after Argentina edge South Africa 1-0

Bhubaneswar, January 13: Three time champions Australia and Argentina opened their Pool A campaigns in the Hockey World Cup 2023 with wins at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar on Friday (January 13).

While Australia hammered France 8-0 thanks to hattricks from Tom Craig and Jeremy Hayward in the second match of the day, Maico Casella's solitary goal helped Argentina edge past South Africa 1-0 in the tournament opener.

Craig gave Australia a slender lead in the first quarter before the game was brought to life in the closing minutes of the second quarter when Australia found the back of the net three more times.

Hayward scored two in the space of two minutes (26th & 28th minutes) and Flynn Ogilvie added another in the 26th minute to take Australia into the half time break at 4-0.

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Both Craig (31st and 44th minutes) and Hayward (38th minute) completed their hattricks in the third quarter to give Australia a 7-0 lead heading into the final quarter.

Craig scored all his three goals via field goals, while Hayward scored his treble from penalty corners, which Australia converted well, but France missed there chances.

In the final quarter like in the first quarter, France conceded just the one goal. Tom Wickham added the eighth goal to complete the demolition in the 53rd minute via a field goal.

While it was a goal-fest between Australia and France, it was totally the opposite when the other two teams from their Pool met earlier in the day.

After a barren and hard-fought first two quarters, Argentina, the 2016 Olympic champions, scored the winner in the 42nd minute through a field effort from Casella.

But it was far from rosy for the Los Leones as it was South Africa who pressed hard in the first quarter but failed to convert their chances into positive results.

In the second quarter, Argentina came back strongly and secured three penalty corners in succession but wasted all as South Africa defended stoutly.

After the change of ends, South Africa had the first shy at the goal in the form of a penalty corner but the opportunity was wasted.

Argentina broke the deadlock in the 42nd minute when Casella capitalised on a counter-attack and scored a brilliant field goal from Toscani's pass.

Down a goal, South Africa came out attacking in the fourth and final quarter, but the Argentine defence stood firm to stifle their rivals' forays and register a hard-fought win.

Next up in Pool A, Argentina will face world No.1 Australia on January 16, while South Africa will take on France on the same day at the same venue - Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar.

(With Agency inputs)