U21 MEN INTO 5TH-8TH PLAYOFFS AFTER DEFEAT TO SPAIN IN THE FINAL SECONDS

The U21 New Zealand Men’s squad have showed massive heart in a tough quarterfinal against Spain, falling 4-3 in the final seconds after an incredible fightback.

Spain came out flying, scoring three goals in the opening quarter. Their first came from a full-field counter attack, moving the ball almost the entire length of the turf in seconds before an unmarked high striker deflected past the Kiwi goalkeeper. Two more field goals followed in a similar style, giving Spain a strong 3-0 lead after the first 15 minutes.

Despite the early punch, New Zealand didn’t fold. In the second quarter, Sam Lints pounced on a rebound to get the Kiwis on the board. The belief grew from there. In the third quarter, Ryan Parr added a smart deflection from a penalty corner variation, closing the gap to just one.

The final quarter was all heart. New Zealand kept pushing, and in the final, 60th minute, Sam Lints stepped up again, this time with a classy reverse shot that slipped past the Spanish keeper to level the match at 3-3.

A special mention must go to Matthew Ruetsch, who was outstanding. After that tough first quarter, he shut the door completely, pulling off multiple key saves in the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th quarters to keep New Zealand alive.

But sport can be cruel. With only three seconds left, Spain win another penalty corner. Their flicker stepped up and converted, giving Spain a 4-3 win and denying New Zealand a place in the semifinals.

The team will now shift focus to the 5th-8th playoff matches, showing the same fight and connection that nearly delivered one of the great comebacks. See their next match against the Netherlands LIVE on Watch.Hockey at 10:30pm NZT on Sunday, 7th December.

New Zealand Goal Scorers:

22’ Sam Lints - Field Goal

34’ Ryan Parr - Penalty Corner Goal

60’ Sam Lints - Field Goal