South Africa succumbed to a late strike from France’s Victor Charlet as they went down 2-1 in their FIH Hockey Men’s World Cup match in Bhubaneswar on Monday.
The loss is South Africa’s second in as many games, leaving them bottom of Pool A with a single game remaining. SA started the World Cup with a 1-0 loss to Argentina on Friday.
The pool-topper of each group will automatically qualify for the playoffs, with the second and third-placed teams qualifying for the crossovers that will ultimately determine the remaining four quarter-finalists.
Check out the standings in Pool A of the FIH Odisha Hockey Men's World Cup 2023 at the end of the 2nd round of matches. Tell us your predictions for the final standings for all teams in Pool A, in the comments! #HWC2023 #HockeyEquals #HockeyInvites pic.twitter.com/pjIlc4pTNa
— International Hockey Federation (@FIH_Hockey) January 16, 2023
France opened the scoring early in the game when Charlet converted from a penalty corner. Both teams went close after, but it was Connor Beauchamp that fired South Africa level from a penalty corner of their own following a successful video referral.
The second half was contested as fiercely as the first, with Sam Mvimbi going closest for South Africa but it would be France and Charlet’s day as he scored his second in the final two minutes, from another penalty corner, to seal a 2-1 victory for France.
Keenan Horne of @SA_Hockey speaks to us after his team suffered a close loss to France in their second game at #HWC2023. pic.twitter.com/3217vvoTys
— International Hockey Federation (@FIH_Hockey) January 16, 2023
Photo: Twitter/@SA_Hockey