Bhubaneswar: World Cup bronze medallist Argentina stunned Olympic champions Germany 3-0 in their final Pool B match to end their league engagements on a high at the Hero Champions Trophy hockey tournament, here today.
With this win the Argentines ended their pool engagements with six points from two wins, while Germany finished with just three points, courtesy the close 1-0 win over India.
After a barren first quarter, Argentina scored three field goals through captain Matias Parades (18th minute), Joaquin Manini (25th) and Ignacio Ortiz (49th) to register the convincing win.
After an action less first quarter, Argentina raised their game and took the lead through Parades.
Argentine drag-flicker Gonzalo Peillat then forced German goalie Felix Reuss to make a diving save before Manini continued his impressive show with a brilliant goal to the top corner of the German net after being fed by Parades to race to a 2-0 lead at the halfway mark.
The Germans took the initiative in the third quarter and created a couple of good openings but the Argentine defence stood tall to thwart any danger to their goal.
Florian Fuchs had a great opportunity to pull one back for Germany but his shot from inside the D went across the face of the Argentine goal. Los Leones goalkeeper Juan Vivaldi also made some good saves to help his side keep a clean slate.
German striker Christopher Wesley wasted two good scoring opportunities in the fourth and final quarter. He first shot wide from close range and then miscued a shot to sum up Germany's disappointing day at office.
Argentina tripled their lead in the 49th minute when they caught the German defence off-guard with a brisk counter-attack and Ortiz scored past Reuss to assert their supremacy in the game.
