Gonzalo Peillat scored twice in Germany’s victory over Argentina in Pro League hockey. (Photo: Instagram Hockey Nationalmannschaft)
“Nothing worse than the same suit”, says a well -known saying. On Saturday it was the turn of the Argentine men’s field hockey team to experience it, losing to Germany 6-3 in its 13th appearance in the Pro League. Perhaps the most painful thing is that two of the winners ’six goals were converted by Gonzalo Peillat, one of Los Leones’ great figures of the past decade, with impressive efficiency in short corners, and that has since this season represents the Teuton team.
The team managed by Mariano Ronconi made a lucky start at Ernst Reuter Sportfeld in Berlin, when led by Nicolás Keenan after a penalty corner and Alexander Stadler’s first save. But the hosts reversed the score before the end of the first quarter with goals from Tom Grambusch and Raphael Hartkopf, and stretched the lead 4 minutes into the second quarter thanks to Thies Prinz.
The worst is yet to come. Two minutes after the third goal came the fourth. And Peillat did it using the resource he managed most effectively: a powerful shot, low and against the right post from a penalty corner. As if that wasn’t enough, the player who trained with Miter scored again in 11 minutes into the third quarter, also after a short. So he scored five goals in five games using the German shirt, which he made his debut on March 26 of this year against Spain in Mönchengladbach.
Another goal from Prinz and two stoppages in the final quarter from Santiago Tarazona and Thomas Habif (brother of ex-Leona Florencia Habif, Peillat’s girlfriend) shaped the 6-3 final, marking the fourth consecutive victory. for the Europeans against the Leones after the three they achieved last year (one of them, in the clash of the Tokyo Olympics quarterfinals).
Peillat, key to Argentina’s national team’s conquests for world bronze in The Hague 2014 and Olympic gold in Rio de Janeiro 2016 (he was the team’s top scorer in both tournaments), decided earlier this year to be a German national (he has played six years at Mannheimer Hockey Club) and represents that country.
In January 2019, the player resigned the second and precise time from the Argentine team (he first did so in March 2018). As he explained two months ago in an interview for ESPN, he did so because of differences with the Argentine Hockey Confederation and former Los Leones coach Carlos Retegui. “I feel like they betrayed me, that they lied in my face, they didn’t respect me and left me exposed to unmanageable situations,” he said. This Saturday he retaliated in court. And he even enjoyed shouting two goals.
Peillat will face his former teammates again on Sunday at 9.30 in Berlin in the second match of this series between the Argentines and Teutons. So far, the national team ranks second in this Pro League with 24 points, three fewer than the Indian leaders, with one game in hand. Germany is third with 23 units.
The Lionesses won.
Shortly before the match between the men’s teams, the Argentine women’s team beat Germany 2-1 at Ernst Reuter Sportfeld and thus chained their 11th win to their perfect run in the Pro League.
The team led by Fernando Ferrara prevailed thanks to goals scored by Eugenia Trinchinetti in 6 minutes in the second quarter and Agustina Gorzelany in 6 minutes in the fourth period. Viktoria Huse, with 11 minutes into the second quarter, was temporarily tied for the hosts.
The Lionesses, who will face the Germans again on Sunday at 6:30, lead the table with 33 points, 11 more than India, who have played three fewer games.
Source: Clarin
