Olympics: Canada drops opening match to defending Olympic champion Germany

Canada’s men’s field hockey team began the 2016 Olympic Games with a 6-2 loss against defending Olympic champion, Germany, Saturday in Pool B action in Deodoro, Brazil.

The 3rd ranked Germans opened the scoring in the third minute, after the they were awarded a penalty stroke.

Two Germany players found themselves behind the last Canadian defenders and as the ball was played towards the goal, it was stopped on the line by Gordon Johnston, but deflected into his body, giving Germany the opportunity.

David Carter guessed correctly by diving to his right on the shot from Moritz Furste, but the ball went just beneath the Canadian keeper to put Germany ahead 1-0.

The game against the two-time Olympic champion was a test of sorts for the 15th ranked Canadian men, who have not finished higher than 10th at an Olympics, and are looking to make their way into the quarterfinal by finishing in the top four in Pool B.

And after conceding the first goal, Canada settled into the game quite quickly, seeing more of the ball in the minutes to follow.

It was Germany, however, which picked up the game’s next goal when Niklas Wellen got a stick on a ball in tight to put Germany up 2-0 in the 6th minute.

The Canadians showed good resolve from the outset of the game, playing a fast pace and not backing down from the powerful Germans and the effort paid off in the 11th minute.

After a German turnover, the Canadians were off to the races on a odd-man rush in the German end.

Ajax, Ontario’s Keegan Pereira carried the ball and waited for Tsawwassen, British Columbia’s Mark Pearson to open up in the circle. The ball was played nicely to Pearson, who went to his backhand and put the ball under Nicolas Jacobi for Canada’s first goal of the 2016 Games.

Mark Pearson scores for #CAN – #GER still leads 2-1 in the 1st quarter #Rio2016 https://t.co/JAoL0ve2RK https://t.co/TgbZxPcKQw

— CBC Olympics (@CBCOlympics) August 6, 2016

Canada was given life, but the thrill was short lived as Germany earned back-to-back corners late in the first quarter.

The first opportunity was stopped by Carter, who got a stick on the ball while diving to his right.

Germany picked up another corner shortly after and made good. After Carter stopped the dragflick, the rebound was converted by Mathias Muller.

The lead was expanded to 4-1 in the second quarter and then 5-1 in the third before Canada – once again not relenting – picked up a goal off a Germany mistake.

A turnover in the circle landed once again on the stick of Pereira, who bided his time to get into the middle of the circle and put a hard hit by Jacobi for Canada’s second goal.

Goal number 2 for #CAN in Field Hockey at #Rio2016 https://t.co/Y69B743SBc https://t.co/QMmIWJpMHi

— CBC Olympics (@CBCOlympics) August 6, 2016

The Canadians once again gained some confidence from the goal, going on to control possession for the next several minutes and into the fourth quarter.

However, early in the fourth, Germany picked up its sixth and final goal after the ball was deflected by Carter off the stick of captain Scott Tupper.

Canada does not play on Sunday. Its next game is against Pan American rival Argentina on Monday at 8:30am PT/11:30am ET. The game will be broadcast live on TSN 2 and at olympics.cbc.ca.

Canada and Argentina have met in the last eleven Pan American Games gold medal matches, including Toronto last summer when Argentina won 3-0.

GAME SUMMARY