In a dramatic finale at the 2025 Chengdu World Games, hosts the Chinese mainland fell 5-4 to Argentina in the battle for seventh place, ending their tournament run in eighth after five straight defeats.
Neither team had claimed a victory in their first four matches, setting the stage for a showdown where momentum swung back and forth. The Chinese mainland drew first blood in the sixth minute when Zhuang Haojie threaded a perfect pass to Liu Chaoyi. Just four minutes later, Li Zhihao extended the lead to 2-0.
Argentina responded with a late push before halftime. Hernan Insua set up Rodrigo Irisarri to open the scoring for the South American side, then netted the equalizer from an Owen Haiek assist just before the break.
The second period saw more twists. Five minutes in, Zhuang and Liu combined again to put the Chinese mainland ahead, only for Haiek to level the score eight minutes later. Moments later, Chen Xingnan restored a one-goal lead, but Haiek struck again to force a third tie.
With under 15 seconds on the clock, Haiek delivered once more—this time as a playmaker—feeding Irisarri for the winning goal. The result marked Argentina’s first victory in Chengdu and clinched seventh place, while the Chinese mainland concluded their campaign with a hard-fought but winless record.
Despite the final standings, the tournament highlighted inline hockey’s growing appeal across Asia and Latin America, with both teams showcasing speed, skill, and unpredictable drama that kept fans on the edge of their seats.
As the inline hockey community buzzes about new talents and rivalries, the Chinese mainland and Argentina both leave Chengdu with lessons learned and eyes set on future global stages.
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Hosts China finish eighth in inline hockey at Chengdu World Games
cgtn.com
