Tournament favourites Belgium secured the direct quarterfinal place by trouncing Japan 7-1 in their third and last Pool B clash. Tom Boon was the star of the Belgium win, firing five goals. Germany finished second in Pool B with a 7-2 drubbing of South Korea.

The pool stage of the World Cup ended with a goal deluge as five players scored a hat-trick each. They were: Black Govers (Austalia), Victor Charlet (France), Nicolas Della Torre (Argentina), Tom BooN (Belgium) and Niklas Wellen (Germany). Charlet became the top scorer of the tournament with six goals to his name.

By finishing second in respective pools, Argentina, France, Germany and Korea kept their quarterfinals hopes alive as they became eligible to contest in the crossovers. The four crossover matches will take place on January 22 and 23 at Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar.

Malaysia will meet Spain and host India will take on New Zealand in the first two crossover matchs on January 22, while German will face France and Argentina will dwell against South Korea in the last to crossovers on January 23.

RESULTS (20 January 2023):

Match 21 (Pool-A, Birsa Munda Stadium, Rourkela): Australia (Blake Govers 3-FG, 14-PC, 18-PS, 19-FG; Tom Craig 9-FG, Jake Harvie21-FG, Daniel Beale 27-PC, Jeremy Hayward 31-PC, Tim Brand 46-FG) beat South Africa (Nqobile Ntuli 7-FG, Tevin Kok 57-FG) 9-2. PoM: Blake Govers.

Match 22 (Pool-A, Birsa Munda Stadium, Rourkela): France (Etienne Tynevez 10-FG, Victor Charlet 35-PS, 37-PC, 48-PC, 59-PS) drew with Argentina (Nicolas Keenan 2-FG, Nicolas Della Torre 33-PC, 41-PC, 59-PC; Martin Ferreiro 50-FG) 5-5. PoM: Victor Charlet.

Match 23 (Pool-B, Birsa Munda Stadium, Rourkela): Belgium (Cedric Charlier 17-FG, Tom Boon 21-FG, 26-FG, 27-FG, 50-FG, 55-PS; Sebastien Dockier 51-FG) beat Japan (Kentaro Fukuda 45-FG) 7-1. PoM: Tom Boon.

Match 24 (Pool-B, Birsa Munda Stadium, Rourkela): Germany (Niklas Wellen 1-FG, 16-FG, 40-FG; Gonzalo Peillat 42-PC, Justus Weigand 50-FG, Mats Grambusch 52-FG, Moritz Ludwig 52-FG) beat South Korea (Jonghyun Jang 14-PC, 59-PC) 7-2. PoM: Niklas Wellen.
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TOP: France captain Victor Charlet celebrates after scoring a goal against Argentina during their World Cup match in Rourkela on 20 January 2023.
RIGHT: Belgiums dragflicker Tom Boon reacts after scoring a goal against Japan during their World Cup match in Rourkela on 20 January 2023.