Two late controversies derail Los Leones against Alemania at the Mundial

Los Leones were on the brink of their first men’s World Cup final when they fell 2‑1 to Alemania at the Belfius Hockey Arena in Wavre, a semifinal decided by two late referee rulings; the broadcast team even included former Las Leonas stars Sole García and Sofía Maccari.

Controversial calls that changed the game

Germany opened the scoring through Justus Weigand, only for Tomás Domene to level for the Albiceleste in the fourth period, leaving the match dead‑locked at 1‑1 as the clock ticked down.

Early in the decisive minutes Argentina were reduced to ten men after Lucio Méndez received a yellow card for a midfield foul, a sanction that forced him off for five minutes and left the side playing 10 vs 11. “Para mí, no es tarjeta. ¿¡Amarilla!?” relator Mercedes Margalot exclaimed, adding “Es duro de tragar”.

Moments later, Paul‑Philipp Kaufmann netted the winner after a video‑referee review. Umpire Sean Rapaport consulted Kristy Robertson, who confirmed the goal despite Margalot’s warning that the play might have been dangerous. “Yo di un gol, pero me parece que puede ser acción peligrosa”, she said.

Argentina turn to bronze showdown

Germany will chase a second consecutive title against Spain on Sunday, while Los Leones face the Netherlands for bronze, the Dutch having been three‑time champions and recent World Cup finalists.

After the final whistle, Nicolás Keenan acknowledged the disappointment: “Es duro de tragar. Así son los Mundiales… ahora a seguir porque este equipo tiene mucho para dar”. Maico Casella echoed the sentiment, noting the yellow card left them “con un jugador menos”.

Argentina will regroup for the bronze match on Sunday, starting at 09:00 local time, hoping to convert the lessons of the semifinal into a podium finish.