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VIENNA, Austria – Before crossovers at the 2025 Rohrmax Cup, the No. 10 U.S. Men’s National Indoor Team met Austria U-21 in a practice match that didn’t count toward the pool standings. After finding themselves in an early hole and fighting hard to cut the deficit many times, USA fell 6-8.
The first quarter started with USA holding much of the possession and producing a few circle entries. In the 9th minute, Austria got on the board after sending a reverse flick through USA goalkeeper Hamzah Hashmi (Granada Hills, Calif.). Austria earned a penalty corner with 7 seconds to go before the break and doubled their lead.
Now in a 0-2 hole, the Wolves upped their offensive pressure. Just 36 seconds into the second frame USA saw back-to-back set pieces saved. Persistence paid off as in the 14th minute when quick passing found Ajai Dhadwal (Agoura Hills, Calif.) who made it 1-2. Moments later, Austria added to their lead when they tallied off a fast break into an open USA goal. Working out different set plays, USA brought it back within one again when Aki Kaeppeler (New York City, N.Y.) sent a penalty corner drag high into the net. Austria found and took advantage of a wide open deep player as they resumed the two goal cushion, 2-4 - again on an open net. With Hashmi back in the game, Austria extended their lead in the 18th minute. With 35 seconds to go before halftime, Christian DeAngelis (Doylestown, Pa.) brought it to 3-5.
Twenty seconds into the third, Austria scored off a penalty corner. USA responded immediately with a set piece goal of their own through Dhadwal to make it 4-6. Continuing to dig, Koehl Comiskey (Dallas, Pa.) used individual skill to get it past Austria’s goalkeeper to bring it within one. Midway through a long ball off the right boards found an Austria striker who was able to pull out Hashmi and tuck it in at a low angle. In the 26th minute after the initial call was a penalty corner, Austria was awarded a penalty stroke and converted to make it 5-8.
USA kept notching away and in the 33rd minute a great passing sequence between Dhadwal and DeAngelis was rewarded when DeAngelis finished. Although the Wolves had a late push, that saw two penalty corner chances go unconverted, they fell 6-8.
The Wolves finished second in Pool A and with face No. 9 Poland at 1:45 p.m. ET in the semifinals.
The event will be live streamed on SV Arminen TV (YouTube).
For more information on the 2025 Rohrmax Cup, visit the event page.
