With a lot of patience, he fulfilled every autograph request after his double strike against the inders. More than 100 field hockey fans crowded around the barrier behind the mixed zone. With his two goals (56./58. Minute) against the previously undefeated inder, the 22-year-old was the matchwinner. Within two minutes he had turned a 1:2 deficit into a 3:2 lead. "Scoring two goals is always nice, but when they’re so important, it’s extra special," the mulheim native said in good spirits. Oliver korn had scored the interim 1-1 for the DHB selection.
Matania was almost allowed to cheer over goals at the olympics – if the native of oberhausen hadn’t been one of the last to be selected from the olympic squad for london. So he had to watch idly as his teammates became gold heroes. "When you’ve been knocked out so close before, you’ve always wanted to play in the olympics," said the business administration student about his long-term goal.
In melbourne, the 22-time national player is now the top goal scorer on the team with his three goals. National coach markus weise, however, sees him far from the end of his development. "He has great potential, but his physical condition is not good enough at the moment," said weise.
With his club uhlenhorst mulheim wanted matania to become german champion in the medium term. His roommate and club colleague benedikt furk describes the 2009 world junior champion as an "affable, nice guy" whose muscular physique makes him "hard to stop.
The national coach is toying with the idea of using the attacking midfielder in the forward line as well. "We could use a little more firepower," said the national coach. The team’s record of seven goals in three games so far still has room for improvement.
After all, the victory over india was enough for the young german team to finish second in the group. Praise from home: "how cool are you guys?? Congratulations! Keep it up…", tweeted olympic champion tobias hauke to the young team. On thursday (02.30 p.M.) in the quarterfinals against pakistan, matania’s goals should generate similar enthusiasm again.