Once again the hero was Dylan Krikler, whose first-half goal clinched the highest honours for a team that had enjoyed a terrific tournament.
Manager Frank Steinberg’s boys had reached the final thanks again to Krikler, who had rescued his side with a last-minute equaliser after being 2-0 down at one stage to Germany in the semi-final.
Captain Ben Schwarzman had pulled one back, but with time running out hopes of reaching the final looked bleak, before Krikler struck, with a 2-2 draw being enough to see GB through.
Steinberg said: “Our 15 months of hard training and bonding worked brilliantly and we achieved our target. It was a wonderful experience.”
GB had beaten their final opponents Argentina 1-0 earlier in the tournament with an Adam Cahn goal, so confidence was high.
Assistant manager Steve Gordon said: “Winning gold was what we came here for and what we worked so hard to achieve. I felt we were in control for the whole game and it was a great team effort.”
GB should have taken the lead when they came close from a free-kick early in the first half. But they went ahead soon after when Krikler was played in by Ollie Buck after a brilliant move involving some six or seven passes. With the Argentine goalkeeper rushing out to confront the GB striker, Krikler bravely lobbed the ball home over his head before he was clattered to the ground.
Chances were few and far between for Argentina after that with the GB defence in total control, but they came close to equalising with a good free-kick effort that brought a
stunning save from goalkeeper Nathan Bloohn.
Gordon added: “This was an outstanding performance from the whole team and in particular from players such as our midfield rock Dylan Gordon, the Players’ Player of the Tournament and, Louis Lazarus, the Manager’s Player of the Tournament, skipper Schwarzman, Buck and of course Krikler.”
GB: Jimmy Barnett, Joe Beare, Grant Birke, Nathan Bloohn, Ollie Buck,Adam Cahn,Joseph Franklin,Dylan Gordon,Max Davis,Mitch Jacobson,Dylan Krikler,Louis Lazarus,David Levine, Asher Martin,Eli Miller,Ben Schwarzmann (capt), Elliot Smith, Rafael Zamet.
