BEIJING – Spain beat South Korea and world champions Germany beat New Zealand for the two to join Australia and the Netherlands in the men’s hockey semi-finals after Tuesday’s final pool matches.

Santiago Freixa struck twice with a field goal and off a penalty corner for Spain’s 2-1 win. South Korea’s goal came from Yoon Sung Hoon.

Timo Wess and Matthias Witthaus struck early in Germany’s 3-1 win over New Zealand, whose goal came from Hayden Shaw before Florian Keller wound things up for the Germans.

Spain ended top of pool A a point ahead of Germany. Their opponents in the semi-finals are defending champions Australia, who drew 3-3 with Great Britain to finish second in Pool B, two points adrift of the Netherlands.

Britain took the lead twice but Australia fought back each time to level the scores, netting their final goal two minutes from time.

The Netherlands earlier beat Pakistan 4-2, leaving them top of Pool B on 13 points. The Dutch face Germany in Thursday’s second semi-final

Pakistan, who ended the pool stage with two wins and three defeats, took a 1-0 lead into the break against the Netherlands through Muhammad Imran, but then succumbed to two from Dutch penalty corners specialist Taeke Taekama and one each from Matthis Brouwer and Jeroen Hatzberger. Adnan Maqsood scored Pakistan’s second.

[dpa / Expatica]

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