Germany fights back to enter semi-finals

BHUBANESWAR: Germany edged out England in a penalty shootout under dramatic circumstances after trailing 0-2 three minutes from the end of regulation time, booking a berth in the FIH Men’s World Cup semi-finals, where the Netherlands joined it with a win over South Korea here on Wednesday.

Germany struck in the 58th and 59th minute through captain Mats Grambusch and his younger brother Tom, respectively, to take the quarter-final to a penalty shootout, where it prevailed over a heart-broken England team 4-3.

The vociferous spectators at the Kalinga Stadium thought that England would wrap up the match comfortably after Zachary Wallace (12th) and Liam Ansell (33rd) had given it a 2-0 lead but, to their astonishment, the Germans came back roaring.

Germany will face three-time champion Australia in the semi-finals on Friday. In the second quarter-final of the day, Netherlands, the runner-up of the last two editions, ended gritty South Korea’s run with a 5-1 win and set up a last-four clash with Belgium on Friday.

Koen Bijen (27th and 31st) struck twice while Justen Blok (36th), Steijn van Heijningen (50th) and Teun Beins (58th) also netted for the Netherlands. Inwoo Seo (51st) scored a consolation goal for South Korea.

Umpire hit on face by ball from drag flick

In a bizarre incident, German umpire Ben Goentgen was hit on the face off a penalty corner strike in the quarter-final match between the Netherlands and South Korea. Goentgen was immediately taken off the field for medical attention.

The incident happened in the 28th minute when South Korean Jang Jonghyun’s stinging drag flick got deflected from a Netherlands player’s stick and struck the face of Goentgen, who was standing a few meters away from the goal post.