Hockey world Cup: Germany, Belgium complete remarkable turnarounds to shock Australia, Netherlands in semis

Harpal Singh Bedi

Bhubaneswar, 27 January : Defending champion Belgium overpowered the Netherlands 3-2 in dramatic shootout ,after playing 2-2 in regulation period to set up title clash with Germany who stunned Australia 4-3 in the Hockey World Cup here this evening.  

The hopes of Australia and the Netherlands, both three-time winners, to make it to the finals went up in smoke as they failed to hold on their lead against belligerent rivals 

The two semi-finals showcased best of hockey as the teams fought till the very last moment The matches proved the adage that “it is not over till it is over ”  . 

In the first semi- finals former Argentine star and now naturalized German Gonzalo Peillat led the charge with a hat-trick as the two- time winner Honamas produced yet another incredible come from behind win edging past in-form Australia 4-3 in the dying moments of the first semi- finals. 

Germany who had staged a remarkable turnaround against England in the quarter finals, repeated the show here this evening again, only difference being that they scored the winner in the last six seconds of the match giving no chances to Australians to recover or let the contest go into the  penalty shootout 

 Germany also in the process took a sweet revenge of the 2010 Delhi World Cup final defeat in which they had lost to Australia. This was also their 4^th win in six World Cup encounter with the Kangaroos.  

For the winners who trailed 0-2 at half time, apart from Peillat’s three goals, Niklas Wellen scored the winner. For Australia, Jeremy Hayward, Nathan Ephraums and Blake Govers scored a goal each. 

Australia was off the blocks as the game opened and forced a penalty corner but Jeremy Hayward’s drag flick was cleared by goalkeeper Alexander Stadler. 

The Kangaroos kept the pressure dominating possession and territory in the Germany’s half.  Though the Germans also tried to make some counter moves they could not breach their rival’s crowded defence. 

Australian broke the ice in the 11^th minute with a set piece 2^nd penalty corner buried by Jeremy Hayward (1-0)    

Buoyed by this goal, the Australian increased their attacks and German defence came under pressure. Striker Tom Wickham moved up from the left flank but his effort was foiled by alert Stadler.     

 Germans tried to take off the pressure and launched a counter offensive which fetched them their first penalty in the 19^th minute but they could not beat goalkeeper Andrew Charter. 

The Kangaroos doubled their lead in the 26^th minute when Tom Wickham created a move and  set up  Nathan Ephraums  who made no mistake  in slotting the  ball home 2-0. 

  As it looked that Australians were in for a big win, came the German fight back and suddenly the Honamas took over and the Kangaroos lost the control of the situation 

Germany started attacking in the second half and forced  as many as 10 penalty corners in this session (total 12 PC) .In the 42^nd minute  off the eight penalty corner  Peillat reduced the margin as he scooped the ball home (1-2),   

Nine minutes later Germany equalized when Peillat converted the 10^th penalty (2-2). Rattled by this equaliser the Australians  launched a iuncisive counter and  in the 57^th minute took the lead again through Blake Govers who  converted sixth penalty corner (3-2) With barely three minutes left for the final hooter the Kangaroos looked set to make their sixth entry into the final, but that was not to be. 

The Germans not only equalized in the 58^th minute through Peillat who completed his hat-trick converting the 12^th penalty corner . The neutralized German had a hand in the fourth goal when he set up unmarked Niklas Wellen who deflected the ball home 94-3) leaving the Australians shattered, bewildered and inconsolable  

   Belgium who are also the  Olympic  Champion and  the Netherlands dished out fast paced game  the Dutch taking the lead twice but the  Red  ought back to draw parity. 

 The defending champions had the chance to wrap up the match in the 50^th minutes when they were awarded a penalty stroke when a Dutch defender stick checked onrushing Belgium forward in the circle, hoiwever Tom boom failed to convert.. 

For the Dutch,Jip Janssen scored  twice converting penalty corers in the 11^th and 35^th minutes while Tom Boom (26^th) and Nicolas de Kerpel (44^th) scored for the elgium 

In the shootout  Florent Aubel, Arthur Sloover and Victor Wegnez scored for Belgium. Jorrit Croon  and Jopnes Geus were scorers for the losers