Germany, Belgium post dramatic wins to enter final

Germany down Australia 4-3 while Belgium edge out Netherlands 3-2 via shoot

One just can’t pin down the Germans. The more you knock them down the stronger they rise. For the second game in succession, Die Honamas staged an extraordinary comeback from the death to soar into the final of the FIH Hockey World Cup here on Friday.

Trailing by two goals down yet again and punched strongly in the gut by Australia who themselves scripted an incredible recovery by equalising from nowhere in the 57th minute, it looked like the Germans may have to settle the pulsating semifinal in a shootout. But it was not to be as man of the match Niklas Wellen nailed a winner with six seconds left on the clock to seal another incredible win (4-3) for the Germans at the Kalinga Stadium.

In the title decider on Sunday, the two-time winners will take on defending champions Belgium who edged out Netherlands 3-2 via shoot out after the regulation time ended 2-2.

Just like the quarterfinal against England, things didn’t go as per plans at the start for Germany. The Aussies, right from earning a first-minute penalty corner, made their intentions clear with their high-pressing game. They didn’t allow the Germans to get a hold of the game, always playing with their foot on the accelerator. The sustained pressure deservedly saw the Kookaburras take the lead in the 11th minute, drag-flick ace Jeremy Hayward slotting from the penalty corner.

The goal shook the Germans and they came roaring back after the first quarter. From chasing shadows, they were now hunting for goals as they kept attacking relentlessly with one raid after another. Such was their dominance, they had the Aussies pinned in their own half for literally 90 percent of the quarter, raids following in all directions. It was breathless stuff but the Aussies somehow managed to hold on to their lead, thanks largely to three successful referrals that overturned penalty corner decisions for Germany.

Frustration continued to rise in the German camp and it worsened when Australia scored a lightening quick counter-attacking goal in the 26th minute through Nathan Ephraums. A peeved German coach Andre Henning even told the host broadcaster that his team were playing ‘polite hockey.’

Those words triggered his team and they continued to harass the Australians but with a lot more spunk and purpose. They kept probing and probing, and stunningly Australia, who themselves like to play attacking hockey, were happy to sit back and defend. It seemed like they were content with the tw0-goal cushion and only wanted to see out the game from there. Against the never-day-die Germans, it’s a strategy fraught with extreme risk and the Aussies realised it in the end.

Gonzalo Peillat, who won the 2016 Rio Olympics gold with Argentina before switching nationality to Germany, pulled one back in the 42nd minute and equalised in the 51st. The Germans were all pumped up at that stage but Australia, yet again against the run of play, led for a third time through Blake Govers’ counter-attacking goal in the 57th minute.

Two a half minutes is a lot in hockey and Germans showed their incredible steel, Peillat levelling things with a hat-trick in the 58th minute and Wellen hammering a winner with the hooter less than a breath away.

Results (semifinals): Germany: 4 (Gonzalo Peillat 42nd, 51st, 58th, Niklas Wellen 59th) bt Australia: 3 (Jeremy Hayward 11th, Nathan Ephraums 26th, Blake Govers 57th); Belgium: 3 (Tom Boon 26th, Nicolas de Kerpel 44th) bt Netherlands: 2 (Jip Janssen 11th, 35th) via shootout. FT: 2-2.