Pakistan set date with Dutch for title

The Netherlands, World and Olympic champions, routed Australia 4-1, a result which meant that Pakistan edged out Australia on goal average after both teams finished level on eight points from five matches.

In the third match of the day, South Korea beat Spain 6-3.

Pakistan and Germany were all square 1-1 at half-time.

Haider Hussain, Sohail Abbas and Atif Bashir each scored for Pakistan while Max Klink scored the lone goal for Germany.

Forward Haider Hussain gave Pakistan the lead in the 12th minute when he dived to convert a cross from Mohammad Sarwar.

Both teams forced two short corners in the first half with Germany equalising in the 35th minute through Klink.

Pakistan found it hard to break the German defence and the first 10 minutes saw both teams contestingthe match in mid-field.

But then Pakistan broke through — first Sohail converted the team’s third penalty corner through a scoop in the 54th minute, then Sohail missed a penalty in the 62nd minute but 10 minutes later Bashir made it 3-1.

Earlier in the day Netherlands thrashed Australia, 4-1 to retain the top slot with 12 points on the table while Asian champions South Korea overwhelmed Spain 6-3 to take fourth place on the table.

RESULTS

Holland 4 (Remco van Wijk 27, Bram Lomans 33, 39, Marten Eikelboom 51) bt Australia 1 (Adam Commens 61)

S Korea 6 (Kang Keong Wook 35th, Yoo Moon Ki 45th, Yeo Woon Kon 47th, Song Seong Tac 51st, Kim Young Kui 65th, 70th) bt Spain 3 (Jordi Casas 49th, Juan Escarre 53rd, 56th).