Wins for Germany and both Argentina’s teams, plus another wonderful display from the Dutch, find out what happened on day eight of the Hockey World Cup. 

Men’s Pool B: New Zealand 3-5 Germany.
Andy Hayward’s hat-trick for New Zealand proved to be in vain as Germany rattled in five goals in reply to take a 5-3 win and keep alive their slender hopes of making the semi-finals. The Germans knew only a win would do but they now have to rely on Argentina or the Netherlands slipping up if they are to progress from the pool.

A game packed with goals did not take long to get going as Florian Fuchs beat the Blacksticks’ goalkeeper in the opening two minutes. Fuchs’ goal was a splendid effort, taking the ball first time from a bouncing pass to find the net.

Hayward was denied by a fine save from Nicolas Jacobi and Hugo Inglis squandered a great chance to score when he missed the ball completely after being put in the clear by Simon Child. The usually clinical Christopher Zeller missed a penalty stroke but Martin Zwicker spared his teammates blushes by giving Germany the lead.

Hayward reduced the deficit just before the break, getting the better of Jacobi from another penalty corner, but then Zeller scored a penalty corner of his own to re-establish the two-goal cushion.

Zwicker notched his second of the match and then Benedikt Furk made it five as Germany ran riot. Hayward reduced the arrears with two late penalty corners but it was all in vain. Now the Germans will have to wait and see what their fate is for the rest of the tournament.

Men’s Pool B: Korea 0-5 Argentina.
Gonzalo Pelliat continued his blistering run of form with a hat-trick of penalty corners to help give Argentina an excellent 5-0 win over a Korea and a great chance of making the semi-finals.

Pelliat struck his first goal on four minutes giving the goalkeeper little chance with a sensational drag flick. He netted another just a few minutes later to give his team control of the game.

Lucas Villa made it 3-0 after 12 minutes and then Pelliat completed his hat-trick with just 20 minutes on the clock. Korea battled to get back into the match but Juan Manuel Vivaldi preserved his clean sheet with an excellent stop from Jung Manjae.

With 16 minutes remaining Guillermo Shickendantz showed terrific striker’s instinct to divert Agustin Mazzilli’s strike into the net. Barring a surprise result in their final match of the pool against South Africa, Argentina will make the semi-finals.

Women’s Pool B: USA 4-1 Germany.
Another splendid display from the USA booked their place in the semi-finals after they put four past Germany to take all three points. The sides were quite close in terms of shots on goal but the difference was how clinical Craig Parnham’s side were compared with their opponents.

Kathleen Sharkey gave the US the lead just before the break. Katie O’Donnell put her through on goal and she calmly slotted the ball in of the far post. Four minutes after the break it was 2-0. Caroline Nichols slapped a precise penalty corner strike into the far corner. In the 43^rd minute O’Donnell provided another piece of magic, her brilliant run and pass found Katie Reinprecht who shot on the turn to make it 3-0. Sharkey grabbed her second after seizing on a mistake by Tina Bachmann before sending a lovely backhand strike into the net beyond a helpless Barbara Vogel. Germany grabbed a late consolation through Kristina Hillmann but it was the USA’s day once again and they now march on to the semi-finals.

Women’s Pool B: England 1-2 Argentina.
Full match report here.

Women’s Pool B: China 4-3 South Africa.
A goal two minutes from time by Mengyu Wang saw off a spirited fight back from the South Africans ensuring China collected the three points from an entertaining encounter.

China raced into a 2-0 lead in the first half with goals from Meiyu Liang and Mengrong Wu. Pietie Coetzee had chances from penalty corners to cut the deficit but her radar was off and she sent her flicks wide. Kelly Madsen brought South Africa back into the match with a lovely strike but the cushion was re-established soon after by Na Wang.

Bernadette Coston made it 3-2 with just ten minutes remaining and then Coetzee levelled the scores with five minutes left. Just as it seemed it would end all square, Wang stepped up and broke South African hearts with an accurate penalty corner goal just two minutes from time.

Men’s Pool B: Netherlands 7-1 South Africa.
The Netherlands ran riot against South Africa, netting seven goals with Robbert Kemperman registering twice as the Dutch secured their spot in the semi-finals.

Kemperman set up the first goal, crossing for Seve Van Ass to deflect home and the hosts never looked back. Valentin Verga made it 2-0 after 10 minutes with a reverse stick strike. Jeroen Hertzberger scored the third from a penalty corner and then Kemperman got in on the act with his first just two minutes before the break.

Kemperman scored again three minutes into the second half, hitting a fierce shot into the roof of the net and then Billy Bakker scored his first goal of the competition.

The Dutch brought on Pirmin Blaak for the final quarter of an hour, replacing Jaap Stockmann in the home goal and Blaak was in great form, keeping out two Justin Reid-Ross penalty corners. Reid-Ross got the better of Blaak at the third attempt, beating him with a high drag flick, but Sander Baart added a seventh with six minutes remaining to secure a place in the semi-finals.