Germany outclass England to reach Hockey World Cup final

 OLYMPIC champions Germany proved too strong for England to end Jason Lee's troops' hopes of reaching the Hockey World Cup final in Delhi.

CAPTAIN MARVELS: England captain Barry Middleton and Germany Captain Maximilian Muller together during the semi final of the Hockey World Cup in Delhi ((Grant Treeby Images/EHB)

Stoic defence and a ruthless streak in front of goal saw Germany emerge as 4-1 winners, courtesy of strikes from Jan-Marco Montag, Oliver Korn, Martin Haner and Linus Butt.

Richard Smith grabbed his first goal of the competition in response, for England but despite applying some late pressure, the European champions could not find a way through.

England will now have to pick themselves up and go head-to-head with the Netherlands in a bid to secure bronze.

Germany, the defending champions, roared out of the blocks and stormed into a two-goal lead after just 11 minutes.

Montag made no mistake with a penalty corner on just six minutes, firing the ball to the right of James Fair and into the net.

And England were shell-shocked when Korn latched onto a fine deflected through-ball to convert past Fair for a 2-0 lead.

England, who overcame Germany 5-3 in last year's European Championship final, dragged themselves back into the game on 19 minutes with Smith, taking over penalty corner duty from the injured Richard Mantell, firing down the middle.

But Haner, late of East Grinstead, was on target with another superbly worked penalty corner, four minutes before half-time, to restore Germany's two-goal lead.

After the break England had plenty of possession and were in the ascendancy for large spells but could not force a way through, while Germany showed exactly why they are ranked number one in the world and rubbed salt into the wounds late on.

With ten minutes remaining Germany captain Maximillian Muller rifled a penalty corner which was well saved by Fair but Butt was on hand to fire high into the net and seal his side's place in the final.

Awaiting Germany in the final will be Australia in a re-match of the 2006 gold-medal clash after the Champions Trophy winners downed the Netherlands 2-1 in Delhi.

Luke Doerner put Australia ahead after 27 minutes with a penalty corner before Glen Turner doubled the 2006 runners-up's lead from open play and while Taeke Taekema pulled one back for the Dutch, Australia clung on to reach the final.

Meanwhile, in the battle for 11th and 12th place, Canada edged out Pakistan 3-2 in extra time, courtesy of Scott Tupper's 83rd-minute strike.