Germany booked a semi-final date with Australia following a hard fought 2-0 win over England in the quarter-finals of the hockey Champions Trophy in Bhubaneswar on Thursday.
The Germans started the game in menacing fashion, winning five penalty corners in the opening ten minutes. But they failed to convert the chances and allowed England to claw their way back into the contest.
England's Tim Whiteman and Nick Catlin impressed with their link-up play. But they were stung a minute before half-time when Germany won their sixth corner and Moritz Furste scored from it.
England came back strong in the closing quarter, forward Adam Dixon's shot on the turn drifting dangerously across the face of goal while striker Ashley Jackson's drag-flick was palmed away by goal-keeper Nicolas Jacobi.
They also had other opportunities to score but all hopes of a late comeback were killed off with three minutes from the final whistle when Christopher Ruhr held his nerve to finish coolly from close range.
World champions Australia secured a semi-final spot after beating World Cup bronze medallists Argentina 4-2 in the second quarter-final.
Simon Orchard gave Australia a fift-minute lead when he got a stick to Russell Ford's hard right-wing cross, the ball just evading the clutches of Manuel Vivaldi.
Argentina equalised when Lucas Vila made a lovely run, ghosting around a few tackles before pulling the ball back. Facundo Callioni quickly flipped it to Matias Paredes to volley home a great goal, a minute into the second quarter.
The third quarter saw Manuel Brunet putting the Argentina ahead 2-1 after a great team move. However, Jeremy Hayward, adding his third goal in this tournament, levelled the score at 2-2 just two minutes later when his penalty corner drag-flick found its way into the net.
The 'Kookaburras' eventually secured their semi-final tickets thanks to Daniel Beale scoring from open play and Chris Ciriello firing home a penalty corner.
Argentina's 'Leones' fought hard to get back but their effort did not pay off.
