Germany, Australia meet in hockey final

New Delhi :  Australia defeated the Netherlands 2-1 to set up a third consecutive World Cup final with two-time defending champion Germany, as Pakistan's entire squad announced their international retirement after finishing last at the 12-team tournament.

Pakistan lost 3-2 to Canada yesterday which condemned them to 12th place, their worst ever showing in the tournament.

"The players have announced their retirements and intimated this to the Pakistan Hockey Federation president," a federation spokesman said.

"All the players in the team accept their responsibility for the humiliating performance in the World Cup and have decided to retire," Ashraf told Geo News.

Earlier, the PHF said it had sacked coach Shahid Ali Khan as well as the team manager and selection committee. "It is a shameful performance that we have ended up on the last spot in the World Cup, this was something I was not expecting at all from this team," PHF President Qasim Zia said.

Germany, who lost to England in the final of the European championship last year, scored through Marco Montag, Oliver Korn, Martin Haner and Linus Butt. while Richard Smith replied for England.

"The whole team played well," said man of the match Matthias Witthaus. "Now we are looking forward to win the World Cup. With this performance there are possibilities."

"We were just awesome together. We defended solidly as a team and allowed just one goal," added Haner.

Luke Doerner converted Australia's first penalty corner to open the scoring in the 27th minute and Glenn Turner's flash strike in open play doubled the lead in the 55th for the Australians. The Netherlands finally replied three minutes later with a penalty stroke conversion by Taeke Taekema.

Meanwhile, India were to take on Argentina yesterday. If the verdict is favourable to the home team, the seventh spot would be a marginal improvement on the 11th in the last edition at Monchengladbach in 2006.