Belgium into first Hockey World Cup semis; Dutch reach again

Associated Press

BHUBANESWAR, India (AP) — Belgium came from behind to beat Germany 2-1 and reach the field hockey World Cup semifinals for the first time on Thursday.

Also, the Netherlands beat tournament host India 2-1 to face defending two-time champion Australia.

Belgium will play England in the other semifinal on Saturday.

Dieter Linnekogel scored at the end of the first quarter for Germany but Alexander Hendrickx leveled for Belgium in the second from a penalty corner.

Tom Boon, one of seven Rio de Janeiro Olympic silver medallists in the lineup, scored the winner 10 minutes from time.

The Netherlands-India quarterfinal played out the same way.

India scored early thanks to Akashdeep Singh's penalty corner, and the Netherlands was quick to level, through Thierry Brinkman's field goal. Like Belgium again, the Dutch winner came 10 minutes from the end, to specialist Mink van der Weerden off a corner.

The European champion Netherlands and top-ranked Australia face each other on Saturday, four years after meeting in the final at The Hague, where the Kookaburras humbled the Dutch 6-1.

Both are three-time world champions.

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