Kookaburras make hockey semis

The Kookaburras remain in contention to win a sixth successive Champions Trophy after a 4-2 win over Argentina to make the semi-finals.

Title holders Australia shook off some poor group stage form and a slow match start to beat Argentina 4-2 to reach the Champions Trophy semi-finals on Thursday.

The Kookaburras, record 13-times and five-time reigning champions, will next play Olympic title holders Germany or unbeaten England on Saturday. Pakistan, who beat The Netherlands 4-2, will be up against Belgium or arch-rivals India.

The other two quarter-finals were set for later on Thursday.

Argentina and The Netherlands continue in the placing round of the tournament which runs until Sunday.

Australia had just one group stage win and were also down 2-1 before they beat the third-place World Cup finishers Argentina.

Jeremy Hayward and Chris Ciriello were on target off penalty corners on either side of Daniel Beale's effort for victory.

Earlier, Matias Paredes and Manuel Brunet had cancelled out the Kookaburras' lead from Simon Orchard.

Kookaburras coach Graham Reid was mostly happy with the performance.

"It was a good learning experience to go behind early in the third quarter then get even and get back in front," he said.

"I'm pleased but not satisfied. Our objective coming here was to progress and develop. There were some good signs today from a couple of the young guys. We're developing leadership within the group and a few people showed leadership today, not just from the captain and the senior players but all the way through."

Pakistan, whose third and so far last title at the prestigious event dates back two decades to 1994, had lost all three group games but came alive at last in the knock-out stage to beat the Dutch for the first time since 1998.


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