MELBOURNE: Australia squandered seven penalty corners before edging England 2-1 to remain unbeaten after three rounds of the Champions Trophy men’s hockey tournament here on Tuesday.

Hampered by poor form in set pieces, the defending champion was forced to rally before denying England its first win and stay on course for a place in Sunday’s final.

England led after 13 minutes with a goal against the run of play by Iain Mackay and Australia failed to convert its first penalty corner before equalising in the 22nd minute through Grant Schubert.

Des Abbott finally gave Australia its narrow winning margin with a 59th-minute field goal.

South Korea wins

Seo Jong-ho scored two minutes from full time to give South Korea a 2-1 win over the Netherlands, boosting its chances of reaching the final.

The teams were locked 1-1 at half-time after Roderick Weusthof scored for the Netherlands in the 11th minute and Hong Eun-seong equalised for South Korea from a 26th-minute penalty corner.

Team captain Seo clinched South Korea’s second win in three matches with a brilliant 68th-minute goal.

Close match

Striker Matthias Witthaus clinched a 5-4 win for Germany in dramatic fashion, and left Spain winless, with a goal in the final minute.

Witthaus’ goal was initially ruled out by umpire Hamish Jamson, but Germany appealed to the video referee who overturned the on-field umpire’s decision.

Germany led with an early goal by Benjamin Wess, and increased that lead four minutes later when Jan-Marco Montag scored with a drag-flick from a penalty corner.

Spain pulled a goal back through Eduard Arbos, who finished off a slick passing movement from close range, but Florian Fuchs restored Germany’s two-goal margin when he deftly deflected the ball past Spanish keeper Francisco Cortes. Spain’s Xavi Ribas cut the margin to 3-2 at half-time, finding the bottom of the net from a penalty corner.

Edi Tubau levelled the scores just after half-time when he hit a reverse stick shot past German keeper Max Weinhold. Spain seized the lead through striker Pau Quemada before Fuchs levelled the scores at 4-4 with his second goal.

The results: Germany 5 (Benjamin Wess 1, Jan-Marco Montag 5, Florian Fuchs 13, 62, Matthias Witthaus 70) Spain 4 (Eduard Arbos 13, Xavi Ribas 22, Edi Tubau 41, Pau Quemada 44).

Netherlands 1 (Roderick Weusthof 11) South Korea 2 (Hong Eun-seong 26, Seo 68).

Australia 2 (Grant Schubert 21, Des Abbott 59) England 1 (Iain Mackay 13). — AP