Something special about the Germans here – the killer last minutes. Mats Grahmbush’s team ambushed England in the last three minutes in the quarterfinal the other day.  Today, they finished Aran Zeleswski’s Australia who took 3-2 lead just two minutes before full time. However the comeback kings, as they are, kept attacking and a spur of reflex, Niclas Wellen pushed a close rebound into the cage, barely six seconds before the full time, which ensured their fifth World Cup entry. Germans enter the World Cup final after a gap of 12 years. Incidentally, today was their 12th semifinal encounter and won the last semifinal in India (Delhi 2010).

They are one of the youngest sides here but when it comes to killer instinct they stand head and shoulders above the rest. They, it seems, allows their rivals to score and allow them to enjoy their lead for long time but when the times closes in, German acts. England learnt their unwritten strategy in the quarterfinal. Its Australian’s turn today.

Gonzalo Peillat,  former Argentinean giant, was the giant killer with his crisp penalty corner kills. He could not convert much in the first ten penalty corners, but came on his own when Germans were trailing. It was his hattrick that floored the Australians, who lost the midfield control in the entire second half, leaving enough elbow room for frontline led by Christopher Ruhr to earn penalty corners at will.

Australian took, much like England in the quarterfinal against Germany, 2-0 lead only to see both nullified in the third quarter.

Road to Final

Beat Japan 3-0

Drew Belgium 2-2

Beat South Korea 7-2

Beat France 5-1 (Cross Over)

Beat England 2-2 (shoot out)

Beat Australia 4-3 (Semifinal).