S2H Team

The Netherlands routed Wales 6-0, just the scoreline the hosts needed to top Pool B of the Men’s EuroHockey Championships in Amstelveen on Tuesday.

The last Dutch goal came with only seconds remaining and it meant playing World Cup and defending champions Belgium in the semifinals.

The tennis-score win enabled The Netherlands to squeak past arch-rivals Germany, with whom they drew 2-2 on Sunday, and make it to the top of the pool.

Germany take on in-form England in the other semifinal.

The semifinalists were spotted in the pool’s concluding fixtures and it also meant that the quartet qualified for the 2023 World Cup in Bhubaneswar-Rourkela, India.

Belgium swamped Russia 9-2 and England beat Spain 3-2 to seal last-four spots from Pool A. In Pool B, Germany pipped France 6-5 despite trailing 2-5 after 22 minutes.

The last direct entry to the World Cup will be confirmed after Spain join France, Wales and Russia in a plate round-robin pool.