MELBOURNE, March 21: Olympic champions Australia entered the semifinals of the Commonwealth Games men’s field hockey with a 5-1 rout of England on Tuesday. The third consecutive win for the Kookaburras in group A, led by Nathan Eglington’s hat trick, made the hosts the first team in the 10-nation competition to qualify for the knock-out stage.

England, who are level with New Zealand on six points, could still take the other semifinal place from the group with a draw against winless Canada on Wednesday if Australia defeat New Zealand as expected.

The scramble for semifinal spots in group B turned serious as Malaysia stunned South Africa 2-1 and Pakistan outplayed Trinidad 7-1 in other matches.

Malaysia and Pakistan, with seven points each, clash in their last league match on Wednesday with the winner assured of topping the group and escaping a semifinal clash against Australia.

India and South Africa, who have four points each and play each other on Wednesday, will also fancy their chances of going through as the second team if they win.

Only a draw between Malaysia and Pakistan will push both teams through and leave India and South Africa in the lurch.

“There is no question of playing for a draw,” said Pakistan manager Saeed Khan. “We come to win every match, not draw them.”

Pakistan scored six goals in the first-half against lowly Trinidad, but managed just one in the second.

Rehan Butt bagged a hat trick in the first half and there were more goals from Shakeel Abbasi, Mohammad Shabbir, Mohammad Imran and Zubair Mohammad.

Trinidad ended the league without a point, conceding 31 goals in four games and scoring only three.

The Malaysians scored twice in two minutes in the second half through Logan Raj and Chua Boon Huat after Ian Symons had given South Africa the lead in the 28th minute with a penalty corner.

Malaysian coach Tan Wallace said his team was looking forward to the challenge of playing a fancied side like Pakistan.

Australia, meanwhile, showed why they are the most feared team in world hockey by playing havoc with the usually reliable England defence.

Eglington built the early pressure with a second minute goal and then scored once more three minutes before the interval to give the hosts a 2-0 lead at the break.

Captain Brent Livermore added to England’s misery by converting a penalty corner and a penalty stroke in the space of five minutes in the second half.

James Tindall pulled one back for England before Eglinton scored his third goal seven minutes before the final whistle.—Agencies

Standings

(played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, points):

Men

Group A

Australia 3 3 0 0 15 3 9

New Zealand 3 2 0 1 12 5 6

England 3 2 0 1 8 9 6

Scotland 4 1 0 3 4 13 3

Canada 3 0 0 3 2 11 0

Group B

Pakistan 3 2 1 0 12 3 7

Malaysia 3 2 1 0 11 2 7

India 3 1 1 1 12 6 4

South Africa 3 1 1 1 8 4 4

Trinidad 4 0 0 4 3 31 0

Top two teams from each group qualify for the semifinals.