ROSARIO (Argentina), Sept 8: Germany beat Australia 1-0 to win through to the semi-finals in the last Pool 'A' match of the women's field hockey World Cup here on Tuesday.

Germany meet Argentina and the Netherlands play England in Thursday's semi-finals. Australia will play South Korea in the 5-6 classification match on Friday.

Australia coach Frank Murray said Australia were beaten by a better team.

“We have a lot of work to do and I think that was obvious tonight because we were beaten by a much better team and they thoroughly deserve their opportunity to get into the final,” Murray said.

After a scoreless first half, Germany pressure on Australia defence in the second half yielded four penalty corners. Tina Bachmann's converted Germany's third corner chance low inside the left post for the only score of the match.

Australia had three poorly executed penalty corners.

Top-ranked Netherlands scored five goals but then lost concentration in the last five minutes to allow Japan two late goals.

Japan were not in the match from the second minute when Naomi van As beat four defenders in a long weaving run through the right to score. Maartje Paumen added two penalty corner conversions to take her to nine corner goals from the pool matches. Lidewj Welten then Kim Lammers added second half goals for the Netherlands.

Kaori Chiba punished the Netherlands' lapse of concentration to drive in from the edge of the circle and win the scrimmage for possession in front of goal for Japan's two late goals.

New Zealand won their first tournament match, defeating India 3-0 to take fourth place in Pool 'A' and will go the 7-8 playoff next Friday against China.

New Zealand took the first half honours with four shots on goal and two penalty corners but could not find the net.

India succumbed to yellow card fever in the second half as first Subhadra Pradhan was sent off then Chanchan Thokchom.

New Zealand took advantage of India's misfortune and scored through Kayla Sharland, Katie Glynn then Sharland fired in New Zealand's first penalty corner conversion of the tournament, all while India had a player suspended.

New Zealand 3                                       India 0 Netherlands 5                                       Japan 2 Australia 0                                             Germany 1. —AFP