Belgium thrashed Pakistan 5-0 in the third crossover match of the Hockey World Cup to qualify for the quarter-finals on Tuesday. With his loss, Pakistan's campaign at the men's hockey World Cup finally came to an end.&nbsp;

Staring the match as favourites, the Red Lions toyed with the Pakistani defence which somehow managed to hold on in the opening 10 minutes.&nbsp;

But soon, Belgium scored in each quarter with Alexander Hendrickx (10th minute), Thomas Briels (13th), Cédric Charlier (27th), Sébastien Dockier (35th) and Tom Boon (53rd) finding the target.&nbsp;

Down by four goals, Pakistan knew it was the end of the road for them. It was a one way thereafter as Belgium made all the forays and earned two more penalty corners in the process.&nbsp;

The last penalty corner resulted in a penalty stroke as the ball hit the body of a Pakistani defender and Boon made no mistake in converting the chance.

Belgium will now face Germany in the quarters. 
&nbsp;

Belgium thrashed Pakistan 5-0 in the third crossover match of the Hockey World Cup to qualify for the quarter-finals on Tuesday. With his loss, Pakistan's campaign at the men's hockey World Cup finally came to an end.

Belgium thrashed Pakistan 5-0 in the third crossover match of the Hockey World Cup to qualify for the quarter-finals on Tuesday. With his loss, Pakistan's campaign at the men's hockey World Cup finally came to an end. Staring the match as favourites, the Red Lions toyed with the Pakistani defence which somehow managed to hold on in the opening 10 minutes. But soon, Belgium scored in each quarter with Alexander Hendrickx (10th minute), Thomas Briels (13th), Cédric Charlier (27th), Sébastien Dockier (35th) and Tom Boon (53rd) finding the target. Down by four goals, Pakistan knew it was the end of the road for them. It was a one way thereafter as Belgium made all the forays and earned two more penalty corners in the process. The last penalty corner resulted in a penalty stroke as the ball hit the body of a Pakistani defender and Boon made no mistake in converting the chance. Belgium will now face Germany in the quarters.

Pakistan's Hockey WC campaign ends after crushing 0-5 defeat to Belgium

Expecting the Netherlands to be their quarterfinal opponents in the World Cup, India captain Manpreet Singh Tuesday said they will continue to play attacking hockey in a game where there will be no margin for error.

India's quarterfinal opponents will be decided later in the evening after the conclusion of the fourth cross-over match between world no. 4 Netherlands and Canada.

Like everyone else, Manpreet too expects the Dutch to sail into the last-eight round.

"We are expecting Holland to come through because they are a much better team. But whoever goes through our aim would be to give our best. It is a knockout, do-or-die match and there is no second chance. We can't afford to miss chances. At the same time, we need to be cautious and give less chances," the midfielder said.

"We need to play attacking hockey, our strength. When we try to play defensive, we tend to be too much defensive which provides more chances to opponents. We need to put pressure on them (from the start)," Manpreet explained.

The skipper said utilising chances would be crucial to success in the quarter-final.

"But it will be a very tough match and whichever team utilises its chances will win," he said.

"If you progress to the semi-finals you always have an option of finishing in the podium. You are just one match away from a medal. But if you lose in the quarterfinals, you don't get a second option.

"In the end it all boils down to how we play. If we get good chances and miss them and obviously the opposition team will take advantage of it," he added.

Manpreet listed out a series of dos and don'ts if they are pitted against three-time champions Netherlands.

"In the past we had good matches against Holland. In the Champions Trophy we drew with Holland. We have also defeated them in the past.

"Our aim would be to strengthen our defence. Holland has very good and experienced midfield. They also have good strikers. So, our aim would be to break their moves early. We can't give them easy chances and also need to convert our chances," he said.

Manpreet said the Hockey India League played a big part in the progress of the Indian team.

"Before HIL we didn't knew these players of Holland, Australia etc. But since HIL started we all know each other having played against them and shared the dressing room with them. The team has improved a lot after HIL," he said.

Manpreet didn't play the entire match against Canada in their last pool match because of fever but he has since recovered and will be a key figure in India's midfield on Thursday.

"I am fine now. In the last match I had fever so I couldn't play the full match. But I am feeling better now," he said.&nbsp;

Expecting the Netherlands to be their quarterfinal opponents in the World Cup, India captain Manpreet Singh Tuesday said they will continue to play attacking hockey in a game where there will be no margin for error.

Expecting the Netherlands to be their quarterfinal opponents in the World Cup, India captain Manpreet Singh Tuesday said they will continue to play attacking hockey in a game where there will be no margin for error. India's quarterfinal opponents will be decided later in the evening after the conclusion of the fourth cross-over match between world no. 4 Netherlands and Canada. Like everyone else, Manpreet too expects the Dutch to sail into the last-eight round. "We are expecting Holland to come through because they are a much better team. But whoever goes through our aim would be to give our best. It is a knockout, do-or-die match and there is no second chance. We can't afford to miss chances. At the same time, we need to be cautious and give less chances," the midfielder said. "We need to play attacking hockey, our strength. When we try to play defensive, we tend to be too much defensive which provides more chances to opponents. We need to put pressure on them (from the start)," Manpreet explained. The skipper said utilising chances would be crucial to success in the quarter-final. "But it will be a very tough match and whichever team utilises its chances will win," he said. "If you progress to the semi-finals you always have an option of finishing in the podium. You are just one match away from a medal. But if you lose in the quarterfinals, you don't get a second option. "In the end it all boils down to how we play. If we get good chances and miss them and obviously the opposition team will take advantage of it," he added. Manpreet listed out a series of dos and don'ts if they are pitted against three-time champions Netherlands. "In the past we had good matches against Holland. In the Champions Trophy we drew with Holland. We have also defeated them in the past. "Our aim would be to strengthen our defence. Holland has very good and experienced midfield. They also have good strikers. So, our aim would be to break their moves early. We can't give them easy chances and also need to convert our chances," he said. Manpreet said the Hockey India League played a big part in the progress of the Indian team. "Before HIL we didn't knew these players of Holland, Australia etc. But since HIL started we all know each other having played against them and shared the dressing room with them. The team has improved a lot after HIL," he said. Manpreet didn't play the entire match against Canada in their last pool match because of fever but he has since recovered and will be a key figure in India's midfield on Thursday. "I am fine now. In the last match I had fever so I couldn't play the full match. But I am feeling better now," he said.

Attacking hockey is India's strength and we will not deviate, says skipper Manpreet

France eked out a narrow 1-0 win over debutants China in the second cross-over match to advance to the quarterfinals of the men's hockey World Cup here on Monday.&nbsp;

The lone goal of the match came in the 36th minute from the stick of Timothee Clement.

France might be the lowest ranked team in the tournament at 20, but they had already shown the world that rankings hardly have any significance by stunning Olympic champions Argentina 5-3 in the pool stages.

France will face two-time defending champions and world number 1 Australia in the second quarterfinal on Wednesday.

The Frenchmen started on a bright note against world number 17 China and took the early initiative by earning four back-to-back penalty corners as early as in the second minute but wasted all the opportunities.

China made a subdued start to the game and allowed France to dominate the possession, relying mostly on their counter-attacking ability to stun their opponents.

In the 19th minute, a selfish play from Charles Masson denied France a great opportunity. After cutting inside the box from the right flank, Masson, instead of passing the ball to his teammate, went for glory and hit straight at the body of Chinese goalie Caiyu Wang from a tight angle.

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📽️ | Skipper <a href="https://twitter.com/CharletVictor?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CharletVictor</a> believes the Chinese brought their A-game to the turf but <a href="https://twitter.com/FF_Hockey?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FF_Hockey</a> found spaces to dictate the game.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HWC2018?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HWC2018</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Odisha2018?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Odisha2018</a> <a href="https://t.co/TyQfx4GquR">pic.twitter.com/TyQfx4GquR</a>
— Hockey World Cup 2018 - Host Partner (@sports_odisha) <a href="https://twitter.com/sports_odisha/status/1072162985211191296?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2018</a></blockquote>
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China came close to scoring in the 21st minute but E Wenhui missed from close range after Ao Suozhu controlled a long ball over the French defence and made his way into the circle showcasing 3D skills.

Two minutes from half-time, France were unlucky as Etienne Tynevez's deflection from a Jean-Baptiste Forgues pass hit the crossbar.

In the never next move, the Chinese goalkeeper once again came to his side's rescue by keeping out Blaise Rogeau's reverse hit from the top of the box as the Frenchmen failed to break the 'Great Wall of China' in the opening two quarters.

China came out with more purpose after halftime and came tantalisingly close to breaking the deadlock in the 33rd minute but a sliding E Wenhui's deflection from Zixiang Guo pass was parried away by an alert France goalie Arthur Thieffry.

France finally broke the resolute Chinese defence in the 36th minute through Clement.

The move was started by Viktor Lockwood, who got to the baseline with a blazing run down the left flank and cut back to Maximilien Branicki in the centre.

Branicki unleashed a fierce reverse stick at the far post which was deflected by Clement into the net.

A minute later, China secured their first penalty corner of the match but failed to capitalise on it.

The third quarter witnessed three penalty corners -- one to France and two to China.

In a desperate need for a goal to take the match into a shoot-out, China pressed hard and earned two penalty corners in succession minutes away from full time but the French goalkeeper Thieffry was upto to the task on both occasions to keep a clean slate and ensure a last eight berth for his side.&nbsp;

France eked out a narrow 1-0 win over debutants China in the second cross-over match to advance to the quarterfinals of the men's hockey World Cup here on Monday.

France eked out a narrow 1-0 win over debutants China in the second cross-over match to advance to the quarterfinals of the men's hockey World Cup here on Monday. The lone goal of the match came in the 36th minute from the stick of Timothee Clement. France might be the lowest ranked team in the tournament at 20, but they had already shown the world that rankings hardly have any significance by stunning Olympic champions Argentina 5-3 in the pool stages. France will face two-time defending champions and world number 1 Australia in the second quarterfinal on Wednesday. The Frenchmen started on a bright note against world number 17 China and took the early initiative by earning four back-to-back penalty corners as early as in the second minute but wasted all the opportunities. China made a subdued start to the game and allowed France to dominate the possession, relying mostly on their counter-attacking ability to stun their opponents. In the 19th minute, a selfish play from Charles Masson denied France a great opportunity. After cutting inside the box from the right flank, Masson, instead of passing the ball to his teammate, went for glory and hit straight at the body of Chinese goalie Caiyu Wang from a tight angle. 📽️ | Skipper @CharletVictor believes the Chinese brought their A-game to the turf but @FF_Hockey found spaces to dictate the game.#HWC2018 #Odisha2018 pic.twitter.com/TyQfx4GquR — Hockey World Cup 2018 - Host Partner (@sports_odisha) December 10, 2018 × China came close to scoring in the 21st minute but E Wenhui missed from close range after Ao Suozhu controlled a long ball over the French defence and made his way into the circle showcasing 3D skills. Two minutes from half-time, France were unlucky as Etienne Tynevez's deflection from a Jean-Baptiste Forgues pass hit the crossbar. In the never next move, the Chinese goalkeeper once again came to his side's rescue by keeping out Blaise Rogeau's reverse hit from the top of the box as the Frenchmen failed to break the 'Great Wall of China' in the opening two quarters. China came out with more purpose after halftime and came tantalisingly close to breaking the deadlock in the 33rd minute but a sliding E Wenhui's deflection from Zixiang Guo pass was parried away by an alert France goalie Arthur Thieffry. France finally broke the resolute Chinese defence in the 36th minute through Clement. The move was started by Viktor Lockwood, who got to the baseline with a blazing run down the left flank and cut back to Maximilien Branicki in the centre. Branicki unleashed a fierce reverse stick at the far post which was deflected by Clement into the net. A minute later, China secured their first penalty corner of the match but failed to capitalise on it. The third quarter witnessed three penalty corners -- one to France and two to China. In a desperate need for a goal to take the match into a shoot-out, China pressed hard and earned two penalty corners in succession minutes away from full time but the French goalkeeper Thieffry was upto to the task on both occasions to keep a clean slate and ensure a last eight berth for his side.

Hockey WC: France struggle past China 1-0 to enter quarter-finals, to play Australia on Wednesday

Considered as the cornerstone of field hockey for so long, drag-flicks are fast becoming a "dying art" because of technological advancement of the game and experts feel it is time to infuse a new life to the scoring technique before it diminishes further.

The danger is lurking over the art even though it is still not on life support. With the usage of modern technology which includes video analysis, improved coaching methods and upgraded protective gears for first-rushers, scoring with a drag-flick is becoming more and more difficult nowadays.

A statistical assessment of the matches till the pool stages of the ongoing men's World Cup here will give a fair idea about the diminishing effect of penalty corner conversions.

A total&nbsp;of 167 penalty corners were earned by the 16 participating teams in the 24 matches played so far at the end of the pool stages of the World Cup. But the conversion rate provides a threatening picture.

Out of the 167 chances, only 40 resulted in goals, which put the conversion rate at a poor 23.95 per cent.

Ask former India captain Sandeep Singh, a lethal drag-flicker in his playing days, about the concern and he sums it up beautifully.

"It is getting tougher and tougher to score from drag-flicks nowadays because every team's defence has got smarter. With protective gears in place, the first runners are not afraid today to rush in and take a hit," Sandeep told PTI.

"But there are still some flickers like Gonzalo Peillat who can beat any defence with his power and accuracy. We need variations, variations in not just attempt but in flickers' attempts as well. I mean a flicker needs to use different angles, pace to keep the opposition defence guessing," he said.

But it is not a concern that came to fore overnight. The game is witnessing low conversion rate from penalty corners since the 2016 Rio Olympics and it is decreasing with every International Hockey Federation (FIH) event.

Argentina's Peillat, considered as the best drag-flicker of the world currently, feels "surprise element" is the need of the hour.

"It's all about how the other team defend. You cannot expect the flickers to score from every corner. Every drag-flicker tries to study the defence of other teams. You have to find a way how to beat the defence," he said.

"Every team is working on variations but every time you cannot go for variations or direct hit. You have to play with both the styles. It has to be a mix and match to keep the opposition defence guessing. You need to have surprise element," Peillt said in his assessment.

Two-time defending champions Australia has so far earned 15 penalty corners and converted just five.

Australia chief coach Colin Batch said the ever-increasing decline in conversion rate is a cause of concern.

"Yeah, it is a concern. It is getting harder and harder to score from short corners. The defence are very good now. We need to get the push out really quick to give our flickers the best opportunity," Batch said.

India's analytical coach Chris Ciriello, who was a potent drag-flicker for Australia and scored three goals in the final of the last World Cup in 2014, said the use of varied types of protective gears have made defenders fearless now while defending penalty corners.

"Defending a penalty corner is safe now because of different equipments. The guys wear ice hockey gloves, thicker knee pads and shin pads. So the risk of injuries have subsided and the rushers have become fearless," Ciriello said.

But all said and done, the experts are of one opinion while giving their concluding remarks&nbsp;drag-flicks still and will remain a key component of field hockey but the execution of the art need to change with time.

Considered as the cornerstone of field hockey for so long, drag-flicks are fast becoming a "dying art" because of technological advancement of the game and experts feel it is time to infuse a new life to the scoring technique before it diminishes further.

Considered as the cornerstone of field hockey for so long, drag-flicks are fast becoming a "dying art" because of technological advancement of the game and experts feel it is time to infuse a new life to the scoring technique before it diminishes further. The danger is lurking over the art even though it is still not on life support. With the usage of modern technology which includes video analysis, improved coaching methods and upgraded protective gears for first-rushers, scoring with a drag-flick is becoming more and more difficult nowadays. A statistical assessment of the matches till the pool stages of the ongoing men's World Cup here will give a fair idea about the diminishing effect of penalty corner conversions. A total of 167 penalty corners were earned by the 16 participating teams in the 24 matches played so far at the end of the pool stages of the World Cup. But the conversion rate provides a threatening picture. Out of the 167 chances, only 40 resulted in goals, which put the conversion rate at a poor 23.95 per cent. Ask former India captain Sandeep Singh, a lethal drag-flicker in his playing days, about the concern and he sums it up beautifully. "It is getting tougher and tougher to score from drag-flicks nowadays because every team's defence has got smarter. With protective gears in place, the first runners are not afraid today to rush in and take a hit," Sandeep told PTI. "But there are still some flickers like Gonzalo Peillat who can beat any defence with his power and accuracy. We need variations, variations in not just attempt but in flickers' attempts as well. I mean a flicker needs to use different angles, pace to keep the opposition defence guessing," he said. But it is not a concern that came to fore overnight. The game is witnessing low conversion rate from penalty corners since the 2016 Rio Olympics and it is decreasing with every International Hockey Federation (FIH) event. Argentina's Peillat, considered as the best drag-flicker of the world currently, feels "surprise element" is the need of the hour. "It's all about how the other team defend. You cannot expect the flickers to score from every corner. Every drag-flicker tries to study the defence of other teams. You have to find a way how to beat the defence," he said. "Every team is working on variations but every time you cannot go for variations or direct hit. You have to play with both the styles. It has to be a mix and match to keep the opposition defence guessing. You need to have surprise element," Peillt said in his assessment. Two-time defending champions Australia has so far earned 15 penalty corners and converted just five. Australia chief coach Colin Batch said the ever-increasing decline in conversion rate is a cause of concern. "Yeah, it is a concern. It is getting harder and harder to score from short corners. The defence are very good now. We need to get the push out really quick to give our flickers the best opportunity," Batch said. India's analytical coach Chris Ciriello, who was a potent drag-flicker for Australia and scored three goals in the final of the last World Cup in 2014, said the use of varied types of protective gears have made defenders fearless now while defending penalty corners. "Defending a penalty corner is safe now because of different equipments. The guys wear ice hockey gloves, thicker knee pads and shin pads. So the risk of injuries have subsided and the rushers have become fearless," Ciriello said. But all said and done, the experts are of one opinion while giving their concluding remarks drag-flicks still and will remain a key component of field hockey but the execution of the art need to change with time.

Is drag-flick a dying art in field hockey?

England defeated New Zealand 2-0 in the first crossover of the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/hockey-world-cup">Men's Hockey World Cup 2018</a> on Monday at Odisha's Kalinga Stadium.

England will meet Argentina in the first quarter-final which is scheduled to happen on December 12.

England dominated the majority of the game but a big shout out for New Zealand's goalkeeper Richard Joyce as he made several brilliant saves in the game.

Will Calnan scored England's first goal with a perfect-mid-air deflection. Phil Roper pushed the ball from the left corner and set a perfect chance at the goalmouth for Calnan, which he scored without making any mistake.

Liam Sanford was given the player of the match for his tremendous effort in England's victory.

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FT: 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 2-0 🇳🇿 
Into the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HWC2018?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HWC2018</a> quarter-finals we go! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ThePride?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ThePride</a> 🦁 <a href="https://t.co/ynhazD3xWC">pic.twitter.com/ynhazD3xWC</a>
— England Hockey (@EnglandHockey) <a href="https://twitter.com/EnglandHockey/status/1072109066267385857?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2018</a></blockquote>
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The move was initiated by Liam Sanford then Phil Roper pushed it and Calnan timed it directly into the goal.

The second goal was scored by Luke Taylor in the concluding minutes of the third quarter.

Taylor scored after a penalty corner rebounded off and he grabbed the opportunity to extend the lead to 2-0.

England defeated New Zealand 2-0 in the first crossover of the Men's Hockey World Cup 2018 on Monday at Odisha's Kalinga Stadium. England will meet Argentina in the first quarter-final which is scheduled to happen on December 12.

England defeated New Zealand 2-0 in the first crossover of the Men's Hockey World Cup 2018 on Monday at Odisha's Kalinga Stadium. England will meet Argentina in the first quarter-final which is scheduled to happen on December 12. England dominated the majority of the game but a big shout out for New Zealand's goalkeeper Richard Joyce as he made several brilliant saves in the game. Will Calnan scored England's first goal with a perfect-mid-air deflection. Phil Roper pushed the ball from the left corner and set a perfect chance at the goalmouth for Calnan, which he scored without making any mistake. Liam Sanford was given the player of the match for his tremendous effort in England's victory. FT: 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 2-0 🇳🇿 Into the #HWC2018 quarter-finals we go! #ThePride 🦁 pic.twitter.com/ynhazD3xWC — England Hockey (@EnglandHockey) December 10, 2018 × The move was initiated by Liam Sanford then Phil Roper pushed it and Calnan timed it directly into the goal. The second goal was scored by Luke Taylor in the concluding minutes of the third quarter. Taylor scored after a penalty corner rebounded off and he grabbed the opportunity to extend the lead to 2-0.

Hockey World Cup: England defeat New Zealand to face Argentina in quarter-final

Chief India coach Harendra Singh on Saturday said for him the pool matches were a four-nation event and the real World Cup begins now after the hosts grabbed a direct entry into the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/hockey-world-cup-india-maul-canada-5-1-to-book-quarte-final-berth-182506">quarter-final with a 5-1 thrashing of Canada</a>.

India topped Pool C with seven points on account of a better goal difference than Olympic silver medallist Belgium and will play their quarter-final game on December 13.&nbsp;

"Those who have visited my room know I have already written who we will play in the quarter-finals and who in the semifinals. For me a four-nation tournament has finished and the World Cup starts now," Harendra said.&nbsp;

"From quarter-finals, you can smell a medal. The actual tournament starts with the next game."&nbsp;

Harendra said India were guilty of running too much with the ball in search of goals in the opening two quarters.&nbsp;

"We are missing in the final pass, we were running for goals. We have to wait for our moment, can't rush towards the ball. I think the first half, we did too much running," he said.

"We were too much in a hurry. We were lacking in the final execution. I think we have to throw out the childish instinct."

He, however, rued the fact that India failed to keep a clean slate.

"We were running for the ball. I want the players to tackle irrespective of their position. We failed to keep a clean-sheet and I feel bad about it," Harendra said.&nbsp;

"By conceding you give away the momentum to opponents. It puts pressure on the (future) opponents when they see the team has kept a clean sheet.

"This team doesn't look into any other team's bedroom. Our target was 6-0, we won 5-1. This team is working on that for the last 4-5 years. We have a target and we know if we achieve that we will reach where we want to," he added.

Despite leading 5-1, India removed goalkeeper PR Sreejesh for a kicking back with three minutes remaining and Harendra said it was a premeditated tactic.

"I should have done (removed goalkeeper) 3 minutes ago. It was decided that in the 8th minute we will remove, but we missed that somehow. Irrespective of the result, we had decided we will take out the keeper (shortly before the end)," he said.

The coach informed that skipper Manpreet Singh didn't play the full match as he was unwell.&nbsp;

"We knew Manpreet was having cough and sore throat. We could not use him for the entire match. So, we had one less midfielder. That's why Lalit's (Upadhyay) role changed. I pulled Lalit back a little," Harendra said.&nbsp;

Man-of-the-match Lalit, who scored two goals on Saturday, said their main focus was to maintain the structure.&nbsp;

"As the coach told us, our structure and energy should be the focus. We were going all out. He (coach) knows each and every player, how to use them. He wants us to play fearlessly," he said.

Chief India coach Harendra Singh on Saturday said for him the pool matches were a four-nation event and the real World Cup begins now after the hosts grabbed a direct entry into the quarter-final with a 5-1 thrashing of Canada.

Chief India coach Harendra Singh on Saturday said for him the pool matches were a four-nation event and the real World Cup begins now after the hosts grabbed a direct entry into the quarter-final with a 5-1 thrashing of Canada. India topped Pool C with seven points on account of a better goal difference than Olympic silver medallist Belgium and will play their quarter-final game on December 13. "Those who have visited my room know I have already written who we will play in the quarter-finals and who in the semifinals. For me a four-nation tournament has finished and the World Cup starts now," Harendra said. "From quarter-finals, you can smell a medal. The actual tournament starts with the next game." Harendra said India were guilty of running too much with the ball in search of goals in the opening two quarters. "We are missing in the final pass, we were running for goals. We have to wait for our moment, can't rush towards the ball. I think the first half, we did too much running," he said. "We were too much in a hurry. We were lacking in the final execution. I think we have to throw out the childish instinct." He, however, rued the fact that India failed to keep a clean slate. "We were running for the ball. I want the players to tackle irrespective of their position. We failed to keep a clean-sheet and I feel bad about it," Harendra said. "By conceding you give away the momentum to opponents. It puts pressure on the (future) opponents when they see the team has kept a clean sheet. "This team doesn't look into any other team's bedroom. Our target was 6-0, we won 5-1. This team is working on that for the last 4-5 years. We have a target and we know if we achieve that we will reach where we want to," he added. Despite leading 5-1, India removed goalkeeper PR Sreejesh for a kicking back with three minutes remaining and Harendra said it was a premeditated tactic. "I should have done (removed goalkeeper) 3 minutes ago. It was decided that in the 8th minute we will remove, but we missed that somehow. Irrespective of the result, we had decided we will take out the keeper (shortly before the end)," he said. The coach informed that skipper Manpreet Singh didn't play the full match as he was unwell. "We knew Manpreet was having cough and sore throat. We could not use him for the entire match. So, we had one less midfielder. That's why Lalit's (Upadhyay) role changed. I pulled Lalit back a little," Harendra said. Man-of-the-match Lalit, who scored two goals on Saturday, said their main focus was to maintain the structure. "As the coach told us, our structure and energy should be the focus. We were going all out. He (coach) knows each and every player, how to use them. He wants us to play fearlessly," he said.

Our World Cup begins now, says India coach after sealing QF berth

Pakistan assistant coach Danish Kaleem on Saturday received an official reprimand from the FIH Technical Delegate for violating security code during his side's Pool D match against Malaysia on December 5 in the ongoing Men's Hockey World Cup.

During the Pakistan-Malaysia match, Kaleem moved within the stadium without wearing the mandatory tournament accreditation and had an inappropriate behavior towards security officials.

At the hearing, Danish Kaleem admitted the breach of conduct and apologised.

The decision of the FIH Technical Delegate also includes that, if any further misconduct happens regarding the security rules which are set up for this tournament, it is likely that this will result to a suspension for the rest of the tournament and the removal of the accreditation.

The proceedings of the hearing had been initiated by the FIH Technical Delegate.

Pakistan assistant coach Danish Kaleem on Saturday received an official reprimand from the FIH Technical Delegate for violating security code during his side's Pool D match against Malaysia on December 5 in the ongoing Men's Hockey World Cup.

Pakistan assistant coach Danish Kaleem on Saturday received an official reprimand from the FIH Technical Delegate for violating security code during his side's Pool D match against Malaysia on December 5 in the ongoing Men's Hockey World Cup. During the Pakistan-Malaysia match, Kaleem moved within the stadium without wearing the mandatory tournament accreditation and had an inappropriate behavior towards security officials. At the hearing, Danish Kaleem admitted the breach of conduct and apologised. The decision of the FIH Technical Delegate also includes that, if any further misconduct happens regarding the security rules which are set up for this tournament, it is likely that this will result to a suspension for the rest of the tournament and the removal of the accreditation. The proceedings of the hearing had been initiated by the FIH Technical Delegate.

Hockey World Cup: FIH reprimands Pakistan coach for security code violation

Pakistan lost a must-win match to the Netherlands at the Hockey World Cup 2018 at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar on Sunday.

The clinical Dutch side beat Green Shirts 5-1 to finish 2nd in Group D. However, Pakistan has still made the crossover, having finished 3rd.

India will face the winner of the crossover between Netherlands &amp; Canada, while Germany face the winner of Belgium &amp; Pakistan in quarter-finals.

According to the current standings of Pool D, Pakistan’s goal difference is -1 whereas Malaysia’s goal difference is -6.

Pakistan have won five times (including a shootout), while Netherlands have won thrice and two games have ended in a draw.

Netherlands, currently ranked fourth in the world, thumped Malaysia 7-0 in their opening game while Pakistan, ranked 13, went down fighting 0-1 to Germany.

The men in green were held by Malaysia 1-1 in their next game, while Netherlands were beaten 4-1 by Germany.

Captain Mohammad Rizwan Senior has been ruled out of the rest of the tournament due to a fractured finger. He will be replaced by Arslan Qadir.

Pakistan lost a must-win match to the Netherlands at the Hockey World Cup 2018 at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar on Sunday. The clinical Dutch side beat Green Shirts 5-1 to finish 2nd in Group D.

Pakistan lost a must-win match to the Netherlands at the Hockey World Cup 2018 at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar on Sunday. The clinical Dutch side beat Green Shirts 5-1 to finish 2nd in Group D. However, Pakistan has still made the crossover, having finished 3rd. India will face the winner of the crossover between Netherlands & Canada, while Germany face the winner of Belgium & Pakistan in quarter-finals. According to the current standings of Pool D, Pakistan’s goal difference is -1 whereas Malaysia’s goal difference is -6. Pakistan have won five times (including a shootout), while Netherlands have won thrice and two games have ended in a draw. Netherlands, currently ranked fourth in the world, thumped Malaysia 7-0 in their opening game while Pakistan, ranked 13, went down fighting 0-1 to Germany. The men in green were held by Malaysia 1-1 in their next game, while Netherlands were beaten 4-1 by Germany. Captain Mohammad Rizwan Senior has been ruled out of the rest of the tournament due to a fractured finger. He will be replaced by Arslan Qadir.

Hockey World Cup: Netherlands thrash Pakistan 5–1

Olympic bronze medallist Germany defeated Malaysia 5-3 in a keenly-contested match to maintain their all-win record and seal a direct quarterfinal spot by topping Pool D at the men's hockey World Cup here on Sunday.

Germany finished their pool engagements with a maximum of nine points from three games.

Tim Herzbruch (2nd, 59th minutes) and Christopher Ruhr (14th, 18th) scored two goals each while Marco Miltkau (39th) struck the other one for the world number 6 Germans.

Malaysia's all three goals came from penalty corner conversions by Razie Rahim (26th, 42nd) and Nabil Noor (28th).

By virtue of this win, the Germans joined two-time champions Australia, Olympic champions Argentina and hosts India in the quarterfinals.

Asian Games silver medallist Malaysia are all but out of the tournament as they are placed last in Pool D with just one point and an inferior goal difference.

Only a miracle can save Malaysia from packing their bags. They can still remain in the fray if the Netherlands beat Pakistan by at least eight goals or more.

Both the teams had their chances in the game but it was Germany who were more precise with their finishing skills.

The Germans started brightly and raced to a 3-0 lead inside 18 minutes through goals from Herzbruch and Ruhr.

But the Malaysians tried to make a valiant fightback and managed to reduce the margin to 2-3 in the 28th minute through goals from Rahim and Noor.

The clinical Germans capitalised on Malaysia's defensive errors when Miltkau deflected in a Niklas Wellen's perfect lay-off in the 39th minute.

The Malaysians did not give up and narrowed down the gap to 3-4 when Rahim converted another penalty corner.

The Germans had the last laugh when Miltkau scored from a counter-attack just a minute from the final hooter to dash any hopes of Malaysia's comeback.

Both the teams had numerous scoring opportunities in the form of penalty corners. While Malaysia earned as many as eight penalty corners, the Germans secured seven in the match.

Olympic bronze medallist Germany defeated Malaysia 5-3 in a keenly-contested match to maintain their all-win record and seal a direct quarterfinal spot by topping Pool D at the men's hockey World Cup here on Sunday.

Olympic bronze medallist Germany defeated Malaysia 5-3 in a keenly-contested match to maintain their all-win record and seal a direct quarterfinal spot by topping Pool D at the men's hockey World Cup here on Sunday. Germany finished their pool engagements with a maximum of nine points from three games. Tim Herzbruch (2nd, 59th minutes) and Christopher Ruhr (14th, 18th) scored two goals each while Marco Miltkau (39th) struck the other one for the world number 6 Germans. Malaysia's all three goals came from penalty corner conversions by Razie Rahim (26th, 42nd) and Nabil Noor (28th). By virtue of this win, the Germans joined two-time champions Australia, Olympic champions Argentina and hosts India in the quarterfinals. Asian Games silver medallist Malaysia are all but out of the tournament as they are placed last in Pool D with just one point and an inferior goal difference. Only a miracle can save Malaysia from packing their bags. They can still remain in the fray if the Netherlands beat Pakistan by at least eight goals or more. Both the teams had their chances in the game but it was Germany who were more precise with their finishing skills. The Germans started brightly and raced to a 3-0 lead inside 18 minutes through goals from Herzbruch and Ruhr. But the Malaysians tried to make a valiant fightback and managed to reduce the margin to 2-3 in the 28th minute through goals from Rahim and Noor. The clinical Germans capitalised on Malaysia's defensive errors when Miltkau deflected in a Niklas Wellen's perfect lay-off in the 39th minute. The Malaysians did not give up and narrowed down the gap to 3-4 when Rahim converted another penalty corner. The Germans had the last laugh when Miltkau scored from a counter-attack just a minute from the final hooter to dash any hopes of Malaysia's comeback. Both the teams had numerous scoring opportunities in the form of penalty corners. While Malaysia earned as many as eight penalty corners, the Germans secured seven in the match.

Hockey World Cup: Germany beat Malaysia 5-3 to book quarterfinal berth

Belgium defeated South Africa 4-1 in their final Pool C clash on Saturday at Odisha's Kalinga Stadium in Men's Hockey World Cup 2018.

South Africa took a lead in the first quarter, as Nick Spooner scored a field goal within the opening minutes, but lost the momentum as the game progressed. 
&nbsp; 
But Belgium bounced back in the game with an immediate equaliser by Alexendar Hendricks, who converted a penalty corner in the 12th minute, and dominated the game from there.

The European giants took a lead in the first quarter itself when Arthur Van Doren and Loick Luypaert created an excellent move from their own half before a long ball found Simon Gougnard who beat South African goalkeeper Rassie Pieterse with a calm finish.

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.<a href="https://twitter.com/SA_Hockey?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SA_Hockey</a> gets a warm farewell with applause from the crowd at the packed Kalinga Stadium after their campaign at the OHMWC Bhubaneswar ends on 8th December. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BELvRSA?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BELvRSA</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IndiaKaGame?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IndiaKaGame</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HWC2018?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HWC2018</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DilHockey?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DilHockey</a> <a href="https://t.co/UkwAK4JgT7">pic.twitter.com/UkwAK4JgT7</a>
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Simon Gougnard was given the player of the match for his crucial contribution to the game.

Hendricks completed his brace off another penalty corner in the 21st minute as the Europeans tightened their grip on the match.

Luypaert scored Belgium's fourth goal a few seconds before half-time as the title contenders from Europe went into the break with a formidable advantage.

With seven points, Belgium sit atop of Pool C.

Belgium defeated South Africa 4-1 in their final Pool C clash on Saturday at Odisha's Kalinga Stadium in Men's Hockey World Cup 2018. South Africa took a lead in the first quarter, as Nick Spooner scored a field goal within the opening minutes, but lost the momentum as the game progressed.

Belgium defeated South Africa 4-1 in their final Pool C clash on Saturday at Odisha's Kalinga Stadium in Men's Hockey World Cup 2018. South Africa took a lead in the first quarter, as Nick Spooner scored a field goal within the opening minutes, but lost the momentum as the game progressed. But Belgium bounced back in the game with an immediate equaliser by Alexendar Hendricks, who converted a penalty corner in the 12th minute, and dominated the game from there. The European giants took a lead in the first quarter itself when Arthur Van Doren and Loick Luypaert created an excellent move from their own half before a long ball found Simon Gougnard who beat South African goalkeeper Rassie Pieterse with a calm finish. .@SA_Hockey gets a warm farewell with applause from the crowd at the packed Kalinga Stadium after their campaign at the OHMWC Bhubaneswar ends on 8th December. #BELvRSA #IndiaKaGame #HWC2018 #DilHockey pic.twitter.com/UkwAK4JgT7 — Hockey India (@TheHockeyIndia) December 8, 2018 × Simon Gougnard was given the player of the match for his crucial contribution to the game. Hendricks completed his brace off another penalty corner in the 21st minute as the Europeans tightened their grip on the match. Luypaert scored Belgium's fourth goal a few seconds before half-time as the title contenders from Europe went into the break with a formidable advantage. With seven points, Belgium sit atop of Pool C.

Hockey World Cup: Belgium thrash South Africa 4-1 in last pool match

Manpreet Singh-led team India has entered the quarter-final of <a href="http://www.wionews.com/hockey-world-cup">Men's Hockey World Cup </a>after defeating Canada 5-1 is their final Pool match at Odisha's Kalinga Stadium on Saturday.

The match became intriguing when&nbsp;the fourth and final quarter started with a 2-1 score.

While, impressive India scored four goals in the fourth quarter through Chinglensana Singh (46th minute), Lalit Upadhyay (47th, 57th) and Amit Rohidas (51st) to help the team finish with a 5-1 score.

Floris van Son of Canada scored the only goal of the team in the 39th minute.&nbsp;

After this win, India finished on top of Pool C with seven points ahead of Belgium on account of better goal difference.

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Belgium, too on seven points, finished second ahead of third-placed Canada after thrashing South Africa 5-1 in the other Pool C game earlier in the day.&nbsp;

South Africa crashed out of the tournament.

While India qualified directly for the quarter-finals by being the toppers, Belgium and Canada will play in the cross-overs for a place in the last-eight round.

The Canadian defence surrendered in front of India's relentless attack when Harmanpreet converted the home team's second penalty corner in the 12th minute.

The Indians had another penalty corner in the next minute but Amit messed up the chance but the local boy treated the crowd with a brilliant goal to finish 5-1.

Lalit Upadhyay struck twice and was given the player of the match award for his crucial contribution.

Manpreet Singh-led team India has entered the quarter-final of Men's Hockey World Cup after defeating Canada 5-1 is their final Pool match at Odisha's Kalinga Stadium on Saturday.

Manpreet Singh-led team India has entered the quarter-final of Men's Hockey World Cup after defeating Canada 5-1 is their final Pool match at Odisha's Kalinga Stadium on Saturday. The match became intriguing when the fourth and final quarter started with a 2-1 score. While, impressive India scored four goals in the fourth quarter through Chinglensana Singh (46th minute), Lalit Upadhyay (47th, 57th) and Amit Rohidas (51st) to help the team finish with a 5-1 score. Floris van Son of Canada scored the only goal of the team in the 39th minute. After this win, India finished on top of Pool C with seven points ahead of Belgium on account of better goal difference. 🏆 | A final glimpse at Pool-C where @TheHockeyIndia continue to top!#HWC2018 #Odisha2018 pic.twitter.com/uV2ouf5aR0 — Hockey World Cup 2018 - Host Partner (@sports_odisha) December 8, 2018 × 🏑 | POTM | @lalithockey | @TheHockeyIndia #HWC2018 #Odisha2018 🇨🇦 #CANvIND 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/CQ0Oekjgo1 — Hockey World Cup 2018 - Host Partner (@sports_odisha) December 8, 2018 × Belgium, too on seven points, finished second ahead of third-placed Canada after thrashing South Africa 5-1 in the other Pool C game earlier in the day. South Africa crashed out of the tournament. While India qualified directly for the quarter-finals by being the toppers, Belgium and Canada will play in the cross-overs for a place in the last-eight round. The Canadian defence surrendered in front of India's relentless attack when Harmanpreet converted the home team's second penalty corner in the 12th minute. The Indians had another penalty corner in the next minute but Amit messed up the chance but the local boy treated the crowd with a brilliant goal to finish 5-1. Lalit Upadhyay struck twice and was given the player of the match award for his crucial contribution.

Hockey World Cup: India maul Canada 5-1 to book quarter-final berth

Brothers Mark and Paul Gleghorne are to hockey what Ed and Dom Joyce are to cricket, with a common Ireland and England connection.

The Gleghorne brothers are the epitome of hockey's sibling rivalry.&nbsp;

While Ed is a more famous name having played cricket for both Ireland and England, Dom represented Ireland in only three One-Day Internationals.&nbsp;

Similarly, in hockey, the more ambitious Mark shifted allegiance to England in 2008 and had to serve a cooling-off period for three years before being eligible to represent his adopted country. Paul, on the other hand, stayed loyal to his native country.&nbsp;

On Friday, one of the brothers - Paul - was left heartbroken after his elder brother Mark scored late for England to sent Ireland packing from the ongoing men's hockey World Cup with a 4-2 result in a must-win final Pool B match.&nbsp;

For Mark, it was business as usual and emotions hardly had any place on the turf.&nbsp;

"It was a bloody tough match. It was an excellent game from both sides. It was end-to-end stuff. A draw would have been fine for both teams but it's very dangerous and so we went for the kill," Mark told PTI when asked about the match.&nbsp;

A draw between England and Ireland would have secured both the teams' place in the cross-overs, leaving China out of the tournament.&nbsp;

Mark is also disappointed that his younger brother is going home early.&nbsp;

"Yeah (I'm disappointed for Paul). Ireland is a very good team but World Cup throws up funny results. I am really disappointed for him," said the 33-year-old striker, who made his debut for England in 2011 after having served a three-year cooling-off period.&nbsp;

"He (Paul) is obviously going to be pretty disappointed. But I want to achieve something here just for myself and my teammates. I have got a responsibility just to play for my team and myself," Mark added.&nbsp;

While Mark has 233 international caps in total (105 with England, 80 for Ireland and rest with Great Britain), Paul's 218 caps are with Ireland.&nbsp;

Hailing from Antrim in Nothern Ireland, the Gleghorne brothers lived hockey from childhood and played the game together for their native club back home. 
But Mark felt Great Britain would give him better opportunities to succeed at Olympics and world level.&nbsp;

Mark was in the scheme of things for the 2012 London Olympics but, as luck would have it, he failed to make the cut because of an injury.

Paul saw his dream come true when Ireland qualified for the 2016 Rio Games for the first time in Olympics' 108-year-old history.&nbsp;

"I came from Northern Ireland so I had the option of changing sides easily. I don't regret my decision (of shifting loyalty)," Mark said.&nbsp;

"We used to play for the same club but now I live in England and he lives in Ireland. We grew up in Antrim and played for Antrim. We are only two years apart so we are pretty close. We share a lot of experiences," he added.

Brothers Mark and Paul Gleghorne are to hockey what Ed and Dom Joyce are to cricket, with a common Ireland and England connection. The Gleghorne brothers are the epitome of hockey's sibling rivalry.

Brothers Mark and Paul Gleghorne are to hockey what Ed and Dom Joyce are to cricket, with a common Ireland and England connection. The Gleghorne brothers are the epitome of hockey's sibling rivalry. While Ed is a more famous name having played cricket for both Ireland and England, Dom represented Ireland in only three One-Day Internationals. Similarly, in hockey, the more ambitious Mark shifted allegiance to England in 2008 and had to serve a cooling-off period for three years before being eligible to represent his adopted country. Paul, on the other hand, stayed loyal to his native country. On Friday, one of the brothers - Paul - was left heartbroken after his elder brother Mark scored late for England to sent Ireland packing from the ongoing men's hockey World Cup with a 4-2 result in a must-win final Pool B match. For Mark, it was business as usual and emotions hardly had any place on the turf. "It was a bloody tough match. It was an excellent game from both sides. It was end-to-end stuff. A draw would have been fine for both teams but it's very dangerous and so we went for the kill," Mark told PTI when asked about the match. A draw between England and Ireland would have secured both the teams' place in the cross-overs, leaving China out of the tournament. Mark is also disappointed that his younger brother is going home early. "Yeah (I'm disappointed for Paul). Ireland is a very good team but World Cup throws up funny results. I am really disappointed for him," said the 33-year-old striker, who made his debut for England in 2011 after having served a three-year cooling-off period. "He (Paul) is obviously going to be pretty disappointed. But I want to achieve something here just for myself and my teammates. I have got a responsibility just to play for my team and myself," Mark added. While Mark has 233 international caps in total (105 with England, 80 for Ireland and rest with Great Britain), Paul's 218 caps are with Ireland. Hailing from Antrim in Nothern Ireland, the Gleghorne brothers lived hockey from childhood and played the game together for their native club back home. But Mark felt Great Britain would give him better opportunities to succeed at Olympics and world level. Mark was in the scheme of things for the 2012 London Olympics but, as luck would have it, he failed to make the cut because of an injury. Paul saw his dream come true when Ireland qualified for the 2016 Rio Games for the first time in Olympics' 108-year-old history. "I came from Northern Ireland so I had the option of changing sides easily. I don't regret my decision (of shifting loyalty)," Mark said. "We used to play for the same club but now I live in England and he lives in Ireland. We grew up in Antrim and played for Antrim. We are only two years apart so we are pretty close. We share a lot of experiences," he added.

If cricket has Joyce brothers, hockey owns Gleghornes

England defeated Ireland 4-2 in a nail-biting game to reach the crossover stage and eliminate their opponents from the ongoing Hockey World Cup in Bhubaneshwar on Friday. 
&nbsp; 
By virtue of this win, the English side finished second in Pool B and will next play New Zealand, fondly known as Black Sticks, in order to set a clash up with Argentina in the quarter-finals.

A draw today would have sent Ireland through, and they twice managed to come from behind to level at 2-2 in the third quarter.

But James Gall restored England's lead and they held on in the final quarter before Mark Gleghorne scored a penalty corner with the last play of the game.

"It's always a tight game against Ireland and they caused us quite a lot of problems," said man-of-the-match Liam Ansell.

"But we knew that if we could take our chances then we would win the game and we did that here.

"We never wanted to draw the game - in these tournaments it's about building momentum from game to game and that's what we're trying to do."

Ireland finished bottom of Pool B, one point behind third-placed China, who drew with England and Ireland in their first two games.

England defeated Ireland 4-2 in a nail-biting game to reach the crossover stage and eliminate their opponents from the ongoing Hockey World Cup in Bhubaneshwar on Friday.

England defeated Ireland 4-2 in a nail-biting game to reach the crossover stage and eliminate their opponents from the ongoing Hockey World Cup in Bhubaneshwar on Friday. By virtue of this win, the English side finished second in Pool B and will next play New Zealand, fondly known as Black Sticks, in order to set a clash up with Argentina in the quarter-finals. A draw today would have sent Ireland through, and they twice managed to come from behind to level at 2-2 in the third quarter. But James Gall restored England's lead and they held on in the final quarter before Mark Gleghorne scored a penalty corner with the last play of the game. "It's always a tight game against Ireland and they caused us quite a lot of problems," said man-of-the-match Liam Ansell. "But we knew that if we could take our chances then we would win the game and we did that here. "We never wanted to draw the game - in these tournaments it's about building momentum from game to game and that's what we're trying to do." Ireland finished bottom of Pool B, one point behind third-placed China, who drew with England and Ireland in their first two games.

Hockey World Cup 2018: England knock out Ireland with 4-2 win

Australia finished their Pool B campaign with a dominating 11-0 win over a hapless China in the ongoing Men's Hockey World Cup here at Kalinga Stadium on Friday.

Beginning the proceedings early in the first quarter, the Aran Zalewski-led side won a penalty corner in the 10th minute through Jake Harvie, with forward Blake Govers making no mistake to open the scoring for Australia with a superb drag-flick dispatched into the roof of the net.

In the 15th minute, skipper Zalewski doubled the lead.

As Chinese goalkeeper Wang Caiyu saved a Jeremy Hayward drag-flick, Dylan Wotherspoon latched onto the rebound and cut a pass to skipper Zalewski, who completed the goal at the far post.

The goals galore did not stop, as Tom Craig, in the 16th minute, scored Australia's third goal soon after the start of the second quarter. Craig finished the goal from close range after Matt Dawson and Flynn Ogilvie exchanged one-touch passes on the left side. In the 19th minute, Govers scored his second and the fourth goal for Australia.

After having failed to convert from two successive penalty corners, the defending world champions made the third one count in the 22nd minute of the match as Jeremy Hayward placed his shot into the bottom right corner to bring up his side`s fifth goal. In the 29th minute, Jake Whetton added the sixth goal before going into half-time.

Eddie Ockenden and Govers put Whetton through on the goal with just the Chinese goalkeeper to beat, with the forward emphatically finishing his job.

In the 33rd minute, Tim Brand continued the Australian onslaught with the seventh goal for his side, before Govers completed his hattrick in the 34th minute. Hayward pounced on a loose ball just outside the penalty area and passed it to Govers, who smashed it past a helpless Wang Caiyu to bring up his third and Australia's eighth.

Dylan Wotherspoon joined the party in the 38th minute as he hit the ninth goal for the World Champions before ending the third quarter.

A defensive mix-up in the 49th minute resulted in Flynn Oglivie scoring the tenth goal for Australia.

China's first shot on goal finally arrived in the 52nd minute from their first penalty corner of the match, although it was easily saved by Australia's keeper Andrew Charter.

To seal the massive victory, Brand, in the 55th minute, rolled the ball into an empty net to complete the thrashing.

With the current standings, Australia, with nine points, have topped the Pool B table, while China, with two points, are at third place. Meanwhile, Ireland occupies the fourth place while England acquires the 2nd position with four points.&nbsp;

Australia finished their Pool B campaign with a dominating 11-0 win over a hapless China in the ongoing Men's Hockey World Cup here at Kalinga Stadium on Friday.

Australia finished their Pool B campaign with a dominating 11-0 win over a hapless China in the ongoing Men's Hockey World Cup here at Kalinga Stadium on Friday. Beginning the proceedings early in the first quarter, the Aran Zalewski-led side won a penalty corner in the 10th minute through Jake Harvie, with forward Blake Govers making no mistake to open the scoring for Australia with a superb drag-flick dispatched into the roof of the net. In the 15th minute, skipper Zalewski doubled the lead. As Chinese goalkeeper Wang Caiyu saved a Jeremy Hayward drag-flick, Dylan Wotherspoon latched onto the rebound and cut a pass to skipper Zalewski, who completed the goal at the far post. The goals galore did not stop, as Tom Craig, in the 16th minute, scored Australia's third goal soon after the start of the second quarter. Craig finished the goal from close range after Matt Dawson and Flynn Ogilvie exchanged one-touch passes on the left side. In the 19th minute, Govers scored his second and the fourth goal for Australia. After having failed to convert from two successive penalty corners, the defending world champions made the third one count in the 22nd minute of the match as Jeremy Hayward placed his shot into the bottom right corner to bring up his side`s fifth goal. In the 29th minute, Jake Whetton added the sixth goal before going into half-time. Eddie Ockenden and Govers put Whetton through on the goal with just the Chinese goalkeeper to beat, with the forward emphatically finishing his job. In the 33rd minute, Tim Brand continued the Australian onslaught with the seventh goal for his side, before Govers completed his hattrick in the 34th minute. Hayward pounced on a loose ball just outside the penalty area and passed it to Govers, who smashed it past a helpless Wang Caiyu to bring up his third and Australia's eighth. Dylan Wotherspoon joined the party in the 38th minute as he hit the ninth goal for the World Champions before ending the third quarter. A defensive mix-up in the 49th minute resulted in Flynn Oglivie scoring the tenth goal for Australia. China's first shot on goal finally arrived in the 52nd minute from their first penalty corner of the match, although it was easily saved by Australia's keeper Andrew Charter. To seal the massive victory, Brand, in the 55th minute, rolled the ball into an empty net to complete the thrashing. With the current standings, Australia, with nine points, have topped the Pool B table, while China, with two points, are at third place. Meanwhile, Ireland occupies the fourth place while England acquires the 2nd position with four points.

Hockey World Cup 2018: Australia run riot against China 11-0

France beat Olympic champions Argentina 5-3 in World Cup, Spain eliminated

Team India would look to seal a direct quarter-final berth with a win against Canada in their final Pool C match of the men's hockey World Cup on Saturday.&nbsp;

World number 5 India are currently leading Pool C with four points from two games ahead of Olympic silver medallist Belgium&nbsp;on account of a better goal difference.

India thrashed South Africa 5-0 and drew 2-2 against Belgium in their earlier matches, while Canada lost 1-2 against the Red Lions before eking out a hard-fought 1-1 draw against the Africans.

While India are placed at an advantageous position at present, the pool is still wide open. The hosts would not want to leave anything on chance and they would seek a comprehensive win on Saturday to cement their place atop the pool and directly qualify for the last eight round.

The second and third-placed teams from the pool will play cross-over matches against number 2 and 3 teams of other pools to decide the remaining last four quarterfinal places.

Going by records and form, India are hands down favourites to come out victorious against Canada.

But as we have witnessed on Thursday with world number 20 France upsetting Olympic champions Argentina in a Pool A encounter, anything can happen in modern world hockey.

Besides the better rankings, India enjoy a superior head-to-head record against Canada. Since 2013, India and Canada have played five matches against India with the hosts having won three, lost one and drawn one.

But it would be easier said than done as the Canadians have improved tremendously over the years, especially their defence, which was visible in their first game against Belgium.

The onus would be on India's lethal forward line comprising Mandeep Singh, Simranjeet Singh, Akashdeep Singh and Lalit Upadhyay to take responsibility.

The Indian midfield, led by skipper Manpreet Singh, has so far produced a decent show, while the defence need to be more agile and cautious, especially considering the fact that the backline is infamous for crumbling under pressure towards the end.

Conceding late goals has been India's perennial problem and it once again came to hurt the hosts when their defence, consisting of Birendra Lakra, Surender Kumar, Harmanpreet Singh, broke down under pressure to concede a goal four minutes from the final hooter and gift Belgium a draw in their last match.

Indian goalkeeper PR Sreejesh too does not look the same under the bar after returning to the side following an injury lay-off.

Canada have given India problems in the past, the most recent being in last year's Hockey World League semi-finals in London where they defeated India 3-2 to finish fifth.

If that was not enough, in the 2016 Rio Olympics too, India were held to a 2-2 draw by the Canadians.

But India's chief coach Harendra Singh was not in a mood to dwell in the past and said those experiences will only act as a catalyst to do better on Saturday.

"Past failures are experiences. These experiences we will try to make use the present. The present is the match against Canada. The match will decide the fate of our pool. I am not thinking about what happened in Hockey World League Semi-Final or Rio Olympics," Harendra said.

While insisting that Canada will rely on counter-attacks, the coach said India can't divert from its strength - that is attacking hockey.

"They will not give space. They wait, wait and wait to get opportunities and that will be their plan. But we have to play to our strength," Harendra said.

"You can't go and defend. You can't be on the backfoot. We have to play attacking hockey. The players have adopted attacking hockey when they were teenagers. It's in our culture. You can make minor adjustments, but not change the mindset," he added.

In the first match of Pool C on Saturday, Belgium will take on South Africa.

Team India would look to seal a direct quarter-final berth with a win against Canada in their final Pool C match of the men's hockey World Cup on Saturday. World number 5 India are currently leading Pool C with four points from two games ahead of Olympic silver medallist Belgium on account of a better goal difference.

Team India would look to seal a direct quarter-final berth with a win against Canada in their final Pool C match of the men's hockey World Cup on Saturday. World number 5 India are currently leading Pool C with four points from two games ahead of Olympic silver medallist Belgium on account of a better goal difference. India thrashed South Africa 5-0 and drew 2-2 against Belgium in their earlier matches, while Canada lost 1-2 against the Red Lions before eking out a hard-fought 1-1 draw against the Africans. While India are placed at an advantageous position at present, the pool is still wide open. The hosts would not want to leave anything on chance and they would seek a comprehensive win on Saturday to cement their place atop the pool and directly qualify for the last eight round. The second and third-placed teams from the pool will play cross-over matches against number 2 and 3 teams of other pools to decide the remaining last four quarterfinal places. Going by records and form, India are hands down favourites to come out victorious against Canada. But as we have witnessed on Thursday with world number 20 France upsetting Olympic champions Argentina in a Pool A encounter, anything can happen in modern world hockey. Besides the better rankings, India enjoy a superior head-to-head record against Canada. Since 2013, India and Canada have played five matches against India with the hosts having won three, lost one and drawn one. But it would be easier said than done as the Canadians have improved tremendously over the years, especially their defence, which was visible in their first game against Belgium. The onus would be on India's lethal forward line comprising Mandeep Singh, Simranjeet Singh, Akashdeep Singh and Lalit Upadhyay to take responsibility. The Indian midfield, led by skipper Manpreet Singh, has so far produced a decent show, while the defence need to be more agile and cautious, especially considering the fact that the backline is infamous for crumbling under pressure towards the end. Conceding late goals has been India's perennial problem and it once again came to hurt the hosts when their defence, consisting of Birendra Lakra, Surender Kumar, Harmanpreet Singh, broke down under pressure to concede a goal four minutes from the final hooter and gift Belgium a draw in their last match. Indian goalkeeper PR Sreejesh too does not look the same under the bar after returning to the side following an injury lay-off. Canada have given India problems in the past, the most recent being in last year's Hockey World League semi-finals in London where they defeated India 3-2 to finish fifth. If that was not enough, in the 2016 Rio Olympics too, India were held to a 2-2 draw by the Canadians. But India's chief coach Harendra Singh was not in a mood to dwell in the past and said those experiences will only act as a catalyst to do better on Saturday. "Past failures are experiences. These experiences we will try to make use the present. The present is the match against Canada. The match will decide the fate of our pool. I am not thinking about what happened in Hockey World League Semi-Final or Rio Olympics," Harendra said. While insisting that Canada will rely on counter-attacks, the coach said India can't divert from its strength - that is attacking hockey. "They will not give space. They wait, wait and wait to get opportunities and that will be their plan. But we have to play to our strength," Harendra said. "You can't go and defend. You can't be on the backfoot. We have to play attacking hockey. The players have adopted attacking hockey when they were teenagers. It's in our culture. You can make minor adjustments, but not change the mindset," he added. In the first match of Pool C on Saturday, Belgium will take on South Africa.

India look for convincing win against Canada to book quarter-final berth

In a high voltage match, France defeated Olympic Champions Argentina 5-3 in the 3rd round of Pool-A match of the Men’s Hockey World Cup at Kalinga stadium in Bhubaneshwar on Thursday.&nbsp;

However, Argentina are through to the quarterfinals as they top the table with six points after defeating Spain 4-3 in the first match and New Zealand 3-0 in their 2nd match.

The bad news is for Spain as they got eliminated after being at the fourth position in Pool-A.

Meanwhile, France ended their pool engagements on the second spot with our points on account of a better goal difference than New Zealand (4 points).

As per the format of the tournament, the top four teams from four pools will directly qualify for the quarterfinals while the second and third-placed sides will play cross-over matches against teams of other pools for the remaining four last eight berths.

In a high voltage match, France defeated Olympic Champions Argentina 5-3 in the 3rd round of Pool-A match of the Men’s Hockey World Cup at Kalinga stadium in Bhubaneshwar on Thursday.

In a high voltage match, France defeated Olympic Champions Argentina 5-3 in the 3rd round of Pool-A match of the Men’s Hockey World Cup at Kalinga stadium in Bhubaneshwar on Thursday. However, Argentina are through to the quarterfinals as they top the table with six points after defeating Spain 4-3 in the first match and New Zealand 3-0 in their 2nd match. The bad news is for Spain as they got eliminated after being at the fourth position in Pool-A. Meanwhile, France ended their pool engagements on the second spot with our points on account of a better goal difference than New Zealand (4 points). As per the format of the tournament, the top four teams from four pools will directly qualify for the quarterfinals while the second and third-placed sides will play cross-over matches against teams of other pools for the remaining four last eight berths.

Hockey World Cup: France upset Argentina; knock Spain out of tournament

New Zealand fought back from two goals down to hold Spain to a 2-2 draw in their penultimate Pool A match. By the virtue of this draw, the Kiwis have qualified for the knock-out stages of the men’s hockey World Cup.&nbsp;

Spain scored two field goals in the opening two quarters through Albert Beltran (9th minute) and Alvaro Iglesias (27th) to go into the half time with a comfortable 2-0 lead.

But the Black Sticks made a stupendous comeback in the final 10 minutes of the game and scored through Hayden Phillips (50th) and Kane Russell (56th) to upset the World no 8.&nbsp;

In the encounter, it was the Black Sticks who had the first shy at the goal in the sixth minute but Hugo Inglis strike from close range was saved by Spain captain and goalkeeper Quico Cortes.

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📸 | Glimpses from the tightly-fought game between <a href="https://twitter.com/rfe_hockey?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@rfe_hockey</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/BlackSticks?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BlackSticks</a>!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HWC2018?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HWC2018</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Odisha2018?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Odisha2018</a> <a href="https://t.co/TqCKNl0YBp">pic.twitter.com/TqCKNl0YBp</a>
— Hockey World Cup 2018 - Host Partner (@sports_odisha) <a href="https://twitter.com/sports_odisha/status/1070669398053011456?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 6, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Meanwhile, Olympic champions Argentina are at top of Pool A with six points from two wins. Despite losing to France by a margin of two goals, Argentina continues to top Pool A.

New Zealand fought back from two goals down to hold Spain to a 2-2 draw in their penultimate Pool A match. By the virtue of this draw, the Kiwis have qualified for the knock-out stages of the men’s hockey World Cup.

New Zealand fought back from two goals down to hold Spain to a 2-2 draw in their penultimate Pool A match. By the virtue of this draw, the Kiwis have qualified for the knock-out stages of the men’s hockey World Cup. Spain scored two field goals in the opening two quarters through Albert Beltran (9th minute) and Alvaro Iglesias (27th) to go into the half time with a comfortable 2-0 lead. But the Black Sticks made a stupendous comeback in the final 10 minutes of the game and scored through Hayden Phillips (50th) and Kane Russell (56th) to upset the World no 8. In the encounter, it was the Black Sticks who had the first shy at the goal in the sixth minute but Hugo Inglis strike from close range was saved by Spain captain and goalkeeper Quico Cortes. 📸 | Glimpses from the tightly-fought game between @rfe_hockey and @BlackSticks!#HWC2018 #Odisha2018 pic.twitter.com/TqCKNl0YBp — Hockey World Cup 2018 - Host Partner (@sports_odisha) December 6, 2018 × Meanwhile, Olympic champions Argentina are at top of Pool A with six points from two wins. Despite losing to France by a margin of two goals, Argentina continues to top Pool A.

Hockey World Cup 2018: New Zealand hold Spain to 2-2 draw, qualify for cross-overs

Malaysia held four-time world champions Pakistan to a 1-1 draw in a pool game of the ongoing Men's Hockey World Cup 2018 in Bhubaneswar.&nbsp;

The game was crucial for both the teams to enhance their chances to get a place in cross-overs and the winner of today’s match would have finished in top 3 but the virtue of this draw, Pool D remains quite open.&nbsp;

Malaysia gave a stiff challenge to Pakistan and did not allow the opposition to score easily despite giving many penalty corners.&nbsp;

Pakistan had many chances to score but all went in vain thanks to goalkeeper Kumar Subramaniam, who pulled off some stunning saves.&nbsp;

Both the teams went goalless in the first three quarters but took charge in the fourth. First Pakistan scored, a goal which could have been avoided, and minutes later Malaysia scored the equaliser.&nbsp;

After this game, both Pakistan and Malaysia stand with 1 point each while Germany tops the chart with 6 points and Netherlands occupies the second position with three points. &nbsp;

Malaysia held four-time world champions Pakistan to a 1-1 draw in a pool game of the ongoing Men's Hockey World Cup 2018 in Bhubaneswar. The game was crucial for both the teams to enhance their chances to get a place in cross-overs and the winner of today’s match would have finished in top 3 but the virtue of this draw, Pool D remains quite open.

Malaysia held four-time world champions Pakistan to a 1-1 draw in a pool game of the ongoing Men's Hockey World Cup 2018 in Bhubaneswar. The game was crucial for both the teams to enhance their chances to get a place in cross-overs and the winner of today’s match would have finished in top 3 but the virtue of this draw, Pool D remains quite open. Malaysia gave a stiff challenge to Pakistan and did not allow the opposition to score easily despite giving many penalty corners. Pakistan had many chances to score but all went in vain thanks to goalkeeper Kumar Subramaniam, who pulled off some stunning saves. Both the teams went goalless in the first three quarters but took charge in the fourth. First Pakistan scored, a goal which could have been avoided, and minutes later Malaysia scored the equaliser. After this game, both Pakistan and Malaysia stand with 1 point each while Germany tops the chart with 6 points and Netherlands occupies the second position with three points.

Hockey World Cup 2018: Malaysia hold Pakistan to 1-1 draw

Two-time champions Germany outclassed Netherlands 4-1 in their second Pool D match to inch closer towards booking a direct quarterfinal berth at the ongoing men's hockey World Cup here on Wednesday.

Germany came back from a goal down and scored through Mathias Muller (30th minute), Lukas Windfeder (52nd), Marco Miltkau (54th) and Christopher Ruhr (58th) to register their second consecutive win in the pool.

Netherlands, who took the early lead through Valentin Verga in the 13th minute, failed to capitalise the start.&nbsp;

After this win, Germany are atop Pool D with six points from two wins ahead of the Netherlands, who are on three points.

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"Matches like these, keep the team grounded. We will come back stronger in all scenarios of the tournament which can arise now," says Chief Coach Maximiliano Caldas. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GERvNED?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GERvNED</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IndiaKaGame?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IndiaKaGame</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HWC2018?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HWC2018</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DilHockey?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DilHockey</a> <a href="https://t.co/gQqwi0y1kj">pic.twitter.com/gQqwi0y1kj</a>
— Hockey India (@TheHockeyIndia) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheHockeyIndia/status/1070320654904369152?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 5, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Germany had earlier defeated Pakistan 1-0 in their opening match, while Netherlands had mauled Malaysia 7-0.

Two-time champions Germany outclassed Netherlands 4-1 in their second Pool D match to inch closer towards booking a direct quarterfinal berth at the ongoing men's hockey World Cup here on Wednesday.

Two-time champions Germany outclassed Netherlands 4-1 in their second Pool D match to inch closer towards booking a direct quarterfinal berth at the ongoing men's hockey World Cup here on Wednesday. Germany came back from a goal down and scored through Mathias Muller (30th minute), Lukas Windfeder (52nd), Marco Miltkau (54th) and Christopher Ruhr (58th) to register their second consecutive win in the pool. Netherlands, who took the early lead through Valentin Verga in the 13th minute, failed to capitalise the start. After this win, Germany are atop Pool D with six points from two wins ahead of the Netherlands, who are on three points. "Matches like these, keep the team grounded. We will come back stronger in all scenarios of the tournament which can arise now," says Chief Coach Maximiliano Caldas. #GERvNED #IndiaKaGame #HWC2018 #DilHockey pic.twitter.com/gQqwi0y1kj — Hockey India (@TheHockeyIndia) December 5, 2018 × Germany had earlier defeated Pakistan 1-0 in their opening match, while Netherlands had mauled Malaysia 7-0.

Hockey World Cup: Germany score three late goals to beat Netherlands 4-1

India hockey player and goalkeeper PR Sreejesh was allowed to fly back to Kerala to check on his father, who was hospitalised due to a heart problem.

However, the Indian custodian will return well before India's third and final match against Canada on December 8.

"His father isn't well and there was a big gap before our third match against Canada. So Sreejesh was given permission to visit his family," coach Harendra Singh said at the team's training session on Wednesday morning.&nbsp;

On Tuesday, the Indian hockey team visited the fan park at the Kalinga Stadium complex but Sreejesh wasn't part of the feliciatation organised by the Odisha Police.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, India defeated South Africa 5-0 in their first match and drew 2-2 against Belgium. The hosts are currently on top of Pool C with four points, ahead of Belgium (4 points) on goal difference.&nbsp;

Canada are currently third and South Africa fourth. Both have a point each. The last two matches in the pool will decide who finishe on top and makes a direct entry into the quarterfinals.&nbsp;

India hockey player and goalkeeper PR Sreejesh was allowed to fly back to Kerala to check on his father, who was hospitalised due to a heart problem. However, the Indian custodian will return well before India's third and final match against Canada on December 8.

India hockey player and goalkeeper PR Sreejesh was allowed to fly back to Kerala to check on his father, who was hospitalised due to a heart problem. However, the Indian custodian will return well before India's third and final match against Canada on December 8. "His father isn't well and there was a big gap before our third match against Canada. So Sreejesh was given permission to visit his family," coach Harendra Singh said at the team's training session on Wednesday morning. On Tuesday, the Indian hockey team visited the fan park at the Kalinga Stadium complex but Sreejesh wasn't part of the feliciatation organised by the Odisha Police. Meanwhile, India defeated South Africa 5-0 in their first match and drew 2-2 against Belgium. The hosts are currently on top of Pool C with four points, ahead of Belgium (4 points) on goal difference. Canada are currently third and South Africa fourth. Both have a point each. The last two matches in the pool will decide who finishe on top and makes a direct entry into the quarterfinals.

Hockey World Cup: Indian keeper Sreejesh flies home to check on ailing father

Debutants China displayed an impressive game of hockey to hold Ireland in their second pool game in the ongoing Men's Hockey World cup on Tuesday &nbsp;

The green machine missed a series of chances as they dominated the first half.

But Guo Jin's penalty corner gave China a 43th-minute lead and while Alan Sothern immediately levelled, the Irish could not force a winner.

The Irish must avoid defeat against England in their final pool game in Bhubaneswar to make the knockout stage.

Both the teams are on one point after two games but the Irish have the better goal difference.

Chinese keeper Guo Xiaoping saved a Shane O'Donoghue penalty corner early in the second quarter before Sothern flicked just wide as the dominant Irish had 62% of the first-half possession.

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🏑 | POTM | <a href="https://twitter.com/alansothern23?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@alansothern23</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/irishhockey?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@irishhockey</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HWC2018?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HWC2018</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Odisha2018?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Odisha2018</a> 
🇮🇪 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IRLvCHN?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IRLvCHN</a> 🇨🇳 <a href="https://t.co/R9UstAP220">pic.twitter.com/R9UstAP220</a>
— Hockey World Cup 2018 - Host Partner (@sports_odisha) <a href="https://twitter.com/sports_odisha/status/1069971078338891776?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 4, 2018</a></blockquote>
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🏆 | The group is still open to some competition...except for the pole position that is firmly in grip of the <a href="https://twitter.com/Kookaburras?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Kookaburras</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HWC2018?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HWC2018</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Odisha2018?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Odisha2018</a> <a href="https://t.co/2qYXYFKnoD">pic.twitter.com/2qYXYFKnoD</a>
— Hockey World Cup 2018 - Host Partner (@sports_odisha) <a href="https://twitter.com/sports_odisha/status/1069972780010004480?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 4, 2018</a></blockquote>
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China, especially in the first two quarters, were overprotective of their penalty circle; only thrice they ventured into the Irish circle.

The fourth quarter witnessed a repeat of the first half, wherein Ireland sought a goal in desperation and China retreating to their half, denying them. 
&nbsp;

Debutants China displayed an impressive game of hockey to hold Ireland in their second pool game in the ongoing Men's Hockey World cup on Tuesday The green machine missed a series of chances as they dominated the first half.

Debutants China displayed an impressive game of hockey to hold Ireland in their second pool game in the ongoing Men's Hockey World cup on Tuesday The green machine missed a series of chances as they dominated the first half. But Guo Jin's penalty corner gave China a 43th-minute lead and while Alan Sothern immediately levelled, the Irish could not force a winner. The Irish must avoid defeat against England in their final pool game in Bhubaneswar to make the knockout stage. Both the teams are on one point after two games but the Irish have the better goal difference. Chinese keeper Guo Xiaoping saved a Shane O'Donoghue penalty corner early in the second quarter before Sothern flicked just wide as the dominant Irish had 62% of the first-half possession. 🏑 | POTM | @alansothern23 | @irishhockey #HWC2018 #Odisha2018 🇮🇪 #IRLvCHN 🇨🇳 pic.twitter.com/R9UstAP220 — Hockey World Cup 2018 - Host Partner (@sports_odisha) December 4, 2018 × 🏆 | The group is still open to some competition...except for the pole position that is firmly in grip of the @Kookaburras #HWC2018 #Odisha2018 pic.twitter.com/2qYXYFKnoD — Hockey World Cup 2018 - Host Partner (@sports_odisha) December 4, 2018 × China, especially in the first two quarters, were overprotective of their penalty circle; only thrice they ventured into the Irish circle. The fourth quarter witnessed a repeat of the first half, wherein Ireland sought a goal in desperation and China retreating to their half, denying them.

Hockey World Cup 2018: Debutants China hold Ireland to 1-1 draw

Two-time defending champions Australia scored three goals in the fourth and final quarter to beat England by a comfortable 3-0 margin and register their second consecutive win in Pool B at the men's hockey World Cup on Tuesday.&nbsp;

The win took Australia to the top of Pool B with six points from two games and virtually secured their place in the quarterfinals of the 16-team event.&nbsp; The Kookaburras had earlier defeated Ireland 2-1 in their tournament opener.&nbsp;

For England, the loss was a major setback after the 2-2 draw against debutants China in the opening game.&nbsp;

England got their first penalty corner a minute away from halftime but wasted the chance as both the teams failed to break the deadlock in the opening two quarters.&nbsp;

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MOTM Matthew Swann says the <a href="https://twitter.com/Kookaburras?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@kookaburras</a> have made their path to the Quarter Finals a lot easier, but the team cannot afford to get complacent at a high-profile tournament like the OHMWC Bhubaneswar 2018.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IndiaKaGame?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IndiaKaGame</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HWC2018?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HWC2018</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DilHockey?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DilHockey</a> <a href="https://t.co/YWEQNtAZz5">pic.twitter.com/YWEQNtAZz5</a>
— Hockey India (@TheHockeyIndia) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheHockeyIndia/status/1069958620312268800?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 4, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Australia will play China in their last pool match on December 7, while England will be up against neighbours Ireland.&nbsp;

Two-time defending champions Australia scored three goals in the fourth and final quarter to beat England by a comfortable 3-0 margin and register their second consecutive win in Pool B at the men's hockey World Cup on Tuesday.

Two-time defending champions Australia scored three goals in the fourth and final quarter to beat England by a comfortable 3-0 margin and register their second consecutive win in Pool B at the men's hockey World Cup on Tuesday. The win took Australia to the top of Pool B with six points from two games and virtually secured their place in the quarterfinals of the 16-team event. The Kookaburras had earlier defeated Ireland 2-1 in their tournament opener. For England, the loss was a major setback after the 2-2 draw against debutants China in the opening game. England got their first penalty corner a minute away from halftime but wasted the chance as both the teams failed to break the deadlock in the opening two quarters. MOTM Matthew Swann says the @kookaburras have made their path to the Quarter Finals a lot easier, but the team cannot afford to get complacent at a high-profile tournament like the OHMWC Bhubaneswar 2018.#IndiaKaGame #HWC2018 #DilHockey pic.twitter.com/YWEQNtAZz5 — Hockey India (@TheHockeyIndia) December 4, 2018 × Australia will play China in their last pool match on December 7, while England will be up against neighbours Ireland.

Hockey World cup 2018: Australia score three late goals to beat England

Pakistan hockey team visited the Fan Village in Kalinga Stadium, which has been designed to keep visitors engaged in various activities, to meet and interact with their fans.

Pakistan is placed with&nbsp;Netherlands,&nbsp;Germany and Malaysia in Pool D of <a href="http://www.wionews.com/hockey-world-cup">2018 of Men's Hockey World Cup</a>.

In the presence of captain Hassan Sardar and Coach Tauqeer Dar, the entire team was felicitated by Dr Rajendra Prasad Sharma, who is the Director General of Police, Odisha.

Allowing fans to meet their favourite stars are first-of-its-kind of initiative, which attempts to offer the spectators an opportunity to see their favourite stars up close and personal.

The village set up in an area of 18,000 square meters has been designed to keep visitors engaged in various activities.

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📸 | <a href="https://twitter.com/PHFOfficial?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PHFOfficial</a> squad led by legend Hassan Sardar and Coach Tauqeer Dar visited the <a href="https://twitter.com/odisha_police?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@odisha_police</a> fan zone in Kalinga Stadium where they were felicitated by <a href="https://twitter.com/DGPOdisha?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DGPOdisha</a> Dr Rajendra Prasad Sharma.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HWC2018?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HWC2018</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Odisha2018?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Odisha2018</a> <a href="https://t.co/9Y5Qkpjwtm">pic.twitter.com/9Y5Qkpjwtm</a>
— Hockey World Cup 2018 - Host Partner (@sports_odisha) <a href="https://twitter.com/sports_odisha/status/1069830579707830272?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 4, 2018</a></blockquote>
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"We wanted to make the Hockey Men`s World Cup a truly memorable experience for the fans who have turned out in great numbers to cheer for their favourite teams and create an electrifying atmosphere in the stadium that motivates the players to perform their best," said Elena Norman, CEO, Hockey India.

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Fans were up for a big treat when <a href="https://twitter.com/PHFOfficial?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PHFOfficial</a> contingent arrived at the OHMWC Bhubaneswar 2018 Fan Village on the evening of 4th December. They were given a warm welcome with heavy drum beats.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IndiaKaGame?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IndiaKaGame</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HWC2018?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HWC2018</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DilHockey?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DilHockey</a> <a href="https://t.co/OkQMGjNUdz">pic.twitter.com/OkQMGjNUdz</a>
— Hockey India (@TheHockeyIndia) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheHockeyIndia/status/1069564664424488961?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 3, 2018</a></blockquote>
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"While the spectators come and watch the exhilarating hockey action on the pitch, we wanted them to have an opportunity to meet their favourite stars up-close and the participating teams too were forthcoming to support the initiative," she said.

Four-time champions Pakistan produced a lion-hearted performance before going down 0-1 to Olympic bronze medallist Germany in their opening Pool D match of the men's hockey World Cup here on Saturday.

Next, they will meet Malaysia on December 5.

Pakistan hockey team visited the Fan Village in Kalinga Stadium, which has been designed to keep visitors engaged in various activities, to meet and interact with their fans.

Pakistan hockey team visited the Fan Village in Kalinga Stadium, which has been designed to keep visitors engaged in various activities, to meet and interact with their fans. Pakistan is placed with Netherlands, Germany and Malaysia in Pool D of 2018 of Men's Hockey World Cup. In the presence of captain Hassan Sardar and Coach Tauqeer Dar, the entire team was felicitated by Dr Rajendra Prasad Sharma, who is the Director General of Police, Odisha. Allowing fans to meet their favourite stars are first-of-its-kind of initiative, which attempts to offer the spectators an opportunity to see their favourite stars up close and personal. The village set up in an area of 18,000 square meters has been designed to keep visitors engaged in various activities. 📸 | @PHFOfficial squad led by legend Hassan Sardar and Coach Tauqeer Dar visited the @odisha_police fan zone in Kalinga Stadium where they were felicitated by @DGPOdisha Dr Rajendra Prasad Sharma.#HWC2018 #Odisha2018 pic.twitter.com/9Y5Qkpjwtm — Hockey World Cup 2018 - Host Partner (@sports_odisha) December 4, 2018 × "We wanted to make the Hockey Men`s World Cup a truly memorable experience for the fans who have turned out in great numbers to cheer for their favourite teams and create an electrifying atmosphere in the stadium that motivates the players to perform their best," said Elena Norman, CEO, Hockey India. Fans were up for a big treat when @PHFOfficial contingent arrived at the OHMWC Bhubaneswar 2018 Fan Village on the evening of 4th December. They were given a warm welcome with heavy drum beats.#IndiaKaGame #HWC2018 #DilHockey pic.twitter.com/OkQMGjNUdz — Hockey India (@TheHockeyIndia) December 3, 2018 × "While the spectators come and watch the exhilarating hockey action on the pitch, we wanted them to have an opportunity to meet their favourite stars up-close and the participating teams too were forthcoming to support the initiative," she said. Four-time champions Pakistan produced a lion-hearted performance before going down 0-1 to Olympic bronze medallist Germany in their opening Pool D match of the men's hockey World Cup here on Saturday. Next, they will meet Malaysia on December 5.

Pakistan hockey team visits Fan Zone in Odisha ahead of crucial Malaysia clash

Argentina displayed a brilliant game of hockey to beat New Zealand 3-0 to inch closer towards a direct quarterfinal spot at the men's hockey World Cup on Monday.

Argentina scored thrice through Agustin Mazzilli (23rd), Lucas Villa (41st) and Lucas Martinez (55th) to pocket full three points from the Pool A encounter at the Kalinga Stadium.

By virtue of two wins from as many games, Argentina are atop Pool A with six points and they have brightened their chances of a direct berth in the last eight round.

New Zealand are at the second place with three points from two games ahead of Spain and France, both of whom have one point each.

Argentina had earlier defeated Spain 4-3 in their tournament opener while New Zealand had beaten France 2-1.

While Argentina will play world number 20 France in their last pool match on December 6, New Zealand will be up against Spain.

Argentina started the proceedings on a bright note and got the first scoring opportunity of the match in the fifth minute in the form of a penalty corner but they wasted the chance.

Barring this, it was a dull opening quarter which witnessed a midfield slugfest.

A minute into the second quarter, Argentina came close to taking the lead but Lucas Villa's try from close range was kept away by New Zealand goalkeeper Richard Joyce.

New Zealand got their first opportunity in the 18th minute when they were awarded a penalty corner but Kane Russell's flick was saved by Argentina custodian Juan Vivaldi.

Seven minutes from half time, the Los Leones finally broke the shackles when Mazzilli scored his third goal of the tournament.

An inch-perfect defence-splitting pass from Gonzalo Peillat found Mazzilli unmarked inside the New Zealand box and the striker first controlled the ball and then sent it crashing into board with a reverse hit.

That was all the first two quarters produced as Argentina went into the halfway break with a slender one goal lead.

Argentina continued their dominance after the breather and secured two penalty corners in the first five minutes of the third quarter but drag-flicker Peillat witnessed an off day in office on Monday.

But it did not take too long for Argentina to extend their lead through Villa, who slotted home in the 41st minute after snatching the ball inside the box from the sticks of New Zealand skipper Blair Tarrant.

Trailing by two goals, New Zealand pressed hard in the fourth and final quarter and secured their second penalty corner but the Black Sticks made a mess of the chance.

Five minutes from the final hooter, Argentina got their fourth penalty corner and Martinez scored from a rebound to shut the doors on New Zealand.&nbsp;

Argentina displayed a brilliant game of hockey to beat New Zealand 3-0 to inch closer towards a direct quarterfinal spot at the men's hockey World Cup on Monday.

Argentina displayed a brilliant game of hockey to beat New Zealand 3-0 to inch closer towards a direct quarterfinal spot at the men's hockey World Cup on Monday. Argentina scored thrice through Agustin Mazzilli (23rd), Lucas Villa (41st) and Lucas Martinez (55th) to pocket full three points from the Pool A encounter at the Kalinga Stadium. By virtue of two wins from as many games, Argentina are atop Pool A with six points and they have brightened their chances of a direct berth in the last eight round. New Zealand are at the second place with three points from two games ahead of Spain and France, both of whom have one point each. Argentina had earlier defeated Spain 4-3 in their tournament opener while New Zealand had beaten France 2-1. While Argentina will play world number 20 France in their last pool match on December 6, New Zealand will be up against Spain. Argentina started the proceedings on a bright note and got the first scoring opportunity of the match in the fifth minute in the form of a penalty corner but they wasted the chance. Barring this, it was a dull opening quarter which witnessed a midfield slugfest. A minute into the second quarter, Argentina came close to taking the lead but Lucas Villa's try from close range was kept away by New Zealand goalkeeper Richard Joyce. New Zealand got their first opportunity in the 18th minute when they were awarded a penalty corner but Kane Russell's flick was saved by Argentina custodian Juan Vivaldi. Seven minutes from half time, the Los Leones finally broke the shackles when Mazzilli scored his third goal of the tournament. An inch-perfect defence-splitting pass from Gonzalo Peillat found Mazzilli unmarked inside the New Zealand box and the striker first controlled the ball and then sent it crashing into board with a reverse hit. That was all the first two quarters produced as Argentina went into the halfway break with a slender one goal lead. Argentina continued their dominance after the breather and secured two penalty corners in the first five minutes of the third quarter but drag-flicker Peillat witnessed an off day in office on Monday. But it did not take too long for Argentina to extend their lead through Villa, who slotted home in the 41st minute after snatching the ball inside the box from the sticks of New Zealand skipper Blair Tarrant. Trailing by two goals, New Zealand pressed hard in the fourth and final quarter and secured their second penalty corner but the Black Sticks made a mess of the chance. Five minutes from the final hooter, Argentina got their fourth penalty corner and Martinez scored from a rebound to shut the doors on New Zealand.

Hockey World Cup 2018: Argentina rout New Zealand 3-0

Skipper and goalkeeper Quico Cortes' brilliant penalty stroke save helped Spain hold France in a &nbsp;hard-fought 1-1 draw in their second Pool A match at the ongoing men's hockey World Cup on Monday.

The draw kept both the teams in the hunt for the knock-out round with one point apiece from two games.

It was a battle between world number 8 Spain and the 20th ranked France. It was France who stunned the Spaniards in the sixth minute when Timothee Clement scored from a field effort.

Spain came back strongly and restored parity in the 48th minute through Alvaro Iglesias' field strike.

France had a golden opportunity to register their first major upset of the tournament but the Spain skipper Cortes came to his side's rescue.

In the last 10 minutes, France were awarded a penalty stroke because of obstruction in front of the goal by a Spain defender after they went for video referral but Cortes made a brilliant save.&nbsp;

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.<a href="https://twitter.com/rfe_hockey?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@rfe_hockey</a> &amp; <a href="https://twitter.com/FF_Hockey?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FF_Hockey</a> showcased valiant effort on the turf which ended as a hard-fought 1-1 draw. Here are the best moments captured from the match. 
 
ALBUM: <a href="https://t.co/Gbh3FWXjUq">https://t.co/Gbh3FWXjUq</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IndiaKaGame?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IndiaKaGame</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HWC2018?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HWC2018</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DilHockey?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DilHockey</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ESPvFRA?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ESPvFRA</a> <a href="https://t.co/aMjLovdasP">pic.twitter.com/aMjLovdasP</a>
— Hockey India (@TheHockeyIndia) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheHockeyIndia/status/1069589010283094017?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 3, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Spain had lost 3-4 to Olympic champions Argentina in their tournament opener, while France suffered a 1-2 defeat against New Zealand.

Spain will next play New Zealand in their final pool match on December 6, while France will be up against Argentina.&nbsp;

Skipper and goalkeeper Quico Cortes' brilliant penalty stroke save helped Spain hold France in a hard-fought 1-1 draw in their second Pool A match at the ongoing men's hockey World Cup on Monday.

Skipper and goalkeeper Quico Cortes' brilliant penalty stroke save helped Spain hold France in a hard-fought 1-1 draw in their second Pool A match at the ongoing men's hockey World Cup on Monday. The draw kept both the teams in the hunt for the knock-out round with one point apiece from two games. It was a battle between world number 8 Spain and the 20th ranked France. It was France who stunned the Spaniards in the sixth minute when Timothee Clement scored from a field effort. Spain came back strongly and restored parity in the 48th minute through Alvaro Iglesias' field strike. France had a golden opportunity to register their first major upset of the tournament but the Spain skipper Cortes came to his side's rescue. In the last 10 minutes, France were awarded a penalty stroke because of obstruction in front of the goal by a Spain defender after they went for video referral but Cortes made a brilliant save. .@rfe_hockey & @FF_Hockey showcased valiant effort on the turf which ended as a hard-fought 1-1 draw. Here are the best moments captured from the match. ALBUM: https://t.co/Gbh3FWXjUq#IndiaKaGame #HWC2018 #DilHockey #ESPvFRA pic.twitter.com/aMjLovdasP — Hockey India (@TheHockeyIndia) December 3, 2018 × Spain had lost 3-4 to Olympic champions Argentina in their tournament opener, while France suffered a 1-2 defeat against New Zealand. Spain will next play New Zealand in their final pool match on December 6, while France will be up against Argentina.

Hockey World Cup 2018: Spain hold France to 1-1 draw

Draw with India fair result says Belgium captain

The nail-biting clash between India and Belgium ended in a 2-2 draw after the Red Lions equalised in the last minutes of the game, following a poor defensive performance by the Indian backline on Sunday.

India, who mounted a comeback of sorts against Belgium after trailing early on against the visitors, were leading when only seven minutes were remaining for the game to end.&nbsp;

The 'Men in Blue' got the upper hand following a brilliant goal by Simranjeet Singh, who has been sensational in the tournament so far.

Earlier, the team which went goalless in the first two quarters scored the equaliser, thanks to a deft goal by Harmanpreet Singh.&nbsp;

Belgium, which had the maximum possession in the game, were on attacking mode since the first pass and that was the reason they managed to register&nbsp;an early goal. The team scored in the first quarter following a slick finish by the attackers who have dominated the entire game.&nbsp;

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🏑 | The celebrations continue 😻 with fans!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HWC2018?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HWC2018</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Odisha2018?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Odisha2018</a> 
🇮🇳 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDvBEL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDvBEL</a> 🇧🇪 <a href="https://t.co/z925zQIYp4">pic.twitter.com/z925zQIYp4</a>
— Hockey World Cup 2018 - Host Partner (@sports_odisha) <a href="https://twitter.com/sports_odisha/status/1069250707293843456?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 2, 2018</a></blockquote>
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At a point, India had the chances of defeating Belgium, but the attackers struggled to make their presence felt in a vital clash like today. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The team will next face Canada in their final Pool C match on December 8, while Belgium will play South Africa on the same day.

The nail-biting clash between India and Belgium ended in a 2-2 draw after the Red Lions equalised in the last minutes of the game, following a poor defensive performance by the Indian backline on Sunday.

The nail-biting clash between India and Belgium ended in a 2-2 draw after the Red Lions equalised in the last minutes of the game, following a poor defensive performance by the Indian backline on Sunday. India, who mounted a comeback of sorts against Belgium after trailing early on against the visitors, were leading when only seven minutes were remaining for the game to end. The 'Men in Blue' got the upper hand following a brilliant goal by Simranjeet Singh, who has been sensational in the tournament so far. Earlier, the team which went goalless in the first two quarters scored the equaliser, thanks to a deft goal by Harmanpreet Singh. Belgium, which had the maximum possession in the game, were on attacking mode since the first pass and that was the reason they managed to register an early goal. The team scored in the first quarter following a slick finish by the attackers who have dominated the entire game. 🏑 | The celebrations continue 😻 with fans!#HWC2018 #Odisha2018 🇮🇳 #INDvBEL 🇧🇪 pic.twitter.com/z925zQIYp4 — Hockey World Cup 2018 - Host Partner (@sports_odisha) December 2, 2018 × At a point, India had the chances of defeating Belgium, but the attackers struggled to make their presence felt in a vital clash like today. The team will next face Canada in their final Pool C match on December 8, while Belgium will play South Africa on the same day.

Hockey World Cup 2018: India, Belgium settle for 2-2 draw

Canada and South Africa played out a 1-1 draw on Sunday to stay alive in the ongoing men's hockey World Cup.

Both the teams fought hard in the opening two quarters to remain goalless at half time. However, in the 3rd quarter, it was Proteas, who took the lead in the 43rd minute through a fine reverse stick field goal by Nqobile Ntuli.

two minutes later, Canada scored the equaliser to end South Africa's moment. Canada equalised when they were awarded a penalty stroke and skipper Scott Tupper took the onus on himself to level the match.

Thereafter, both the teams pressed hard in search of the winner but they failed to breach the rival defence to eventually end the game in a draw.&nbsp;

The result kept both the teams in the hunt for a place in the knock-out round.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

Canada will next play hosts India in their last pool match on December 8, while South Africa will face world no. 3 Belgium on the same day.&nbsp;

Canada and South Africa played out a 1-1 draw on Sunday to stay alive in the ongoing men's hockey World Cup. Both the teams fought hard in the opening two quarters to remain goalless at half time.

Canada and South Africa played out a 1-1 draw on Sunday to stay alive in the ongoing men's hockey World Cup. Both the teams fought hard in the opening two quarters to remain goalless at half time. However, in the 3rd quarter, it was Proteas, who took the lead in the 43rd minute through a fine reverse stick field goal by Nqobile Ntuli. two minutes later, Canada scored the equaliser to end South Africa's moment. Canada equalised when they were awarded a penalty stroke and skipper Scott Tupper took the onus on himself to level the match. Thereafter, both the teams pressed hard in search of the winner but they failed to breach the rival defence to eventually end the game in a draw. The result kept both the teams in the hunt for a place in the knock-out round. Canada will next play hosts India in their last pool match on December 8, while South Africa will face world no. 3 Belgium on the same day.

Hockey World Cup 2018: Canada, South Africa encounter ends in a draw

Four-time champions Pakistan produced a lion-hearted performance before going down 0-1 to Olympic bronze medallist Germany in their opening Pool D match of the men's hockey World Cup here on Saturday.

It is a creditable result for Pakistan considering the fact that the nation did not have a great build up to the tournament.&nbsp;

There were doubts over Pakistan's participation due to lack of funds and only a last-minute sponsorship deal with Haier made it possible for them to make the trip.

One of the most celebrated teams of yesteryears, Pakistan hockey has been on a decline over the last few decades and they also suffer from a lack of exposure.

Currently ranked world no. 13, Pakistan gave a tough fight to the world no. 6 Germans by holding them till the 36th minute.

The only goal of the match was scored by Germany's Marco Miltkau in the 36th minute.

With Pakistan in action, it was a highly-anticipated encounter for the hockey fans of the city, especially after the neighbour's indecent behaviour during the 2014 Champions Trophy.

But the crowd behaved in a mature way, supporting the good moves of both the teams.

It was all about defending for Pakistan in the first two quarters and they did that stoutly, denying the little chances Germany created in the opening 30 minutes.

The Germans used both the flanks to create opportunities but Pakistan meant business and fought valiantly to keep a clean slate.

Pakistan goalkeeper Imran Butt came to his side's rescue on two occasions, the notable between them was the first chance created by the Germans in the third minute when he kept out Benedikt Furk's neat deflection from Christopher Ruhr's pass.

Pakistan fought valiantly to keep a clean slate at the halfway mark.

But after the change of ends, the match opened up with both the teams going on the offensive.

It was Germany who finally broke the shackles six minutes after the break when Miltkau pushed in Niklas Wellen's deflection past an onrushing Imran Butt.

If the first half was a damper in terms of attacks, the Pakistanis created bright chances in the last two quarters.

Pakistan's first real chance came in the 38th minute when Muhammad Zubair deflected wide a pass from Ammad Butt.

The match produced just one penalty corner which went to Germany in the 41st minute but it did not make any difference.

Minutes later the Germans came close once again when Wellen's shot from inside the circle went just wide.

Six minutes from the final hooter, Miltkau found the net again but Pakistan protested the goal and asked for video referral which suggested that the ball got in after getting a deflection from the German striker's legs. The goal was disallowed.

Thereafter, Pakistan pressed hard in search of the equaliser but failed to create any purposeful move.

Pakistan next have a big game against Malaysia on December 5 while Germany will be up against Netherlands.

Four-time champions Pakistan produced a lion-hearted performance before going down 0-1 to Olympic bronze medallist Germany in their opening Pool D match of the men's hockey World Cup here on Saturday.

Four-time champions Pakistan produced a lion-hearted performance before going down 0-1 to Olympic bronze medallist Germany in their opening Pool D match of the men's hockey World Cup here on Saturday. It is a creditable result for Pakistan considering the fact that the nation did not have a great build up to the tournament. There were doubts over Pakistan's participation due to lack of funds and only a last-minute sponsorship deal with Haier made it possible for them to make the trip. One of the most celebrated teams of yesteryears, Pakistan hockey has been on a decline over the last few decades and they also suffer from a lack of exposure. Currently ranked world no. 13, Pakistan gave a tough fight to the world no. 6 Germans by holding them till the 36th minute. The only goal of the match was scored by Germany's Marco Miltkau in the 36th minute. With Pakistan in action, it was a highly-anticipated encounter for the hockey fans of the city, especially after the neighbour's indecent behaviour during the 2014 Champions Trophy. But the crowd behaved in a mature way, supporting the good moves of both the teams. It was all about defending for Pakistan in the first two quarters and they did that stoutly, denying the little chances Germany created in the opening 30 minutes. The Germans used both the flanks to create opportunities but Pakistan meant business and fought valiantly to keep a clean slate. Pakistan goalkeeper Imran Butt came to his side's rescue on two occasions, the notable between them was the first chance created by the Germans in the third minute when he kept out Benedikt Furk's neat deflection from Christopher Ruhr's pass. Pakistan fought valiantly to keep a clean slate at the halfway mark. But after the change of ends, the match opened up with both the teams going on the offensive. It was Germany who finally broke the shackles six minutes after the break when Miltkau pushed in Niklas Wellen's deflection past an onrushing Imran Butt. If the first half was a damper in terms of attacks, the Pakistanis created bright chances in the last two quarters. Pakistan's first real chance came in the 38th minute when Muhammad Zubair deflected wide a pass from Ammad Butt. The match produced just one penalty corner which went to Germany in the 41st minute but it did not make any difference. Minutes later the Germans came close once again when Wellen's shot from inside the circle went just wide. Six minutes from the final hooter, Miltkau found the net again but Pakistan protested the goal and asked for video referral which suggested that the ball got in after getting a deflection from the German striker's legs. The goal was disallowed. Thereafter, Pakistan pressed hard in search of the equaliser but failed to create any purposeful move. Pakistan next have a big game against Malaysia on December 5 while Germany will be up against Netherlands.

Fighting Pakistan lose 0-1 to Germany in hockey World Cup

A litmus test awaits India in their second pool match of the men's <a href="http://www.wionews.com/hockey-world-cup">hockey World Cup</a> Sunday and chief coach Harendra Singh said he considers the game against world no.3 Belgium as a virtual "pre-quarterfinal" for the home team.&nbsp;

India are placed in Pool C alongside reigning Olympic silver medallist Belgium, South Africa and Canada and the table toppers will directly qualify for the last-eight round.&nbsp;

With India notching up a 5-0 win over South Africa in their opener and Belgium beating Canada 2-1, the hosts just need a victory over the Red Lions to secure their place in the quarters and avoid the cross-overs.&nbsp;

As per the format of the tournament, the table-toppers from the four pools will directly qualify for the quarterfinals while the second and third-placed teams will play in the cross-overs for a place in the last-eight round.&nbsp;

"I don't feel any pressure. If you enjoy that pressure you will succeed. What I feel is that for me tomorrow is our pre-quarterfinal match and if we want to directly go into the quarterfinals we will have to win tomorrow," Harendra said in the pre-match press conference on Saturday.&nbsp;

"We have discussed that in our team meeting and we will take one match at a time."&nbsp;

Since 2013, India do not have a good record against Belgium, having won just five and suffered defeats on 13 occasions with one game ending in a draw.&nbsp;

Asked about Belgium's threat, Harendra said India need to play to its strength to come out victorious on Sunday.&nbsp;

"If we look at their graph in the last 4-5 years, Belgium is a good team. We have to play according to the situation," he said. &nbsp;

"In the last 5-6 months the Indian team has set a trademark of playing attacking hockey which is our weapon and we won't compromise on that."

Speaking about the areas that India need to guard against Belgium on Sunday, the India coach said: "We need to take care about the vertical hockey Belgium plays. They don't play parallel hockey of playing the ball back. So, we need to concentrate on that."

Harendra said the World Cup is a new tournament for his team and past results will hardly have any impact.

"I don't think about past. I never focussed on mistakes of past but what we do is point out the good things we have done in the past matches. Past is history. Every tournament you have to look it in a new way as new chapter," he said.

"Our fault is we discuss a lot about the past but are not willing to live in the present moment. We tend to destroy our future by discussing about past.

"Tomorrow is a new day, a new tournament, a new team, a new World Cup which is being watched and blessed by 15,000 spectators at home."

Harendra said the Indians don't look at the crowd support as pressure, instead he considers them as "12th man".

"The crowd is our 12th man. Many teams (opponents) can feel the pressure. We should take advantage of that," he said.

Striker Akashdeep Singh, who has been entrusted with the new role of a linkman in the side, said he is enjoying his new position.

"I am enjoying my new role. When the coach joined us he suggested me to drop a little down and play as an attacking midfielder because I have a good vision and I share a good understanding with other strikers," he said.&nbsp;

A litmus test awaits India in their second pool match of the men's hockey World Cup Sunday and chief coach Harendra Singh said he considers the game against world no.

A litmus test awaits India in their second pool match of the men's hockey World Cup Sunday and chief coach Harendra Singh said he considers the game against world no.3 Belgium as a virtual "pre-quarterfinal" for the home team. India are placed in Pool C alongside reigning Olympic silver medallist Belgium, South Africa and Canada and the table toppers will directly qualify for the last-eight round. With India notching up a 5-0 win over South Africa in their opener and Belgium beating Canada 2-1, the hosts just need a victory over the Red Lions to secure their place in the quarters and avoid the cross-overs. As per the format of the tournament, the table-toppers from the four pools will directly qualify for the quarterfinals while the second and third-placed teams will play in the cross-overs for a place in the last-eight round. "I don't feel any pressure. If you enjoy that pressure you will succeed. What I feel is that for me tomorrow is our pre-quarterfinal match and if we want to directly go into the quarterfinals we will have to win tomorrow," Harendra said in the pre-match press conference on Saturday. "We have discussed that in our team meeting and we will take one match at a time." Since 2013, India do not have a good record against Belgium, having won just five and suffered defeats on 13 occasions with one game ending in a draw. Asked about Belgium's threat, Harendra said India need to play to its strength to come out victorious on Sunday. "If we look at their graph in the last 4-5 years, Belgium is a good team. We have to play according to the situation," he said. "In the last 5-6 months the Indian team has set a trademark of playing attacking hockey which is our weapon and we won't compromise on that." Speaking about the areas that India need to guard against Belgium on Sunday, the India coach said: "We need to take care about the vertical hockey Belgium plays. They don't play parallel hockey of playing the ball back. So, we need to concentrate on that." Harendra said the World Cup is a new tournament for his team and past results will hardly have any impact. "I don't think about past. I never focussed on mistakes of past but what we do is point out the good things we have done in the past matches. Past is history. Every tournament you have to look it in a new way as new chapter," he said. "Our fault is we discuss a lot about the past but are not willing to live in the present moment. We tend to destroy our future by discussing about past. "Tomorrow is a new day, a new tournament, a new team, a new World Cup which is being watched and blessed by 15,000 spectators at home." Harendra said the Indians don't look at the crowd support as pressure, instead he considers them as "12th man". "The crowd is our 12th man. Many teams (opponents) can feel the pressure. We should take advantage of that," he said. Striker Akashdeep Singh, who has been entrusted with the new role of a linkman in the side, said he is enjoying his new position. "I am enjoying my new role. When the coach joined us he suggested me to drop a little down and play as an attacking midfielder because I have a good vision and I share a good understanding with other strikers," he said.

'I don't feel any pressure,' says India hockey coach Harendra Singh ahead of Belgium clash