Hockey-Germany strike late to beat India 3-2 and set up men's final with Dutch

PARIS : Germany claimed a 3-2 win over India in the men's hockey semi-final at the Paris Olympics on Tuesday after Marco Miltkau scored the winner by lifting the ball over veteran goalkeeper PR Sreejesh with six minutes left on the clock.

Germany last reached the final at London 2012 when they claimed gold and will now play the Netherlands, who have not conceded a goal in their two knockout stage matches.

India, who are back in the bronze medal match after beating Germany in Tokyo for third place, will need to wait another four years to snap a gold medal drought since 1980.

Skipper Harmanpreet Singh opened the scoring on a penalty corner in the seventh minute with a high floating ball going over a diving goalkeeper Jean-Paul Danneberg following several set piece tries in a row.

Two penalties by Jarmanpreet Singh in the second quarter cost India the lead as defender Gonzalo Peillat scored with a rifling strike on a penalty corner in the 18th minute and Christopher Ruehr added on a penalty stroke in the 27th.

The third quarter opened with a beautiful diving save by Danneberg to deny the India skipper an equaliser off of a penalty corner.

Sukhjeet Singh scored a few minutes later in the 36th as another Harmanpreet drag-flick bounced off his stick and over the outstretched Danneberg but Miltkau then secured the win.