Germany to face Pakistan in CT final
Olympic hockey champions beat five-time defending champions in Champions Trophy; Pakistan edge out India in other semi.
Germany and Pakistan have risen from last in the pool stage to meet in the Champions Trophy field hockey final 20 years after their last title showdown.
On a semi-finals day which produced two classics, Germany almost blew a three-goal lead before tipping out five-time defending champion Australia 3-2, and Pakistan held off tournament host India 4-3 in front of a sell-out crowd of 7,000.
Germany won the last of its nine titles in 2007, before Australia went on its unprecedented streak of five championships to replace Germany as the Trophy’s most successful team.
It will be the fifth final between Germany and Pakistan, and the first since 1994, when Pakistan won its third and last title in a penalty shootout.
Pakistan celebrated by taking their shirts off and gesturing wildly at the crowd, which had gone silent each time Pakistan scored.