GB mauled by Dutch in Olympic hockey semi

With both teams determined to play attacking hockey, the British gave the world's number three team all the space they could have dreamed of to create chances and the Dutch duly delivered with great passing skills and inspired goals.

Roderick Weusthof put the Dutch, so far unbeaten in London, in the lead with a hard flick into the top right corner in the ninth minute. His second came when he reacted quickest to whack the ball across the line after a botched penalty corner effort.

Britain still had a chance to get back into the game when they pulled a goal back with a flicked penalty corner by Ashley Jackson three minutes later.

But the Dutch stepped up the pace, Mink van der Weerden scoring his seventh tournament goal with another penalty corner and Billy Bakker finishing off four quick passes inside the circle to give the Dutch a 4-1 halftime lead.

The second half saw the Dutch picking apart the British defence with fast passes.

Veteran Teun de Nooijer set up Bakker for their fifth, Bob de Voogd hammered a ball to the goal that de Nooijer just got his stick to, Floris Evers made it 7-1, and Bakker completed his hat-trick with a spectacular shot from a sharp angle.

Weusthof also scored a hat-trick with a penalty corner in the 61st minute before Britain's Robert Moore snuck one past the Dutch goalie to complete the 9-2 final score.

The Dutch victory came at a price, however. They lost two players to injury. Klaas Vermeulen collided with Britain's Glenn Kirkham and was led off the pitch with an injury to his shoulder, while van der Weerden's foot was hit by a ball.

Title-holders Germany beat world champions Australia 4-2 to reach the men's Olympic hockey final with both teams giving their all in a high quality semi.

In a first half played at blistering pace, Australia went ahead after German keeper Max Weinhold failed to control a shot from Glenn Turner and Kieran Govers fired the volley rebound through his legs.

Germany levelled minutes later with a low penalty corner flick by Moritz Fuerste and the 1-1 scoreline at halftime was a fair reflection of the action.

Germany looked more dangerous at the start of the second half but it was Australia's Turner who put his team back in the lead, sneaking the ball over Weinhold who had gone to ground to save two previous attempts.

Germany had a goal disallowed 12 minutes into the second half when Oskar Deecke volleyed an aerial pass over the Australian keeper, the umpire deciding after a video referral that Deecke had raised his stick above shoulder height.

Germany bounced back from the disappointment and levelled when Matthias Witthaus, completely unmarked in the D, converted a cross from Tobias Hauke.

They went ahead for the first time through a penalty corner flick by Timo Wess with just 11 minutes to go.

Australia, needing to score, pushed forward, giving Germany space to net another goal on a quick counter-attack with seven minutes to go.

Benjamin Wess sprinted for a long pass down the left touchline, slammed the ball across the circle and Florian Fuchs dived in to deflect it over the line.