Dutch down South Korea to top hockey pool

World Cup bronze medallists The Netherlands defeated South Korea 4-2 on Tuesday to top their pool with five successive wins and give defending champions Germany a guaranteed semi-final berth. The Dutch, assured of a semi-final spot before this game, spiked a late rally from Asia Cup holders South Korea to maintain a 100 percent record in the preliminary round-robin league. The Dutch emulated their women's hockey team, which on Monday stormed into the semi-finals by winning all five matches. Netherlands finished with 15 points, while the defeat shattered South Korea's hopes of staying in semi-final contention. The Koreans finished on six points from five matches. South Korea's loss meant Germany, who have nine points from four games, will finish second in the group irrespective of the result in their last pool match against New Zealand later in the day. Young penalty corner shooter Mink van der Weerden became the tournament's top scorer with six goals when he opened the Netherlands scoring in the 17th minute with a rising flick into the top corner. Valentin Verga fired from top of the circle in the 26th mintue to make it 2-0 at halftime. Roderick Weusthof was obstructed inside the circle and himself converted the penalty stroke in the 47th. South Korea than came back strongly, pulling two goals back through penalty corner conversions by Nam Hyun-Woo in the 53rd minute and Lee Nam-Yong in the 62nd. The Koreans went all out looking for an equaliser when Billy Bakker scored for Netherlands in a breakaway move that saw him shoot into an open goal in the 64th minute.