NEW DELHI: Germany vs England. The pulse races, no matter what sport and Thursday at the Dhyan Chand National stadium in the Hero Honda FIH World Cup hockey semifinals is likely to be no different.
The teams last clashed in a World Cup semifinal in Willesden, England, 24 years ago, producing one of the competition's best ever matches. England won 3-2 after extra-time for their first-ever win over Germany.
The Englishmen of 2010 square up to the old foe with the tag of European champions achieved with a 5-3 over the Germans in the final at Amstelveen (the Netherlands) but any sense of one-upmanship could well be tempered by the problems plaguing the team in the run-up to the World Cup and during the event too.
Striker Matt Daly was ruled out with an injury before the team left for India, striker Simon Mantell returned home after aggravating one during training before the competition got under way and the run of bad luck continued when key defender Richard Mantell twisted his ankle against Pakistan and had to fly home.
For all that, England have been a revelation in this tournament. They began with a bang, beating hot favourites and former champions Australia 3-2 in the opener, most importantly doing so when not playing too well.
A let-up in the intensity against Spain resulting in a 0-2 loss may not exactly be a pointer to prospects in the semifinals but the English know that Germany will be an ordeal.
World Cup champions twice running, doubling up as the Olympic champions, Germany have moulded themselves into a solid unit - Christopher Zeller in the ranks or not. Indeed, the German philosophy of galvanizing themselves as a team has been paramount.
The teams last clashed in a World Cup semifinal in Willesden, England, 24 years ago, producing one of the competition's best ever matches. England won 3-2 after extra-time for their first-ever win over Germany.
The Englishmen of 2010 square up to the old foe with the tag of European champions achieved with a 5-3 over the Germans in the final at Amstelveen (the Netherlands) but any sense of one-upmanship could well be tempered by the problems plaguing the team in the run-up to the World Cup and during the event too.
Striker Matt Daly was ruled out with an injury before the team left for India, striker Simon Mantell returned home after aggravating one during training before the competition got under way and the run of bad luck continued when key defender Richard Mantell twisted his ankle against Pakistan and had to fly home.
For all that, England have been a revelation in this tournament. They began with a bang, beating hot favourites and former champions Australia 3-2 in the opener, most importantly doing so when not playing too well.
A let-up in the intensity against Spain resulting in a 0-2 loss may not exactly be a pointer to prospects in the semifinals but the English know that Germany will be an ordeal.
World Cup champions twice running, doubling up as the Olympic champions, Germany have moulded themselves into a solid unit - Christopher Zeller in the ranks or not. Indeed, the German philosophy of galvanizing themselves as a team has been paramount.
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