Olympic champions Germany were knocked out of the women's hockey World Cup on Tuesday when they lost their Pool A match against England 1-0 in Madrid and hosts Spain overcame India.
The results means Spain now have nine points, England seven and Germany six.
However, second place in the pool and a place in the semi-finals is between Spain and England as both sides were to meet each other in their final group match yesterday.
PHOTO: AFP
Argentina and Australia are already assured of a place in the semi-finals from Pool B.
Tournament favorites the Netherlands are also guaranteed final four place with 12 points following a 6-1 demolition of China.
Even
Germany's match was evenly poised at half-time with neither side having scored, but England went ahead within a minute of the restart through a penalty stroke converted by Helen Richardson.
Germany threw everything forward after going behind but failed to find the goal they needed, meaning they required India to get a result against Spain for them to still have a chance of advancing to the semi-finals.
But it wasn't to be as Spain secured a 3-2 win against a spirited India side.
Silvia Munoz put Spain in front with a breakaway goal after 10 minutes but Surinder Kaur leveled for India seven minutes later after a mistake by Spanish goalkeeper Maria Jesus Rosa.
Pilar Sanchez restored the hosts' lead before half-time with a deflected penalty corner and scored a virtually carbon copy on 46 minutes to make it 3-1.
India pulled one back five minutes later through Saba Anjum but Spain held on for a vital win.
Demolition
In the other game of the afternoon the Dutch ensured their place in the semi-finals with a 6-1 victory against China.
Sylvia Karres opened the scoring in the 16th minute when she deflected Maartje Paumen's penalty corner hit into the Chinese goal. She added a second a minute from the break after being set up in the circle by Ellen Hoog.
Karres got her hat-trick on 42 minutes, but had to wait for a few minutes as the referees consulted before allowing the goal.
The remaining time in the match then belonged to Kim Lammers as she scored three goals. She started in the 47th minute with two goals in the space of a few seconds before finding her third four minutes from the end.
In between Ma Yi Bo scored a consolation goal for the Chinese in the 58th minute.
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