Moenchengladbach (Germany), Sep 16 (DPA) Defending champions Germany will clash with Australia in the men's hockey World Cup final Sunday after their respective wins in the semi-final matches.

Germany defeated Spain on penalties while Australia twice came from behind to defeat South Korea 4-2 to reach the World Cup final.

In the 2002 final in Kuala Lumpur, Germany had defeated Australia 2-1.

There was nothing to choose between hosts Germany and European champions Spain in a hard-fought semi-final which went to penalty strokes after the match finished 2-2 at regulation time.

The hosts twice took the lead through Bjoern Emmerling in the 20th minute and by Moritz Fuerst 10 minutes after the breather, but were pegged back by Spain who equalized in 28th minute through Santiago Freixa and Alex Fabregas in the 47th minute.

Both sides enjoyed spells of supremacy, with Spain finishing the stronger but unable to capitalise on their territorial advantage.

In the shoot-out, Germany showed the stronger nerves, converting three of their seven-metre shots, while Spain could only net once and were twice foiled by goalkeeper Ullrich Bubolz and once by the post.

Christoph Zeller, brother Philipp and Timo Wess were the German penalty scorers, while Fuerst's shot was parried by Barnardino Herrera in goal.

Eduard Tabu converted for the Spanish, while Freixa, Paul Quemada both failed and Pol Amat mishit the decisive shot which was easily stopped by Bubolz to send the Germans through to a third World Cup final.

Olympic champions Australia earlier also secured their third appearance in a World Cup final with victory over the South Koreans who were in front with hits through Jang Jong Hyun (31) and Kang Seong Jung (51), but were unable to hold on to their advantage.

The 1986 world champions levelled through Bevan George (39) and Travis Brooks (51) and were rewarded for an improved second-half show with goals from Jamie Dwyer (61) and Michael McCann (70).

Earlier, England defeated New Zealand 4-3 while Pakistan overcame the Netherlands 3-2 to secure places among the top six nations at the 12-team tournament.

Pakistan and England will now meet Saturday to decide fifth place, while the Netherlands and New Zealand will have to be content with the match for seventh spot.

For the highly-fancied Dutch, the current Champions Trophy holders and European runners-up, the tournament has turned into a major disappointment following the narrow failure to reach the semi-finals.

Pakistan took full advantage of the Dutch gloom by racing into a 3-0 lead through Shakeel Abbasi (10), Sohail Abbas (33), both from penalty corners, and a reverse hit from Muhammad Zubair (36). Rob Reckers gave the Dutch some hope in the 42nd minute and Taeke Taekema notched a second four minutes later from a penalty corner to trigger a period of mounting Dutch pressure.

However, Pakistan managed to survive a last-minute corner to win the match.

In the first of the classification matches to determine places five to eight, England beat New Zealand by a 70th-minute winner through James Tindall following a penalty corner.

New Zealand began strongly and got two goals from penalty corners from Hayden Shaw in the 29th and 33rd minutes before Simon Mantell pulled one back two minutes later.

Glenn Kirkham then equalized for England in the 46th minute, only for Simon Child to put New Zealand back in front eight minutes later. Mantell was again on target for England on the hour to level the score at 3-3. Tindall struck the winner for England at the last.