MONCHENGLADBACH (Germany), Sept 5: Favourites the Netherlands will be aiming to upstage bitter rivals Germany on home soil when the field hockey World Cup gets underway on Wednesday.

The Dutch, fresh from victory over Germany in the Champions Trophy, are looking to add to their present tally of three world cup victories in the face of stiff competition from the Germans, Australia and Spain.

Twelve nations play in two pools of six with the top two from each group advancing to the semi-finals.

Australia and Spain have the form be semi-finalists from Pool A, where Argentina, Japan and New Zealand will make up the numbers.

Germany and Netherlands should be too good for the rest of the field in Pool B, which also includes South Korea, England, India and South Africa.

Germany edged Olympic champions Australia out of the final of July's Champions Trophy in Spain with a goal two seconds from the final hooter, Spain beat Australia for bronze in a penalty shoot-out and Netherlands outstayed Germany 2-1 in the final.

Australia's preparations have suffered a setback with key defender Matthew Wells and striker Grant Schubert out injured.

The Dutch meanwhile remain the team to beat under the guidance of Roelant Oltmans.

The challenges for a semi-final place will come from Pakistan in Pool A and South Korea and England in Pool B.

Pakistan crashed and burned at the Champions Trophy, winning twice but only against eight-ranked Argentina and losing 9-2 to Netherlands, leading to the sacking of coach Asif Bajwa.

Shahnaz Sheikh, Bajwa's replacement, last coached Pakistan in 2003 and has been appointed until the end of the World Cup.

Pakistan's attacking hockey is not matched by depth in defence.

Sohail Abbas' all-time record 279 penalty corner conversions are off-set by his loss of speed and strength on the ball and Tariq Aziz is serving an international hockey suspension for hitting Australia's Robby Hammond in the final of the Commonwealth Games in March.

India’s chances at the World Cup were dealt a cruel blow last month when ace drag-flicker Sandeep Singh was accidentally shot in the foot by a railway policeman on the Delhi — Kalka Shatabdi Express, leaving India without a quality penalty corner drag-flicker.

India must now rely on captain Dilip Tirkey's powerful hits for corner conversions.—AFP

Schedule

Pool ‘A’: Argentina, New Zealand, Pakistan, Japan, Australia, Spain.

Pool ‘B’: Germany, India, South Korea, Netherlands, England, South Africa.

Date Match No Time Fixture

Sept 6 1 1830 Germany v India

Sept 6 2 2130 Argentina v New Zealand

Sept 6 3 2330 South Korea v Netherlands

Sept 7 4 1700 India v England

Sept 7 5 1900 Pakistan v Japan

Sept 7 6 2100 Australia v Spain

Sept 7 7 2315 Netherlands v South Africa

Sept 8 8 1900 New Zealand v Pakistan

Sept 8 9 2100 England v South Korea

Sept 8 10 2315 Spain v Argentina

Sept 9 11 1600 South Africa v India

Sept 9 12 1815 Germany v Netherlands

Sept 9 13 2030 Japan v New Zealand

Sept 9 14 2230 Argentina v Australia

Sept 10 15 1530 Pakistan v Spain

Sept 10 16 1745 England v Germany

Sept 10 17 2000 South Korea v South Africa

Sept 10 18 2200 Australia v Japan

Sept 11 19 1700 Spain v New Zealand

Sept 11 20 1900 India v South Korea

Sept 11 21 2100 Argentina v Pakistan

Sept 11 22 2315 Netherlands v England

Sept 12 23 1700 New Zealand v Australia

Sept 12 24 1900 Japan v Argentina

Sept 12 25 2100 Germany v South Africa

Sept 12 26 2315 India v Netherlands

Sept 13 27 1700 Japan v Spain

Sept 13 28 1920 South Korea v Germany

Sept 13 29 2130 South Africa v England

Sept 13 30 2330 Australia v Pakistan

Sept 14 Rest day

Sept 15 31 1530 Playoff (5-8) 3rd Pool A v 4th Pool B

Sept 15 32 1800 Playoff (5-8) 3rd Pool B v 4th Pool A

Sept 15 33 2030 Semi-final 1st Pool A v 2nd Pool B

Sept 15 34 2315 Semi-final 1st Pool B v 2nd Pool A

Sept 16 35 1300 Playoff (9-12) 5th Pool A v 6th Pool B

Sept 16 36 1530 Playoff (9-12) 5th Pool B v 6th Pool A

Sept 16 37 1800 Playoff (7-8) Losers match 31 v Losers match 36

Sept 16 38 2030 Playoff (5-6) Winners match 31 v Winners match 32

Sept 17 39 1100 Playoff (11-12) Losers match 35 v Losers match 36

Sept 17 40 1330 Playoff (9-10) Winners match 35 v Winners match 36

Sept 17 41 1600 Playoff (3-4) Losers match 33 v Losers 34

Sept 17 42 1830 Final (1-2) Winners match 33 v Winners match 34

Note: All times according to Pakistan Standard Time. Match times of both semi-finals subject to change depending upon participating teams and television requirements.