Kuala Lumpur: World champion Germany edged New Zealand 3-2 on Friday and will meet Pakistan in the final of the five-nation Azlan Shah men's field hockey tournament.

Pakistan booked its place in Sunday's final with a hard fought 1-0 win over Asian champion South Korea in the tournament being played in Ipoh.

South Korea and New Zealand will slug it out for third place on Sunday. Host nation Malaysia, which failed to collect a single point in four matches, is doomed to last place.

Unbeaten in the weeklong annual tournament, Germany had already booked a place for the final and did not push itself against New Zealand after scoring two early goals.

Germany had earlier beaten South Korea, Pakistan and Malaysia to top the table with 12 points.

Max Landshut opened the score for Germany in the 7th minute, with Christopher Zeller making it 2-0 six minutes later.

New Zealand levelled the score through Hayden Shaw and Wayne McIndoe, but Germany kept its winning streak intact with a 53rd-minute goal by Christopher Bechmamm.

In the other match, Pakistan hung on to a fourth-minute goal by Sohail Abbas to defeat South Korea and clinch its place in the final.

Agencies