The Netherlands, seeking a hat-trick of men's Champions Trophy field hockey titles, stormed into the final where they will clash with either Spain or hosts Pakistan. Karel Klaver scored three goals as the Dutch hammered Spain 4-2 to record their fourth consecutive win in the round-robin league and zoom to the top of the table with 12 points.
Pakistan downed arch-rivals India 2-1 in front of 40,000 screaming home fans with Sohail Abbas scoring the winner with a controversial penalty stroke four minutes before the close.
Spain, stuck on nine points, need a draw in their last match against Pakistan on Friday to have another shot at the Dutch in Sunday's final at the National Hockey Stadium.
Pakistan, who also have nine points but an inferior goal difference to Spain's, must win on Friday to make the final on their home ground.
Pakistan were lucky to gain full points against India, who protested at the umpires' decision to award the stroke when Abbas' rising penalty corner shot struck a defender.
The Indians were further angered when they claimed a penalty stroke in the dying seconds but were once again overruled by the umpires.
Saqlain Mohammad put Pakistan ahead two minutes before half-time, but India drew level through a penalty corner by Sandeep Singh midway through the second session.
India's third defeat in four matches left coach Gerhard Rach fuming.
"You all saw what happened out there," the German said. "It is no use criticising the umpiring because it sometimes goes in your favour and sometimes it does not.
"But if we get a chance to play Pakistan again for the bronze medal, I think it will be a different story."
Pakistan's Dutch coach Roelant Oltmans praised India's defence for thwarting five penalty corners, but said his team was ready for the crucial game against Spain.
"This was a tough game and we emerged from it with credit," he said. "It is a must-win situation for us now and I am confident we will pass the test."
Meanwhile, the Dutch, who won the 2002 and 2003 editions, were a step away from their sixth Champions Trophy title in nine outings in the annual tournament featuring the top six nations in the sport.
A victory here will make amends for the loss in the final of the Athens Olympics to Australia, who declined to make the trip to Pakistan for security reasons.
Klaver put the Dutch ahead in the 15th minute with a stinging shot from the top of the circle and Geert Jan Derikx increased the margin three minutes later with a penalty stroke.
Spain narrowed the margin just before the interval when Santiago Freixa sliced through the Dutch defence and pushed home.
Klaver made it 3-1 after the break with a superb reverse flick, but Pau Quemada kept Spain afloat by converting a penalty corner in the 57th minute.
Spain pressed for a 3-3 deadlock in the last quarter but Klaver put the match beyond Spain's reach with his third goal in the penultimate minute of the match.
"We are still not playing at our best but the important thing is that we are in the final," said Dutch coach Terry Walsh.
"We knew Spain were capable of picking goals towards the end and needed to be careful. But I expect my team to be more consistent than they have been so far."
Spain's Dutch coach Maurits Hendriks said the match was closer than the scoreline suggested.
"The difference was that the Netherlands put the ball in the goal and we did not," he said.
"We had the Dutch under pressure right through the game. I am still hopeful we will meet them again in the final."
In the day's third match between two bottom-of-the-table teams, Germany drew with New Zealand 1-1 after Jan-Marco Montag equalised Kiwi Phillip Burrows's 26th minute goal in the 45th.
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