Beijing - Spain staged a dramatic second-half comeback to beat defending champions Australia 3-2 on Thursday and set up a gold medal clash with European rivals Germany in the Olympic men's hockey tournament. Australia scored the match's first two goals, leaving the Spanish team trailing at half-time. But three second-half goals, including the winner two minutes from time sent, the Spanish fans into ecstasy.
Earlier, world champions Germany beat the Netherlands 4-3 in a penalty shootout to give them their first shot at Olympic hockey gold for 16 years.
Both teams were level 1-1 at the end of regulation time after Timme Hoyng opened the scoring for Holland in the 65th minute only to see Philipp Zeller equalize for Germany three minutes later.
Fifteen minutes of extra time failed to break the deadlock, sending the game into a shootout.
Each team converted three of the five strokes in the tie-breaker as the match spilled into the sudden-death period.
Christopher Zeller converted to give Germany a 4-3 lead, but Taeke Taekema's shot then went off keeper German Max Weinhold's gloves, handing victory to the Germans.
The win was sweet revenge for Germany, who lost to the Netherlands in the semi-finals of the 2004 Olympics in Athens.
"It is great feeling, particularly as the Dutch fans were singing 'good-bye Germany, it's all over' two minutes before the end," said German striker Carlos Nevado after the match.
Germany will be feeling confident going into Saturday's final after having beaten Spain 1-0 in the group stages of the Beijing tournament.
