Defending champions Belgium found the equaliser with six minutes left in the match to play out a 2-2 draw against Germany and keep themselves in the hunt for a direct quarter-final qualification in the FIH Men’s World Cup here on Tuesday.

Cedric Charlier gave Belgium the lead in the ninth minute with a field goal but Germany came back strongly and struck two goals through Wellen Niklas (22nd minute) and Tom Grambusch (52nd, penalty stroke).

Victor Wegnez scored a field goal in the 54th minute to save Belgium the blushes in the Pool B match.

Belgium and Germany are on four points from two matches and the group topper will be decided in their respective last matches on Friday at the Birsa Munda Stadium in Rourkela. Belgium take on Japan while Germany face South Korea.

Belgium are currently on top of the pool on the basis of better goal difference of plus five as against plus three of Germany.

South Korea came back from one goal down to beat Japan 2-1 in an earlier Pool A match on Tuesday.

Lee Jung-jun struck two field goals (eighth and 23th minutes) after Ken Nagayoshi had given South Korea the lead in the first minute through a penalty corner.

South Korea are in the third spot with three points. They had lost to Belgium 0-5 in their first match.

Japan had also lost their first match against Germany 0-3. Japan took lead in the first minute of the match as Nagayoshi Ken converted the team’s first penalty corner chance into a goal.

Korea had the equaliser in the eighth minute through Lee Jungjun’s field goal. Lee Jungjun scored the winner in the 23rd minute.