Hockey: England kept their women's World Cup semi-final hopes alive with a 1-0 victory over Olympic champions Germany in Madrid yesterday.

Leicester midfielder Helen Richardson converted a penalty stroke in the 38th minute after Germany defender Anke Kuehn illegally stopped a shot with her hand.

The result puts England on seven points and victory over hosts Spain today in their final group match would put them into the last four and guarantee them their highest World Cup finish since Sydney in 1990.

As the game progressed play became scrappier with neither side able to retain possession for very long, but Germany rarely threatened and England held on for victory.