Both sides made it through today with victories over Argentina and France in the last eight, with England winning a thriller against the Olympic champions at the Kalinga Stadium.

In today’s first match England claimed a stunning 3-2 victory over the Rio 2016 gold medallists thanks to a fourth quarter winner from Harry Martin, which will now see them face either Germany or Belgium in the last semi-final on Saturday (December 15). 

The opening stages of the quarter-final were cagey, though England undoubtedly had the better chances in the first quarter as a penalty corner effort was well blocked.

It was Argentina who took the lead, however, from a penalty corner of their own at the start of the second quarter.

Gonzalo Peillat found the net with a low effort that George Pinner half blocked in the England goal but could not keep out.

England then levelled the scores shortly before half time when 34-year-old Barry Middleton finished with a strike into the bottom left corner after a fantastic run into the circle from eventual man of the match winner Liam Ansell.

The English then took the lead in the third quarter when an aerial pass from Middleton was mis controlled by the Argentina defence, allowing Will Calnan to capitalise and drill a hard shot past Juan Vivaldi.

In a thrilling final 15 minutes Argentina had a penalty flick overturned but then scored from the resultant penalty corner to make it 2-2 before England regained their lead just a minute later.

Martin forced the ball home after another defensive mistake saw Argentina fail to clear their lines.

England almost went 4-2 before the end when Ansell hit the post, but as it turned out their one goal lead proved enough to see England into the semi-finals for the third time in succession.

"I think it was a good game," Michael Hoare, who earned his 100th England cap in today’s match, said. 

"Scoring with one second left in the end of the third quarter…we’ve had that against us in the last World Cup.

"It’s nice to get one in this one.

"I felt the boys dug in really deep at the end and we played really well."

Reigning world champions Australia entered the day’s second match as the strong favourites against a French side ranked only 20th in the world, so it was no surprise when they triumphed 3-0.

The Kookaburras were dominant throughout the first period and scored the opening goal after just four minutes when Jeremy Hayward sent a low penalty corner drag flick into the net.

Their lead was then doubled four minutes into the second quarter when Blake Glovers bagged another penalty corner to move level with the now eliminated Gonzalo Peillat at the top of the goalscoring charts on six.

France had a chance to pull one back when Thimothée Clement created a good opportunity for Aristide Coisne.

The Frenchman managed to beat Australia’s goalkeeper Tyler Lovell only to see Hayward clear the ball off the line.

Australia's third goal came in the third quarter from another penalty corner.

This time it was their captain and eventual man of the match winner Aran Zalewski who found the net, flicking into an unguarded goal after two nice passes took out the majority of the French defence.

It means Australia enter the last four unbeaten, having conceded only once in 240 minutes.

They will now face the winners of a highly anticipated fixture between the hosts India and European champions The Netherlands, due to take place tomorrow.