The Netherlands routed Wales 6-0, just the scoreline the hosts needed to top Pool B of the Men’s EuroHockey Championships in Amstelveen on Tuesday.
The last Dutch goal came with only seconds remaining and it meant playing World Cup and defending champions Belgium in the semi-finals.
The tennis-score win enabled The Netherlands to squeak past arch-rivals Germany, with whom they drew 2-2 on Sunday, and make it to the top of the pool.
Germany will take on in-form England in the other semi-final.
The semi-finalists were spotted in the pool’s concluding fixtures and it also meant that the quartet qualified for the 2023 World Cup in Bhubaneswar-Rourkela, India.
Belgium swamped Russia 9-2 and England beat Spain 3-2 to seal the last-four spots from Pool A. In Pool B, Germany pipped France 6-5 despite trailing 2-5 after 22 minutes.
The last direct entry to the World Cup will be confirmed after Spain join France, Wales and Russia in a plate round-robin pool.