Argentina snapped co-host the Netherlands’ dream run of four consecutive women’s FIH World Cup titles by winning the crown, defeating the Dutch side 3-1 in penalty shoot-out after both the teams were locked 1-1 at end of the regulation time on Saturday. Argentina, thus, avenged their last World Cup and Tokyo Olympics final defeat to win their third title. The first goal was scored in the 30th minute by Netherlands Yibbi Jansen, considered the world’s number one drag-flicker. Argentina received eight penalty corners in the match, and captain Maria Granatto converted the eighth penalty corner to equalise on a rebound in the 54th minute, forcing the match into a penalty shootout.
In the shootout Marjin Veen scored for the Netherlands while Pien Sanders and Felice Albers missed.
For Argentina Victoria Granatto, Brisa Bruggesser and Sofia Cairo scored while Zoe Diaz’s goal was disallowed on referral..
Earlier, Argentina had won the title by defeating the Netherlands in 2002 and 2010 .
The clash was a rematch of four years in the making after the two sides met in the last World Cup final in 2022, where the Dutch prevailed 3-1.
These teams also played the gold medal match at the Tokyo Olympics, with the Netherlands winning with the exact same scoreline.
The nine-time champion the Netherlands came through a dramatic battle against Belgium surviving a late disallowed goal to win the semifinal by merely one goal.
The second semifinal was similarly close with Argentina defeating Australia with the same margin.
Earlier, Belgium finished third defeating Australia by 1-0 in a hard fought third place play-off match.
The first 15 minutes were evenly contested, with both teams testing each other.
The Netherlands launched their first attack in the eighth minute when Marleen Jochems delivered the ball into the circle, but no one was there to intercept it. Two minutes later, Sanders entered the circle again, but the Argentine defenders cleared the ball safely.
Argentina’s Miranda Victoria attempted to break through the Dutch defence in the 13th minute but could not succeed.
Dutch forward Pien Dicke failed to finish a good move into a counterattack.
In the fourth minute of the second quarter, Xan de Waard, the Netherlands’ most experienced player with 252 caps, took the ball from the centre of the field and passed it to Veen on the right, but she lost control of the ball.
The Netherlands received their first penalty corner of the match in the last minute just before the break, and Jansen scored her eighth goal of the tournament with a powerful drag flick.
After the break, Argentina earned their first penalty corner in the 33rd minute, but the push was weak and the variation was unsuccessful.
Argentina continued their attacks and two minutes later, they were awarded their second penalty corner when captain Maria was obstructed inside the circle. Agustina Gorzelany’s drag flick was brilliantly saved by experienced Dutch goalkeeper Anne Veenendaal.
Argentina were awarded two consecutive penalty corners in the final two minutes of the third quarter.
Gorzelany failed to clear the first, and the ball was still inside the circle when, while taking a rebound shot, the ball hit a defender’s foot, earning another penalty corner.
Gorzelany’s trapping was also poor, and Sauze Victoria, standing behind her, shot over the goal.
Argentina had a golden opportunity to equalise when Eugenia Trinchinetti received the ball from the right flank and, after evading three Dutch defenders, passed it to captain Granato inside the D, but she lost control.
Felice earned the Netherlands’ third penalty corner in the 50th minute, but Yibbi was not on the field at the time, and Frederique Malta’s shot went wide.
Argentina were awarded their sixth penalty corner of the match on a counterattack.
Gorzelany’s flick hit a Dutch defender’s foot, prompting the umpire to signal their second consecutive penalty corner. Even then, Gorzelany’s effort was thwarted by the in-form Dutch goalkeeper Anne.
Argentina finally found success on their eighth penalty corner when the Dutch goalkeeper slipped while trying to block Gorzelany’s flick, and Argentina’s captain Granatto, standing on the right side of the goal, put the ball into the net on the rebound. PTI MJ SSC SSC
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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