NEW DELHI: The Netherlands, the defending champions, secured their spot in the women's Olympic hockey final with a convincing 3-0 victory over Argentina on Wednesday. They will face China, who defeated Belgium 3-2 in a shoot-out after a 1-1 draw in their semi-final match. The final will be a rematch of the 2008 gold medal game, where China had to settle for silver on their home turf.
Despite the enthusiastic support from the predominantly orange-clad crowd, the Dutch faced a resilient Argentine defence in the first quarter. They also suffered a setback when Joosje Burg left the field with a bloody nose after being hit by a deflected ball. However, Luna Fokke broke the deadlock in the 21st minute, scoring off a long overhead pass. Laura Nunnink quickly followed suit, deflecting the ball in at the near post from a cross from the left.
