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DPA
Tokyo
Britain’s reign as Olympic women’s hockey champions ended at the semi-final stage in Tokyo as they were crushed 5-1 by the Netherlands on Wednesday.
The Dutch emphatically avenged defeat in the 2016 Rio final, when British goalkeeper Maddie Hinch’s heroics during a penalty shoot-out ensured gold medal glory.
Argentina later booked their place in the final with a 2-1 win over India, captain Maria Noel Barrionuevo scoring twice after an early goal from India’s Gurjit Kaur.
The opening last-four clash at Oi Hockey Stadium was the second meeting of the Tokyo tournament between Britain and the Dutch, with the Netherlands having posted a 1-0 pool win six days ago.
Hollie Pearne-Webb’s team once again came unstuck as the Dutch never looked back following two goals in just over a minute during the second quarter when Felice Albers and Marloes Keetels struck.
Albers and Maria Verschoor added further goals during the third quarter, leaving Britain reeling from conceding four times in 19 damaging minutes, before Giselle Ansley netted a consolation, but Frederique Matla added a fifth late on.
It means that Hinch and company will play for the bronze medal at Oi Hockey Stadium on Friday again India before the gold medal match.
Whether they can bounce back in 48 hours from such a drubbing, though, remains to be seen.
Chances proved few and far between during a cagey first quarter, with neither goalkeeper forced into a save until the closing seconds.
Hinch then reacted sharply from a penalty corner, twice blocking shots as it ended 0-0 following the opening 15 minutes.
The Dutch, though, rocked their opponents through a blistering start to the second quarter as they scored twice in rapid succession.
Albers pounced for the opener, applying a clinical finish that left Hinch stranded, then before Britain could regroup their opponents struck again when Keetels found the target from distance.
It was a huge double setback for the defending champions and, although they finished the second quarter strongly in terms of possession and territory, they faced a sizeable task to claw things back after trailing 2-0 at half-time.
Britain had to score next, but they fell further behind just two minutes after the restart.
The Dutch forced a penalty corner, and the ball was neatly deflected beyond Hinch’s reach by Verschoor to give the Netherlands a 3-0 lead.
It had all unravelled with indecent haste for the 2016 gold medallists, and confidence appeared to drain from them in the morning heat as the Netherlands exerted a vice-like grip on the game.
Albers then scored her second goal, finishing brilliantly after losing her marker and leaving Britain 4-0 behind, before Ansley pulled one back entering the final quarter.
Britain are a much-changed outfit since their success in Brazil - only Hinch and five others who were part of that triumph have made the trip to Japan - and the aim now is another podium finish.
Tokyo
Britain’s reign as Olympic women’s hockey champions ended at the semi-final stage in Tokyo as they were crushed 5-1 by the Netherlands on Wednesday.
The Dutch emphatically avenged defeat in the 2016 Rio final, when British goalkeeper Maddie Hinch’s heroics during a penalty shoot-out ensured gold medal glory.
Argentina later booked their place in the final with a 2-1 win over India, captain Maria Noel Barrionuevo scoring twice after an early goal from India’s Gurjit Kaur.
The opening last-four clash at Oi Hockey Stadium was the second meeting of the Tokyo tournament between Britain and the Dutch, with the Netherlands having posted a 1-0 pool win six days ago.
Hollie Pearne-Webb’s team once again came unstuck as the Dutch never looked back following two goals in just over a minute during the second quarter when Felice Albers and Marloes Keetels struck.
Albers and Maria Verschoor added further goals during the third quarter, leaving Britain reeling from conceding four times in 19 damaging minutes, before Giselle Ansley netted a consolation, but Frederique Matla added a fifth late on.
It means that Hinch and company will play for the bronze medal at Oi Hockey Stadium on Friday again India before the gold medal match.
Whether they can bounce back in 48 hours from such a drubbing, though, remains to be seen.
Chances proved few and far between during a cagey first quarter, with neither goalkeeper forced into a save until the closing seconds.
Hinch then reacted sharply from a penalty corner, twice blocking shots as it ended 0-0 following the opening 15 minutes.
The Dutch, though, rocked their opponents through a blistering start to the second quarter as they scored twice in rapid succession.
Albers pounced for the opener, applying a clinical finish that left Hinch stranded, then before Britain could regroup their opponents struck again when Keetels found the target from distance.
It was a huge double setback for the defending champions and, although they finished the second quarter strongly in terms of possession and territory, they faced a sizeable task to claw things back after trailing 2-0 at half-time.
Britain had to score next, but they fell further behind just two minutes after the restart.
The Dutch forced a penalty corner, and the ball was neatly deflected beyond Hinch’s reach by Verschoor to give the Netherlands a 3-0 lead.
It had all unravelled with indecent haste for the 2016 gold medallists, and confidence appeared to drain from them in the morning heat as the Netherlands exerted a vice-like grip on the game.
Albers then scored her second goal, finishing brilliantly after losing her marker and leaving Britain 4-0 behind, before Ansley pulled one back entering the final quarter.
Britain are a much-changed outfit since their success in Brazil - only Hinch and five others who were part of that triumph have made the trip to Japan - and the aim now is another podium finish.
