Reigning Olympic champion the Netherlands defeated Argentina 3-0 in the women’s hockey semifinals at the Paris Olympics on Wednesday as midfielder Luna Fokke came off the bench to grab a goal and an assist in the second quarter.
The Dutch have reached every final since missing out at the 2000 Sydney Games, when they finished with a second consecutive bronze, and have a chance to make history for the country if both women’s and men’s teams win gold for the hockey powerhouse.
Belgium and China meet in the second semis later on Wednesday to determine who faces the world’s top-ranked side, who will be playing in their sixth consecutive final, after both lost to the Dutch in the pool stage having conceded three goals.
Argentina, which was beaten by the Netherlands in the final in Tokyo, now has a chance to win its third bronze.
Netherlands opened the scoring in the 21st minute when midfielder Fokke slipped behind the defence on a deep pass and dribbled into the circle to beat keeper Cristina Consentino stick-side, lofting the ball into the right corner of the net.
The Dutch scored a second five minutes later when Laura Nunnink redirected a hard cross from Fokke past Consentino’s outstretched leg.
The tournament’s leading scorer, midfielder Yibbi Jansen, piled on the pressure in the 35th minute with a penalty corner score, her eighth in Paris.
Belgium’s Ambre Ballenghien is the second-highest scorer with six, all from the field.
