Dutch women win second consecutive Olympic hockey gold

Reuters: The Netherlands won their second successive women’s Olympic hockey gold by beating world champions Argentina 2-0 on Friday with both goals scored from second-half penalty corners.

The Dutch netted from their third corner in the 45th minute through Carlien Dirkse van den Heuvel’s rebound and nine minutes later Maartje Paumen got their second to wrap up the victory.

The two sides had largely cancelled each other out in the first half but the Dutch took control after the break to show why they got to the final without dropping a point.

Argentina keeper Florencia Mutio saved Paumen’s direct shot but had no chance with Van den Heuvel’s rebound.

That set the sea of orange fans roaring and a Dutch brass band picking up their tunes before Paumen scored her trademark penalty kick - a hard drag flick just below the crossbar.

Paumen, who netted 11 times at the Beijing Games, has now scored an Olympic record total of 14 goals. The Dutch skipper had not got on the scoresheet in London until the semi-final against New Zealand but found her touch when it mattered most.

Her two penalty corner goals in the semi kept her side in the tournament after they trailed twice.

The Dutch victory ended Argentina captain Luciana Aymar’s dream of completing her set of hockey medals. The record seven-times world player of the year, who celebrated her 35th birthday on Friday, has won every major title except Olympic gold.

Aymar has said she will now retire from international hockey.

The Argentines had suffered a scare when Mariela Scarone was hit by a Dutch stick in an attempted tackle. With blood streaming from a cut under her eye, she was led off the field but returned in the second half.

Hosts Britain beat New Zealand 3-1 earlier on Friday to take the bronze.