Dhaka – Ellen Hoog shook off a miss in the shootout and came back to score the game-winner as the Netherlands defeated Germany on Wednesday in the Olympic women’s field hockey semifinals.”I had a little doubt because I missed the first one, but I trust my
shootout and I have a lot of confidence in my shootout,” Hoog said. “I was confident that I would take it and I would make it.”
The Netherlands will play Britain in the final on Friday,AP/UNB News Reported.The Dutch will try to become the first women’s team to win three consecutive gold medals.”We are not really thinking about that,” said Willemijn Bos, who scored two of the Netherlands’ goals in the shootout. “We just want to win this gold one. That’s what we are fighting for.”Alex Danson scored two goals, and Britain defeated New Zealand 3-0 in the other semifinal match to advance to the final for the first time.”It’s just unbelievable,” Britain defender Sam Quek said. “It’s like,my tears are just here. It just feels so unreal. When I look up in the crowd and I see the crowd – I looked at my mum’s face, the coach’s face, my teammates’ face – it just, that is what I play for. It’s just awesome.”The Netherlands is ranked No. 1 in the world, but Britain is 7-0 at the Olympics.”I would really love to go out with a bang and stand on top of that podium and sing the national anthem and be one of those people,”Britain’s Kate Richardson-Walsh said.The Netherlands-Germany match was tied 1-1 at the end of regulation,then the Netherlands won the shootout 4-3.Germany had its chances. The shootout was tied at 2-2, and a goal by Franziska Hauke would have won the match. Netherlands goalkeeper Joyce Sombroek registered the save to keep the Dutch alive.Sombroek, who was named the International Hockey Federation’s top goalie in 2015, had four saves in the shootout.”Joyce did great,” Hoog said. “She kept us in the race. She’s
exceptional.”Hoog also scored a shootout winner in the 2012 Olympic semifinals against New Zealand.Lisa Schutze gave Germany the lead in the first period, but Maartje Paumen converted a penalty corner in the second to tie the score. The match was evenly played the rest of the way.Germany slowed the Netherlands’ high-powered attack, constantly denying the Dutch after they advanced into the circle. But the Germans couldn’t muster enough of an offense to avoid the shootout.”In the end, we don’t have to apologize about anything,” Germany coach Jamilon Mulders said. “We were proud of our performance. We showed off our hearts on the pitch. That’s all we can do.”In the late semifinal, Britain had plenty of scoring opportunities early and finally capitalized when Danson scored on a penalty corner with 8:48 remaining in the second period. New Zealand possessed the ball more in the second quarter but couldn’t break through, and Britain maintained its 1-0 lead at the break.In the fourth period, New Zealand’s Kayla Whitelock was issued a
yellow card after contact inside the circle, and Britain was awarded a penalty stroke. Helen Richardson-Walsh converted to make the score 2-0.”I don’t think we got any calls our way that whole game,” Whitelock said. “Disappointing, wasn’t disciplined enough. We just didn’t stick to our structure and didn’t play the way we wanted to play today.”Danson scored on a penalty stroke four minutes later. Now, the British go into the final as confident underdogs.”I don’t know,” Britain coach Danny Kerry said. “I fancy our chances.”
