Rampant Dutch take tally to 14 goals in two wins

ROSARIO: Favourites Netherlands hit seven goals for the second match in a row and Australia netted six in two high-scoring women’s World Cup Pool A matches on Wednesday.

The Dutch, having crushed India 7-1 on Monday, beat New Zealand 7-3 with the hapless Indians on the receiving end of another drubbing, going down 6-3 to the Hockeyroos.

Germany beat Japan 2-1 in the evening’s other Pool A match. New Zealand’s Krystal Forgesson scored a hat-trick, the third of the tournament, in her 100th international, but it could not prevent her from finishing very much on the losing side.

Forgesson gave the Kiwis a shock second-minute lead with a field goal against the Olympic and world champions.

Ellen Hoog quickly equalised and Kim Lammers scored from open play after a quarter of an hour to give the Dutch a 2-1 halftime lead.

Netherlands were devastating as they went 6-1 up in the opening 13 minutes of the second half, including a penalty corner goal from Maartje Paumen, a triple scorer on Monday. Argentina’s Luciana Aymar hit the first hat-trick on Sunday.

Hoog scored her second of the match and third of the tournament 10 minutes from the end before Forgesson pulled back two late goals for her hat-trick.

Ashleigh Nelson scored twice for the Australians, her first of the match giving her team a 2-1 halftime lead. Madonna Blyth had put Australia in front and 15-year-old Rani Rampal scored a brilliant reverse-stick equaliser.

India were level early in the second half with Ritu Rani’s goal but Australia pulled away with goals from Case Eastham, Nicole Arnold and another by Nelson.

Rampal scored again for India, her third goal of the tournament, before Shelly Liddelow rounded off the Australian rout.

Ai Mukarami gave Japan a 1-0 halftime lead with a penalty corner goal but Maike Stockel and Natascha Keller scored two field goals in four minutes with 13 remaining for Germany’s second win.