A wrap-up of day three for the women at the Rabobank Hockey World Cup in The Hague, Netherlands. Up first the Hockeyroos downed Japan 3-2 in a thriller match, while a stunning deflection by Kim Darae gave Korea the 1-0 edge over New Zealand. In the final game of the day the Netherlands tallied twice in each half to drop Belgium 4-0.
WOMEN POOL A Australia v Japan 3-2 (1-1)
Anna Flanagan took her tournament scoring haul to four goals in two matches as Australia claimed their second successive Pool A victory thanks to terrific but hard-earned 3-2 triumph over Japan. Flanagan's two penalty corners came either side of a wonderful diving effort from Emily Smith, and helped the Oceania Champions come from behind against the Continental Champions of Asia. The Hockeyroos - who were missing inspirational captain Madonna Blyth for the second successive match as she continues her recover from a calf strain - dominated the early exchanges but found themselves frustrated by tireless defensive work from their Japanese opponents.
WOMEN POOL A Korea v New Zealand
A sensational strike from Kim Darae gave underdogs Korea a 1-0 triumph over New Zealand's Black Sticks in an exciting Pool A encounter in the Greenfields Stadium. Kim's angled deflection in the 30th minute, which rocketed into the net via the bar and the post, was enough to settle the contest as the world number 8 overcame a team that sits three places above them in the FIH World Rankings. The result gave Korea their first points of the tournament, drawing them level on points with the Black Sticks after two matches each.
WOMEN POOL A Netherlands v Belgium 4-0 (2-0)
A sparkling team display rather than any individual standout performance was at the heart of the Netherlands 4-0 victory over near neighbours Belgium. While Red Panthers goalkeeper Aisling D'Hooghe will be disappointed to have seen the ball in the back of her net four times, she will take some consolation that were it not for her acrobatics the scoreline would have been greater.
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