Argentina beat Netherlands on penalties to win FIH Women's World Cup
Argentina beat co-hosts the Netherlands in a penalty shootout to win the FIH Women's World Cup on Saturday, the match having finished 1-1 after regulation before Argentina prevailed 3-1 in the shootout. Maria Granatto's 54th-minute equaliser had taken the game to penalties.
The result avenged two previous 3-1 defeats Argentina suffered to the Netherlands, in the 2022 World Cup final and in the Tokyo Olympic gold-medal match. The Dutch entered the match seeking a fifth successive World Cup title. The Netherlands are nine-time World Cup champions.
The Netherlands struck just before half-time when Yibbi Jansen converted a penalty corner on the stroke of the second quarter, her eighth goal of the tournament. Jansen, described in the report as one of the finest drag-flickers in the women's game, put the hosts ahead after earlier Dutch pressure. Marleen Jochems and Pien Sanders had created the first meaningful opportunities for the Netherlands.
Argentina had to wait until the closing stages to find a response and finally broke through in the 54th minute. Captain Maria Granatto scored from the rebound after the Netherlands goalkeeper lost her footing while attempting to stop Agustina Gorzelany's flick. Argentina had earlier created several chances from penalty corners without success.
In the shootout Victoria Granatto, Brisa Bruggesser and Sofia Cairo converted their attempts while Zoe Diaz saw her effort ruled out following a referral. Marijn Veen was the only Dutch player to score in the shootout; Pien Sanders and Felice Albers were unable to convert their penalties. The shootout finished 3-1 in Argentina's favour.
The final had been closely contested throughout, with neither side able to establish early control. Argentina struggled to make one attacking move count when Miranda Victoria failed to finish, and Xan de Waard helped the Dutch build attacks in the second quarter though Veen could not control the final pass. Argentina came out with greater intent after the break, earning multiple penalty corners in the third quarter but seeing efforts, including a Gorzelany flick, stopped by goalkeeper Anne Veenendaal. Eugenia Trinchinetti beat three defenders to find Granatto inside the circle, but Granatto lost control on that occasion, and a 50th-minute Dutch penalty corner saw Frederique Malta fire wide with Jansen off the field.
The Dutch had reached the final after edging Belgium in a tense semi-final, while Argentina booked their place with a narrow victory over Australia. Belgium later defeated Australia 1-0 to claim the bronze medal.
Argentina have now won the Women's World Cup three times, having previously lifted the trophy in 2002 and 2010, and the result denied the Netherlands a fifth successive World Cup crown.