FIH Women's World Cup: Netherlands win seventh title

Olympic gold medallists The Netherlands defeated Australia 2-0 in the title showdown to clinch the women's hockey World Cup at the Kyocera Stadium in The Hague on Saturday. 

This was the fourth time these two nations met in the women's World Cup title encounter, and The Netherlands have won three of them.

Out of 13 women's World Cups since its inception in 1974, the Dutch have won it seven times. 

The Dutch men will have a chance of completing a title double in front of home fans on Sunday, when they take on the defending champions in the men's final.

The Netherlands won both the men and women's hockey World Cups in 1990, when they were held in different countries. 

On the only occasion that the men and women's World Cups were held together – in the Dutch city of Utrecht in 1998 – The Netherlands men won the title, but the women were beaten by Australia. 

Captain Maartje Paumen, one of the four Dutch players winning her second World Cup gold, put her team ahead in the 12th minute with a penalty stroke conversion. 

The penalty stroke was awarded when Ross Dross was brought down by the goalkeeper and a defender inside the circle.

Livewire striker Kim Lammers increased the lead by beating goalkeeper Rachael Lynch with her second try in the 29th minute, after her initial shot was blocked by the custodian. 

Argentina's star striker Luciana Aymer, playing in her fifth World Cup, scored twice in the bronze medal playoff that the South American nation won 2-1 against the USA. 

Aymer scored field goals in the eighth and 21st minutes, while Lauran Crandall got the lone goal for USA in the 11th through a penalty corner. 

This was Argentina's fourth successive medal in the World Cup. They were champions in 2002 and 2010, and bagged a bronze in 2006.

Image: Netherlands' players celebrate their victory over Australia in their women's final match during the Field Hockey World Cup in The Hague, June 14, 2014.

Photos: Toussaint Kluiters/Reuters/United Photos