Dutch women's hockey team wins gold after shootout against China

The Dutch women's hockey team has retained its Olympic title. The reigning champion won after a shootout against China, led by national coach Alyson Annan, the former coach of Oranje. It was 1-1 after regular playing time.

After the hour-long playing time, a shootout decided the winner. Five players had to go at the opponent's goalkeeper one by one. While Pien Sanders and Maria Verschoor scored the first and second shootout, the first two Chinese players did not go in. After a miss by Freeke Moes, China brought the score back to 2-1. But Anne Veenendaal made a save for the gold after Marijn Veen had made it 3-1.

China surprisingly took the lead in the sixth minute via Chen Yi. The Dutch were visibly shocked by the deficit and pressed on but without the desired result for a long time. The equalizer was not scored until the 51st minute: Yibbi Jansen scored from a penalty corner. It was already her ninth goal of the tournament.

Chances were few and far between for the Dutch in the first half. Captain Xan de Waard saw a shot saved, and Frédérique Matla hit the post from a penalty corner.

The Netherlands, supported by the public, went for it even more in the second half and maintained a high tempo. However, the Asian players held their ground well. The public thought that Matla had scored from a penalty corner, but the ball went just wide. Jansen's equalizer caused great relief.

In the final seconds, China had a chance close to the goal to score the winner, but to Annan's frustration, the ball did not go in. In the shootouts, the experience of the Dutch team was decisive as China seemed uncertain. China had already been beaten 3-0 by the Dutch side in the group stage.

The match was played in a sold-out Yves-du-Manoir Stadium, where the stands were almost entirely orange. An estimated 14,000 Oranje fans attended the final. The group match against China was played in front of empty stands due to expected bad weather.

China won their second Olympic medal in hockey. The women also finished second at the 2008 Beijing Games, when they were also defeated by the Dutch in the final.

The Netherlands were in the Olympic final for the sixth time in a row. At the previous Games, Oranje was still led by Annan, who the Dutch hockey association fired because of an unhealthy top-sport climate.

This was the first time in history that the Dutch men's and women's hockey teams won gold in the same Olympics edition. The men beat Germany on Thursday night to win gold.

It was the Dutch's 13th gold medal, a new all-time record-breaking their former best, which was at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney.