[img_assist|nid=1576|title=|desc=|link=none|align=right|width=86|height=100]LONDON, July 31- Two goals from Kim Lammers helped Netherlands beat Japan 3-2 in a women’s Pool A match at the Riverbank Arena on Tuesday.
Netherlands started strongly and Lammers had two early chances to put them ahead before converting her third attempt in the fourth minute. Good work on the righthand sideline by Kitty van Male saw her get to the backline and pull the ball back for Lammers, who made no mistake from close range.
Lammers could have had a second goal after 14 minutes, but failed to connect with Kelly Jonker’s pass towards the far post.
Japan’s main opportunities in the first half came from set-pieces, penalty corners in the sixth and 19th minutes their best chances of the opening 35 minutes.
Netherlands continued to press Japan and got their reward on 30 minutes. Lammers won the ball just outside the circle and set up Ellen Hoog who scored her first goal of the tournament with a reverse stick shot which gave Japan goalkeeper Sakiyo Asano no chance.
Lammers scored her second of the match, and fourth of the tournament, eight minutes into the second half. Carlien Dirkse van den Heuvel showed neat stick skills along the backline to provide a straightforward chance for Lammers, who scored easily.
With Hoog yellow-carded for foul play shortly after, Japan came back into the match almost immediately. Rika Komazawa got on the end of a cross by Matsako Sato that was helped on into the circle by both Aki Mitsuhashi and Shiho Otsuka to make it 3-1 with 10 minutes gone in the second half.
Netherlands had to endure a nervous final quarter when Japan pulled a second goal back with 17 minutes to go. Ai Murakami converted from their third penalty corner of the match and put Netherlands under further pressure late in the match.
Lidewij Welten had the chance to put the result beyond doubt with four minutes to go. A Netherlands counter-attack saw her chance come back off the post, when it looked like she would score.
Netherlands, the Beijing 2008 gold medallists, now have two wins out of two games.
