[img_assist|nid=5554|title=Back in action|desc=Argentina’s Luciana Aymar (right), celebrating her 35th birthday, plays in today’s final, Great Britain’s Georgie Twigg plays in the bronze medal game – hockeyimages.co.uk|link=node|align=left|width=220|height=146]LONDON, August 10 – Britain are looking to win their first Olympic medal in women’s hockey since Barcelona 1992 and New Zealand for their first ever.
Olympic champions Netherlands will try to deny world champions Argentina their first Olympic title on the final day of women’s hockey at the Riverbank Arena.
Classification 11-12 – Belgium v United States (08:30)
- Belgium lost their final pool match 3-1 against Korea on Monday.
- Belgium were the only women’s team to finish the pool stage without a victory.
- Belgium earned pool draws against China (0-0) and Japan (1-1).
- USA suffered an Olympic-record 7-0 defeat against South Africa in their final pool match on Monday.
- The defeat relegated USA to last position in the pool and the 11-12 classification match on goal difference.
- USA beat gold medal contenders Argentina 1-0 in their second pool match.
- Belgium and USA have never met in major international competition.
- Belgium have converted 1/22 (5%) field goal attempts, USA 2/15 (13%).
- Belgium have scored the fewest goals (2) in the tournament, their other goal came from a penalty stroke.
- Belgium have converted 0/8 penalty corner chances, USA 2/17 (12%).
- Belgium are the only team in the tournament that have not scored a goal from a penalty corner situation.
- Only South Africa (14) had conceded more goals than USA (13) in the tournament at the end of the pool stage.South Africa (14), USA (13) and Korea (13) all conceded more goals than Belgium (10) in the pool stage.
- Judith Vandermeiren (BEL) celebrates her 18th birthday on Friday August 10.
Classification 5-6 – China v Australia (11:30)
- China’s hopes of a place in the semifinals ended with a 1-0 defeat by Japan in their final pool match on Monday.
- Australia’s hopes of a place in the semifinals ended with a 0-0 draw against Argentina in their final pool match on Monday.
- They finished level with Argentina and New Zealand on 10 points at the top of pool B.
- Argentina (+8) and New Zealand (+4) qualified for the semifinals ahead of Australia (+3) on goal difference.
- Australia have conceded the fewest goals (2) in the tournament.
- China have converted 1/13 (8%) field goal attempts, Australia 2/31 (6%).
- China have attempted the least field goals (13) in the tournament.
- China have converted 4/17 (24%) penalty corner chances, Australia 3/14 (21%).
- The teams have met twice at the Olympic Games with Australia winning one match and a draw.
- Their last meeting was a 2-2 draw in the pool stage at Beijing 2008.
- China were 2-0 ahead with both goals from Li Hongxia before Casey Eastham and Sarah Young levelled for Australia.
- The last four meetings between the teams at major international tournaments have been draws.
- The last three of those meetings have been 2-2 draws.
- Australia have not beaten China in a major international tournament since a 1-0 pool-stage win at the 2005 Champions Trophy.
Bronze medal match – New Zealand v Great Britain (15:30)
- New Zealand lost the first shoot-out competition in Olympic history in their semifinal against Netherlands on Wednesday.
- They lost the shoot-out 3-1 after the match finished 2-2 at the end of extra-time.
- New Zealand twice led the match but could not hold for their first win against Netherlands in major international competition.
- Great Britain lost 2-1 against Argentina in their semifinal on Wednesday.
- Alex Danson scored her fourth goal of the tournament with five minutes remaining, but Great Britain could not force extra-time.New Zealand have converted 4/47 (9%) field goal attempts, Great Britain 8/30 (27%).
- Only Netherlands (64) have had more field goal attempts than New Zealand (47).
- New Zealand have converted 7/35 (20%) penalty corner chances, Great Britain 7/17 (41%).
- No other team have scored as many goals (7) from penalty corner chances as New Zealand and Great Britain. New Zealand’s women’s team have never won an Olympic hockey medal.
- Even if New Zealand lose, fourth place would still be their best Olympic finish.Their previous best finish is sixth, which they achieved on three occasions, Los Angeles 1984, Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004.
- The gold medal New Zealand’s men’s team won at Montreal 1976 is the NOC’s only Olympic hockey medal.
- Great Britain have played three previous bronze medal matches at the Olympic Games, but not since Atlanta 1996.They won bronze just once at Barcelona 1992 with a 4-3 extra-time win v Korea, Great Britain’s best Olympic finish.
- Jane Sixsmith scored Great Britain’s winner, her second goal of the match; Sue Fraser and Kath Johnson also scored.They lost their other bronze medal play-offs against Netherlands, 3-1 at Seoul 1988 and 4-3 on penalty strokes at Atlanta 1996.
- They have met twice at the Olympic Games, with Great Britain winning both matches.
- Their last Olympic match was a 2-1 win for Great Britain in the pool stage at Beijing 2008.
- Gemma Flynn (NZL) opened the scoring for New Zealand, Alex Danson and Crista Cullen scored for Great Britain.
- Many of the Great Britain players (as England) drew 2-2 with New Zealand at the 2010 Champions Trophy in Nottingham, England.
- Piki Hamahona and Gemma Flynn put New Zealand 2-0 ahead, Nicola White and Crista Cullen responded for England.
Gold medal match – Netherlands v Argentina (20:00)
- Netherlands won the first shoot-out competition in Olympic history in their semifinal against New Zealand on Wednesday.
- Netherlands twice came from a goal behind with penalty corner goals from captain Maartje Paumen.
- Paumen equalled Alyson Annan’s (AUS) record of 13 goals in Olympic matches.
- Netherlands won the shoot-out 3-1 after the match finished 2-2 at the end of extra-time, Ellen HOOG scored the decisive goal.
- Argentina survived a late scare against Great Britain, but won their semifinal 2-1 on Wednesday.
- Luciana Aymar became the first woman to win four Olympic hockey medals and the first woman from Argentina to win a medal (in any sport) at four Olympic Games.
- She celebrates her 35th birthday on Friday 10 August, but has never won Olympic gold.
- Netherlands have converted 10/64 (16%) field goal attempts, Argentina 7/26 (27%).
- Netherlands have had more field goal attempts (64) than any other team.Netherlands have converted 4/27 (15%) penalty corner chances, Argentina 7/26 (27%).
- Only Great Britain have a better conversion rate (41%) for penalty corner chances than Argentina.
- Netherlands are Olympic champions, Argentina are world champions.
- Argentina beat Netherlands 3-1 in the final at the 2010 world cup. Carla Rebecchi (2) and Noel Barrionuevo scored for Argentina, Paumen for Netherlands.
- The teams also met in the finals at the 2010 and 2011 Champions Trophy tournaments, Argentina winning in 2010, Netherlands in 2011.
- Netherlands have won medals in four consecutive Olympic Games, Atlanta 1996 (bronze), Sydney 2000 (bronze), Athens 2004 (silver) and Beijing 2008 (gold).
- Argentina have won medals in three consecutive Olympic Games, Sydney 2000 (silver), Athens 2004 (bronze), Beijing 2008 (bronze).
- Netherlands have beaten Argentina in the semifinals at the previous two Olympic Games.
- They won 4-2 in a penalty stroke competition after a 2-2 draw at Athens 2004, and 5-2 at Beijing 2008.
- In Beijing, Maartje Paumen (3), Ellen Hoog and Marilyn Agliotti scored for Netherlands, Marine Russo and Alejandra Gulla for Argentina.
