BEIJING, Aug 22: The Netherlands won back the Olympic women’s field hockey gold medal after 24 years with a 2-0 win over hosts China in an absorbing final here on Friday.

Naomi van As and Maartje Goderie scored in the space of 13 minutes in the second half to end China’s dream of becoming the first Asian women’s side to win the Olympic title.

The Dutch world No 1 team, who were forced to settle for silver by Germany in Athens four years ago, won their first gold since the Los Angeles Games in 1984.

They are the most medalled women’s team in Olympic hockey history with two golds, a silver and three bronze medals.

China, the reigning Asian Games champions, improved upon their fourth place finish at Athens to win their first ever Olympic medal and continue a remarkable rise since their international debut in 1990.

“It was not a good feeling in Athens when we lost the final, but we were determined this time not to make the same mistakes,” said Dutch coach Marc Lammers.

“China defend well, so we had to make the right moves and attack regularly. It worked well in the second half because we managed to get through their defence.”

China’s Korean coach Kim Chang-Back said the final provided a hard lesson for his team.

“At the top level like this, good chances should be converted into goals which we could not do,” he said. “We should have been leading by two goals at half time.

“The Dutch defended very well after their first goal. But I can say I am happy we have won an Olympic medal. It is a big thing.”

A sell-out crowd of 12,000 at the Olympic Green Hockey Stadium that included a fair share of boisterous Dutch supporters saw the Netherlands take charge in the second half.

Van As deflected in a rebound off a penalty corner in the 50th minute to give the Dutch their 100th Olympic goal since the women’s competition started at Moscow in 1980.

Goderie then assured her team the gold with a stunning reverse hit from the top of the circle in the 63rd minute which crashed into the net.

The Dutch ended the 12-nation competition by winning all their seven matches, even though the competition’s leading scorer Maartje Paumen failed to add to her tally of 11 goals.

Both teams emerged unscathed after the first half in which Chinese goalkeeper Zhang Yimeng saved three penalty corner hits by Paumen.

The hosts launched lightening counter-attacks, but Tang Chunling twice shot into the Dutch goalkeeper, while Fu Baorong’s reverse hit went wide off the posts.

Argentina, meanwhile, retained the bronze medal with a 3-1 win over defending champions Germany in the play-off between the losing semi-finalists.

The South Americans, cheered on by football superstar Diego Maradona in the stands, took a 2-0 lead by the 22nd minute and added a third goal after the break.

Rosario Luchetti scored the opener in the 11th minute and Carla Rebecchi increased the tally, before Anke Kuehn pulled one back for Germany 12 minutes into the second half.

The German girls attacked for the equaliser, but it was Argentina who got their third goal seven minutes before the final whistle when Noel Barrionuevo slammed in a penalty corner.—AFP