Australia and Netherlands win 2014 Hockey World Cup

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Monday, June 16, 2014

In field hockey at The Hague, Netherlands, Australia defeated the Netherlands to win the 2014 Men's Hockey World Cup yesterday, and was defeated by the Netherlands in the 2014 Women's Hockey World Cup on Saturday. Never before have the same two countries played in both Hockey World Cup finals in a single year.

The Dutch women's team on June 1.
Image: Jan Willem.
Xan de Waard takes a shot (June 2).
Image: Jan Willem.
Netherlands captain Maartje Paumen (June 3).
Image: Jan Willem.
Netherlands captain Maartje Paumen (June 2).
Image: Jan Willem.
Carlien Dirkse van den Heuvel (June 2).
Image: Jan Willem.
A Crowd at Kyocera Stadium, The Hague (June 1).
Image: Jan Willem.

In the men's final, the Australian team, known as the Kookaburras and coached by Ric Charlesworth, successfully defended the World Cup they won back in 2010 with a 6–1 win over the Netherlands team, which was playing in its first final since 1998.

The Netherlands put the Kookaburras on the back foot when Jeroen Hertzberger scored the first goal. In five consecutive games in the series the Australians had scored their first goal in the first seven minutes. Australia's Chris Ciriello equalised with a goal from a penalty corner. Another goal by Kieran Govers gave the Kookaburras a 2–1 lead at the half time break. Four more goals in the second half, including one by 321-game veteran Jamie Dwyer, put the result beyond doubt.

The story was very different in the women's competition, where the Australian women's team, known as the Hockeyroos, were the underdogs, having not made a final in the World Cup or the Olympic Games since 2006. They made this final only after defeating the team in a semi-final penalty shoot out after a 2–2 draw in which the teams alternated goals, each Australian goal followed by a US goal by Kelsey Kolojejchick. Whereas, the Netherlands team had scored 21 goals in the tournament up to this point, while only conceding one, and had not been beaten by Australia since 1998.

Netherlands captain Maartje Paumen scored the first goal of the match from a penalty stroke, giving the Netherlands team their seventh Hockey World Cup win. Kim Lammers then made it 2–0. Neither side was able to score in the second half, but it was not for want of trying, and Australian goal keeper Rachael Lynch ended up with a total of eight saves.

Argentina defeated the United States 2–1 in the women's bronze medal game.


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