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The Netherlands survived a fierce Australian fightback to win 4-2 in Pool A, while Argentina’s Agustina Gorzelany scored twice to stun Germany 3-2 and move top of Pool B. The USA claimed their first win of the tournament with a 3-2 defeat of Scotland, and Spain edged past a spirited Ireland 3-2 in Pool C.
Four matches, three different pools, and a common thread running through all of them: nobody wanted to make it easy. The Netherlands needed to hold off a furious Australian fightback in Pool A. Argentina produced the shock of the group stage so far by beating Germany in Pool B. The USA, still searching for their first win of the tournament, finally found it against Scotland. And in Pool C, Spain’s late penalty corner proved the difference against a spirited Ireland.
Amstelveen / Wavre: Across two host cities and three separate pools, the FIH Women’s Hockey World Cup 2026 continued to deliver tight, high-quality contests as the group stage moved towards its business end.
Netherlands 4-2 Australia — Pool A’s Heavyweights Deliver
The Netherlands, chasing a first world title since 1998 and playing in front of a passionate home crowd at Amstelveen, were made to work considerably harder than the scoreline in isolation might suggest. Australia — Olympic bronze medallists and one of the most dangerous attacking sides in the women’s game — mounted a fierce fightback that had the Dutch camp sweating in the closing stages, clawing their way back into contention before the hosts finally pulled clear late on to seal a 4-2 win.
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The result confirms the Netherlands as the early pacesetters in Pool A, extending their perfect start to the tournament after an opening win over Chile. Australia, by contrast, will take genuine encouragement from the fight they showed against one of the tournament favourites, even in defeat.
Argentina 3-2 Germany — Las Leonas Announce Themselves
The result of the day belonged to Argentina. Las Leonas produced a statement 3-2 win over Germany — the side that had opened their own campaign with a routine victory over Scotland — to move to the top of Pool B on goal difference. Agustina Gorzelany was the architect of the win, scoring twice, including the decisive goal in the 56th minute that sealed the victory in a tight, high-quality contest that swung back and forth in its closing stages.
The win moves Argentina level on points at the summit of Pool B alongside Germany, but with the head-to-head advantage now in their favour — a significant psychological and tactical edge heading into the pool’s remaining fixtures. For Germany, previously the group’s form side after their opening win, it is the first real setback of their campaign and a result that tightens Pool B considerably heading into the final round of group matches.
USA 3-2 Scotland — Breakthrough Win in Wavre
For the United States, ranked 11th in the world, Monday in Wavre delivered exactly what their campaign had been missing: a win. Having opened the tournament with a 1-1 draw against second-ranked Argentina, the USWNT went into their Scotland fixture knowing anything less than victory would leave their qualification hopes hanging by a thread — with Scotland themselves facing near-elimination with a loss.
Reese D’Ariano, just 17 years old, set the tone early, opening the scoring in the third minute with a low backhand finish into the corner after finding space in the circle. Scotland responded well, equalising from a penalty corner in the 10th minute to level the match at 1-1, and might have gone ahead moments later had Meredith Sholder’s effort from the USA’s own retaken set piece not rung off the crossbar. The USA regained the lead in the second quarter after sustained pressure on the Scottish goalkeeper, eventually completing a hard-fought 3-2 win that secured their first three points of the tournament.
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The victory keeps the USA’s qualification hopes very much alive, with a final pool match against fifth-ranked Germany on Wednesday now taking on considerable significance. For Scotland, the defeat leaves their own tournament hopes in serious jeopardy.
Spain 3-2 Ireland — Redsticks Edge a Pool C Thriller
In Pool C, Spain overcame a determined Ireland in a match that went right down to the wire. Ireland twice fell behind before hitting back through penalty corner goals from Hannah McLoughlin and Niamh Carey to level the scores, in a display that showed considerably more resilience than the eventual result suggested. But a decisive penalty corner conversion for Spain in the final quarter proved to be the difference, sealing a narrow 3-2 win for the Redsticks.
Ireland will have taken genuine heart from their performance despite the defeat — twice pulling themselves level against a Spanish side considered among the stronger outfits in the pool — but the result leaves them still searching for their first points of the tournament heading into their remaining group fixtures.
Results — Women’s Hockey World Cup 2026:
Netherlands 4-2 Australia (Pool A, Amstelveen)
Argentina 3-2 Germany (Pool B, Wavre) — Agustina Gorzelany (2)
USA 3-2 Scotland (Pool B, Wavre) — Reese D’Ariano, Sophie Gladieux
Spain 3-2 Ireland (Pool C, Wavre) — Laia Vidosa, SofÃa Keenan, Xantal Giné (SPA); Hannah McLoughlin, Niamh Carey (IRE)
Pool B standings: Argentina and Germany level at top, Argentina ahead on head-to-head | USA move into qualification contention with first win
Venues: Wagener Hockey Stadium, Amstelveen (Netherlands vs Australia) | Belfius Hockey Arena, Wavre (Argentina vs Germany, USA vs Scotland, Spain vs Ireland)
