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The Netherlands and Argentina will contest the Women’s Hockey World Cup final in Amstelveen on Saturday after both won their semi-finals 1-0 on Thursday. Frederique Matla scored the only goal against co-hosts Belgium, while Julieta Jankunas converted a fourth-quarter penalty corner to beat Australia. It is a repeat of the 2022 final, which the Dutch won 3-1 in Terrassa.
Amstelveen, Netherlands: Two semi-finals, two goals, and the same two teams as four years ago.
Neither match produced anything resembling comfort. Argentina needed until the 47th minute to break Australia, and the Netherlands led co-hosts Belgium from the second quarter and spent the rest of the night defending it. Both won by the only goal.
Jankunas Ends a Stalemate
At the Belfius Hockey Arena in Wavre, Argentina and Australia went three quarters without a goal.
Australia defended with discipline and neither side could engineer a clear opening. Argentina applied the sustained pressure — eight penalty corners to Australia’s three across the match — and it was from one of those, in the 47th minute, that Julieta Jankunas finally found the net.
The match had an unusual shape: of the eleven penalty corners awarded, seven came in the final quarter alone. Australia pushed hard for an equaliser once behind and could not get past goalkeeper Cristina Cosentino or a defence that held to the whistle.
It takes Argentina to a second consecutive World Cup final. Las Leonas have won the tournament twice.
Matla’s Counterattack
Later at the Wagener Stadium, the defending champions did the same thing to their co-hosts.
Frederique Matla scored in the second quarter, converting a counterattack for what proved to be the only goal of the match. Belgium responded with pressure and earned four penalty corners without scoring from any of them. The Netherlands had two of their own and did not convert either — Matla’s field goal was the entire difference.
ALSO READ: Three goals in five minutes give India their best World Cup finish in 52 years
For the Netherlands it is an eighth successive appearance in a World Cup final.
The Rematch
Saturday’s final is the fixture that closed the last World Cup. In Terrassa in 2022, the Netherlands beat Argentina 3-1 to claim a ninth title. Australia took third place in that tournament, as they will now play for again.
Little has changed at the top since. The Dutch arrive as champions, having topped their second-round pool with maximum points. Argentina come having topped Pool F ahead of Belgium.
The Rest of the Weekend
The women’s tournament concludes on Saturday at the Wagener Stadium. India finished fifth after beating Germany 3-1 on Thursday, their best World Cup result in 52 years.
The men’s final follows at the Stade Justin Peeters in Wavre on Sunday.
Women’s semi-finals — 27 August 2026
Argentina 1-0 Australia (Julieta Jankunas 47′) — Belfius Hockey Arena, Wavre
Netherlands 1-0 Belgium (Frederique Matla) — Wagener Stadium, Amstelveen
Final: Netherlands v Argentina, Saturday 29 August, Wagener Stadium, Amstelveen
