Dutch into field hockey semis as China beat Britain

Defending champions the Netherlands moved into the semi-finals of the Olympic women's hockey tournament on Saturday by defeating South Korea 3-2 for their fourth successive victory in London. The Dutch were given a tough contest by Korea before sealing a win that gave them a maximum 12 points at the top of Pool A. China came back into the race for semi-finals with a 2-1 victory that stopped Great Britain's winning spree. The hosts are still in second place with nine points from four games, while China boosted their tally to seven points. Britain's semi-final prospects now hinge on their last game against the Dutch on Monday, while China will play the group's bottom-placed team Japan, who held Belgium 1-1 to pick their first point in four matches. Meanwhile Australia rode on Jade Close's early field goal to prevail 1-0 over South Africa and so move ahead of the pack in Pool B with nine points from four matches. World champions Argentina, New Zealand and Germany, all of whom play later Saturday, are clubbed together on six points from three fixtures. South Korea's Cheon Seul Ki converted two penalty corners to trouble the Dutch, who got all their goals in open play. Cheon opened the scoring by sending a drag-flick into the top corner in the fifth minute, but the lead lasted just five minutes, later with Kelly Jonker's reverse deflection of captain Maartje Paumen's shot drawing the Dutch level. Ellen Hogg's open-field strike four minutes later gave the Dutch the lead and Carlien Dirkse van den Heuvel made it 3-1 a minute after half-time. Cheon pulled another goal back with a penalty corner shot in the 64th minute to keep South Korea in the contest until the end. The Koreans though have just three points from four matches. "I'm obviously happy to be in the semifinals, but I want to see more goals," said Max Caldas, the coach of the Netherlands team. Paumen, the top scorer with 11 goals in the 2008 Olympics, has not scored a goal in four matches in London. "I keep my goals till the semi-finals," said Paumen. Great Britain captain Kate Walsh returned to play the entire match after surgery to fix a fractured jaw in her side's opening game of these Olympics, but China seized control of the game through penalty corner conversions by Fu Baorong in the 41st minute and Zhao Yudiao six minutes later. Crista Cullen pulled a goal back for Britain one minute from time, but it was too little too late. "We're disappointed with our performance. We can play better that that," said Walsh, promising a better display against the Dutch. As for her injury, Walsh said there was no-one else to blame. "I put my mouth in some silly positions. It was my own fault, I felt my teeth go half-way across my mouth." Walsh added she'd been through an amazing week before getting back on the pitch. "In hospital on Monday, surgery Tuesday, out Wednesday, trained two days and played Saturday." Australia keeper Toni Cronk blocked several shots to thwart South Africa's late charge, which included three penalty corners in the final six minutes. Earlier, Close picked up a well directed shot from top of the circle to shoot home in the eighth minute and Australia then managed to defend the lead against the hard-working South Africans, yet to earn a point in four matches.