The lionessthe Argentine women’s field hockey team, are preparing to face their old acquaintances, the Dutch, in the semi-finals of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. This match, which will take place from 9 a.m., is one of the most anticipated of the tournament, as both teams have a rich history of competition and rivalry.
The lioness They reached this stage after a thrilling victory against Germany in the quarter-finals. The match was a true show of resilience and skill, with Argentina agonisingly drawing 1-1 thanks to a goal from Julieta Jankunas just a minute and a half from the end.
In the Australian penalty shootout, goalkeeper Cristina Cosentino became the heroine by saving three penalties and forcing the other to go wide, thus securing passage to the semi-finals.The Dutch, the current Olympic champions and world number one, beat Great Britain 3-1 in the quarter-finals.
Team Netherlands has once again demonstrated its dominance in women’s hockey, sweeping the group stage with convincing victories against France, Germany, China, Belgium and Japan.
The history between the two teams favors the Dutch, who have won seven of the eight Olympic matches against The lionessThe last time they met in a major tournament was in December 2023, during the FIH Pro League in Santiago del Estero, where the Netherlands defeated Argentina with a crushing 7-1, marking the worst defeat in the history of Las Leonas.
For The lionessthe match against the Netherlands represents an opportunity for revenge and to demonstrate their growth and strength. The team led by Fernando Ferrara has shown an excellent performance in the tournament, with important victories in the group stage against the United States, South Africa, Spain and Great Britain, and a draw against Australia..
Specialists
Argentina’s top scorer, Agustina Gorzelany, a penalty corner specialist, has been a key player in attack, with five goals in the tournament. Julieta Jankunas, with three goals, has also been fundamental for the team.
The defence and the performance of goalkeeper Cristina Cosentino will be crucial to contain the powerful Dutch attack, led by Yibbi Jansen, the tournament’s top scorer with seven goals. The lioness They will have to focus on solid defence and taking advantage of opportunities in attack, especially from short corners, where Gorzelany has proven to be lethal.
