Germans caught in Dutch storm

UTRECHT, May 30: The Netherlands, in keeping with their status as the top side in the world, made their seventh entry into the women8217;s final of the World Cup after handing out a humiliating 6-1 defeat to the 1994 semi-finalists Germany in the second semi-final.

Crossing over with a 3-1 advantage, Holland showed no mercy and put in three more goals through Carole Thate 45th, Mijntje Donners 46th and Margje Teeuwen 69th to wrap up the game in style. Thate found the boards from a goalmouth scramble, a goal which the Germans disputed on grounds of obstruction of their goalkeeper, while Donners swept in a cross from Ellen Dubbeldam-Kuipers who cut through on the left with a brilliant solo run. Teeuwen then finished her solo run with a neat goal to complete the rout.

The Dutch expertise at penalty corners stood them in good stead as they ended the first-half on a high note, leading 3-1, after seeing off some tentative probings by the Germans.

The Dutch girls opened their scoring in the fifth minutewhen Carole Thate effected a rebound conversion from a penalty corner which had goalkeeper Julia Zwehl stopping a direct hit from Ageeth Boomgaardt. The Dutch put in their second goal in the 17th minute with a penalty corner conversion by Dillianne van den Boogaard.

Germany pulled one back in the 23rd minute. A quickly taken free-hit on top of the circle by Philppa Suxdorf was deflected to the net by Heike Latzsch. However, three minutes from the break, the Dutch pumped in a third goal with Boogard yet again on target.