The Netherlands beat NZ 3-1 at hockey

The Dutch, who had blanked Argentina 3-0 in their first match on Monday, slammed three goals after New Zealand had taken the lead in the opening minute of the match itself in front of a handful of spectators at the floodlit Major Dhyan Chand Stadium.

Both sides failed to add any goal in the second half after the Netherlands led 3-1 at the breather.

For the Netherlands, Ronald Brouwer (2nd minute), Taeke Taekema (7th) and Jeroen Hertzberger (27th) found the target while Phillip Burrows (1st minute) scored for New Zealand.

The Netherlands earned five penalty corners in the match while New Zealand got three. The Dutch now topped the Pool A with six points from two wins.

The match was nicely set up with New Zealand sounding the board as early as the opening minute through skipper Phillip Burrows who had the faintest of a touch of a cross by Steven Edwards.

In-form the Netherlands struck back immediately in the next minute with Ronald Brouwer scoring after captain Teun de Nooijer's reverse stick shot was rebounded off goalkeeper Kyle Pontifex.

Star drag-flicker Taeke Taekema then gave the Netherlands the lead by converting his side's first penalty corner in the seventh minute and in the process equalling his great countryman Floris Jan Bovelander's 17 World Cup goals. The goal was Taekemas' fourth for four attempts in this World Cup.

A defensive blunder cost the Black Sticks dear as Dutch forward Jeroen Hertzberger scored his side's third goal in the 27th minute.

Veteran Dutch goalkeeper Guus Vogels was in the thick of action twice in the first half. He first saved a Nicholas Wilson shot in the 18th minute following a fine cross from Ryan Archibald in front of the goal.

A minute before the breather, Vogels again blocked a shot by New Zealand captain Phillip Burrows.

New Zealand regained some lost ground in the second session which saw both the sides fighting on equal keel.

Star New Zealander Ryan Archibald missed the easiest of chances in the 52nd minute as he connected a cross almost on the goal-line only to see it out of the cage.

Six minutes later, a hard shot from Phillip Burrows hit the near side post before hurting Wilson, who was waiting at the far post. Wilson left the pitch injured.

The Netherlands play their next match against Canada on Friday while New Zealand take on South Korea on the same day. PTI