Dutch and Argentines in Tokyo 2020. Oranges prevailed there but Las Leonas wants revenge. Photo Tauseef MUSTAFA / AFP
They are the undefeated champions of the latest Pro League; Opposite are the two-time world champions. And together they act in the great classic of women’s hockey. Las Leonas and the Netherlands will fight for the title this Sunday, at 16:30 in Argentina (ESPN and Star ++), with a long history not favorable to the Argentines.
Since Australia left the top in the 1990s, the Netherlands has changed rivals for titles and those incipient 21st century lionesses have appeared there. And the dominance has alternated, so much so that Argentina is now number 2 in the world and Holland, 1st, according to the ranking of the International Hockey Federation (FIH). In addition, the Tokyo 2020 Olympic champions – where they beat Argentina – have won this tournament eight times and are the most successful.
In history they reign, with 26 victories, six draws and 15 albiceleste victories. And if you take only the last 10 games, they are also in the lead, with an overwhelming dominance: respectively 7, 2 and 1. The draws are the most recent, because they correspond to the clashes of 28 and 29 May (1-1 each) for the FIH Pro League played in the Netherlands. If, on the other hand, the clashes in the World Cup final are taken into consideration, the data extracted is favorable for Las Leonas: they are left with two of the three definitions.
Before being Leonas, there were also important and transcendental duels. Like the World Cup in Mandelieu, France in 1974. It was the first organized by the FIH and was left in the hands of the Dutch, who won 1-0 against what were simply the members of the Argentine women’s field hockey team.
In Perth, however, the myth was born and with it came the victory. Argentina, who had scored two years earlier in Sydney 2000 -silver medal-, drew 1-1 in regulation time but won 4-3 on penalties. A few years later, in Luciana Aymar’s last World Cup, and precisely in the patio of her home (Rosario), Las Leonas won again. 3-1, with a brace from Carla Rebecchi and one from Noel Barrionuevo, after the partial discount of Maartje Paumen from a corner kick.
Two years later, however, Argentina failed with that elusive gold medal and lost the London Olympics final to the Netherlands 2-0, in what was the last wrestling show with the national team before retirement. . Carlien Dirkse van Heuvel and Maartje Paumen prevented Argentina’s quadruple medal and flag bearer from removing that gold thorn.
The very high level of the Netherlands almost a decade later, in Tokyo 2020 – even if played last year – once again prevented Argentina from winning an Olympic final. The Dutch won 3-1 thanks to goals from Caia van Maasakker (2) and Margot van Geffen. Agustina Gorzelany, the scorer now in Terrassa, made the one for Argentina.
Source: Clarin
