FIH Hockey Women's World Cup 2026, Semi-Final: Netherlands vs Belgium | #HWC2026

Next door neighbours. Co-hosts, are they best of friends? Well, Belgium and the Netherlands switched coach in the not-too-recent past. Raul Aaron's unable post-Paris to resist the draw of his home country. Now he faces his old charges, a team with which he went to Paris with golden hopes and left the French capital in 2024 medal-less. The Netherlands snapped gold there, of course, in the shootout against China. So this FIH Hockey World Cup semi-final, live from Amsterdam, live from the Wagner Stadion, and the Dutch through Sanders get going straight away. My name's Dan Strange. Alongside me, Marcia Cox. She has to make sure everyone is five. Matla is five. She's scored ten times against Belgium in her career, Frederica Matla. Scored a late goal against India in the pool stages. She sets up the first penalty corner here. And Frederica Mata, well, if you take your eyes off Marine Vane, if you take your eyes off Sandoval, if you take your eyes off Yubi Yancey, you've got to worry about Mata too. This is how Yancey goes for the option. And it's just right at the mark. Marine Vane stooping down and too much on it. Yeah, we see it again. The good injection, going for the variation and indeed she just gets too much stick to it, knocking it across the goal. Okay to go, told you men, finished second in the Olympics. It was up in the circle, an amazing ball to Falken, now there's danger, now the first half! Surprised at the near post, the goal keeping out the shot on goal to Perth. He's shot on goal, he's better than none, and he sneaks into the near post, and slightly against the run of play, the Dada feet. ...about this, where you see the turnover on the halfway line, it's a great cross, good vision to know that the space is actually on the opposite end, it's slightly behind that level of attack, Mottler does well just to play it on goal, but as you said... Just Pickard getting the right foot caught and unable to make that save. Here goes Marsha, Belgium's way. Stroik has an inside to look down here. Well won back penalty corner. That is excellently done on the right-hand side in an early penalty corner. I'm starting to speak now. Yeah, this is the momentum we were talking about, Dan, that they just needed to bring into this game. We see them attack down the right-hand side. ...forcing that desperate tackle on the baseline by Pien Saunders that burns that penalty corner. ...the ball is there, it will be on the bare, doesn't quite get the touch right and then... You say it because I can't say it, yeah? Thank you. A little bit of hesitation. I know. I just can't hear her when you're all talking as well. Yeah, we see that penalty corner again. She actually has such... A weapon in that shot on goal. Thanks, Irene. It's just unfortunate today. Now Janssen steps slightly. Now Belgium try to utilise what they've just created into the circle. Weaving run. The turn for the bastard of the Janssen. Game changer, she could be a game saver for Belgium. I just want to check that there's no back stick on the shot into the goal, please. Any reason I can't get the goal? OK, I will take a look for a back stick. See? Last one. The first goal of the World Cup ever. She scores against Weynon Dahl. All compliments to Lisa Morris for that brilliant play on the right. Alicia. I have advice for you. There was obstruction on the play and therefore you start with a free hit out. It's chalked off, they're not happy, he's not happy. She's not happy. It was a delightful finish. Where's the obstruction for you? Yeah, it's where you see the obstruction on post as the player. It's going to be Dutch delight again in another final. Into the corner, Albers takes it, 7-6, say the crowd, an 8th final in a row for the Netherlands. They have been the queens in the World Cup for so long, an 8th time in a row, that the Dutch will play for the World Cup. He is not there. Belgium are livid, Belgium are fuming, they thought they'd done enough to equalise. But it will be the Dutch, nine times winners, who make a final yet again. Yeah, we see a lot of emotion being shown by the Belgian players. Just being escorted to keep their distance from the umpires. Thank you, guys. This is what this game is all about. This is the passion that you want to see your players bring. And I can absolutely understand the frustration that Alex Guillaume is experiencing at the moment. It's heartbreaking when you've worked your way back into this game. I think both teams Teams, on the referrals, quite a lot of confusion, and then with that equalizing goal, Goal. Really, really interesting, interesting goal. He finishes. Netherlands 1, Belgium 0. Here we go. Here we go.