World Cup and Olympic silver medallists the Netherlands will face Argentina in the fifth-sixth place play-off match after registering wins in their respective classification games of the Hero Champions Trophy hockey tournament here today.
While the Netherlands beat Belgium 4-2 in a penalty shoot-out after both the teams were locked 2-2 at the end of the regulation time, World Cup bronze medallists Argentina defeated England 2-1 in another match.
While the Netherlands will face Argentina in the fifth-sixth place classification match tomorrow, England and Belgium will square up against each other to avoid the wooden-spoon.
In the first classification match, the Netherlands took a 2-0 in the first half through two field goals from Jeroen Hertzberger (11th minute) and Sander Baart (30th) and looked well set for a victory.
But the Red Lions, who did not have the services of injured Simon Gougnard and Loick Luypaert, made a valiant fightback in the final quarter with goals from Tom Boon (49th) and Tanguy Cosyns (60th) to take the match into the shoot-out.
But Dutch custodian Jaap Stockmann, who was brought into the match for the shoot-out, made crucial saves to deny Cosyns and Florent van Aubel to register the win for the Netherlands.
In the second classification match of the day, Argentina eked out a hard-fought 2-1 win over England.
Drag-flick specialist Gonzalo Peillat (25th, 48th) converted two penalty corners in the second and fourth quarter for Argentina after Ashley Jackson (12th) gave England the lead from a penalty corner.
