Golden goal puts Australia into the final

MADRID, Oct 6 (Reuters) Australia clinched a place in the women's World Cup hockey final in dramatic fashion today after a golden goal from Suzie Faulkner earned them a 1-0 extra-time victory over hosts Spain.

Faulkner lunged out to get a touch on a penalty corner shot from Angie Skirving a minute after the start of extra-time to ensure the Australian of place in the final against Netherlands.

Earlier five-times winners Netherlands reached the final for the third time in a row, and the ninth time in total, after a comprehensive 3-1 victory over defending champions Argentina.

The Dutch got the better of the South Americans in a repeat of the 2002 final thanks to an opportunist goal from Sylvia Karres early in the first half and well taken strikes from Miek van Geenhuizen and Kim Lammers in the second.

''We prepared for the match really well,'' said Netherlands coach Marc Lammers. ''The girls were marvellous and did everything we planned.

''Now we have a day to relax and recharge the batteries and then start thinking about the final on Sunday. We will be concentrating on the performance not the result.'' It was stalemate after the regulation 70 minutes in the Australia - Spain match with both sides producing some brilliant defending to deny their opponents chances from a succession of penalty corner opportunities.

With the final whistle about to be blown the stadium was plunged into darkness as the floodlights failed and the game was delayed by 15 minutes.

Spain, making their first semi-final appearance, were unable to take advantage of two further penalty corner opportunities before the match went into extra time.

Within a minute of the restart it was Faulkner who broke the deadlock when she diverted the penalty corner into the net to ensure the two-times champions a fourth appearance in the final.

CLEAR-CUT AFFAIR The other semi-final was a much more clear-cut affair with Netherlands taking the lead in the 13th minute when Karres turned and diverted a shot from Janneke Schopman past Argentine keeper Mariela Antoniska to take her tally for the tournament to five.

The Dutch dominated play and possession for most of the half, but they still had to be on their guard against the tricky, weaving runs of three times World Player of the Year Argentina's Luciana Aymar.

Argentina fought back hard towards the end of the half, winning a succession of penalty corners as they pinned the Dutch back in the last third of the pitch.

But the Dutch stretched their lead nine minutes after the restart when Van Geenhuizen fired home from the left after Schopman had pushed a free shot into her path.

Argentina were punished once again when Lammers slotted the ball under Antoniska after a fine pass from Eefke Mulder for her fifth World Cup goal.

Maria Hernandez earned the South Americans a late consolation when she fired a first-time shot past keeper Lisanne de Roever five minutes from the final whistle.

Earlier Japan claimed a deserved 2-0 victory over England in one of the matches to decide the minor places and will now meet United States, who edged a 1-0 victory over Germany, in the playoff for fifth and sixth place.

REUTERS DKS RAI0052