Rio 2016: GB women reach Olympic Hockey final

She was the star of the show on Friday night as GB won an unbelievable gold in dramatic fashion, clinching the final on a penalty shuffle shootout after the 60 minutes had finished 3-3.

The game stayed even through the first quarter, with both teams having opportunities to get on the board.

Crista Cullen and Georgie Twigg suffered nasty-looking head injuries in the second quarter.

Van Male regained the lead for Holland with her second goal of the match in the 36th minute following their seventh penalty corner of the match.

The third quarter remained scoreless.

Kate, the team captain, is considered Team GB’s driving force.

Earlier on Friday evening, Great Britain’s Nick Skelton won a gold medal on Big Star in the individual showjumping.

“When I saw we were going to get a corner, I had a good feeling”.

Helen and Kate Richardson-Walsh married in 2013 and, when asked what it meant to win Olympic gold alongside her wife, 34-year-old Helen said: ‘It’s pretty special.

“Those messages we get from time to time have made it really pleasing that we have been so open”, Helen concluded.

Scoring chances were rare in a tight third quarter until New Zealand, still pushing Britain back, created two decent opportunities – with Olivia Merry lashing wide before GB defender Susannah Townsley cleared off her own line.

Richardson-Walsh dusted herself down to score her team’s second goal.

“Away from hockey we’re Kate and Helen the couple”.

New Zealand, who beat Australia 4-2 to reach the semis, still have a shot at the bronze against Germany, also on Friday. New Zealand however found the front foot early on and frequently looked risky in the offensive third.

“I remember watching the Olympics when I was 12, seeing Sally Gunnell and the hockey ladies winning bronze in 1992”.

Great Britain can win Olympic gold tonight when they take on Netherlands in the final of the women’s hockey, live on BBC One at 9pm.

They beat New Zealand to win the bronze in front of a home crowd in London in 2012, ending a 20-year Olympic medal drought for the women’s team.

After ending leveled at 1-1, it came down to a penalty shootout. She tied it up at two goals each heading into halftime.

“Shame it’s silver”, she added, gesturing to the medal which will join the two gold ones she already has at home.

After topping the podium in Beijing and London, the Netherlands were hot favorites going into the Rio Games.

It was a knock-out blow for New Zealand, who quickly conceded another penalty stroke after great work from Lily Owsley, with Danson taking over penalty responsibilities from the injured Helen Richardson-Walsh to put Great Britain into the Olympic final.

Did you know… McCallin could be a valuable weapon against the Netherlands, not least because she speaks Dutch fluently after three years playing hockey there.