Hockey World Cup: Ireland well beaten by Dutch in Amsterdam opener

Ireland opened their World Cup campaign with a 5-1 defeat by defending champions Netherlands in Amsterdam.

Frederique Matla (2), Yibbi Jansen, Sabine Plonissen and Maria Verschoor were all on target for the hosts.

Roisin Upton scored Ireland's goal which briefly gave them hope of securing a result at 2-1 down.

However, the Dutch ultimately proved too strong and the Irish now must regroup in time to face Chile on Tuesday.

While the result will come as little surprise, Ireland - who performed with resilience and determination in the face of intense pressure - were in touch well into the third quarter at 2-1 down.

However, rather like the meetings between the two countries in the World Cup final in 2018 and the Pool stages of the Olympics in Tokyo last year, the Netherlands showcased their ability to strike quickly and put the game to bed with two quickfire goals.

Ireland's World Cup future was never going to hinge on this game. They will have two days to pick themselves up ahead of the must win against Chile, who were beaten 4-1 by Germany in Saturday's other Pool A clash.

No country does a hockey party like the Dutch do a hockey party and the atmosphere was building long before push back with speckles of green in amongst the orange of the 10,000 strong partisan crowd.

As it was four years ago Ireland, led by Katie Mullan, ran out for the anthems with broad smiles on their faces as four players - Katie McKee, Charlotte Beggs, Caoimhe Perdue and Christina Hamill - made their debut in the cauldron of the Wagener Stadium.

Upton's goal briefly brought Ireland back into the game before a strong finish from the holders

It was a nervous start with plenty of unforced errors from Ireland but Perdue was assured with some early touches and Sarah McAuley's composed defending denied the Dutch twice.

Ayeisha McFerran plies her trade in the Netherlands and after winning Goalkeeper of the 2018 World Cup, she set about auditioning to retain her title with a string of world-class saves as the home side piled on the pressure.

Some of Ireland's approach play wasn't rewarded but from an interception Sarah Torrans fired wide of the post on her reverse.

Their resilience was eventually broken just ninety seconds into the second quarter, however, when McFerran pulled down Verschoor, a move that stopped a certain goal.

Frederique Matla slotted home the resulting penalty stroke but there would be no more breaches of the Irish defence before half-time.

The Dutch second goal was avoidable from an Irish perspective. The ball was stolen by Eva de Goede at the halfway line after she returned to the pitch following a two-minute suspension. It led the the eighth penalty corner for the Netherlands and this time McFerran was beaten by Jansen.

But two minutes later there was jubilation for Ireland. Michelle Carey's run into the circle was halted illegally and from their first penalty corner Upton scored, giving Ireland their first goal against the Dutch since 2005.

For Upton, it was another little milestone as she had scored Ireland's first goal at an Olympics in Tokyo last year and it silenced the crowd.

But only temporarily as Plonissen restored the two-goal lead from a penalty corner and then from a poor piece of Irish play, McFerran conceded another penalty stroke, allowing Matla to put the game beyond the Irish.

The Dutch fifth goal was simply a class finish by Verschoor, who controlled the ball before firing it low past McFerran on the reverse stick from just inside the circle.