The first half of the penultimate Pool A match saw the Netherlands operating at a less intensive pace than their previous games during this competition. A tough half-time talk from coach Alyson Annan seemed to work as the eventual scoreline was 5-2 to the world's number one team against a battling Korea team.

Despite a slow start by the team in orange, the game was just seven minutes old when Lidewij Welten pounced on a pass from Ellen Hoog. Hoog had sped down the left side of the pitch leaving the Korea defence on the back foot and Welten gratefully received the ball to open the scoring.

Korea fought back immediately. Park Mi Hyun received the ball from Oh Sun Soon and her sharp turn and shot won her team a penalty corner. The well-worked routine saw Park's shot just fly past the Netherland's goal. Cheon Eun Bi (14') scored possibly the cheekiest goal of the tournament when she turned in front of Netherlands 'keeper Joyce Sombroek and slipped the ball backwards through her legs into the empty Netherlands goal.

The Netherlands reclaimed their lead in the 16th minute when Laurien Leurink was fouled on route to goal by 'keeper Jang Soo Ji. Caia van Maasakker (17') stepped up and dispatched the ball with ease.

Maartje Krekelaar was unlucky not to extend Netherland's lead just a few minutes later when she slid the ball past the out-stretched Jang only for the ball to run along the goal line without crossing it. As the half progressed, so the Netherlands began to gain greater control of this fixture.

Hoog's (27') goal was really a goal waiting to happen, the midfielder had been running circles around the Korea defence in the minutes leading up to the goal. Now she picked up the ball following a mis-control by the Korean defence.

With consummate ease, the FIH PLayer of the Year beat another defender and the goalkeeper before slipping the ball home to make it 3-1. The Korea team came straight back when a well-worked corner saw Park Seung deflect a penalty corner strike over Sombroek to leave the scoreline delicately poised at 3-2 to the world number one side.

Annan, the Netherlands coach said she was far from happy with her team's performance in the first half, but the first few minutes still saw Korea with the space to play the ball around the field. However, on the 41st minute the Dutch team did what they do best and an explosive run by Welten broke through the Korea defence. Her pass found Leurink, whose shot hit the post, only for Kelly Jonker to slot the ball home to make it 4-2. This was Jonker's third goal making her top scorer of the competition so far.

The fifth goal came from the stick of Marloes Keetels. She received the ball following another Netherland's attack involving Welten and Hoog. Her first time shot whizzed past Jang.

The final five minutes saw the Netherlands continue to move the ball around the pitch with consummate ease. Korea had periods of possession when they were able to play the ball around and move up the field, but as soon as it entered the danger area, the Netherlands were on top of the situation and were able to deal with the threat.

Speaking after the game, Han Hye Lyoung, who won her 150th cap for Korea, said: "We had a good first half, but as soon as the Netherlands scored their second, the players let their heads go down. We must learn how to cope with disappointment."

Caia van Maasakker, one of the Netherlands goal scorers said: 'The first half was not our best, but the second half saw us up the pace and go forwards. There was never any question that we always try hard, we always want to develop and move forward with every game."