ARNHEM, Netherlands – Beijing 2008 Olympic champions the Netherlands led 2-0 at halftime through Kelly Jonker and Ellen Hoog field goals before Kitty van Male and two great goals from Lidewij Welten completed the damage.

Thursday’s first match was also won 5-0 by Holland.

At five each, the world’s 12th-ranked South Africa matched world No 1 Netherlands shot for shot in the opening 20 but the remaining 15 minutes of the first half was all the Dutch.  In the third minute Welten shot wide with time on her hands. Then Tarryn Bright turned over in the Dutch 23m area and fed the pacy Sulette Damons whose effort was smothered by keeper Joyce Sombroek.

Netherlands and South Africa each had three more possibilities to get a goal and the action-packed match was hardly 15 minutes old. In the 21st minute the deadlock was broken when a cross fired in from the right was helped in at the far post by Jonker (1-0).                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

Then Pietie Coetzee showed composure to get in a shot at the other end but Sombroek was there. Illse Davids cleared after a crisis in their goalmouth, before three more Dutch chances came and went, keeper Rix stopping one; then a three-shot opportunity saw South Africa scramble out of trouble, but Hoog made it 2-0 with six left to the changeover.

The match’s first penalty corner within three minutes of the second half saw Rix save before the keeper stopped another from field play. After 10, Netherlands  were unfortunate not to get a penalty corner awarded but Van Male made it 3-0 from close shortly after.

A Damons opportunity was smothered at the other end before a Dutch shot went high. Then Damons intercepted midway in Netherlands half, made ground and shot but Sombroek’s glove was there. With 19 left, and then seven from fulltime, Welten made great runs down the left before slipping the first, and then slamming the second, past Rix for goals four and five.

Only the gold medal at London 2012 will be acceptable for the defending champs while South Africa are aiming for a place in the top-eight.

South Africa lost the first unofficial Test match 5-0 on Thursday after trailing 1-0 until 13 minutes from the end.

They had not touched stick and ball for three weeks prior to the tour and arrived after an 11-hour flight to have a three-hour training session earlier this week evening and a 90-minute session during this week before the first Test.