THE reigning world champions will have to contest for a bronze medal after being defeated in a semi-final.

Team GB's women's hockey team were beaten by the Netherlands at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics last night.

The Dutch beat the British 5-1 with two goals in two first-half minutes from Felice Albers, and Marloes Keetels put the Dutch in control before Maria Verschoor made it three from a penalty corner.

Albers added a fourth in the third quarter. Britain did score a consolation through Giselle Ansley's penalty corner at 4-0.

However, it did not inspire a comeback as Frederique Matla added a fifth for the Dutch.

Maddie Hinch, whose family live in West Chiltington near Horsham, was the hero last time Team GB played the Dutch in the 2016 Olympics final when they won gold.

After the match, she said: "We have to look at what we got wrong and believe we are still a good side, and there is a reason we are still fighting for a medal here.

"We have not done this by luck, and we just need to believe that we will come home with the medal.

"The Dutch are an unbelievable side, and they punished our mistakes. They were world-class.

"We just were not quite there today and but it was not from any lack of effort, it just was not our day.

"The team have to remember why we are here in the first place, we could have gone home by now, but we have not, and we need to focus on these things.

"We need to play the hockey we know we are capable of, and I do not think we have been consistent this tournament.

"It would be massive if we can win the bronze medal, no matter who we are playing against.

"With everything this group has been through in the last year, a bronze medal would mean just as much as the gold we won in Rio.

They will now have to play in the bronze match playoff against one of Argentina or India, which will be played at 11:00 am.

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