Paris 2024 Olympics - Hockey - Women's Bronze Medal Match - Agentina vs Belgium - Yves-du-Manoir Stadium, Colombes, France - August 09, 2024. Sofia Cairo of Argentina, Maria Granatto of Argentina, Julieta Jankunas of Argentina, Lara Casas of Argentina and Zoe Diaz de Armas of Argentina celebrate winning the match. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi
PARIS (Reuters) -Argentina beat Belgium 3-1 on penalties to win the bronze medal after a 2-2 draw in regulation time in women's hockey at the Paris Olympics on Friday as forward Sofia Cairo scored on the pivotal final shot following goalkeeper Cristina Cosentino's two blocks.
It was Argentina's third bronze and sixth Olympic medal in women's hockey, their second medal in a row after receiving silver in Tokyo. Belgium will have to wait another four years to try to get their first Olympic women's medal.
"We cried the day that we lost the semi-finals but we knew that we were going to get back to Argentina with a medal. We were convinced of that," Consentino said.
"There is time afterwards to think on what we did wrong and what we did well. So, now it was all about the medal and I think it has a great value.
"Everywhere we go, Argentina is there and I feel very happy to be part of that and it's very emotional."
Belgium defender Emma Puvrez opened the scoring in the eighth minute by calmly lofting a rebound from her penalty corner pass over an outstretched Cosentino who had stopped a shot by defender Stephanie Vanden Borre moments earlier.
An equaliser came in the 22nd minute when defender Augustina Gorzelany collected the team's fourth penalty corner and sent it high past the defence and into the left corner of the net.
Belgium's nerves were apparent in the opening of their first medal match, with errant passes landing on Argentina's stick and players arguing with the referee, resulting in a yellow card for midfielder Alix Gerniers in the 25th minute.
Argentina capitalised on the numerical advantage to go up a score, with forward Augustina Albertarrio sinking the go-ahead goal after Aisling D'Hooge denied forward Maria Granatto twice but was unable to clear the ball.
Belgium quickly responded on a penalty corner in the 27th minute when Consentino stopped the initial shot, leading to a scrum in front of the net that was calmly collected by forward Justine Rasir and lifted past the goal line.
Argentina dominated possession in the first half, holding the ball 59% of the time, but were able to record only three more shots for eight in total.
Granatto grabbed the ball off Vanden Boore's stick in the opening minute of the fourth quarter driving towards D'Hooge with a breakaway but the goalkeeper came off her line to deny the Argentina forward.
Argentina got a repeat penalty corner in the final 11 seconds of the match where D'Hooge stood tall, stopping two quick shots in a row and sending the game to a penalty shootout.
"We have a lot of young players so I know the future is bright," Belgium's leading goal scorer Ambre Ballenghien said.
"I'm disappointed now but I know we'll have other moments to shine and to come back home with a medal."
"I think we inspired a lot of people back home. The way we played, the way we fought, a lot of people in Belgium followed us. So I hope it will inspire little girls and little boys to do their best and to play for the national team in a few years."
(Reporting by Forrest Crellin; editing by Clare Fallon)
