China stifled Australia to earn a victory that qualified them for the 2018 World Cup ©FIH

China inflicted a 2-0 defeat on Australia in the women’s Hockey World League Semi-Final in Brussels to book their ticket to the 2018 World Cup in England along with three other teams today.

Hosts Belgium suffered an agonising penalty 3-2 shoot-out defeat by South Korea at the Stade Fallon after a 1-1 draw, with the other two automatic places going to New Zealand, who beat Italy 2-0, and The Netherlands side, who defeated Spain by the same score.

All four sides have also qualified for the Hockey World League Finals in Auckland in November.

In the semi-finals on Saturday (July 1), South Korea are due to meet China and the Dutch face New Zealand.

Before these, the matches in the fifth to eighth-places playoffs are scheduled, with Spain face Italy and Belgium meet Australia. 

One final World Cup qualifying place open to the side finishing top of that section.

The Netherlands claimed one of the four automatic 2018 World Cup places as they moved into the last four of the women's Hockey World League Semi-Final tournament in Brussels ©FIH
The Netherlands claimed one of the four automatic 2018 World Cup places as they moved into the last four of the women's Hockey World League Semi-Final tournament in Brussels ©FIH

South Korea disappointed a large home crowd by proving the cooler team in the penalty shootout, where they scored through Cheon Eunbi, Cho Yun Kyoung and Cho Eunji.

They had taken an early lead through tournament top scorer Choen Seul Ki, but when Emma Puvrez scored just after half-time, home hopes soared, only to sink later on.

Goals from Samantha Harrison and Samantha Charlton earned New Zealand their win over Italy, while Caia van Maasakker supplied both goals for the Netherlands against Spain.

Earlier, Scotland beat Malaysia 1-0 in the ninth-place match.