Even worse was that their captain Kate Walsh (pictured) was carried off with a potentially serious knee injury. But the team can still give themselves a chance of qualifying for the semi-finals if they beat India on Sunday.

 

Janneke Schopman put Holland in front after 14 minutes from a penalty corner. Then Walsh, winning her 164th cap, was caught by Fatima Moreira de Melo's stick just before half-time and was stretched off.

 

"I thought in the first 10 minutes some of our girls played nervously, which I couldn't understand because this was a win-win match for us - no-one expected us to beat Holland," said Danny Kerry, England's coach.

 

"They got on top after they scored but we started to find our way back into the match and in the second half we were probably the better side.

 

"But a few of our inexperienced players on the forward line couldn't quite turn the pressure into an end product."

 

On Walsh's injury, he added: "It doesn't look good. I don't think she will be available for some time."