Australia and the Netherlands will clash in the final of the women's hockey World Cup in Madrid on Sunday.

The Aussies beat Spain 1-0 with a golden goal while top-ranked the Netherlands reached its third straight Cup final after a 3-1 victory over defending champion Argentina in Saturday's other semi-final.

Suzie Faulkner redirected Angie Skirving's disputed penalty-corner in the second minute of extra-time to lead 2000 Olympic champions Australia to its first World Cup final since its 1998 title.

The Netherlands scored through Sylvia Karres and Kim Lammers, the tournament's leading scorers, and Miek van Geenhuizen.

Maria de la Paz Hernandez accounted for Argentina's goal.

Argentina will face Spain in the third-place playoff, with the host guaranteed its highest ever finish in the championship.

On Friday, the United States beat Olympic champions Germany [Images] 1-0 and assured themselves of at least a sixth place finish, its highest in 12 years.

The US plays Japan [Images], who beat England [Images] 2-0, in the fifth-sixth place play-off.

Germany takes on England in the seventh-eighth place play-off.

China beat South Africa 4-0 and South Korea beat India 4-1 in the ninth-to-12th play-offs.

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