Aymar had to leave the pitch 20 minutes from time with an unspecified leg muscle injury, and the coaching team have yet to discover how serious a problem it is.

The 36-year-old midfielder is the only woman to have received the International Hockey Federation's (FIH) Player of The Year award eight times, and helped Argentina take World Cup gold in 2002 and 2010, as well as Olympic silver at London 2012.

The victory left the Argentinian women joint top of Group B with seven points from three points, along with the United States, who defeated China 5-0 today with Katie O'Donnell contributing a hat-trick.

The Argentina men's team are also enjoying the tournament - a second half hat-trick from Gonzalo Peillat earned them a 3-1 win over New Zealand in their third group match to go joint-top of Group B with Olympic silver medallists Netherlands ahead of the latter's third match of the tournament against the side who beat them at London 2012, Germany.

Gonzalo Peillat (centre) celebrates one of his hat-trick of goals in Argentina's 3-1 win over New Zealand today at the Rabobank Hockey World Cup in The Hague ©AFP/Getty Images

England's women were left "devastated" as their chances of progressing to medal contention disappeared following their third successive defeat, by 4-1, against a South Africa side eight places below them in the world rankings at number 11.

South Africa, who had also lost their opening two games, albeit to PamAm Cup winners Argentina and EuroHockey Nations gold medallists Germany, scored four goals before the world's third ranked team could muster a response through Nicola White 15 minutes from time.

England had already suffered unexpected losses against the United States, ranked 10th, and China, ranked seventh, and are now bottom of Group B with matches against Argentina and Germany to come.

"I'm very angry and disappointed," said a visibly emotional England captain Kate Richardson-Walsh.

"We don't make the sacrifices we do and train as hard as we do for performances like that or performances we have had in the last few games. I'm just devastated, really."

Women's Olympic champions the Netherlands and Australia are joint top of Group A with three wins out of three, and have a crucial meeting tomorrow evening.

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