Great Britain won their first-ever Olympic women's hockey gold medal after beating defending champions The Netherlands in a dramatic penalty shoot-out ©Getty Images

Great Britain won their first-ever Olympic women's hockey gold medal after beating defending champions The Netherlands in a dramatic penalty shoot-out at the Olympic Hockey Centre in Rio de Janeiro.

With the game tied at 3-3 at full-time, goalkeeper Maddie Hinch proved to be Britain's match winner in the shoot-out as she crowned an outstanding performance by saving all four of The Netherlands' attempts to score.

Helen Richardson-Walsh and Hollie Webb scored the decisive penalties to give Britain, the London 2012 bronze medallists, an insurmountable 2-0 lead in the best-of-five shoot-out.

"We know we’re good at shoot-outs," said Britain’s coach Danny Kerry. 

"We have some tough competitors and probably the best goalie in the world in shoot-outs.

"As soon as it went there, I knew we would win.

"Today we had to defend, we had to dig trenches, but we changed things in the last quarter and it paid off.

"Eight of the group are multiple Olympians and we needed that experience today." 

Defeat for world champions The Netherlands denied the country a third consecutive Olympic gold medal with their last defeating coming the final of Athens 2004, when they were beaten 2-1 by Germany. 

They dominated the match but could not take advantage of their 17 shots at goal, compared with Britain's seven

Hollie Webb scored the winning penalty for Great Britain ©Getty Images
Hollie Webb scored the winning penalty for Great Britain ©Getty Images

Lily Owsley gave Britain a 1-0 lead in an enthralling first quarter but, within the first minute of the second, Kitty van Male equalised.

The Dutch went ahead when Maartje Paumen scored from a penalty corner five minutes before half-time but, 40 seconds later, Crista Cullen brought Britain back onto level terms.

A second goal of the match for Van Male put The Netherlands in front again in the third quarter only for Nicola White to tie the match at 3-3 with just over eight-and-a-half minutes of the match remaining.  

That took it to the shoot-out in which Hinch was unbeatable and Webb scored the decisive fifth penalty.

"We did everything we needed to do," said Alyson Annan-Thate, the Dutch coach. 

"I think we played a fantastic game.

"We dominated the whole game and we played as we should have and as we wanted to.

"Tactically we were strong; technically we were strong.

"Physically and mentally, we were the better team and that makes this much more disappointing."

Earlier in the day, Germany beat New Zealand 2-1 to take the bronze medal thanks to goals from Charlotte Stapenhorst and Lisa Schutze.

Olivia Merry scored what was ultimately a mere consolation for the Kiwis.