The first of four crossover matches iinvolving teams who finished second and third in their groups at the Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park had gone into a penalty shootout after finishing goalless.

Perez, one of five nominated penalty-takers on each side, had scored with her first effort from the spot, thus bringing  the scores level at 1-1 following Louse Versavel's success with the second Belgian penalty.

Four penalties later Berta Bonastre put Spain ahead again with the last round of penalties to go but, after Pauline LeClef had held her nerve to pull Belgium level, Lola Riera missed the chance to close the match out.

So it went down to sudden-death, with all five takers from each side preparing to go through another sequence.

But when Versavel, first up for Belgium, failed to convert her second penalty of the day, Perez - a member of the side that finished eighth at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro - managed that feat more successfully to decide the game.

Argentina, twice winners of this tournament in 2002 and 2010 and bronze medallists last time around in 2014, were favourites to win the second crossover match of the day against New Zealand, who have never appeared on the podium since this event started in 1974.

They duly did so 2-0, with goals from Maria Barrionuevo and Delfina Merino, a London 2012 silver medallist in this arena, earning a quarter-final meeting with Australia on Wednesday (August 1), when the Spain versus Germany match is also scheduled to take place. 

Tomorrow will see the two remaining crossover matches between hosts England and South Korea and Italy and India.