The Spanish team, winners of the bronze medal at the last World Cup in 2018, could offer little encouragement to the home crowd at the Estadi Olimpic de Terrassa in the final game of day three.

After half-time in this key pool C game had been reached without scoring, Argentina broke the deadlock in startling fashion, scoring three goals in the space of six minutes.

Agustina Gorzelany was the first to find the net, in the 38th minute, and a minute later Valentina Raposa made it 2-0 with Gorzelany adding a second goal in the 43rd minute.

Spain, 4-1 winners in their opening match against Canada, narrowed the margin through Begona Garcia in the 50th minute but Argentina increased their lead a minute from time thanks to Maria Granatto.

Earlier in the evening the other co-hosts, The Netherlands, seeking a third consecutive title and a ninth overall, maintained their impressive start as they won their second match in pool A, against Germany, 3-1 at the Wagener Stadium in Amstelveen.

A 13th minute opener by the home team’s Marloes Keetels was the only difference between the sides until the fourth quarter, when further goals from Freeke Moes and Maria Verschoor gave the Olympic champions a 3-0 lead before Nike Lorenz pulled one back three minutes from time.

England, one of the four top seeds, were held to a 1-1 draw by India in their opening pool B match in Amstelveen.

Izzy Petter put England ahead after nine minutes but Vandana Katariya equalised in the 28th minute and that was how it finished.

Belgium, in the second rank of seeds, earned a 4-1 win over South Africa in their opening pool D game in Terrassa.

Two goals in the space of a minute early in the second quarter by Stephanie Vanden Borre put the Belgians into a position of superiority they never lost.

Jean-Leigh Du Toit pulled a goal back six minutes before half-time, but another pair of goals from Charlotte Englebert in the final quarter settled the result and put her side top of the pool on goal difference from Australia.

The second match of the day in Terrassa saw Canada go down to their second defeat as they lost 3-2 to South Korea.

 The Koreans’ first-minute lead, thanks to Jung Che-young, lasted only a minute as Madeline Secco equalised, and after Kim Seo-na had restored South Korea’s lead in the 49th minute Brienne Stairs managed an equaliser with four minutes remaining.

A third Korean goal a minute later, from Cho Hye-jin, drew no further response.

The tournament is due to resume on Tuesday (July 5) after a rest day tomorrow.