Both sides delivered on their promise to attack and entertain, but it was the Netherlands who made it through to set up a meeting with defending champions Germany in the final.
Both GB coach Jason Lee and Dutch counterpart Paul van Ass are devotees of attacking hockey but even they must have been surprised by the first half, played at a high speed with barely a pause for breath.
The Netherlands lost midfielder Klaas Vermeulen to a shoulder injury early on following a collision with Glenn Kirkham, but that was a rare moment of physicality as the flow of the game soon took over.
Considering how open the game was, it was surprising that the first three goals came from penalty corners.
Roderick Weusthof powered in one flick high, Ashley Jackson responded with a low effort of his own before Weusthof added his second from the breakdown at another set-piece.
There appeared to be no lack of confidence from the hosts, epitomised when Barry Middleton tried an outrageous deflection over goalkeeper Jaap Stockmann with his back to goal from Matt Daly's pass.
Even when a Mink van der Weerden corner crept under James Fair's right hand there was no let up, although the goalkeeper was forced into two good saves from Teun de Nooijer and Floris Evers.
That ambition bordered on over-confidence and when players were caught upfield, the Netherlands launched a swift multi-pass counter-attack which resulted in Billy Bakker converting from close range.
After the break, there was an early penalty corner chance for Jackson but as the home side pushed further forward the Netherlands just picked them off almost at will.
Bakker scored twice to complete his hat-trick, while veteran de Noiijer, on his penultimate international appearance after a 16-year career, Evers and Weusthof were also on target.
Moore slid in a late consolation to give the appreciative home crowd something of their own to cheer, but it was to no avail.
Related content
- Athletes
- Sports
- Countries
