ROSARIO (Argentina) (AFP) Opening games in Pool A of the womens field hockey World Cup here Monday went according to predictions and rankings as-top ranked Netherlands trounced India 7-1, Australia squeezed past Japan 2-1 and Germany defeated New Zealand 2-0. India started with four strikers to Netherlands conventional three, allowing the Dutch to control the midfield and find space for passes into Indias circle. Janneke Schopman set up Marilyn Aglottis goal, driving across goal from the right to find Agliotti unmarked in front of the open goal to score. Rani Rampal capitalised on a defensive turnover by Netherlands, strode unchallenged into the circle and drove past Joyce Sombroek in Netherlandsgoal for Indias only goal. Goals by Allen Hoog and Kim Lammers quickly put the match out of Indias reach at 3-1 before the break. Maartje Paumen converted two penalty corners and a penalty stroke and Lammers scored into the open net in the second half to seal Indias fate at 7-1. India coach Sandeep Someshs explanation of why India started and finished with four strikers was confusing. It was our game plan to play with four strikers but as the Netherlands are the Olympic champions we could not continue to play with four strikers, Somesh said. Dutch coach Herman Kruis acknowledged the importance of winning the first match of the tournament. It was very important for us to win although we were a little nervous in the first half, but after the break we played with a lot of attacking and good defending so we could make seven goals, Kruis said. New Zealand rued missed chances in their 2-0 loss to Germany. It was disappointing to create so many chances and not put them away, said New Zealand coach Mark Hager, who admitted to being gutted by the result. Germanys two goals came in the middle of the first half. Natascha Keller scooped to goal and goalkeeper Beth Jurgeleit deflected to Celine Wilde who finished for Germanys first goal. Two minutes later Tina Bachmann converted Germanys third penalty corner chance with a low flick along the pitch inside the left post. New Zealand outplayed Germany in the scoreless second half, creating eight unconverted scoring chances. The Blacksticks suffered a 5-2 drubbing my Germany at their last meeting at the Champions Trophy this year. For us it was an improvement as the last time we played it was 5-2 against us and this time with the score at 2-0 and I think we had a chance to be equal if we could have made the most of our opportunities, Hager said. Germany coach Michael Behrmann praised New Zealand goalkeeper Beth Jurgeleit. New Zealands keeper put in a fantastic performance to prevent Germany scoring more chances, Behrmann said. Australia sprayed scoring chances wide of goal as they struggled to get on top of Japan. Nicole Arrold was just on target with Australias third penalty corner, mishitting at the battery yet seeing the shot divert off a defender into goal. Madonna Blyth scored for Australia after several chances went begging and Kaori Chiba pulled one back for Japan two minutes later, inside the last 10 minutes for the final 2-1 scoreline to Australia. Australia coach Frank Murray was pleased to scrape a win. I was pleased we got away with the three points and I thought the game was okay because we started to get on top as the game went on and some of the players who had not experienced a world cup before started to find their feet, Murray said. Japan coach Zenjiro Yasuda was pleased with the speed of his team but not the positional play. We need to use our speed around the sides of the pitch to open up the game and improve the positional play of the receivers of passes, Yasuda said. In Pool B on Tuesday, China face England, South Africa meet Spain and Argentina play South Korea.