There it was, the second match of the day. Australia v the Netherlands.

For the Kookaburras, it meant a clash with the team that has provided tormented them in major international competitions.

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The Dutch bundled Australia out of the Rio Olympics in the quarter-finals in 2016. They knocked Australia out of the 2018 World Cup with a penalty shootout victory in the semi-final.

The Kookaburras had some demons to exorcise.

As is so often the case when these two teams clash, Sunday's quarter-final was an epic that delivered on every level.

The action was tense, it was fierce, it was physical and it was exciting.

The two sides could not be split after 60 minutes, Australia and the Netherlands locked at 2-2.

That sent the clash to a penalty shootout, making for some nervy moments for those at Oi Hockey Stadium and those watching along from home.

The pressure was high and Albion park's Blake Govers and Wollongong's Flynn Ogilvie were selected to take the first to shots for the Kookaburras.

But first, the Dutch would take a shot. Saved.

Up steps Govers. He makes no mistake.

Again, Australian goalkeeper Andrew Charter does his job to put his side in a commanding position.

Ogilvie has a tougher time of his opportunity, but he pounces on a rebound to send the ball firing into the back of the net.

Suddenly it's the Dutch who are under pressure. Their tournament is hanging by a thread.

Charter produces another piece of goal-keeping brilliance and the Kookaburras are now just one successful attempt from a place in the semi-finals.

Again the Australians deliver to claim a memorable victory and vanquish those demands from Rio.

The shootout came after an even start to the match, the Dutch generating the better of the chances through four penalty corners.

Australia's defence was superb, denying the Netherlands at every opportunity.

Eventually the Kookaburras had a chance of their own and they made their opponents pay.

It was Tom Wickham who pounced on a loose ball inside the circle, the goal coming in the 13th minute.

Australia had the better of possession in the second quarter, the period playing out in a similar manner to the first.

Each time the Dutch pushed into the attacking circle, the Kookaburras held firm and shut their opponents down.

The Netherlands were also solid in defence, the margin just one at the half-time break.

Australia were slow out of the blocks in the third quarter, the Dutch earning their fifth penalty corner of the match just 60 seconds into the period.

This time they converted to level the scores and put the Kookaburras on the back foot.

The deadlock would last just eight minutes, Wickham adding his second to put Australia back in front.

With the Kookaburras leading 2-1 at the final break, the stage was set for a tense 15 minutes as both sides pushed to keep their Tokyo campaign alive.

Like the third quarter, it was the Netherlands who started the better of the two teams and they were eventually rewarded for it.

A penalty corner gave the team a chance to level the scores before a deflection hit an Australian defender.

The referee awarded a penalty stroke, a decision confirmed after a video referral, Jeroen Hertzberger making no mistake to make it 2-2.

A tense finish to the match would follow, Australia with 10 minutes to hit the front.

The Kookaburras had their chances, but they were repeatedly denied, the clock winding down and the match sent to penalty strokes.

The Dutch entered the shootout full of confidence, having come from behind twice to level the scores.

Australia, however, were able to produce an immediate turnaround to secure a famous victory.