NZ beat SA in sudden death, finish 9th

New Zealand scored in the last minute of regulation time and then held on to their nerve to beat South Africa 9-8 via the sudden death penalty shoot-out to finish ninth in the men's hockey World Cup in Delhi on Friday.

New Zealand captain Dean Couzins scored from the spot in sudden death after both sides were tied 4-4 in the penalty shoot-out, and 4-4 after regulation time.

In regulation time, New Zealand scored 30 seconds before the final hooter through hat-trick man Andrew Hayward form a penalty-corner.

In the penalty shoot-out, Couzins, Hayward, Shea Mcaleese and Nicholas Wilson scored for New Zealand while Ryan Archibald missed.

For South Africa, Lloyd Madsen, Justin Reid Ross, Ian Haley and Gareth Carr scored in the penalty shoot-out while Wade Paton missed the target.

After both sides were tied 4-4 in the shoot-out, Couzins again stepped up to make it 5-4 and win the match.

Earlier, in a high-scoring match between the two fifth-placed teams of Pool A and Pool B, six goals came in the second session after South Africa had taken a 1-0 lead at the breather in front of a sparse crowd at Major Dhyan Chand stadium.