Hockey: Black Sticks edge closer to final

Charlotte Harrison competes for the Black Sticks in their draw with South Africa at the Champions Trophy in Cape Town yesterday. Photo / Supplied

The New Zealand women's hockey team has inched closer to the Champions Challenge final - and possible promotion to the sport's top tier - after salvaging a 3-3 draw against hosts South Africa in Cape Town.

New Zealand's second half comeback to erase a two-goal deficit leaves them atop pool C on goal difference, meaning they are in the box seat to qualify for Monday's final. South Africa shape as their likely opponents after Spain and Japan lost ground by playing out a goalless stalemate.

The winner of the title decider is promoted to the Champions Trophy in 2010 at the expense of a demoted Australia.

Japan, ranked two places ahead of New Zealand as ninth in the world, need to beat New Zealand comprehensively considering the Black Sticks have a superior goal difference of +5 over them. New Zealand and South Africa have four points, Japan and Spain one apiece.

The Black Sticks were expected to avenge their 4-1 loss to South Africa in last year's wooden spoon match at the Beijing Olympics but were rocked as early as the second minute when Jennifer Wilson deflected a penalty corner into home from close range. Veteran Kayla Sharland equalised via a field goal in the 17th minute but the tournament's top scorer Farah Fredericks restored South Africa's lead two minutes later when she tipped the ball into the net through a goalmouth scramble.

South Africa then extended their lead when captain Marsha Marescia deflected a short corner beyond goalkeeper Beth Jurgeleit.

However, New Zealand regained their composure in the second spell, tightening their defensive alignment before Sharland and Clarissa Eshuis scored. South African goalkeeper Mariette Rix thwarted a penalty corner with 10 minutes remaining but seconds later Sharland added her second. Eshuis secured the valuable point four minutes from fulltime when she calmly pushed the ball past Rix in a crowded circle after the South Africans had initially defused a penalty corner. New Zealand pressed forward in search of a winner but Rix proved impregnable.

South Africa, who boast a goal difference of +2, play Spain in their final pool match.

- NZPA