Hockey: Black Sticks to medal round

Dean Couzins helped the Black Sticks fight back tonight against the Netherlands. Photo / File, Daniel Carson, Photosport

New Zealand are in the top-four play-offs of the Owen G Glenn Champions Trophy tournament after a stunning draw against the Netherlands tonight.

The Black Sticks fought back from 3-0 down, with Blair Hilton and Phillip Burrows giving the home side a sniff before an extraordinary final few minutes which captain Dean Couzins finished by scoring with a penalty stroke to put his team through.

With just over three minutes to play and New Zealand 3-2 down and out of the top four, coach Shane McLeod's gamble of replacing goalkeeper Kyle Pontifex with another outfielder paid off handsomely.

A New Zealand goal-bound shot was illegally blocked by a Dutch defender and after a referral to the TV umpire, the Black Sticks were awarded a penalty stroke which Couzins calmly converted.

Couzins said afterwards he was confident of scoring the decisive goal, despite the pressure.

"I was pretty nervous," he said. "But I had a plan. I wanted to pick my spot and push it hard and hope for the best, and my best was good enough."

New Zealand had South Korea to thank for a draw being enough to get through. Earlier at the North Harbour Hockey Stadium and against all the odds the Koreans fought back against Germany to draw 3-3.

But even a draw looked doubtful for the Kiwis tonight as the Netherlands called all the shots in the first half.

Billy Bakker put the Netherlands ahead after 28 minutes with a stunning solo effort which gave Pontifex no chance and they doubled their lead a minute later through Jeroen Hertzberger.

Hilton went close for the Black Sticks but the home side had Pontifex to thank for keeping them in the game as the Dutch ran the game with style and skill.

"Everyone owes him a beer because the Dutch were all over us but Kyle made some fantastic saves," said Couzins.

The goal which probably should have been the final nail in the coffin was scored by captain Taeke Taekema 13 minutes after the break but the Kiwis never gave up and, roared on by a big crowd, they gained a foothold on the game with a goal from Hilton, who shot around goalkeeper Jacob Stockmann.

"We threw everything at it," coach Shane McLeod said. "Our guys played with a lot of passion and when their passion and minds came together we managed to fight back.

"I did feel the goal after halftime would have been the making of that match and again I was wrong, thankfully."

The Dutch were not surprisingly disappointed with their disintegration in the final 15 minutes. A win over the New Zealanders would have had them first in the pool and Germany second. Due to the tournament rules, they would have taken their three points from their victory over the Germans into the next round.

Netherlands coach Paul van Ass said: "The energy in the last 15 minutes was fantastic and for us that's where the trouble started."

That energy was due to a vocal crowd, which Couzins said was the noisiest he had played in front of in New Zealand.

McLeod's men now face Spain, who were second in Pool A, on Thursday night, and Australia, who topped the group, on Saturday night.

New Zealand's previous best result in a Champions Trophy was a fourth in 1978 but only five teams competed.

Netherlands 3 (Billy Bakker, Jeroen Hertzberger, Taeke Taekema) drew with New Zealand 3 (Blair Hilton, Phillip Burrows, Dean Couzins). HT: 2-0.