Hockey: Black Sticks Women blaze into semi-finals

Anita Punt. Photo / Paul Taylor.

The Black Sticks Women will play for a medal and a shot at Olympic qualification following a thrilling 5-1 over Japan in the quarters at the FIH World League Semi-Final in Antwerp.

New Zealand are now through to the semi-finals where they will meet either Belgium or Korea at 6.30am on Friday 3 June (NZ time), with live coverage on SKY Sport.

If the Black Sticks win their next game they will earn automatic qualification for the 2016 Rio Olympics, while the top four placing also earns them a spot to compete at the World League Final in Rosario, Argentina from 5-13 December.

With the game delicately poised and locked up at 1-1 at halftime, New Zealand overpowered Japan in the second half and the flood gates opened.

Head coach Mark Hager said Japan caught them off-guard in the first quarter but it was pleasing to come back and wear them down.

"The Japanese surprised us the way they came out, they were very aggressive and played a fast tempo and we were a bit shell shocked," he said.

"It was pleasing that at 1-0 down we didn't panic, we kept striving along and changed our tactics as the game went on which worked for us.

"We knew if we scored goals the game would open up. Luckily for us that happened and girls like Michelsen and Punt were able to run freely in the midfield."

Japan came out running against the Black Sticks and were quickly creating chances on attack, taking the lead inside five minutes when Akiko Kato pounced on a loose ball in the circle.

The Black Sticks responded immediately though, with a good passage of play ending with Petrea Webster knocking home a rebound.

Both sides had their chances throughout the second quarter but went into halftime locked up at one goal apiece.

The Black Sticks lifted the intensity after break and took their first lead of the game in the 34th minute with Sophie Cocks putting the finishing touch on a superb baseline run and flick back by Gemma Flynn.

Eight minutes later the Kiwis pushed the buffer out to two goals with Anita Punt rocketing a penalty corner drag flick into the roof of the net.

Kirsten Pearce put the game beyond doubt midway through the fourth quarter with a brilliant run into space and then lobbed over the keeper before Gemma Flynn knocked another one home from close range for her side's fifth goal.