New Delhi:
New Zealand scored in the last minute of the regulation time and then held on to their nerves to beat South Africa 9-8 via sudden death penalty shootout to finish ninth in the hockey World Cup on Friday.
New Zealand captain Dean Couzins scored from the spot in the sudden death after both sides were tied 4-4 in the penalty shootout and 4-4 in the regulation time.
In the regulation time, New Zealand scored 30 seconds before the final hooter through hat-trick man Andrew Hayward form a penalty corner.
In the penalty shootout, Couzins, Hayward, Shea Mcaleese and Nicholas Wilson scored for New Zealand while Ryan Archibald missed the target.
For South Africa, Lloyd Madsen, Justin Reid Ross, Ian Haley and Gareth Carr scored in the penalty shootout while Wade Paton missed the target.
After both sides were tied 4-4 in the penalty shootout, Couzins again stepped out to make it 5-4 and win the match.
Earlier, in a high-scoring match between the two fifth-place 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.