KEY POINTS:
A battling 3-3 draw with hosts Belgium kept New Zealand's Champions Challenge hopes alive but the ticket to Monday's final might have come at a heavy cost.
Inspirational captain Ryan Archibald limped out of yesterday's game after just four minutes and is doubtful for the remaining matches at
the tournament.
Coach Shane McLeod said Archibald's ankle might be broken but he felt a planned x-ray overnight would show as a bad sprain.
"That aside, it wasn't a dream game but I'm happy enough with the result," said McLeod from Antwerp. "We knew a draw would be enough to get us through to the final.
"Losing Ryan changed the pattern of the game but we got through."
McLeod said there were some sloppy aspects in his team's performance but they had battled well in coming back from 0-1 and 1-2 to briefly take the lead before settling for a draw.
He admitted Hayden and Brad Shaw were still settling into their right and left half roles respectively after playing much of their international hockey at fullback.
"We have gone with Dean Couzins and Blair Hopping at the back which has meant some changes," said McLeod. "They [the Shaw brothers] are still developing their games in the halves although Hayden has been playing there for his club team in Holland."
Defensive uncertainty led to Belgium's first goal _ scored in the seventh minute by Thomas Briels.
Simon Child got the Black Sticks back to 1-1 seven minutes later with a cracking shot from the top of the circle. Within three minutes, and with New Zealand attacker Phil Burrows out of the game after being shown a yellow card, the hosts were back in front when, from a Thomas van den Balck freehit, Xavier Reckinger found the goal with a deft deflection.
The tit-for-tat continued with Couzins converting a penalty stroke after Childs had been impeded by John-John Dohmen for 2-2 in the 20th minute. Nine minutes later Childs scored his second to give New Zealand the lead for the first time.
The scoring was completed in the 38th minute by Charles van den Eghe - again from open play. None of the six penalty corners - three for each team - was converted, with New Zealand messing up their first and Hayden Shaw missing in the next two.
The Black Sticks play Argentina - the tournament's top-ranked team (at seven) - tonight in their last pool match. A win for world 10th-ranked New Zealand would open the door for India (ranked eight) to push Argentina out of the final. India play bottom-placed Japan in their last pool game and could squeeze past Argentina on goal difference if they win.
With nothing hinging on the result of tonight's game, McLeod will take the opportunity to give Andy Hayward and Nick Haig their first outings at the tournament. "We are likely to play Argentina back-to-back so we will not want to show them too much first up," said McLeod.
The final will be shown live on Sky Sports 1 at 3.30am on Monday.
