Pretoria - The South African women's hockey team dazed Australia with a 1-all draw at the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi.
The crucial draw put the South African team into play-offs after hammering Trinidad & Tobago 12-nil earlier in the week and seeing off Scotland in the second group stages.
The South Africans surprised the Aussies with their intensity, skill and hunger to win. They dominated possession and territory, but the more experienced Australians resisted the onslaught and for much of the match, it looked like South Africa would reap no reward for their efforts.
However, Sulette Damon, a late replacement for Roxie Turner, equalised late in the second half to give her country one of its best results in recent years.
Damon's strike levelled matters and had South Africa pushing for victory at the end.
In netball, New Zealand ended South Africa's hope of snatching more medals at the Commonwealth Games with a clean 46-21 win.
South Africa led 1-nil after 30 seconds but, they were trailing 32-16 at halftime.
New Zealand's efficiency was 78 percent to South Africa's 73 percent, but both teams would be disappointed with the accuracy of their finishing.
The South Africans lost 54-36 to England in their opener and also failed to beat the second seeded Kiwis to maintain their challenge for a medal.
It was always going to be more a wish than reality, with the bookmakers favouring a spread of between 30 and 40 goal difference.
New Zealand, unbeaten in the group stage, are favoured to play Australia in the final. England, with only one defeat in the group stages, should advance to the semis with New Zealand.
Mark Randall and Herman Heerden will battle for a medal in the 1 500m men's freestyle, with Gideon Louw, Roland Schoeman and Graeme Moore medal contenders for the 50m freestyle.
There is concern about Moore, who qualified despite being ill in the morning.
SA flag bearers Cameron van der Burgh and Charl van Zyl will swim in the 50m breaststroke and 100m backstroke respectively.
Wendy Trott is through to the final of the 400m freestyle and swim sensation Chad le Clos and teammate Darian Townsend are in the final of the 200m individual medley.
In athletics, action hammer thrower Chris Harsme is in the final, to be contested tonight with Sunette Viljoen and Justine Robbeson.
Vault silver medalist Jennifer Khwela and Ashleigh Heldsinger are through to the final of the Balance Beam and Floor.
The cycling team of Dean Edwards, Jay Thompson and Christoff van Heerden is medal contenders in the Scratch Race.
Four days into their competition, South Africa's swimmers have made good on their promise to SASCOC to bring back 10 medals from the Commonwealth Games.
Le Clos has won two gold and two bronze medals. Natalie du Toit has two gold, with Cameron van der Burgh on one gold. Trott has that treasured silver and Roland Schoeman and Riaan Schoeman two bronzes.
Du Toit and van der Burgh will likely add to that tally and swimming would have surpassed their target, and lay down the gauntlet to other codes to do the same.
To add to South Africa's medal tally, Paralympian athlete Samkelo Radebe bagged silver in the T44 men's 100m.
