Maybe the least anticipated match of World Cup 2010. For neutrals anyway. For both Slovakia and New Zealand it was arguably the most important game of Group F, being Slovakia’s opportunity to start strong and pick up the points needed to compete for second place, and New Zealand’s best chance of getting something other than a defeat from their trip to South Africa.
Up until the final minute, the game seemed to be going Slovakia’s way. They didn’t dominate by any stretch of the imagination, but had taken a 1-0 lead through Robert Vittek’s header, and seemed to have that extra bit of quality that New Zealand lacked, in players like Marek Hamsik and Vladimir Weiss. The latter was a constant menace down the right, and it was his burst and quick pass that allowed Stanislav Sestak to cross for Vittek to give Slovakia the lead in the 50th minute:
New Zealand 0-1 Slovakia
Perry | MySpace Video
With full time approaching I’d already started writing this match review in my head, praising New Zealand for a great effort, but also accepting that unfortunately they’re not quite good enough to hang with a European team at a World Cup. But then, in the 93rd minute, this happened:
New Zealand 1-1 Slovakia
Perry | MySpace Video
Shane Smeltz crossed and 21 year old defender Winston Reid headed home a late late equalizer. Cue the celebrations.
Reid plays his football in Denmark and had been playing for the Danish national youth teams. But New Zealand’s World Cup appearance seems to have been enough to persuade Reid to wear the white strip, and now he’s made history.
New Zealand’s only previous World Cup appearance came in 1982, when they lost all three games and conceded way more goals than is comfortable. So to come to South Africa and get three honourable defeats would have been an improvement. To avoid defeat and get an actual point is genuine progress. I’d have no problem with this team having an ope top bus parade holding up a giant point when they get back to New Zealand. As Ian said: “Winston Reid will not buy his own beer in New Zealand anytime soon.”
Though Slovakia were probably the better team, spiky haired captain Marek Hamsik was a little disappointing. I expected a player of his quality to pick a team like New Zealand to pieces. But extra credit to New Zealand for not going ultra-defensive and attempting to frustrate Slovakia, which is how they might have been tempted to earn a less impressive first World Cup point.