A stoppage time penalty from captain Chris Wood earned New Zealand's All Whites a 1-1 draw with the Democratic Republic of the Congo on October 13, as these nations clashed for the first time ever on the world stage, Real Murcia's Estadio Enrique Roca de Murcia the venue for this friendly international. The Central Africans, nicknamed "The Leopards", made their intentions clear from the outset, Cedric Bakambu's twenty-five yarder startling Nik Tzanev in New Zealand's goal within twenty seconds of the kick-off. Three minutes later, an attempted Marko Stamenic clearance rebounded off Silas Mvumba then ricocheted off the Kiwi midfielder before flying narrowly past Tzanev's left-hand upright twenty yards away - it would have been quite an unusual "oggie" had that one found the net! The All Whites responded with a ninth minute effort on goal from Callum McCowatt, following a short corner routine. Congo goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi turned the ball away well, then looked on six minutes later as Chancel Mbemba's timely intervention prevented Wood from capitalising on a one-two with Sarpreet Singh, whose return pass was delicious. After Bakambu had taken on four defenders before setting up Mvumpa for a twenty yard effort which he directed straight at Tzanev, the African team started indulging in a string of niggling fouls which were very effective in breaking up the flow of the game. These unwelcome interventions were made in an effort to break up the All Whites' attractive attacking forays, many of which foundered on a penetrating pass which was all too often wayward - a shame, because the enterprise shown by Singh, in particular, was deserving of greater reward. Just one shot in anger of note was fired in a twenty-minute period, Theo Bongonda battering a low drive into the side-netting after darting inside off the right flank. DRC followed that up with a super one-touch move in the 41st minute, turning defence into attack. Alas for the Africans, Meschak Elia and Mvumpa were unable to penetrate the All Whites' rearguard on this occasion. In the shadows of the half-time whistle, Darren Bazeley's charges came desperately close to breaking the deadlock. Singh split the defence with a lovely pass which played in Eli Just, whose shot was pawed across the face of goal by Mpasi, with Ben Waine, racing in on the far post, unable to get there in time to turn the ball home. Within 23 seconds of the second half's commencement, the Democratic Republic of the Congo opened the scoring. And, just as it had been in the initial seconds of the first half, Bakambu was responsible for the opening. Samuel Moutoussamy's angled ball from halfway invited the striker to pursue the opportunity, although it was one Liberato Cacace should have comfortably dealt with. But his header back towards Tzanev was well anticipated by Bakambu, who lifted the ball over the stranded 'keeper before

rolling it into the net from an acute angle. The goal revealed a nervousness in the All Whites' rearguard which their opponents were eager to exploit, but it was Wood who next had the ball in the net, only for the goal to be ruled out because the ball had crossed the by-line before Just could pull it back into his captain's stride. The Oceania champions continued to press for an equaliser, with Mpasi denying McCowatt after some brilliant footwork and deft interplay by Singh - how he has been missed by the All Whites during his injury-affected two-year absence from the team. After Nando Pijnaker and Michael Boxall combined to prevent Bongonda from latching onto Bakambu's through ball in a bid to double Congo's lead, Wood was again denied an equaliser, this time by the offside flag in the 69th minute. The Africans were looking the more likely side to score again in the last fifteen minutes, and a lovely 77th minute move culminated in Charles Pickel's delightful flicked pass inviting Bakambu to beat a defender and let fly. Thankfully for the All Whites, his radar was off on this occasion. Five minutes later, debutant substitute Grady Diangana fired narrowly wide from fifteen yards after being picked out by Moutoussamy's through ball. This triggered a response from the All Whites which included a debut for Tyler Bindon - the nation's 636th international - and culminated in  Gedeon Kalulu's clumsy foul on Wood in the 88th minute, following a quickly taken Matthew Garbett free-kick. Gibraltar referee Jason Borcelo had no hesitation in pointing to the penalty spot, from where Wood sent Mpasi the wrong way to earn the All Whites a deserved equaliser. But they weren't satisfied with being on level terms, and twice went close to clinching a stoppage time winner in the time remaining. Garbett and fellow substitute Bill Tuiloma combined to open up "The Leopards"' defence in the fifth minute of stoppage time, with Max Mata's deft header being splendidly saved at close range by Mpasi, who looked on with relief seconds later as Dalton Wilkins' devastating run down the left left two opponents in his wake before the fullback invited Wood to pull the trigger. The timely intervention of debutant defender Brian Bayeye prevented New Zealand's captain from doubling his tally for the contest, his block the final action in this absorbing encounter between the All Whites and a team from a continent New Zealand rarely clashes with on the world stage. DR Congo:     Mpasi; Bayeye, Mbemba, Batubinsika, Kalulu; Pickel (Kayembe, 90), Moutoussamy, Bongonda (Balikwisha, 60); Elia (Diangana, 46 (booked, 68)), Bakambu (Banza, 78), Mvumpa (Muleka, 60) All Whites:     Tzanev; Kirwan (Tuiloma, 62), Boxall (Bindon, 86), Pijnaker (booked, 90), Cacace (Wilkins, 78); Singh (Mata, 78), Stamenic, McCowatt; Waine (Garbett, 62), Wood, Just (Champness, 78) Referee:     Jason Borcelo (Gibraltar)