Mexico came from behind to overcome a spirited New Zealand side 2-1 in their FIFA Confederations Cup clash in Sochi's Fisht Stadium on 21 June, ending the All Whites' hopes of progressing to the semi-finals of the competition. But the beaten side can be proud of their efforts on the night, the meek display they produced against host nation Russia contrasting starkly with their assertive performance against the Mexicans, who struggled to cope with the All Whites taking the game to their more fancied opponents. The Oceania champions' committed efforts were epitomised early on by Tommy Smith's superb tackle on Oribe Peralta, and while there were some over-enthusiastic challenges - by players of both teams - during this phase of the game, it was clear to all and sundry that the All Whites weren't here to make up the numbers on this occasion. Four minutes later, Smith came desperately close to opening the scoring, scrambling Mexican defence preventing Michael Boxall's header down, from Michael McGlinchey's free-kick, from reaching his fellow central defender. Mexico responded by unleashing the dangerous Javier Aquino at the under-exposed Dane Ingham down New Zealand's right wing. The teenage fullback won't forget this encounter in a hurry, because he was taken to the cleaners time and again by the fleet-footed flank player, which made one wonder why Storm Roux, a far more experienced fullback, was being overlooked by All Whites coach Anthony Hudson. As Marcellus said to Horatio in William Shakespeare's play 'Hamlet', "Something's rotten in the state of Denmark" where Roux is concerned. This was the fifth game of this All Whites' tour, and aside from a 45-minute showing against Cabinteely FC in a non-cap-earning friendly, the fullback has been conspicuous by his absence from the field of play. Not so Andrew Durante, whose experience is vital to the All Whites in the absence of injured captain Winston Reid. But the veteran defender was caught in possession by Giovani Dos Santos in the sixteenth minute, the midfielder surging forward before releasing Aquino down the left. He slipped the ball inside to Peralta, who turned it into the stride of Dos Santos. His shot was blocked by some scrambling All White defenders, with Peralta's attempt to turn home the ricochet being blocked for a corner. Mexico were unable to capitalize on that opening, after which Smith once more threatened for the All Whites, his header grabbed by Alfredo Talavera following Marco Rojas' quality set-piece delivery. The Mexicans were awarded a free-kick in the 26th minute after Ryan Thomas earned the game's first booking for clattering into Marco Fabian from behind. But it was the All Whites who would exploit the opportunity, clearing the danger and mounting a counter-attack down the right via Clayton Lewis. His cross picked out the unmarked figure of Wood, who looked certain to score until Talavera plunged to his left to pull off a fine save. But why Wood was unmarked had the Mexicans doing more than mere hat-dances on the sideline - coach Juan Carlos Osorio and his team were seething in response to an off-the-ball collision between the striker and defender Carlos Salcedo. Their allegations that Wood had used an elbow in shrugging off the attentions of the covering defender were given further weight when Salcedo had to be carried from the pitch on a stretcher with his arm in a sling - his day was done, just 27 minutes into the contest. Before the Mexicans had had a chance to introduce Salcedo's replacement, they had to defend a Rojas corner, which was delivered to the near post. Durante's flick-on into the goalmouth begged a finish, but Peralta was the first player to react, and he, in tandem with Juergen Damm, managed to clear the danger. The All Whites' aggression was something Mexico clearly hadn't bargained on encountering - Osorio had labelled his opponents 'gentlemen' in the build-up to the match. But these same 'gentlemen' chose to bear their fangs on this occasion, and Mexican was on the menu. Six minutes before half-time, Wood was thwarted at the near post by Talavera, although the offside flag would have denied him a goal had he scored. There was no such signal three minutes later, however, as New Zealand's captain opened the scoring, and stunned the Mexican fans into silence. Thomas' driving run through midfield saw him link up with Rojas, who brought Lewis into play. The instinctive midfielder threaded an angled pass into the stride of Wood, whose rifled ten yard finish left Talavera beaten all ends up - 1-0 All Whites. Mexico sought a swift riposte, Fabian the first to force a save from Stefan Marinovic in the contest with a twenty-five yarder a minute before half-time. But with Salcedo's injury having prompted plenty

of injury time, the All Whites went desperately close to doubling their advantage in the additional minutes. Lewis and Rojas combined with the talismanic figure of Wood again, but his touch failed him inside the penalty area. A first-time volley might made things very interesting indeed, but as it was, another chance would fall Wood's way before the half-time whistle sounded, Lewis' ball forward the source. Talavera raced out of his area and judged the bounce of the ball better than his taller opponent, however, the goalkeeper heading the danger to safety to bring the half to a close. You didn't need to be a rocket scientist to know that Mexico would be a completely different animal in the second half, and sure enough, they charged out of the blocks with more than a few points to prove. Just four minutes into the half, Damm's driving run down the right culminated in a fiercely struck cross which found its way to Aquino, homing in on the far post. His drive was blocked by the legs of Marinovic. Talavera was in action once more in the 53rd minute, saving at the feet of Wood after Lewis had once more supplied the ammunition. But from the 'keeper's resulting clearance, Mexico levelled the scores, Raul Jimenez thundering home the equaliser after Aquino and Fabian had prised open the All Whites' defence. In a half which saw plenty of niggling fouls and a resulting build-up of opposing temperaments towards their tipping point, just one opening of note was produced inside the next fifteen minutes, but Marinovic proved equal to Diego Reyes' header following Aquino's corner. The All Whites' 'keeper was powerless to prevent Mexico from taking the lead in the 72nd minute, and once more it was the influence of Aquino which would prove telling. The winger did Ingham a treat en route to the by-line, from where he pulled the ball back into the stride of Peralta, arriving on cue at the near post. His close-range finish crashed into the net via the inside of the near post - 2-1. Hudson's charges were far from out of it, however, and within three minutes came close to drawing level with opponents to whom they'd narrowly lost as recently as last October. Substitute Bill Tuiloma's long throw-in picked out Smith, whose header was directed straight at Talavera. He instantly launched a counter-attack which culminated in Damm twisting and turning this way and that, only to lash a shot narrowly over the bar. Seconds later, a Boxall tackle brought Fabian to earth, and prompted a gathering of the clans. Mexico's bench was again unhappy - they certainly didn't appreciate these colonial upstarts getting in their faces and knocking them off their stride. Five minutes from time, Tuiloma lobbed another long throw-in into the danger zone. Boxall, New Zealand's other long throw-in technician, rose to meet it, and steered the ball into the path of Thomas, whose curling effort rattled the left-hand angle of Talavera's goal, with the 'keeper rooted to the spot. It was a let-off for the Mexicans, who instantly launched a counter-attack, Jimenez leading the charge. The ultimate beneficiary was Damm, but Marinovic blocked his effort with his legs. Two minutes from time, Mexico thought they'd clinched the match after another Aquino raid down the left culminated in the winger picking out Jimenez, who couldn't believe it as Smith appeared from nowhere to clear his shot off the line. 2-1 it remained to Mexico, however, and that would be the case when Gambian referee Bakary Gassama blew the final whistle. But not before another meeting of the minds had resulted following a foul on Boxall, who instantly launched into an airborne challenge which felled Mexican substitute Hector Herrera. They came in from all angles in response to this incident, the trigger which ignited the powder keg which had been brewing throughout the match. Referee Gassama did exceptionally well to keep a lid on proceedings and all twenty-two men on the park, but it was certainly an ugly note on which to finish this contentious encounter, one in which the All Whites performed far more in keeping with the expectations of their fans. Mexico:     Talavera; Salcedo (Moreno, 33 (Marquez, 68)), Araujo, Alanis (Herrera, 46 (booked, 90)); Dos Santos, Reyes (booked, 90), Fabian, Aquino; Damm, Jimenez, Peralta All Whites:     Marinovic; Boxall (booked, 90), Durante, Smith; Ingham (Patterson, 82), Lewis (Tuiloma, 58), McGlinchey, Thomas (booked, 26), Wynne; Rojas (Barbarouses, 73), Wood Referee:     Bakary Gassama (Gambia)