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Slovakia
Reid All About It!
All Whites Make World Cup History
by Jeremy Ruane
A last-gasp headed equaliser from Winston Reid secured a first-ever point for the All Whites at the FIFA World Cup Finals on June 15, as they came from behind to hold Slovakia to a 1-1 draw at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Rustenburg.
The result leaves the 78th-ranked Kiwis on level terms with world champions Italy and Paraguay, who produced the same scoreline in the opening group match the previous evening.
The All Whites began brightly, dominating their more experienced opponents in the early stages and showing far more composure during this time. As well, they went closest to breaking the deadlock during the opening exchanges.
Simon Elliott’s fourth minute free-kick picked out the head of Chris Killen on the far post, and his effort was dropped by Slovakian goalkeeper Jan Mucha, only for the custodian to gather the rebound before any white-clad opponents could capitalise on his error.
The whippet-like Vladimir Weiss responded instantly for the Europeans, scampering down the right before cutting inside and shooting tamely at Mark Paston, who was to have a largely forgettable first half.
Slovakia provided their first genuine threat in the 21st minute. Their captain, Marek Hamsik, played Weiss in down the left, and he raced on before checking his run and laying the ball back into Hamsik’s stride.
His shot curled past the far post, while another, from Stanislav Sestak seven minutes later, swerved narrowly wide after he worked a clever one-two with Weiss, who was threatening at every opportunity.
Indeed, his 29th minute corner first exposed Paston’s frailties, the ‘keeper flapping at the delivery in vain. Thankfully, Sestak, lurking beyond the All Whites’ custodian, could only direct a reflex glancing header wide of the target.
Another Paston blunder materialised four minutes later, the goalkeeper slipping as he attempted a clearance and presenting possession to Robert Vittek. Ryan Nelsen raced back to prevent the striker from capitalising on the situation.
After Vittek had sent a thirty-yarder thundering past the post, the All Whites briefly arrested Slovakia’s spell of dominance by engineering a fine move eight minutes before half-time.
Tony Lochhead whipped in an early cross from the left which picked out Shane Smeltz, who worked a smart one-two with Rory Fallon before lashing a lethal left-footed volley towards the target. Mucha tipped it into the side-netting, but the officials failed to spot the contact, and the corner the All Whites anticipated never materialised.
Back came Slovakia, Weiss’ corner arcing beyond the far post to Jan Durica, who headed the ball back into the goal area. Paston made like a rabbit in headlights at precisely the wrong moment as the ball entered the six-yard box, and it was as well for him that Killen was on hand to hook it clear.
The ‘keeper redeemed himself somewhat two minutes before the half-time whistle. Slovakia worked a clever free-kick, awarded after a tackle by Lochhead on Erik Jendrisek earned the wing-back a yellow card. Weiss, inevitably, was involved, but it was the pass of Marek Cech which was the telling ball, setting up Hamsik for a dipping twenty-five yard drive which Paston tipped over the bar in fine fashion as the half came to a close.
The second spell was five minutes old when the All Whites were dealt a body blow - a well-worked Slovakian goal. Weiss instigated it, but as he raced for a return pass, Sestak, to whom he had given the ball, ignored his team-mate’s run, instead opting to deliver a gorgeous curling cross which rewarded the blindside run of Vittek.
The striker got goal-side of Reid and deftly guided a running header beyond the diving figure of Paston and into the far corner of the net to open the scoring, although there was more than a hint of
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offside about the goal, with replays suggesting Vittek was nearer Paston than either Reid or Nelsen when the ball was crossed.
New Zealand reeled from this blow, and in truth, never really recovered from it. Despite the obvious need to fashion an equaliser, they enjoyed very little possession in the attacking third of the pitch, where Skrtel was imperious - the Liverpool defender had a fine game, nullifying in particular the aerial threat of Fallon, a facet of play which is so important to the All Whites’ game.
Twenty minutes from time, Slovakia threatened to double their advantage, led by Zdenko Strba. He surged downfield before feeding Sestak, who slipped the ball into the stride of Vittek as he arrived in the penalty area. The shot he shaped to unleash was never fired, however, thanks to a superb goal-saving tackle from Reid.
His challenge gave the All Whites renewed hope, but as time wound down, it looked for all money as if the team from FIFA’s most far-flung confederation would suffer yet another glorious defeat - and Smeltz’s wayward near-post header two minutes from time, on receipt of a cross from Lochhead, served only to underline that theory.
But there was still time, including three additional minutes of action brought about by the second half substitutions. And in the last of those three minutes, Slovakia’s hopes of winning their opening fixture in their maiden World Cup Finals appearance were dashed by a goal which will forever be a part of New Zealand sporting folklore.
There appeared to be little threat to Slovakia as Smeltz gathered the sphere out on the left - indeed, he was facing his own goal when he brought the ball under control, and had two defenders on top of him in the blink of an eye.
Somehow, he beat them both with a sharp turn, which gave Smeltz enough space to whip in an angled cross towards the far post. Reid, who had pushed on with the All Whites in search of an equaliser, rose in salmon-like fashion and directed a powerful header beyond the dive of Mucha and in off the post …
It was difficult to tell where the delight was greatest. Among the All Whites on the pitch, among their fans in the 23,871-strong crowd, among coach Ricki Herbert and the substitutes and coaching staff pitch-side, among the Kiwi officials in the VIP booths, or some x,000 miles away in New Zealand, as a nation began celebrating what is, for now, their country’s finest sporting hour-and-a-half.
For a long, long time, the core group which makes up the heart and soul of the All Whites have believed. Along the way, slowly but surely, their efforts, achievements and infectious attitude have captured the imagination of the country’s footballing community.
Now, with this result, the entire nation - yes, even the most staunch oval-ball fans - will be united by the achievements of their representatives at the quadrennial celebration of the sport known as ‘the beautiful game’.
Back in 1982, the late Charlie Dempsey’s immortal phrase, "This is our World Cup", aptly described New Zealand’s maiden qualification for the World Cup Finals. Twenty-eight years on, merely qualifying for the greatest show on earth wasn’t going to be enough to satisfy that claim again - this time, a statement had to be made to show the world that New Zealand deserves its place at football’s top table.
All Whites 1, 34th-ranked Slovakia 1 … no matter the results against Italy and Paraguay, that’s some statement!
All Whites: Paston; Reid (booked, 90), Nelsen, Smith; Bertos, Vicelich (Christie, 78), Elliott, Lochhead (booked, 42); Killen (Wood, 72), Fallon, Smeltz
Slovakia: Mucha; Zabavnik, Skrtel, Durica, Cech; Weiss (Kucka, 90), Sestak (Holosko, 81), Strba (booked, 55), Hamsik; Vittek (Stoch, 84), Jendrisek
Referee: Jerome Damon (South Africa)
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