New Zealand v. Slovakia 1-1 15/Jun/10

First Round, Second Game, Group F, Day 5. (11 of 64)


Reid left it late to steal the show.
[Photo: Getty Images via Daily Mail]


For many viewers and football junkies across the Atlantic, it was a gross achievement to wake up at 06:30 to watch a really unimportant match, regarding the result. Today, the "Kiwis" stole the show with a late late goal from Winston Reid at Rustenburg. Even when the two goals came in the second part, overall possession was shared as well as the attacking possibilities. If there was an actual emotion to the match, it was the prospect of watching the progress of youngster Vladimir Weiss as well as some starlets in the Slovakian team. For me it was the insane, yet tactically brilliant formation that Herbert posed: a pretty well-balanced 3-4-3.

Where Weiss's men will not be happy in gifting two points the reality in the group is open to at least three possible teams at the moment. The All Whites made an impressive leap forward although it can only be attributed to a fine cross and a decent header. Whether this match resulted in another one in the infinite series of dull games in the beginning of this World Cup, there still is room for improvement for both sides.



Vitek scoring the first.
[Photo: Reuters via Daily Mail]


The game started in a low tone when Weiss's attempts in the first ten minutes caused little struggles. As the minutes passed Sestak and Vittek both provided short range challenges to Paston's goal. Smeltz proved luck but, at least for the New Zealand part, the powder (or any trace of game) was wet. Mainly all action was held at the Kiwis' door; another proof of that was when Hamsik shot was palmed away by the busy "home" keeper.


If the previous half was moved by long range strikes the following provided some excellent individual displays such as the own which gave us the early goal, in the 50th minute by the afore-mentioned Robert Vittek. Sestak provided some space and when he crossed the contact was enough to beat Paston. The keeper denied Weiss and his full back Reid denied the scorer after some handy work by the Man City youngster.

It was until the very late minutes that the All Whites wrote history as Winston Reid hammered one in to level things. Although it appeared to be a cheerless cross of two whites against three blues, the outcome was fatal for the Slovakians Again, as in other groups, the points were shared, giving everyone one a zero goal difference.