In a goal-laden first half, two clinical free kicks from Milivoje Novakovic sandwiched a Rory Fallon equaliser before a tap-in from Andraz Kirm rounded out the scoring in the 43rd minute.
Following a narrow loss to Australia in Melbourne and an impressive win over Serbia in Austria, another competitive showing against a fellow finalist keeps alive New Zealand hopes of a credible display in a FIFA World Cup campaign that begins against Slovakia on June 15.
“We’ve got what we’ve needed from the tour,” Herbert says.
“We’ve played tough, challenging matches against three top sides and we’ve been more than competitive. We leave Europe with it having been a real positive step.”
With vice-captain Tim Brown fighting to recover from shoulder surgery and striker Chris Killen rested because of a tight calf, getting through the fixture unscathed was also vitally important.
“Overall it’s in everyone’s best interests to make sure we’ve got our best players fit and available for selection,” Herbert says.
“We’ve been through Australia and Europe and we have no more injuries. Killen’s calf just needs a little bit of time and he should be fine. And this stage we’ve got a good group who’s have had three solid games and we could be ready now.”
Novakovic curled his first goal over the wall and past Mark Paston for a seventh-minute opener after New Zealand conceded a free kick 25 metres out.
The All Whites levelled 13 minutes later when Chris Wood met a Leo Bertos cross at the back post and headed the ball down for Fallon.
Another knockdown from Wood resulted in a 38th minute strike from Shane Smeltz that Handanovic palmed around the post and a minute later the highly-rated Slovenian goalkeeper somehow managed to paw a shot from Wood onto the crossbar after Fallon headed on a Simon Elliott free kick.
But two minutes before halftime, a Zlatko Dedic shot deceived Mark Paston in flight, bouncing out of his grasp and into the path of Andres Kirm who extended the home team’s lead.
Fallon, Tommy Smith and Winston Reid all had chances in the second half but couldn’t reduce the deficit.
The All Whites returned to their Austrian base in Bad Waltersodrf after the match and will depart for South Africa on Sunday. They have just a training match against Chile left on June 9 before their opener against Slovakia on June 15.
New Zealand 1 (Rory Fallon 20) Slovenia 3 (Milivoje Novakovic 7, 30; Andraz Kirm 43)
Halftime: 1-3
New Zealand: 1-Mark PASTON (GK), 3-Tony LOCHHEAD, 4-Winston REID, 6-Ryan NELSEN (captain), 7 Simon ELLIOTT, 9-Shane SMELTZ, 11-Leo BERTOS, 14-Rory FALLON, 19-Tommy SMITH, 20-Chris WOOD (22-Jeremy BROCKIE 46), 21-Jeremy CHRISTIE.
Substitutes nit used: 2-Ben SIGMUND, 5-Ivan VICELEICH, 12-Glen MOSS (RGK), 13-Andy BARRON, 15-Michael MCGLINCHEY, 16-Aaron CLAPHAM, 17-David MULLIGAN, 18-Andrew BOYENS, 23-James BANNATYNE (RGK).
Cautions: Winston Reid 29
Slovenia: 1-Samir HANDANOVIC (GK), 2-Miso BRECKO (6-Branko ILIC 76), 4-Marko SULER, 5-Bostjan CESAR, 8-Robert KOREN, 9-Zlatan LJUBIJANKIC (14-Zlatko DEDIC 12), 10-Valter BIRSA, 11-Milivoje NOVAKOVIC (7-Nejc PECNIK 61), 13-Bojan JOKIC, 17-Andraz KIRM (23-Tim MATAVZ 87), 18-Aleksander RADOSAVLJEVIC (15-Rene KRHIN 78).
Substitutes not used: 3-Elvedin DZINIC, 12-Jasmin HANDANOVIC (RGK), 19-Suad FILEKOVIC, 20-Andrej KOMAC, 21-Dalibor STEVANOVIC, 22-Matej MAVRIC-ROZIC,.
Cautions: Bostjan Cesar 70
Story courtesy NZF Media.
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