Young defender Winston Reid scored a dramatic last-minute equaliser to earn a 1-1 draw against Slovakia and fans reacted as if their team had won.
Most watched the game – which started at 11.30pm on Tuesday local time – at home, although some diehards gathered in bars around the country as football fever for once eclipsed the passion associated with the All Blacks rugby team.
New Zealand Herald sports columnist Chris Rattue summed up their feelings when he described the result as a great day for New Zealand sport.
“I have seen many great New Zealand sporting moments over the years but nothing to match this,” he wrote.
The Herald also said the result had given the sport credibility in New Zealand, where it has always struggled against rugby.
“Make no mistake; this is a remarkable achievement. It’s not something many would have expected when they slumped to an embarrassing 4-2 defeat to [fellow Oceania Football Confederation member association] Vanuatu in 2004,” the newspaper said on its website.
Sam Malcolmson, who played in the 1982 All Whites, the only other New Zealand team to make the FIFA World Cup finals, says coach Ricki Herbert’s side has proved they are deserving of their place in South Africa.
“A lot of people have said worldwide we don’t deserve to be there and that the team’s passage was made easy,” Malcolmson told Radio New Zealand.
“Well, we do deserve to be there and we had an excellent result. The other two teams will not be relishing playing New Zealand.”
The All Whites next play reigning world champions Italy on June 20 before facing Paraguay on June 24 in the final Group F match.
Story and photo courtesy of www.fifa.com