|
FIFA World Cup 2010 match 12 - Group F New Zealand: Paston, Lochhead, Reid, Nelsen, Smith, Vicelich (Christie 78), Elliott, Bertos, Smeltz, Killen (Wood 72), Fallon. Slovakia: Mucha, Skrtel, Cech, Zabavnik, Strba, Weiss (Kucka 90), Durica, Hamsik, Sestak (Holosko 81), Vittek (Stoch 84), Jendrisek. I would imagine most people consider New Zealand as the weakest nation at this years’ World Cup finals so it was obviously interesting to see how they would acquit themselves on the biggest footballing stage of them all. The early signs were good for the underdogs as they enjoyed most of the possession and were able to supply service to their three tall strikers both in open play and from set pieces. Killen had the best of these chances from a left wing free kick but headed straight at Mucha. For the first fifteen minutes the service was good and New Zealand looked dangerous. Gradually, however, the quality dropped and there was soon no sense of danger to the Slovakia goal. Precious little was seen of the Slovakia attack either although every now and then there was the hint of extra quality from the likes of Weiss, Strba and Sestak. One good move, orchestrated by Weiss, ended with Sestak shooting wide of the near post and Skrtel was disappointed to head wide after Paston came for a corner without making contact. The inexperienced New Zealand keeper was not inspiring confidence at all and put his side in danger by scuffing an attempted clearance straight to Vittek on the goalline. Smith came back to snuff out the danger as Slovakia wasted the chance to punish the mistake. Smeltz then played a one two with Fallon at the other end before sending in a fierce drive to the near post which Mucha did well to turn behind. Unfortunately for New Zealand the referee failed to notice the touch and gave a goal kick. Paston provided another nervous moment for his team when he inexplicably allowed a gentle header to bounce past him following a corner and it was as well Killen was positioned behind him to boot clear. The keeper was more alert in tipping Hamsik’s thirty yarder over the crossbar but this save was certainly only in the routine category. Half Time: New Zealand 0 Slovakia 0 The Slovakian team must surely have received some choice words at half time and they came out of the blocks quickly after the interval to claim the lead that was expected of them. Sestak whipped in a glorious centre from the right and Vittek buried his header into the bottom corner. The scorer looked offside when the cross was delivered, however, and television later confirmed the impression. It was now to be expected that Slovakia would take control and they did so to a certain extent but never looked to have any real desire to go for the jugular. Therefore New Zealand managed to remain in contention without ever really suggesting that they would be able to conjure an equaliser. Sestak, looking a better player by the minute, provided Hamsik with a good chance with some clever play but the shot was wildly over the bar and when the same player put Vittek through a goal looked inevitable only for Winston Reid, in the process of making himself a hero, to fly in with a magnificent last ditch block. With the clock ticking down Slovakia began making the customary time wasting substitutions, including the withdrawal of Sestak, but this negative attitude seemed to transmit itself to the players and New Zealand were able to muster a small head of steam in the closing stages. Any chance that the underdogs might snatch a draw seemed to have vanished when Smeltz headed badly wide from a fine centre by Lochhead but in the very last minute Smeltz produced a fine centre of his own from the left and Reid, up in support of his attack, headed in off the base of a post to secure a dramatic draw for his side. Overall this seemed the fairest outcome as Slovakia, despite their extra quality, had never shown the desire or urgency to truly stamp their authority on game but very limited opponents. Full Time: New Zealand 1 Slovakia 1 New Zealand Ratings: Paston 3, Lochhead 7, Reid 9, Nelsen 7, Smith 8, Vicelich 4 (Christie 3), Elliott 7, Bertos 1, Smeltz 5, Killen 4 (Wood 3), Fallon 4. Slovakia Ratings: Mucha 5, Skrtel 5, Cech 5, Zabavnik 5, Strba 6, Weiss 7, Durica 4, Hamsik 5, Sestak 7, Vittek 6, Jendrisek 4. Referee: Jerome Damon (South Africa) 6 Good: Last minute goals for the underdog are always fun. Bad: Leo Bertos. Apparently he used to play for Worksop Town. I can only imagine they booted him out for being rubbish. Ugly: Mark Paston’s miskick inside his own box. Luckily for him Slovakia didn’t punish the error or he would be heading the World Cup goalkeepers’ Hall of Shame as we speak.
|
