YAY


What do you think about the FourFourTwo article New Zealand Hold Italy?
NEW Zealand earned a giant-slaying draw with defending World Cup champions Italy after the title-holders had to rely on a controversial penalty box incident for a spotkick to equalise.

Have your say.

Paston for NZ Prime Minister

Well done NZ...

Excellent result for the kiwis. Still with a chance of making it out of the group.

goodonya kay one uu ones. I was on the dge of my seat the whole game. Another fucking Italian dive!

Good job NZ. I never wrote them off completely but it was obvious the group would be tough. Their effort deserves recognition.

should be kiss a kiwi day!!!! well done and THANKS NZ!!
Paston is a great keeper and Reid also a great player!
How odd that an Italian should dive in the box...who woulda thunk it??

That was awesome!!!
Go you Kiwis!
Brilliant stuff!

Doing our Oz world cup bid no harm at all either!
:)))))

Why wasnt Paston Man of the Match. Oh yeah, more bloddy eyeties than kiwis voting!

Well done NZ. FU Italy you cheating buggers.

Love it!!

Good on you New Zealand!!

No game for Moss!

I love when Italy lose.

Thanks for the favor our tiny island friends =D.




Edit: It feels like they lost to me. =p

Edited by Hawks: 21/6/2010 02:05:09 AM

Edited by Hawks: 21/6/2010 02:06:32 AM

so happy for NZ, grats!

Very lucky, we want our luck back Kiwis. Return it immediately.

I never thought I'd see someone say that.

Well done NZ.

Justified your place very well.

Good luck :)

i wouldnt wanna be workin @ nz natural leichhardt today lol. awesome job nz, a-leAgue striker doez the damage too :)

A-league owns Serie A

great stuff NZ.

well done.

Smeltz, and Paston will be getting big contracts after this probably.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Were-Italy-Were-Awesome-lol-jks-we-cant-even-beat-New-Zealand/126318480737050#!/pages/Were-Italy-Were-Awesome-lol-jks-we-cant-even-beat-New-Zealand/126318480737050

JOIN IT!!!

It's incredibly lame that you're advertising your Facebook group on a forum, LOL jk, you'll probably win the Facebook popularity contest.

:lol:

Stop spruiking your own group ont he forum you pillock.

http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=131824890176073

catch you up smeltzy, have fun with your flash new euro club!

damn, i wish we had displayed that kind of spirit, belief, discipline and organization in our first game against Germany. We should've never held such a negative defeatist attitude going in to the match (thanks Lucas and Pim!). This should serve a harsh lesson to never go in to any match with this kind of idiotic thinking ever again.

Italy just looked slow and out of ideas majority of the time. Cannavaro looks to have gone one world cup too far along with a few other warhorses. They may advance deep in to the tournament and get some form, but at the moment realistically, i think a 2nd round exit is as far as they will go.



Edited by cool_cat2007: 21/6/2010 02:25:03 AM

very proud right now of our All Whites!!

as a pom once said to me " football is crazy but it brings alot of joy to alot of people" - amen to that

I can not describe my dislike of Italian football players!!
Once again they have cheated their way to a draw!
The referee was shocking too.
WELL DONE KIWIS!!
This draw and overall success of NZ would rise a profile of the A-league too.

love how we could exit the WC with 2 draws and a loss, and still be as happy as those who win the cup!

NZ to draw with Paraguay 1-1, and go through, draw their way to the final imo

amen to that thewestisland.... there will be a parade for sure

rossi man of match? ???

wtf

well he dived the furtherist

It's so wrong that FIFA letting people to vote for man of the match. Italians are well know comapre to our Paston...

The rumour is that Moss was getting the third game,
I can't see that happening now.
Game 3 for Aus and N.Z. are going to be massive occasions,
no-one was chatting on these pages about N.Z. before the world cup started, I think the kiwis have taught us aussies a lesson in playing to your strengths and now justifiably it is they who are the talk of the town

While the UK commentators see it as a lower tier English side, the fact that there were four A-League players on the pitch means a lot of people will be taking a look to see what the A-League is all about...

yeah 4 a-leaguers starting 3 championshipers, 1 prem, 1 NZFC, 1 danish prem and one with no club????

Was nice to Sey barron come on, considering he had to take time off his job to go to the world cup to play his part in drawing with italy!!!

What?

Paston was definitely MOTM.

Glad we held on for a point. NZ's goal was offside anyway, so fk it. We dominated the game even with a side many would have picked differently. Totti would have made such a difference, along with Rossi.

dominate it all you want, you still didn't win. Slovakia found that out too.

Wouldn't it be superb if the Aussies and us Kiwis got through to the 2nd round. Bit of a long shot but that'd show them how footballs going down here! Go the Kiwis vs Paraguay. And with a little less enthusiasm, go the Aussies vs Serbia.

Really, if Di Natale and Pazzini had started even, let alone Rossi and Totti they'd have been more cohesive attacking.

According to FIFA website Daniele DE ROSSI was official MOTM :(

You can only play what's in front of you.

He hardly did anything apart from going to ground to win the penalty! What an ourtage!

great job kiwis!

Amazing result. I would say NZ dominated in that Italy were reduced to not particularly good chances.

Italy - worse than England?

:D - AGAIN, WELL DONE NEW Zealand - Lol this was the second match involving an Antipodean team in two days which had me standing inches from the screen by near it's end! lol

I just knew they would compete with Italy, given that past friendly and their organisation under Herbert, but sheesh, wow and tbh wow at how ordinary Italy have become - though again, credit to NZ.

And indeed - Paston surely was the clear MOTM for mine - even a few of the Italian players would admit that!

Sure Rossi drew the penalty, but that was it really! He went quiet come the latter quarter of the match, a time in the match where NZ could've even snatched the victory (Woods' chance), oh yeah, that was some MOTM performance from him, sigh. Heck Camoranesi had far more impact than Rossi, once he came on - he seemed to be the only Italian player creating ANYTHING half decent, who looked semi-dangerous!

I dunno...drawing with Algeria is pretty bad....they lost to Malawi after all.

I can go to work very happy today.

I now know a little how you Aussies felt after the last Italian diving team you encountered. They are just blatent cheats, great comment from the BBC website on this "Italy soon set about exploiting any means they could to try and gain an advantage".

It's a pity Woods great turn wasn't matched by his shot but for him to turn a world clas defender inside out shows that he has a big future in the game.

Bertos finally played almost up to his standards with some great runs down the flanks and I hate to say it but Lochead had a very good game.

A pitty I have to work today otherwise I would be in the pub :)

=d> =d> Bravo Kiwis =d> =d>
i woke up at half time and couldn't believe my bleary eyes, from what i saw it was a fantastic football performance.. Impressed with the young guy Woods that came on late too.



Smeltz was offside, did NZ cheat their way to a draw?



People as opposed to... their pets?

As opposed to the commentators or the referees selecting it as in some other tournaments.

All I can think is, what a night it would have been if Woods had scored that shot that flashed wide.

How the hell could he have been offside when the ball came of the Italian diving teams defender?

Edited by teza: 21/6/2010 04:08:54 a.m.

It took a glancing blow off...I think it was Fallon's head.

It was nowhere near Fallon, the ball went over both Reid and the defenders head into the stomach of the Italian defender then Smeltz got in behind him to finisj it off.

Good old Italians, can't win a war and can't stand up for more than a minute without falling over :)

Ok, so it was Reid then. It took a glancing blow off Reid. If you watch the slow-motion replay, you actually see the spin of the ball slow down as it goes over him.

Yay. Well in NZ

Well done - hope u make it thru to the group stage.

Well done NZ
Now you know what we Aussies have been saying all this time about cheating Italians and referee bias towards FIFA protected species. We weren't lying were we!!!

Way to NZ - Congrats

Well done NZ. Stick it to em.

Brilliant result for NZ, and after watching the match highlights probably the right result.

Nz goal was offside. IT glanced off a NZ players head, then hit the stomach of an Italian. However, the NZ header counts as a pass and the Italian's contact was just a deflection, leaving the player offside. No goal.

De Rossi did go to ground, but that was after not insignificant shirt pulling which in itself is punishable for a penalty. It is harsh, but it (sort of) stands.

As such, a fair result.

Ricky Herbert is too negative, I reckon he blew it, should have brought on Paul Ifill.

well done kiwis! hope you lads go through.Cool-cat you always knock everyone, you are a small minded ,bitter excuse for a fan

Pfft offside my arse, didn't look like Reid got any contact on that ball at all. Even if it did brush his hair, there's no way you could say it had an effect on the balls path and you couldn't expect a referee to pick that up.

Bloody Italy trying to dive their way through the world cup. Disgraceful.

Good work NZ!

Oh Yeah!! I'm just so proud to be Australasian this morning. Great stuff Kiwis. I couldnt have honeymooned in a better country. :) Oh and FUCK YOU ITALY!!!!!!

Congratulations NZ! Keep proving Pim wrong about the A-League.

Fucking diving cheating Italians and they got away with it again.

Hope the cunts get eliminated against Slovakia and NZ get a result against Paraguay.

I think the Italians are guilty of giving Football a bad name so I recommend that they be banished from International matches for 5 years so they can go back to hollywood for further acting lessons. The worst team to watch with their prima donna attitude and sleazy and sneaky ways.
You dont see the Aussies or Kiwis going down and playacting. Spaghetti lovers HARDEN UP.
Algreco
and try to milk things

Great result the boys really did us proud. Before the start everyone said we were going to get smashed yet after 2 games have only conceded 2 goals, one was offside and the other was a penalty.
I was worried beyond measure with Rory Fallon thought he was going to get sent. It was clear the plan was to not contest against him but stand behind his left shoulder so when he jumps with his arm even slightly raised it would be in the area of the defenders head and we now all know how good the italians are at theatrics.
That penalty although technically a penalty was clearly a dive when he saw he would not make it, looked as though someone had tied his shoes together. He should have got a yellow for being a fairy cnut (no offense to fairies).

Definately beleive the Paraguay will be the real test as their style is far more dangerous. They were dynamite against Slovakia (who were rubbish) and with the table as it stands probably cannot afford to lose against us as if italy win and they lose they would be out.
If we go behind against them it could get ugly (4 or 5-0) as we will be forced to chase the game which will open up and play into their hands. We may have only 3 or 4 genuine chances compared to their 12 or so, so we must make them pay to have any chance. I would take a 2-2 draw right now as could see Italy being held 1-1 against Slovakia (who wont play that bad again and who are still alive for a spot)which would put us through on goals.

I am predicting NZs world cup in 2014, if at all existent, to be much like Australia's - a dissapointing shadow of four years prior. Why? Because NZ will today enjoy the spoils of a draw, ignore the footballing reality of the game, and ensconse themselves in the false believe that "team spirit" is enough to do anything of lasting significance in football.

NZ made absolutely no play in this game. Its an awesome result for football in this region for sure, but the reality of that performance was that if the game was played 20 times over, they'd be lucky to get this result more than once or twice. If NZ don't acknoweldge that, just like Australia failed to acknowledge our impotent performance against 10 man italy in 2006), they'll be nothing more than a curious World Cup statistic in four years time.

In this WC, every 'undergod' team that has beaten (or in this case drawn) against a major team, has done so through dogged determination and defensive cohesion. That's fine,of itself, but none of them have come even close to outplaying their opposition, even for sections of the game. Switzerland v Spain, Serbia v Germany, NZ v Italy. NZ didn't even play counter - they simply collected the ball after each and every impotent Italian attack and gave it back to do so all over again.

So yes, a draw is a great result for NZ football no doubt and they should feel proud and spirited. But let's put tenacity and the "ANZAC spirit" aside for a moment --- in a footballing sense, a meaningful sense, what the hell are we celebrating here?

Cheating Kents dive again haha. Well done!! new zuland doin wull. Oh and look the A-League strikes again! A-League > Serie A pim shouldve picked more youth I reckon especially for defence.

We're celebrating the right result for football - a team of battlers and part-timers that should have won against the Holders, but for a dived-for penalty.

Who cares how it came about? They clung on and defended bravely to the last. What are they going to do, outplay Italy?

^^^
What we are celbrating is the growth and promotion of the game in this region. We celebrating the fact that NZ and Aus are now competitive on the world stage. These are the first steps on our path to becoming successful football nations.....and that my friend is worthy of geat celebration!

and Captain Awesome, there is no celebration like a 'geat' celebration! LOL
Sorry mate, I'm not being a pedant, but I just couldn't let that one pass! :)

I've got no problem with celebrating a draw and agree its great for football in the region (you obviously didn't read my thread). But mark by words, if NZ take this result as a SUSTAINABLE measure of their footballing capability they will be lost to obscurity in the future. After Aus vs Italy, we spent all our energy complaining about how we were "hard done by" instead of dissecting our tactical ineptitude. We then proceeded to get spanked in the Asian Cup, are struggling at this world cup and will unlikely qualify for the next. We learned nothing from that experience.

You cannot become a SUSTAINABLY competitive footballing nation by stacking your defenses and hoping you'll convert from one or two set-pieces per game, and that has been a major disappointment at what has been so far a World Cup of very mediocre quality (jabulani aside). I'm not saying NZ shouldn't enjoy the result, I just hope in a few days time when it settles down they won't take it as an indicaton of their actual capability. These results happen in football all the time, most of them are isolated curiosities.

What's with the massive Kiwi love-in this morning? I'm sure our 'friends' across the ditch don't share the same feelings for the Roos . . .

Go home you sheepshagers! Forza Azzuri!

Overall, NZ were outplayed for the majority of the game. But in Football, idf your opposition doesnt pull the trigger, you survive:)

The NZ goal was offside and replays show that clearly and the Italian player did dive but was being held back by the shirt at the time. If you give an Italian any chance to dive, they know when to do it. You see it in just about any game they are in. Australia knows it all too well unfortunately.

The Italians are too slow and old these days and really are no comparison to 4 years ago, so comparing results between this game and Australia's 4 years ago is abit hard to do.

Great result though to hold the Italians.

:lol: x2. NZ was completely outplayed by Italy after they scored the first goal. You lot on here are big bandwagoners. The result went NZ's way, but geez, if you have a good look at the game football wise...Italy looked better for all but the first few minutes of that game.

Great post and spot on.

There'a bandwagon element on here that hasn't been exposed before.

Yep completely out played by Italy but so what they still couldnt score the winner.Bet some of you guys would have taken the same reult against Germany if you could.As for if we get to the cup next time it turning in into something similar as you campaign this time that wont happen,as we have no intention of hiring Pim.Nice to see so many positive comments from you guys but gee a couple of you must lead a miserable life.

DS dosnt matter how good a football team looks as far as i know the result is what counts.yep the way they have played hasnt been pretty but they have also not played to their potential either.End of day we go into the last game with an outside chance of advancing and isnt that what its all about you dont get points for looking good.

To all those saying how Smeltz was offsides...have a look at Cannavaro and tell me he didn't handball it. He literally handed the ball to Smeltz who was more than happy to score. All I can say it was good to see the kiwi's get a goal out of it..would have loved it even more had the ref spotted the hand ball, red carded Cannavaro and pointed to the penalty spot for NZ.

I don't understand the love-in either. I have listened to plenty of Kiwi football supporters and pundits on international radio shows expressing their delight that Australia have fucked up in this world cup when they have done so well.

All White/Wellington fans regularly sing "Same old Aussies, always cheating" at games.

It's time to realise that NZ is hanging onto the coattails of Australian football with little respect or gratitude of what we have gifted them.

It's time to remove Wellington from the A-League.

Did you say "it's time"? Here you go.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqMCZBjvmD4

If you go back a few posts you will see I acknowledged the result.

PS - You created your account today just to say that post above, who's multi are you?

Edited by diego's son: 21/6/2010 12:58:40 PM

What, and Australian fans don't use the term "sheep shagger" in their chants when their side plays the Phoenix? Some Perth Glory fans spend half the game doing it.

We are very aware of what Australian football has done for us and we are thankfull.

In the normal course of things a lot of All Whites fans are happy to get behind the Socceroos (I for one own several pieces of Socceroo merchandise), but since Grella got away with that horror tackle on Bertos the goodwill has been lost.

I expect normal service to resume post-world cup however, and for most Kiwi football fans to be behind Australia at the Asian Cup.

"controversial Vincenzo Iaquinta penalty"?

are u mad? shirt pull inside the box is a penalty. full stop.

It Smeltz is interfering with play (he was) then it is offside (as it should have been imo)

:)

You both have no idea what you are talking about. Just because we had to hang on in this game doesn't mean we are going to base our future development on putting 10 men behind the ball.

NZ play with an attacking formation (3-4-3) but sometimes you have to adapt and defend like we did today. That dosen't mean that will be the NZ game plan for our teams going forward.

Just because in your opinion thats the way Australian football has gone dosen't mean thats the we we will develop.

You have both made it clear in your posts here & in Diego's Sons case on the Fever web site that you don't like the NZ team doing well. In this case you are projecting your frustrations about Aussies recent tactics & results onto us and are a bit upset that we didn't get spanked by the Italians.

smeltz was onside when the free kick was taken. The only way he would be offside was if Reid touched the ball, and that was very debateable. After three viewings I couldn't see that he did. So no clear or obvious offside. Line call at best.
As far as pulling the shirt inside the box goes. Have you ever watched soccer? Evertime a coconut in their is holding in the box. Simulation is also a yellow card, so take your pick on that one. There was no way he was going to get to the ball.

Agreed on the Smeltz goal - benefit of the doubt to the attacking team.
But I can't understand the supposed 'controversy' about the penalty - he had a fistful of his shirt and was inviting trouble.

and to diego's son and his mate
what the kiwi side have done over this world cup campaign is create heroes for kids
there is no way NZ will ever compete at world level and with similar technical skill unless more kids are excited to play young and continue playing. That's what this world cup has a chance of inspiring for our kids.

The kiwi team is playing to it's strengths and within it's limitations and with heart, organisation, sheer effort and not without some degree of skill and talent. Right now we cannot expect more. That's who they are. If we are going to be a more fluent and skillfull team in the future it will be on the back of the kids watching today's game.

Good luck to Aus. Your guys haven't had the best of luck. But yeah, Grella (esp) and Cahill didn't make fans of kiwis in that friendly and if you can't stand a bit of good kiwi gibbing in Phoenix games then you're not true aussies. Harden up.

lol, rubbish post. who ever said that anyone was going to "take this result as a SUSTAINABLE measure of their footballing capability"? get your hand off it mate.

I agree regarding your comments about a draw being a good result for Australia against Germany, but I really do not think they can be compared with Italy. Italy are a slower, older team, past their prime. This is the same way that Australia's team is also past its prime. Australia had its time in 2006, and in all reality missed its best time to perform in 1998 and 2002, with overall stronger line ups.

Pim is known to be defensive and knows that playing 3 up front really is not going to work against quicker teams. He plays a counter attacking style and got us through a difficult qualifying process, but really has never been loved though by the broader football publc in this country. We expect beautiful, flowing football and we do not get it, therefore, we get annoyed :) Herberts style would definately not be viewed any better here though in a national team context. Pims tactics are stronger overall, its just a matter of putting them into action.

We congratulate NZ on their efforts, but I think we just see a draw these days as a missed result in this countries football development. Our expectations are higher, so we often miss the excitement that you are feeling for your teams draws.

One thing though, NZ Football would likely be nowhere though if not for the A League and its injection of energy in the game there, so that should not be overlooked, as many NZ posts over the years have tried to deny. In all reality, the 2 countries have worked together and it has shown results in growing the sport. The fact that Ricki Herbert has been able to get valuable coaching time with a pro team, along with many NZ players, is a victory for NZ football. AFC were againt it, FFA wanted to keep you, and the results now bear fruit for you.



Edited by Heart_fan: 21/6/2010 02:20:09 PM

Mate you're off the mark. All I'm saying is that for instant gratification, sure I'd want to see my team manage a couple of draws against bigger opposition as NZ have done. Not questioning this achievement at all and there is joy to be had in that.

But for an indication of how NZ football (and Australiasian football) is coming along, I just would have liked to have seen SOME, just a little enterprise and meaningful construction in the All Whites general play, even if it was basic counter-attacking. When in possession (which was very infrequent)there were times when your midfielders were kicking the ball out of play, in the absence of having a passing option to go to. Yes a result was manufactured and it is a great boost for football in NZ, but in a football sense, it was one of the most one-sided affairs I have ever witnessed.

Call me a wet blanket. Most likely, I want, what you want. But as a non Kiwi, I look at it from my own viewpoint.

lol at the people saying NZ were outplayed, they have two free agents, 2-3 players who play in wellingtons local league, 4 a-leaguers and the rest playing in fairly shitty club in europe. of course they were outplayed, the triumph is they held the former world champions to a draw when the odds were so clearly stacked against them. jesus christ what stupidity - "YEAH BUT NZ WERE OUTPLAYED SO IT DOESNT MATTER," yeh really bra, i was expecting NZ to walk all over them given their vast talent pool.

Just for you DS so what if have only created the account today i have been reading the forums for sometime and no it isnt a multi.So this community dosnt welcome new members thats nice to know.For your information i happen to be married to an Aussie and about the only time i dont support them is when they are playing us.Some of you are guys are so shit scared to see us doing okay its funny to see you attack us.I couldnt give a shit what it looks like if it gets the job done,better to advance looking bad than go out playing like world beaters.
Not sure i understand your constant need to be having a crack either on here or on our YF forums.Would have thought you guys would be happy that some more A league players are in the spot light,its got to hopefully be good for our league.

From what I have seen most NZ football fans support the Socceroos when they are playing, and going by the comments in here most Australian fans support NZ.
Likwewise while allowing the Phoenix in the A-League has been a life saver for NZ football, the Phoenix have produced one of the most well organised clubs in the league, great income for the FFA in the finals series, and now massive publicity.
Clearly mutually beneficial, Diego's Son and Notorganic however can keep standing in the corner on their own with their rather pathetic little narrow mindedness.

So... when someone has an opinion that differs from yours it's pathetic?

I don't disagree that the Phoenix has played a huge part in bringing football in NZ to the fore. I do disagree that having a Kiwi team in an Australian domestic league is mutually beneficial. In the bigger picture having Wellington in the league has been detrimental to Australian football, and will continue to be so when the AFC decides not to allow more than two Champions League spots.

Whether people stand with me on my opinions is irrelevant.

Great result for NZ - enjoy the result and I hope you spring a surprise on paraguay.

Personally i don't have much interest in an Aus v NZ rivalry and have a fraternal attitude to our commonwealth cousins such that I was riding every clearance as if I was a kiwi.

as for penalty - yep it was a shirt pull so you can see technically why it was given (just like the handball the other night) but it was also a massive dive involved which was way out of proportion to the shirt pull. however such infringements are so rarely given (see DeMerit on Heskey for some real shirt pulling or the Slovenians on Dempsey) that it smacks of yet another decision for a 'big' nation. I doubt if it was Cannavaro on Smeltz that it would have been given - that is what gets on people's nerves. Some of the diving or going to ground in this World Cup has been beyond the pale - especially when a player has miscontrolled the ball so they throw themselves to the ground and get a free.

As for offside it took me about 5 viewings before i could figure that it probably did glance off Reid so how can a ref etc pick this up in real time.

notorganic - nothing pathetic about having an opinion different to mine, what's pathetic is being cynical and negative all the time and finding any occasion you can to be so.

It is the AFC's decision how many ACL spots to give Australia not NZ's, and the main limiting factor is the number of teams in the league, not that the Phoenix are there.

You're right. The AFC will simply sit down and shut up because FIFA told them that Phoenix could stay.
[size=2]
(I hope you don't need to be told that I'm being sarcastic, cynical and negative with this post)[/size]

Nothing to do with FIFA having told them the Phoenix can stay. The AFC's rationale for allocation of ACL places has been clear from the outset (long before the recent five year extension), and as I just mentioned a key criteria is number of teams in the league. Do you understand yet?

:roll:

You are doing everything in your power to be a boring, patronising cock... aren't you.

I'm fully aware of the AFC's stated criteria when considering the ACL places. You're kidding yourself if you think that Wellington being around is not a factor that will hold us back in the future.

Are you guys going to harp on about that for here on in.

Go and look at the money Melb Victory generated for the FFA via the 2007, 2009 and 2010 finals. Then come and talk to us.

Like notorganic said, we question the full benefits to Aus of having a NZ-based team in the comp. We're not saying we are against it, but we have a right to question it. You're on an Australian website after all. Similar to the fact I don't post much on YF anymore. You respect the 'local rules' as such.

Oh and save the 'narrow mindedness' comment for elsewhere, it washes off like anything.

Ditto and interesting that the African nations are in solidarity.



Good post, Reid did make slight contact but would have been hard for anyone in real time to see it. Go and tell the likes of Hard News from the Yellow Fever forum that, he doubts there was contact.

Edited by diego's son: 21/6/2010 05:17:17 PM

If a Nzer said it was black you would insist that it was white.

I don't think anyone in NZ has any illusions about our place in world football but we are punching well above our weight class and enjoying the ride. The tactics may not be flash but it's all about doing the best we possibly can by playing to our strengths and recognising our limitations.

The support on this forum for the All Whites achievements has been fantastic - I only wish we could be as gracious with Aussie success - we have a wee way to go.

I hope Aussie get through their group - imagine what Aussie and NZ doing well at the WC would do for your WC bid. I, for one, would love to have the opportunity to attend a WC in Australia.

If it helps, Shane Smeltz said that Winston Reid got a glance in an interview on 3 News here in NZ so yeah it was off-side, but so was the goal Slovakia scored against NZ in the first match. It's swings and roundabouts and one of the beauties of the beautiful game - no interference from technology.

Either way it doesn't matter - the draw feels like a win to everyone here.