Referee: Jerome Damon (South Africa)
LINEUPS:
New Zealand (343): Paston, Reid, Smith, Nelson, Lochhead, Bertos, Elliot (Brown 78'), Vicelich, Fallon (Wood 61'), Smeltz (Brockie (69'), Killen
Slovakia (451): Mucha, Pekarik, Zabavnik, Skrtel, Durica, Strba (Kozak 71'), Weiss (Sapara 85'), Hamsik, Vittek, Jendrisek (Kucka 55'), Stoch
This game of two halves revolved around five minutes early in the second half when Marek Hamsik picked up two yellow cards and was given his marching orders. Throughout the first forty-five minutes his Slovakian side was controlling the game and generating chances. Mark Paston was sharp however, smartly stopping a pair of Vladimir Weiss shots.
After the sending off Slovakia had to reshuffle their midfield who dictated so much of the earlier play allowing the All Whites to finally get on the front foot. Yet they had to wait until the final ten minutes for real goalscoring opportunities when first Vicelich and then Wood had their shots saved and deflected.
With the referee checking his watch ready to blow for the match New Zealand won a corner. Leo Bertos, who was the lone spark in their midfield, received the ball on a short play and crossed it hard through the goalmouth where substitute Jeremy Brockie was standing on the far post to score and give his side an historic first ever World Cup win and putting them on top of Group F.
New Zealand 1 - 0 Slovakia
Goalscorers:
NZL Brockie 90'
Discipline:
SVK Hamsik 48'
SVK Hamsik 53' (Off)
Man of the Match:
NZL Leo Bertos
| GROUP F | ||||||||
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| New Zealand | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | +1 | 3 |
| Italy | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Paragauy | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Slovakia | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 0 |
No comments:
Post a Comment