Herbert’s Heroes Confound World Champions

New Zealand produced one of the greatest shocks of this, or perhaps any World Cup, when they held the World Champions Italy to a 1-1 draw in Nelspruit.

Former Halifax Town striker Shane Smeltz shocked the football world, notably the Azzurri blue clad part of it, when he stole behind a sleepy Italian defence and gave the All Whites the lead after just seven minutes. In doing so, they carried on from the end of their last gane when they scored in late late stoppage time to grab a point against Slovakia.

That should have shaken the Italians into action and it would be unfair to argue, despite the result that they failed to respond as France had against Mexico. Italy however on the five previous occasions where they have conceded in the first ten minutes of a World Cup game, have never actually lost the game. And so it proved as that odd statistic turned to six.

Italy had 17 shots, five of which were on target. They took 15 corners. Kiwi keeper Mark Paston was forced into remarkable and, one has to say, world class saves on several occasions most notably when he palmed away a fierce drive from Montolivo which he can only have seen very late.

Italy could simply not score from open play and their equaliser came from the penalty spot after Tommy Smith was correctly adjudged to have tugged the blue jersey of Daniel De Rossi in the area. The Italian left the referee Carlos Batres in no doubt about the severity of the assault as he fell dramatically, but a penalty it was, and Smith’s one of very few pieces of idiocy displayed by Ricki Herbert’s side on the day. The 30-year-old Juventus forward Vincenzo Iaquinta stroked the penalty home after 27 minutes.

But that was to be Italy’s lot as New Zealand defended professionally and far up the field, frequently leaving three men forward and therefore allowing hoofed clearances to be collected by white shirts. This allowed the hard working Rory Fallon and Shane Smeltz to hold the ball up, eat the clock up and relieve some pressure on their beleaguered goal. It also forced Italy to keep blue shirts back and therefore allowed New Zealand defenders and keeper clearer lines of site at the back.

In fact, the policy of defending through attacking nearly provided a different kind of dividend for the Kiwis when substitute Chris Wood comprehensively turned Fabio Cannavaro and slid his shot just wide of the Italian goal.

That would have been harsh on the Italians who although never looked outstanding, stuck to their task and applied themselves with far greater spirit than France or England had done in their second matches.

Italy have drawn their first two games before in World Cups and still qualified comfortably, most obviously in 1982 when they drew all three opening group games and ended up World Champions knocking out the far more impressive Brazil and Argentina on the way.

Tonight the story is of the All Whites but don’t rule out the Azzurri just yet.

Italy: Marchetti, Zambrotta, Cannavaro, Chiellini, Criscito, Pepe, De Rossi, Montolivo, Marchisio, Iaquinta, Gilardino.
Subs: De Sanctis, Maggio, Gattuso, Di Natale, Bocchetti, Camoranesi,Palombo, Quagliarella, Pazzini, Pirlo, Bonucci, Buffon.

New Zealand: Paston, Reid, Nelsen, Vicelich, Smith, Fallon, Bertos, Elliott, Lochhead, Killen, Smeltz.
Subs: Bannatyne, Sigmund, Brown, Barron, McGlinchey, Clapham, Mulligan, Boyens, Wood, Christie, Brockie, Moss
Referee: Carlos Batres (Guatemala)