Paston and Reid...bring on Brazil 2014

Mark Paston had another stellar game (MY Man of the Match — perhaps we’ll see him in Serie A before long?), but there was no joy on the other end this time as undefeated New Zealand heads home with their heads held high. The foundations have been laid for future success with the addition a few more puzzle pieces in midfield. Great fun following these guys, they had total commitment and focus. Lack of respect may have been a factor in these games in varying ways, but they never stopped respecting themselves. Bravo.

A Miss Paraguay imitating the shape of the country through mime

Well, tomorrow’s the next “big day” for the All-Whites. they find themselves against a team that embodies the South American football ideal (the headquarters of COMNEBOL is in Paraguay’s capitol, Ascunsion, for goodness sake), albeit in a somewhat generic, anonymous way (compared to their neighbors Brazil and Argentina whose team, by the way, seem to have inherited the S&M adidas kit from the French…). So far 3 out of the 5 South American squads have advanced to the knockout rounds (with the P-guays and Chile on the verge). New Zealand have not beaten a Latin American team since before most of the squad members were born. Should the Kiwis be quaking?

Well, no. Not any more than they should have been fearing to face the holders, or the hard men of Slovakia. They have to go out and play their game, and continue not to think about what they are accomplishing. Ricki Herbert has provided quite a good, steady example on this in his interviews.

This is easier said than done. The more time has passed, the more the magnitude of where they are and what they have done is going to filter through. We may even now be starting to see some of the effects of this in the team. However, from a relative standpoint, they have done quite well. apart from Ghana, all the African teams are headed (or about to head) home. And then there is, ahem, the French.

Maybe this is a time to go All-Black. Go out of the box to get into the goal. Deep, I know…see y’all on the liveblog.

Like the Look

Let's Hope For Heaven Over Lake

Some character “selected” by FIFA will stick their had in a bowl and make that little swishy-swirly motion, and emerge with a ping pong ball emblazoned with either Italy or New Zealand. I think one could pretty much guess which name it would be, although I’d love to be proven wrong.

The best way all-around for the All-Whites to avoid this scenario is to beat the Riddler and Paraguay. Safe to say that the holders will be pursuing this avoidance by victory approach as well. Well, bushed, turning in…tomorrow brings another day of bewildering balls.

Lochhead mans up to Zambrotta

After taking a surprisingly unsurprising early lead when a Winston Reid free kick was turned in by a combination of Fabio Cannivaro and Shane Smeltz, Italy were once again rewarded for their old tricks when Daniele de Rossi was awarded a very soft foul by Tommy Smith in the box. Unfortunately, Mark Paston was unable to ensure that justice prevailed, although he did go on to have a Man of the Match level performance that will probably see him taking Premiership calls before too long.

Form a nice orderly line, please

The draw is being trumpeted as being on of the biggest results in the history of the World Cup by ESPN, but one must realize the special circumstances. This is Italy, and they knew they have one more game, against a Slovakia team that is already down. If they do not win that game, that will be the historic event. If New Zealand had won today’s game, they could have played for a draw in their third game, with a Paraguay team that would also go through with a draw. Italy (and those that they can influence) was not going to allow that. Now New Zealand need to win next week, and by more goals than Italy….right….well, at least it’s nice that these scenarios are even being considered, and Ricki Herbert said as much in his post game interview.

However, the cagey Azurri manager knows otherwise, one can be sure. And the wiley New Zealand manager knows he knows. For them the game has already begun..

Marcello Lippi -- the Phil Jackson of international football?

Ricki Herbert ponders an Italian job

Sleep well my friends…pistols at dawn (Pacific Time)

Smeltz, Bertos and Temptation take their act to the stage

And the new starlet...

Synchronicity is so rad, dude. A couple of days before the all whites achieved their draw with Slovakia I watched Roman Holiday with my kids. I thought my daughter especially would like the story, setting and Audrey Hepburn (actually only my son ended up sticking around to the finale). Thought no more of it, until in thinking on an interesting angle to the aftermath of this history-making tie and the build-up to the new “biggest match ever” with cup holders Italy, I came across several articles and cartoons commenting on Australian misery in the wake of their drubbing by Germany and New Zealand’s joyful success in the first round. I wanted to re-familiarize myself with the definition of Schadenfreude to see how well it would apply to Kiwi attitudes towards this turn of events (Australians are certainly showing a level of envy revealing New Zealand as their nemesis). Lo and behold, what should I find listed in the English equivalents section of the Wikipedia definition?

The expression “Roman Holiday” was used in a Lord Byron poem to as a metaphor for the butchering of a gladiator for an audiences enjoyment. I now had my “duh” moment and saw the double meaning in the film’s title. I also saw the potential meaning in the upcoming match with Italy. Who will be that gladiator? Will it be Italy itself? Many are clamoring for their downfall, considering them with France to make a villainous pair in the World Cup universe, each blaming the other for thuggery and cynical play while resorting to it themselves early and often. Schadenfreude was certainly felt earlier today with France’s defeat in rather humiliating fashion to Mexico. But also in the definition was an exerpt from the Book of Proverbs, to which all those gloating, (especially Kiwis) should take heed…

“Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth:Lest the LORD see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.”

The All Whites don’t want any God’s wrath, karma, bad vibes or going-around-coming-around being taken away from the holders. For they ARE their nemesis.

Speaking of fantasies, one in particular that is on the inflating trend is the notion that the All Whites could pull off an upset of the current holders. Italy did not look impressive in their game with Paraguay, and now they may have lost Gianluigi Buffon.

Vik-tor (Valdes?)!!!!!

These tidbits, combined with the All Whites timely heroics, have served to fuel speculation. Preferring not to comment directly on such speculation, even if it be by Rory Fallon, my attention was drawn to a perhaps more esoteric tangent — what if all the Group F games ended in 1-1 draws? (Not outside the realm of possibility by any means). This led to a lot of searching, and a feeling not unlike what is often occurs in The Hitchhiker’s Guide To the Galaxy. Anyway, much searching so far has revealed nothing more likely than it would require the four teams to draw lots (actually 3 teams, because Italy will of course miraculously get the winning whatever)…

Ohhhh....

Reid Goes Prince of Persia After Header

Winston Reid has just placed himself at the head of New Zealand football legends as he placed an expert late-late-stoppage header on a cross from striker Shane Smeltz to salvage a deserved point against Slovakia. The All Whites had fallen behind on a spectacular cross from Vladimir Weiss that was headed by a (likely offisde) Robert Vittek early in the second half. It’s Cup on(e) as Group F is all knotted.