Danish Maori proves New Zealand is God's Own Country!

ALL WHITES AHEAD IN SPIRITUAL TERMS

If there is anyone in the world that does not know or will not soon know that the New Zealand ‘All Whites’ Soccer Team has just won its first ever point in a Soccer World Cup, there are people here in Wellington who are ready to leap on a plane and hire a Land Rover to bring the news to the Berber villages in the Atlas or the nomad Amerindians of the Amazon.

For those who prefer privacy from intrusive Kiwis – a selection of quotes from our newspapers:

Forget about Richie McCaw and Dan Carter, New Zealand has a new hero. Winston Wiremu Reid scored a dramatic 93rd minute equaliser to secure a well deserved 1-1 draw in the All Whites opening match against Slovakia to send the country into hysterics.

Assistant All Whites coach Brian Turner says he has no idea how young defender Winston Reid popped out of nowhere to score against Slovakia in the dying seconds of their opening Group F World Cup match this morning to salvage a 1-1 draw.

Turner told Radio Sport that when the game progressed into three minutes of time added on, the word went out to the All Whites, trailing to a 50th minute goal, to push up and try and win the ball back in the Slovakian half.

Then with mere seconds to go, striker Shane Smeltz made room to cross from the left and his ball to the far post found Reid whose header beat goalkeeper Jan Mulch.

"I don't know why Winston was there - he's in the back three but he was, and he put the ball away," a delighted Turner said.

"Winston said he prayed before he went to bed and he said he never believed in it and then he played and then he scored a goal - and that is the power of prayer."

Reid has been something of a revelation, having been a late addition to the All Whites finals campaign after declaring himself available for selection only in March this year after giving up a chance to play for Denmark.

Reid, 21, left New Zealand as a 10-year-old with his New Zealand mother and Danish stepfather and became a youth professional at Denmark Super League club FC Midtjylland at 15.

The 190cm player, who made his senior club debut at 17, has established himself as a key first-team member at Midtjylland, playing over 100 matches for the club including in Europe in the UEFA Cup.

There have also been stints with the Denmark youth sides including the national under-21 team.

He earned his first All Whites cap against Australia in a World Cup warm-up match in Melbourne last month, doing enough with 20-year-old Tommy Smith, who plays for English club Ipswich to convince Herbert to look at new blood in his defence.

On the whole, NZ coach Ricki Herbert will be absolutely delighted with the point but some NZ players like Nelsen, Elliot and Vicelich will be disappointed that a win has slipped by. But one has to take things as they come and the fact that Slovakia’s Vittek had strayed ever so slightly into an offside position to score their only goal is heart breaking.

That the country's expectations have increased dramatically is also a reflection on what this team has done and could potentially achieve.

A first ever win at a World Cup is becoming more realistic by the day.
Former All Whites coach John Adshead says New Zealand's 1-1 draw against Slovakia leaves them in the "box seat" psychologically to advance to the next round of the football World Cup.

Adshead admitted to pangs of nostalgia when he tuned in to watch New Zealand secure their first point in World Cup history this morning (NZT), having coached them to three losses in their only other appearance, in Spain in 1982.

He described the result as "absolutely fantastic" and, with all four teams in group F now level on one point, believed New Zealand were in the strongest position of any side heading into their second match, against defending champions Italy at Nelspruit on Monday morning (NZT).

"What they've gone there to achieve, I think they've achieved it, they've got a result. Going into the next game, it's all on Italy isn't it?" Adshead told NZPA.

"Italy has to win their second game so the pressure is on them - immensely.

"I think New Zealand is probably in the box seat. They are the least expected to win, they've met the expectations of the country already."