15 June 2010 16:45
Reid saves New Zealand in injury time
A header from defender Winston Reid in the last minute of extra time saved New Zealand as they secured a 1-1 draw against Slovakia in their World Cup Group F match at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium on Tuesday
editor@newzealandtimes.co.uk
New Zealand struggled to capitalise on the few occasions they broke through the opposition defence, and World Cup debutants Slovakia, superb on the counter attack and always looking to push forward, were unlucky not to have found the back of the net more than once.
Robert Vittek's header in the 50th minute gave the Slovakians a deserved lead. New Zealand continued to fight off wave after wave of attack and were rewarded for their hard work in the dying minutes of the game.
New Zealand were the first to attempt a shot at goal when they took two chances within the first five minutes of the game. Striker Chris Killen sent his tame effort over the bar in the third minute, and two minutes later a cross from Simon Elliott found Killian in the box, but the striker's header was easily saved by Slovakia goalkeeper Jan Mucha.
Slovakia, however, settled down soon after and gained control of the match.
Perhaps their best chance of the first half came in the 28th minute when striker Stanislav Sestak latched on to a through ball from Vladimir Weiss, but his sliding shot narrowly missed the right post.
Seven minutes later Vittek came close with a blinder from 25 yards out, but he also missed right.
New Zealand fought back in the dying stages of the half, and in the 38th minute Shane Smeltz's close range effort was parried around the post by a diving Mucha.
Two minutes before the break Slovakia captain Marek Hamsik nearly broke the deadlock with a free kick from 20 yards out, but his shot was punched over the bar by New Zealand keeper Mark Paston to leave matters all square at half-time.
Five minutes after the break, however, Vittek got hold of a stunning cross from Sestak, with his header finding the bottom left corner of the net, well out of Paston‘s reach.
The Slovakians continued to attack, and while New Zealand were forced to defend for much of the last 40 minutes, Reid secured the draw in the final minute of extra time with a stunning header, after latching onto a magnificent cross from striker Shane Smeltz.
Group F remains wide open after title holders Italy and Paraguay played to a 1-1 draw in Cape Town on Monday night, and all four teams are deadlocked at the top of the table with one point each and no goal difference.
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