Last week’s post on the All Whites’ 1-1 draw with Slovenia Slovakia was to be my only one about the World Cup.
But after this morning’s game against Italy I couldn’t resist the urge to comment on perspective.
The game finished with another single goal for each side draw which is regarded as a loss for Italy and a win for us.
For more informed commentssee:
Keeping Stock 78 versus 5
At No Minister Barnsley Bill reckons the result would be like Iceland holding the All Blacks to a draw.
Not PC says Woohoo! and has a round up of international media reports.
Homepaddock 
In keeping with your wishes to keep World Cup posting to a minimum Hp, lets hope you don’t intend to make another post, but will have to.
Not a great football fan, but thoroughly enjoying the moment and so proud of ‘the boys’.
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HomePaddock
Without trying to be smart ,New Zealand drew with Slovakia 1-1 not Slovenia.
Slovakia is the remnant of Czechoslovakia, Bratislava is the main city.
Slovenia was part of the old Yugoslavia with Liublijana (pardon the spelling)as the capital city.
Great draw by the NZ team today. The Italians are rather vulnerable when the pressure goes on.
Brzil or Argentina to win it ?
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Thanks Neil, this is what happens when you rely on an unreliable memory.
And I’m backing Argentina – but that’s on emotion not any knowledge of the teams or game, though I did hear John Key on The Farming Show say that a South American team has always won when the World Cup is not played in Europe. On that basis you’d have a good chance with either Brazil or Argentina.
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a early rise to watch the game with live communication through Skype with the relies in The Netherlands….Dutch commentators talked about the “dragon slayers from the South Pacific”…
A game well worth watching!! can’t wait for the next game.
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Wait! do we we have to share this draw with the Aussies as well?.
You Know cussies and all.
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A tremendous result for NZ Football and I am proud of the never give in spirit exhibited.
I find the hyperbolic claims as to its place in our sporting history as OTT.
Random thoughts:
Snell and Halberg gold medals among the best in the world with no politics.
Lovelocks gold in the face of politics.
Mark Todds back to back golds admittedly in a less than world wide sport.
Loaders gold truly world beating.
Evers Swindels golds repeated.
Drysdales single sculls domination.
Yevette Williams gold at Helsinki.
If it is team sports then:
Munich rowing eights gold.
New Zealand repeated success at world Softball.
Silver Ferns.
Eisenhower Golf win 1992.
NZ cricket ICC cup in Kenya.
Even Brian Fairlie Wimbledon final beaten by McEnroe
And Our very own tragics alongside Barnesly’s English Footballers, The All Blacks.
Yes It is a truly great bit of our sporting history unfolding in South Africa but lets keep a perspective, The All Whites are punching way above their weight with our comparative Amateur players playing teams composed entirely of the cream of players of big, nay enormous money leagues from Europe and The Americas but one thing it aint “a greatest world performance” by New Zealand, but it is really just an outstanding result by a New Zealand sporting team that has made a very big splash on a world stage.
Two draws, our first world cup points, Dogged never say die defence against skills that our guys can only aspire to, and spirit that is truly humbling, YES YES YES and all the best for Uruguay.
If I wasn’t such a mean bugger who regards his hard earned comfort jealously, I think a dollar on the Dutch might just pay off. Disclaimer here I am a Celt/Scot and proud of it.
ps Until FIFA adopt some of the available technology to monitor the appalling refereeing we see, ie French handball against Ireland that cost Ireland the money and prestige of qualifying, and the oscar, no it wasn’t that good, winning dive from the descendant of Mussolini (assumed) that drew the penalty, then world football will struggle to be seen by many of us casual, albeit very proud of our team, sporting nuts to be anything approaching the wonderful event the meda would have us believe.
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Gravedodger: Chris Lewis vs Mcenroe, surely?
I agree it is being overhyped, but in footballing terms it’s certainly the best achievement by NZ. And why do people keep saying NZ are playing Uruguay next? That’s the third time I’ve seen that today…
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bearhunter I acknowledge my error of course it is Paraguay.
I probably was suggesting that Brian Fairlie’s result was possibly for a pseudo world title as Wimbledon on grass is the ultimate event when the name of the game is lawn tennis and the All England event is the only one still played on grass. His effort is the greatest result in modern tennis Historically of course Antony Wilding is the top man and coming from Canterbury was a bonus, they were both icons of Tennis in NZ.
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