Match 12: New Zealand - Slovakia Post-Match Thread [R]

The 1st round isn't even over yet and the UEFA Teams are being counted out already? haha Isn't this Slovakia's first Cup? I would cut them some slack, they're still the better team than NZ and I'll say they get out of this group. Paraguay is the most overrated team in the group. NZ is the most underrated.

 

They are very defensive to the point of bunkering because of the political situation in their country, too.

They represent the pride of their nation, but the public doesn't even know their results unless they win. International games held in Pyongyan can only be attended by members of the military and politicians.

If they lose, no one will know they lost --except through rumour, so everybody knows but not for sure. If they lost 5-0, the people would manage to know through the rumour mill and the government would have to punish them.

So, they defend. A lot.

 

My last off topic post because these are not the Korean group threads but although I know the games are blacked out, there are stories coming out that the North Koreans cheered on their South Korean counterparts.

 

Greece is the worst team of the cup, so far.

If I were Greek, I'd be fuming. Total lack of balls by those guys.

Otherwise, it's good to see that the distances are growing shorter and shorter. I never discounted the Kiwis, and even mentioned that they had a chance to beat the Slovaks.

Actually, due to their physical style, depending on the ref, I'd say they have a chance against both Italy and Paraguay.

Not that they are better, though. That North Korea only lost by a goal to Brazil doesn't meant they are almost the same as Brazil.

 

The New Zealand goal :
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtgSF82gw8s"]YouTube- winston reid goal new zealand vs slovakia (1-1) 15/06/2010 audio spanish[/ame]

... and the story about how the New Zealand goal scorer Winston Reid a few month back was contacted via facebook by 3News, that then also made the contact to the New Zealand head coach, who then persuaded Reid to play for New Zealand at the WC..

Watch the story by 3News ;
http://www.scoop.co.nz/multimedia/tv/sports/33711.html
and read more :
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/3443252/Reid-changes-mind-commits-to-All-Whites
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Well done NZ. Maybe you can be the 2010 fairytale story? Good luck in your future matches.

 

Interesting, if New Zealand can pull off a 0-0 against Italy they can afford to go all out against Paraguay. Not saying they will, but if they play a defense-only game I think they have a chance at a 0-0 result vs italy, if that happens and Slovakia and Paraguay were to draw too then this group gets very interesting

 

If not the best, one of the best days of the World Cup so far.

I actually wrote to these blog guys and not about NZ or Slovakia, another group but I told them, "hey, don't call any of these games easy...." , bunch of numpties out there.

 

It is the greatest result in NZ football history.

The All Whites are a limited team who are slow and ponderous in midfield. It means our only tactic is to bomb it into the air and hope the strikers can do something with it. The downside to this is that it is very predictable and Slovakia were ready for it (by and large). They targeted our crap midfielders and shut most of them down. Bertos was well shut down. Vicelich was forced into the defensive line most of the time. Lochhead had a mare.

It also means our midfielders are very conservative in attack and only push forward when there is a clear-cut opportunity.

However, in that last five minutes, they threw caution to the wind and sent substitutes on (Christie and Wood) with instructions to farking charge the bloody box. They also sent Winston Reid forward. Funnily enough this paid dividends because all of a sudden the Slovaks were on the defensive and were essentially forced to play deep. The Slovaks thought they could afford to do this because the game was almost over anyway.

Then Winston Reid of Takapuna by way of Denmark and Ngati Whatua stepped up and headed home the most important goal he has scored in his young footballing life and in the history of NZ football.

Winston Reid is one of only a few Maori in the side in a sport traditionally played by naturalised european immigrants (most maori prefer rugby).

The All Whites will get opened up by Italy - who will be hellbent on proving a point to their critics - by coming out with the intent of tearing NZ apart (which is very unItalian of them tbh). I just hope it won't be as bad as the drubbing the Socceroos got at the hands of the Germans, but it might well be.

Paraguay will be licking their lips too.

But for now, I'll enjoy the 1-1 draw whilst I can.

 

Ried is no doubt a talented centre back, but Denmark is especially strong in centre back position... Per Krøldrup may be getting older, but he is only the backup for younger players like Daniel Agger (25) and Simon Kjær (21) who is the most talented centre back in the Italian Serie A ... on the Danish U-21 NT Reid was also standing in the shadow of Mathias "Zanka" Jørgensen in the the fight for a spot on the Danish NT in the future, so he had probably started to get some doubts, if he would ever get the chance to play for Denmark.
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That was not the estimate i Denmark... Agger and Kjær are the most talented centre back duo in the World, and they will surely be playing in 2014 .... Ried is also older than "Zanka" I mentioned above, who has alredy been capped for Denmark... and ther is absolutely no chance that Ried would be considered for the right back position on the Danish NT.
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Well done All Whites

Good luck in your next game against the current World Cup holders Italy.