Bring on Bahrain but get ready for drama
GUEST POST BY SAM BUCKLEThe All Whites' massive home and away World Cup play-off with Bahrain kicks off at 4.30am (NZ Time) on Sunday morning in Manama, Bahrain. It will reach its climax in Wellington about 10pm on Saturday 14 November.
That is set to be one helluva moment, one way or another. World Cup football is sport at both its most emotionally rewarding and its most brutally heart-breaking. There is very little in between. Win or lose against Bahrain, recent history and YouTube tell us to get ready for drama.
Two-legged World Cup playoffs are by no means unique. In fact, they have quite a history in this part of the world. 1n 2005, our Australian friends famously qualified for their first World Cup in 32 years when they beat Uruguay in a dramatic penalty shoot-out in front of 80,000 frenzied fans at Sydney's Telstra Stadium. If you don't remember that great moment in Australian sport, it is well worth reliving.
Of course, Australia suffered terribly at the hands of various cross-Confederation World Cup play-off systems for many years. They lost to Scotland in 1985 (yes, Scotland!), they fell to a solitary deflected cross to Argentina in 1993 and they were dispatched by Uruguay in 2001. But, no question, the most heart-wrenching, gut-twisting Australian loss was on away goals to Iran in 1998.
Having secured a brave 1 all draw in Tehran, the Socceroos pummelled Iran for most of the return leg at the MCG. After 60 minutes they led 2 nil, but it could well have been 5 or 6. Then, somehow, almost beyond belief, Iran found not one goal, but two. It was a crushing night for Australian football captured by this 1998 news bulletin. In Iran, meanwhile, it still ranks as arguably the greatest night in that country's football history.
New Zealand had its own play off drama when we beat China 2-1 in a sudden-death match in Singapore to qualify for the 1982 World Cup. The final 15 minutes of that game were ludicrously nerve-wracking, as the All Whites - knackered and under siege - desperately clung to their one goal advantage.
Bahrain too has experienced its knock-out highs and lows. The remarkable last few minutes of Bahrain's win over Saudi Arabia last month, to earn the right to play New Zealand, are compulsory viewing. Two goals in injury time! The first, after 91 minutes, to knock Bahrain out. The second, after 93, to send them through. Incredible stuff.
But, in 2005, Bahrain tasted bitter World Cup disappointment, falling at the final qualifying hurdle, a cross Confederation play off with Trinidad and Tobago. In front of their home fans, Bahrain bottled the second leg to lose 1 nil on the night and 2-1 on aggregate. If you don't mind reggae, you might enjoy this 5-minute, home-made tribute to T&T's Soca Warriors and their triumph in Manama.
Let's hope Bahrain can continue to fashion the kind of tragic World Cup play-off history that was Australia's for so many years.
Sam Buckle is a New Zealand football fan, pundit and one of the founding members of Yellow Fever.
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Last I heard it was somewhere between 10-12,000 or so sold.
The All Whites' only option is to give the ball to Tim Brown and let his Brazilian-esque flair score tens of goals for us.
Tim Brown, a true champion.
Sam, when are we going to see your picture at the top here? Great blog and inspiring stuff even watching other countries qualify - I get the feeling that the players and staff truly understand how big this is, and they're adapting and preparing accordingly, as opposed to the confederations cup where I think we were a little overconfident after good results against poor sides.
Look at the contrast between Bahrain and New Zealand in terms of national support. The Bahrain Government has organised special subsidised flights to Wellington for their supporters, and has hired a private jet for their team to travel in. All our Government has done for football in the last 5 years is deny that Fijian bloke a Visa. And if we qualify for the World Cup, guess who'll be crowing the loudest...
Evil - the government here don't even do that for the oval ball game, so why would they for football? I'm just grateful NZF has put the second game in Wellington.
Anybody know how much tickets are left and who's likely to be up front with Smeltz (Killen, Fallon or both)?
Also C'Mon boys, force a result in Manama then take it to them in Welly. Hopefully Leo and McGlinchey on top form aswell as the defence.
Realistically tickets are only going to pick up for the match once the 1st leg is done and if we still have a chance. If we can bag a goal and a result in Bahrain, then it will be game on big time. Maybe even the media might get their crayons out for the match. It would be nice to think we could fill Westpac, but I doubt it. The tickets are very, very affordable though.
I notice none of the potential drama and excitement of the match on Nov 14 has been captured at all in the marketing or media. It will be a winner-takes-all match with away goals or even penalties on the night, but it is just advertised as just a bigger game than normal.
I am going to the Wellington match and live in Auckland. The price for 1 adult and 1 child ticket, plus the airfare with AirNZ and 1 night accommodation was $50 less than the 2 tickets I had to pay for the Beckham match in Auckland.
Yep, the tickets for the Welly match will only pick up after Manama, if we have I sniff. I'll be going up from Christchurch but only if we have a bit of a chance. Unfortunately, I think we will play pretty negative this weekend, and could get spanked by a side that can thrive on the possession. There is a slim chance that Ricky has cottoned on to this fact and will send the lads out to play. Away goals are absolutely crucial; a 2-1 loss would be an okay result. Then lets get them back to Welly for some hail, a freezing southerly, and some good old fashioned biff.
@ Tom http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/2948628/All-Whites-to-play-strike-trio looks like Herbie is going all out...HUGE call, hope it pays off.
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Am nervous just contemplating penalties at the end of the game in Welly. Is there any indication as to how many tickets have been sold? Would love to see a packed house, NZ Football must do whatever possible to get people through those gates. We need to create an environment that lifts our lads and scares the hell out of Bahrain