All Whites brave in defeat

BY STEVE KILGALLON IN PASADENA

Coach Ricki Herbert hailed last night's two-goal defeat to Mexico a "milestone" performance for his resilient All Whites.

He rated the performance alongside the All Whites' World Cup qualification efforts against Bahrain, as they prevented the world's No15 ranked team scoring more goals. Before 90,000 screaming fans in a cavernous stadium, and facing a team who last week hammered Bolivia 5-0, the All Whites kept their composure.

Importantly, they kept the Mexicans scoreless until after halftime.

Asked if he would have been happy with the final scoreline before kickoff, a "very pleased" Herbert admitted he "probably would've snatched it".

"Four years ago, we couldn't beat teams in the island countries and here we are, playing before 90,000 and putting up a very credible performance against a very good side," he said.

New Zealand spent most of their night defending furiously. Their resolve crumbled only in a two-minute spell where substitute strikers Javier Hernandez and Carlos Vela capitalised.

Lacking skipper Ryan Nelsen and the experienced Ivan Vicelich, the All Whites fielded an experimental 5-3-2 formation with two wingbacks. Herbert described his new back three of Ben Sigmund, Andy Boyens and Tommy Smith as "on trial".

It appeared they passed that test, with Sigmund clearly New Zealand's best, thwarting a wave of first-half assaults from the Mexicans.

Herbert described the debutant 19-year-old Smith as "outstanding".

While New Zealand had just one first-half shot on goal, they gave Mexico little space in a stifling opening. The Mexicans' best chance came when Jonathon Dos Santos' effort rattled the crossbar, while Giovani Dos Santos had two good opportunities just before the break.

Hernandez, who came on at halftime, was ominously permitted a free header from close range just two minutes after the restart, which he put wide.

Six minutes later, he drifted away from his marker, Smith, and nodded home.

Two minutes later came Mexico's second, but Vela clearly shouldered Sigmund to the turf before beating Boyens and hitting home.

Herbert said it was "absolutely" a foul and his side "got nothing" from American referee Jair Marrufo, who booked both Shane Smeltz and Tony Lochhead while giving the Mexicans leeway in the tackle.

"It's hard enough as it is coming here without that, but we roll with the punches," Herbert said.

For New Zealand, this was a taste of what the World Cup will be like.

They played with considerable spirit and would have pinched a 75th-minute Rory Fallon goal, but for an offside flag.

At fulltime, they huddled together, and said Smith, noted that "this is the sort of opposition we're going to be coming up against at the World Cup and that's the benchmark we've set ourselves that we've got to get to".

It is a result that may make people revise their opinions of how the All Whites will fare. "The thing that really encouraged me was that the guys weren't fazed by the atmosphere, and weren't fazed at playing against top quality opposition and that can only mean good things," said veteran midfielder Simon Elliott.

He was confident the All Whites could improve their game.

RESULT

New Zealand 0 Mexico 2 (Javier Hernandez, Carlos Vela). HT: 0-0.

- © Fairfax NZ News