Point Taken

The All Whites have earned their first-ever point at a World Cup scoring a last-minute equalising point against Slovakia in Rustenburg, South Africa. Defender Winston Reid, who had been beaten in the air by Vittek for the opening goal, ghosted in behind the Slovakian defense to glance a header from Shane Smeltz’s cross into the net off the base of the post. The 1-1 draw left all four teams in Group F on one point after Paraguay held defending champions Italy to the same score on Monday night. CNN described the New Zealand side as “stubborn”, and though the team “mixed battling defense with some shaky moments at the back”, New Zealand hit back in the third minute of time added on to secure the nation’s first-ever point from their fourth World Cup finals game.