Woohoo! Go All Whites!

[shrub]

I didn't watch it, and I didn't have any paint to watch drying so I went to sleep instead. much better outcome.

Smart move.

[MisterD]

Only the second team ever to be undefeated and yet not make it through.

Nope. I can think of England in 1958 and Belgium in 1998 off the top of my head.

Edit: Some research later - Cameroon in 1982

[Ronin]

Nope. I can think of England in 1958 and Belgium in 1998 off the top of my head.

Two things:

1: Seriously... who knows stuff like that?
2: The news reports must be wrong then.

[wysper]

I thought the news said 4th team to be in that situation.

I think the did really well. Paraguay weren't taking them lightly. They were working hard to shut us down as quickly as possible.

First time ever the first and second place getters from the previous world cup have been knocked out in group stage! Really opens the cup up.

[wysper]

Thank God that's over. I watched the game, and that's probably the last soccer game I'll watch. A hell of an achievement though, especially as the paraguayans looked like much better players, but 93 minutes to get a nil-all draw? Kind of like watching 93 minutes of maiden overs in cricket.

Thats called a test match.

[Oscar]

Nope. I can think of England in 1958 and Belgium in 1998 off the top of my head.

Edit: Some research later - Cameroon in 1982

And Scotland in '82.
It was NZ's two goals against them that spoiled their goal diff. and put 'em out.

[Cayman911]

And the all whites have been undedeated in the world cup 2010! that is bloody fantastic!

*cough* australia got raped *cough*

about time NZ showed the world what we got

[shrub]

Thats called a test match.

The difference is, in a test match you have wickets and runs happening all the time and it's also a good excuse to spend 5 days in the pub. The game last night was like 93 minutes of maiden overs, and the other games were 90 odd minutes where only one or two runs were scored.

Soccer has become iconic because all you need to play a game is a piece of flat ground and something to kick whereas most other sports require a lot more infrastructure, so it's the most played sport. People form tribal identifications with the sides playing, and it becomes much more than a game, so whether it's interesting or exciting is irrelevant because it's a very primal transferrance of the desire to compete that is innate in human beings.

[wysper]

The difference is, in a test match you have wickets and runs happening all the time and it's also a good excuse to spend 5 days in the pub. The game last night was like 93 minutes of maiden overs, and the other games were 90 odd minutes where only one or two runs were scored.

Soccer has become iconic because all you need to play a game is a piece of flat ground and something to kick whereas most other sports require a lot more infrastructure, so it's the most played sport. People form tribal identifications with the sides playing, and it becomes much more than a game, so whether it's interesting or exciting is irrelevant because it's a very primal transferrance of the desire to compete that is innate in human beings.

I guess it is just me, but I don't have to have something happening goal/wicket/runs etc every few seconds. I am happy to watch an enthralling (to me) contest. I used to enjoy the old 6-3 test matches where a win was ground out. The new high speed rugby can be fun to watch but isn't as absorbing (for me anyway). Plus I don't understand the rules anymore.

I think the drive for sports as an entertainment package is killing it as a contest. Sure some nil all draws are boring. But some are bloody thrilling. Some will never like football no matter what the score is and that is fine too.

I love both football and test cricket. I don't mind if a game is a draw. Sometimes that is the right result. Although I love the drama of penalty shoot outs too, been in my fair share of those. Sometimes as a keeper and sometimes as a striker. I would much rather be the keeper.

[oldrider]

And the all whites have been undedeated in the world cup 2010! that is bloody fantastic!

*cough* australia got raped *cough*

about time NZ showed the world what we got

It's about time New Zealand got to remember that the objective is to "WIN".................yes "WIN"..................damn it "WIN"!

When I was a teenager I was given a trophy for best "looser" at a boxing tournament.....I threw it in the river!

I went there to "WIN" and "FAILED"!

Doing well is nice but the "National" soccer team went there to "WIN"!

We must never lose sight of that "fact", that's what's turning us into a nation of wooses!

Best losers my arse! celebrating mediocrity.

[Cayman911]

It's about time New Zealand got to remember that the objective is to "WIN".................yes "WIN"..................damn it "WIN"!

yeah but considering some people in the world didnt even know we had a soccer team and were shocked when we even qualified to get to the world cup,
and also considering we were pooled with some of the greatest teams in the world, including the previous world champions, i think the boys did bloody fantastic.

unlike the all blacks, or our other teams, they werent previous world champions, or the one of the best teams. they came with nothing and they even ranked above italy. and went home undefeated.
lets not forget what happend to australia too.

that says something, We have a brilliant future in football. mark paston is a legend.

[martybabe]

Brilliant stuff, undefeated amongst the worlds elite footballing nations, well done the All whites! Only got England left to support now against the old enemy (Germany), on current form they'll be on their way home shortly after that game but you just never know with footy....

[oldrider]

yeah but considering some people in the world didnt even know we had a soccer team and were shocked when we even qualified to get to the world cup,
and also considering we were pooled with some of the greatest teams in the world, including the previous world champions, i think the boys did bloody fantastic.

unlike the all blacks, or our other teams, they werent previous world champions, or the one of the best teams. they came with nothing and they even ranked above italy. and went home undefeated.
lets not forget what happend to australia too.

that says something, We have a brilliant future in football. mark paston is a legend.

I didn't say I wasn't amazed and proud of their success to date, just don't want them and their supporters to forget the real objective is to "WIN"!

When you are up to your arse in alligators it is hard to stay focussed and remember that the original plan was to drain the swamp!

[Bren]

Well, I am so proud of our boys...They did it, they got to the world cup and proved the doubters wrong...they were not there just to fill in the numbers and they did not embarrass themselves or us as a country.

From stregnth to stregnth...This year we proved we had a team, next time lets prove we can field a team that wins!

[Swoop]

Good on ya All Whites!

Just a shame that ya didn't progress further into the competition... so now we'll have to go back to being force-fed that thugby crap.