New Zealand v Slovakia: match preview

Group F
New Zealand v Slovakia
Royal Bafokeng Stadium, Rustenburg
Kick-off: Tuesday Jun 15, 12.30pm BST

New Zealand would be delighted with a point having lost three out of three in 1986.

They miss goalkeeper Glen Moss for this game and the next, against Italy, after he was sent-off in a qualifier against Fiji. They are also without Tim Brown, who is injured.

Slovakia miss the injured Miroslav Karhan, their most capped player, for the tournament, but Liverpool’s Martin Skrtel has recovered from an ankle injury.


Touchline duel

Ricki Herbert v Vladimir Weiss: Herbert can boast the rarity of playing and coaching in the finals, having featured in 1982. Back then he took – and still owns – the shirt of Brazil’s Socrates.

There is also a generation theme in Slovakia’s side; Weiss will pick his son, Manchester City’s Vladimir Weiss junior.

Talking tactics

Herbert will probably play with one striker and block the All Whites bus in front of goal where Blackburn’s Ryan Nelsen will prove vital to their hopes if, as expected, he recovers from an ear infection.

The absence of Karhan means the defensive midfield duties will fall to Zdeno Strba, who turned 34 just before the start of the World Cup.

Key clash

Rory Fallon v Martin Skrtel: Rarely has a Plymouth Argyle player carried so much weight on his shoulders but Rory Fallon – the son of 1982 New Zealand coach Kevin Fallon – scored the goal against Bahrain in the play-offs that delivered his country to the finals.

Liverpool’s Martin Skrtel, who went off with an ankle injury early in the final friendly against Costa Rica last week, is expected to be able to take his place in the centre of defence

What they say

Ricki Herbert: "It's been a long time hasn't it? 28 years for a chance to try and change something. Look, it's good to be back. It's quite a distant memory but a very fond memory."

Vladimir Weiss: "We are all full of expectation. The atmosphere is very good. It is the peak of the careers of every coach and player and there is a nice tension. We will play with modesty but will be going for a win.”

Team details (probable)

New Zealand (4-5-2): Paston; Reid, Nelsen, Smith, Sigmund; Vicelich, Bertos, Christie, Smeltz, Killen; Fallon.
Slovakia (4-4-2): Mucha; Pekarik, Skrtel, Durica, Cech; Strba, Weiss, Hamsik, Stoch; Vittek, Sestak.
Referee: Benito Archundia (Mexico).

Previous meetings: None

Fact: In their only previous finals, in 1982, New Zealand lost all three group games, scored just twice and conceded 12.

Prediction: Slovakia begin their first world Cup finals since independence from the old Czechoslovakia against one of the outsiders. Should start with an easy win.