Soccer: All Whites clinch series

Noah Hickey clashes with Mohd Faizel Abd Rashid last night. Picture / Richard Robinson

It took 88 minutes for the All Whites to find the winning formula against Malaysia at North Harbour Stadium last night.

Just two minutes from time, a strike from substitute Andy Barron gave the home side a deserved 2-1 win over the plucky visitors.

Again, as in Sunday's series opener, New Zealand held the upper hand but struggled to turn greater possession and territory into goals.

There were moments for coach Ricki Herbert and his players to savour however.

Campbell Banks had just 17 minutes to wait before celebrating his first international goal.

Both teams took time to settle with barely a half chance at either end before Banks, given his first start at this level, provided a calculated finish.

The All Whites should have had a second four minutes later when Noah Hickey, from left back, ran on to a ball from Shane Smeltz, beat one challenge, drew goalkeeper Shamsuri Mustafa and then curled his shot agonisingly wide of the upright.

That miss became even more painful a couple of minutes later when the Malaysians pushed forward. Safee Sali, who had been the most of lively of the visiting attack in the opener, gathered in front of goal turned to beat Danny Hay before letting fly with a shot Glen Moss, in goal, could only get a token hand to as it flew into the net.

Adjusting to the pace of the game but again with a reluctance to play through the flanks which led to a congested midfield, the home side had the better of it.

They forced corners, won attacking freekicks but were constantly denied by the packed, and often scrambling, Malaysian defence.

The second half was more of the same with the All Whites again having the greater share of possession - 57-43 per cent in the first spell - but Adrian Webster, the impressive Banks, Smeltz on a number of occasions and Bertos all being denied either by brave goalkeeping, resolute defending or wayward shooting.

Jarrod Smith went close to joining Banks in scoring a goal on debut when, six minutes after replacing Banks, he turned a fired a shot from outside the area which Mustafa just got his fingers to.

Jeremy Brockie, on for Fleming, too had Mustafa at full stretch to keep out a rocket which threatened to break the deadlock as did two later attempts by the stadium's folk hero. It was left to Barron, 23 minutes after replacing Webster, to hit the winner.