Allan Jones: Pressure goes on Italy after NZ's showing

Opinion

It is not an emotive statement when I say we can cause huge further upsets in Group F.

Italy traditionally start slowly, both in tournaments and individual matches, and this should give our players time to settle into the game.

I would like to see New Zealand go for broke in the opening minutes of the game and try to unsettle the Azzurri. The pressure is on them, not us.

Italy will be quietly concerned about playing New Zealand. While they have an experienced side as the reigning champions, they will not relish trying to handle our physically imposing strike force. Set plays will be difficult for them, so let's hope the delivery can get some consistency about it.

If Simon Elliott can get a fair percentage of balls into the right place then Fabio Canavarro and company will struggle, as they did against Paraguay in their opening game. The big Paraguayan centre-back Antolin Alcaraz butchered the defenders to score the first goal of the game.

The Italians are a high quality passing outfit and I still wonder if we could be a bit lightweight in the middle of midfield in as much that we could get badly outnumbered. When Italy have good possession, they will throw players forward from central areas and out wide. On these occasions, defensive organisation will be the key.

They have two rampaging-type players in right-back Gianluca Zambrotta and flank man Simone Pepe. If these two play together down the right, then Tony Lochhead will need some assistance. One of our wide front men must keep tabs on Zambrotta's forward sorties.

Like Paraguay, we must not panic out of possession. That may give us the opportunity for further inroads.

In 2006 when the World Cup was contested in Germany it was the Year of the Dog in the Chinese calendar.

Perhaps this time is the Year of the Underdog. In almost every group in the first round of matches there have been upsets or so-called minor teams putting up sound performances against the big brothers of the global football family.

South Korea were tremendous in their 2-0 victory over Greece. Similarly North Korea gave Brazil a fright in Group G only losing 2-1, and who in their right mind would have put money on Switzerland beating Spain, one of the favourites, 1-0 in Group H?

So while we rejoice in our new-found status in world football, perhaps we are only a part of what is happening globally. Very few hidings are dished out these days at this level. Organisation and coaching standards are rising all around the world, and we are no different.

Who would have thought that at this stage of the competition we would be looking at possibly qualifying for the second round?

There were some tremendous performances in the Slovakian game, and none more so than Ryan Nelsen. His inspiration was immense. A goal down, he took it upon himself, when we had lost our way, to make several surging runs before releasing the ball forward into dangerous areas.

The pure cheekiness of Winston Reid to saunter into goalscoring areas, let alone nod one into the net, was quite spectacular.

He will feel much better for having scored as he did allow Robert Vittek to get on his blind side for Slovakia's goal. Nor should we ignore his brilliantly timed tackle inside our box when it looked odds on for Slovakia to go further ahead.

Jeremy Christie, when he came on, was industrious and needed watching, and Shane Smeltz found a new lease of life in the closing 15 minutes.

But overall it was the now well-documented team spirit that got us over the line. This squad have huge belief in themselves, each other and, more importantly, in what the coaches are planning for them.

What chance another good result against Italy? Seriously, every chance.