Soccer: All Whites with nothing to lose against Italy - Smeltz

Expectations might be rising in New Zealand that the All Whites might actually be able to beat Italy and qualify for the second round but Shane Smeltz believes that far from being overawed by that possibility, they have nothing to lose against the world champions.

The 1-1 draw with Slovakia on Wednesday morning (NZ time) captured the country. It also prompted many to wonder, however rational those musing might be, whether they could stun an aging Italy and take an unlikely place in the last 16.

New Zealand teams aren't talked about in those sorts of tones. Going to a World Cup is usually enough.

Smeltz is aware of the growing interest and expectations in the All Whites (it has filtered through that as many as one million tuned in for the Slovakia game) but the 28-year-old always cuts a relaxed figure.

He's a player at the peak of his powers - he's won two Golden Boots and the A-League Player of the Year title - and like many players sees this World Cup as an opportunity not only for the team but as individuals. Smeltz could expect a handful of offers to come his way that could see him play in Europe, Asia or the Middle East.

"If people said we had nothing to lose against Slovakia, we certainly don't have anything to lose against Italy and I think there's a lot of belief in this squad," he said. "We know it's going to be a tough game but we're going to go out there and try to prove people wrong again and hopefully come away with something as well."

It would be incredible if they did and continue a ride of unprecedented success in New Zealand football. The All Whites' draw against Slovakia attracted luke-warm interest with the international press, with most attention coming because of the dramatic nature of their late goal.

A result against Italy, however, would change things spectacularly. This really would be seen as a case of David overcoming Goliath.

Italian sides don't traditionally start World Cups well. They tend to start in first gear before slowly gathering momentum and that's something Smeltz hopes they can take advantage of.

"They tend to start slowly so I'm sure they'll be aiming to lift their game from the last performance but we've just got to stick to what we know," he said. "We've got a good shape about our squad.

"The way we play is set up brilliantly for the players we've got and I think it works well with everyone working hard. We've proven we're a tough side to break down and that we can go and cause problems as well.

"All round the park we have strength and height and we will cause some problems. We know that, especially with three up front. I'm sure they will be pretty wary.

"But they are always a decent team. They can cause problems at any time in the game when they want to turn it on. But I think they are a team we can get at. They are good but we will be looking at a few things we can exploit and hopefully cause them some problems."

Smeltz would love to increase his tally of 16 goals in 31 internationals on Monday morning but, like he did against Slovakia, is happy enough to be provider.

If he can achieve either, it could mean the All Whites actually achieve something against the four-time World Cup winners. How incredible would that be?