Winston Reid: 'This was the most important goal of my life'

Winston Reid picked up a yellow card and was almost pushed into a moat that surrounded the Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Rustenburg this morning - but it was all worth it.

With his 93rd minute goal against Slovakia, a goal that secured a 1-1 draw and New Zealand's first point at a World Cup, Reid etched his name in the country's sporting history.

Just over 12 months ago he would never have been able to do that. He would have remained a little-known Auckland-born Danish youth international, in New Zealand at least. But a Fifa rule change around eligibility allowed the 21-year-old to don the All White shirt of New Zealand.

He's glad he did. The country is glad he did.

"That was the most important goal of my life," he said. "I try to get forward but don't often score, but this is great.

"I actually didn't see the ball. I saw it late. When I saw it coming, I knew I just had to guide it on goal and not hit it too hard and it would go in. There was so much pace on the ball, I just had to guide it in."

Reid was shown a yellow card immediately after scoring for taking off his shirt as he celebrated wildly with his team-mates. They celebrated so much Shane Smeltz, who delivered the pinpoint cross, lost his balance and almost took Reid with him over the edge of a 3m-high moat that surrounds the field.

"I nearly fell down myself so I was just taking him with me," Smeltz joked.

That's what makes this team special. They do everything together. There are none of the egos that blight teams like the Netherlands, who have Rafeal Van Der Vaart and Wesley Sneijder who try not to pass to each other if they can help it.

Reid has made an immediate impact since throwing his lot in with New Zealand a couple of months ago. He dislodged the popular Ben Sigmund at centre-back and has brought a cultured but aggressive approach to the role along with Tommy Smith, another player New Zealand picked up through the Fifa rule change.

Reid was, though, partially culpable for Slovakia's goal, allowing Robert Vittek to get ahead of him to meet a perfect Stanislav Sestak cross from the right. What made it even more galling was that Vittek was offside.

"It was a good cross, but I thought he was in an offside position," Reid said. "Maybe I should have done better, but it was a great cross and a great goal. I think we worked hard and had good chances so I think we deserved it."

New Zealand certainly deserved to get something out of the match. They created a couple of good chances - the best fell to Chris Killen in the third minute and Shane Smeltz two minutes from time - and were reasonably comfortable in defence.

They were put under pressure by Slovakia and had to scramble a handful of times but that is to be expected. New Zealand teams aren't going to dictate matches, which is why their direct style with three up front is a good one.

Coach Ricki Herbert was full of praise for his young defender.

"He's been a great coup for us, he's only a young player and no doubt internationally he will progress," he said. "But he's got a great heart and he's slotted into the team really well. It's a special moment to score for your country at any stage, let alone at a World Cup.

"It was a good finish. He's kind of redeemed himself for getting on the wrong side of the Slovakian striker when they scored."

Reid will be forgiven for that. After all, he scored the goal that delivered New Zealand their first point at a World Cup. And what a point to cherish.