Bahrain 0 New Zealand 0: two small teams, two big football matches

Two of football’s minnows took part in one of the big matches of the weekend as New Zealand held Bahrain to a goalless draw at the National Stadium in Manama in the first leg of the Asia/Oceania play-off to reach the 2010 World Cup. Bahrain, ranked 64 in the world to New Zealand’s 100, went in as notional favourites and had the better of the contest but missed a number of good chances to take a lead into the second leg on November 14 in Wellington.

With a population of around 700,000, the Gulf state of Bahrain will, it is said, be the smallest nation ever to qualify for the World Cup if they prevail over the Kiwis. For New Zealand (population of some 4 million), the play-off is a tantalising opportunity to reach the finals for the first time since Spain 1982 – their only World Cup appearance to date. Bahrain finished fifth in Asian qualifying after overcoming Saudi Arabia in a play-off, while New Zealand (in the absence of Australia, who now qualify through Asia) dominated Oceania qualifying.

The cynic might say that it is all rather silly that one of these two very minor footballing nations should be guaranteed a spot in South Africa next year, taking to the field as they did on a night when much bigger powers like Argentina, France, Portugal and Russia were still having to scrap it out for qualification in other parts of the world. This is, of course, an old debate: Do we want to see all the ‘biggest’ and ‘best’ teams represented? Or should we above all prize geographic diversity in the long-term interests of the game? Whichever way you look at it, a play-off for a place in the World Cup is about as intense as it gets: all the more so, one feels, when just getting to the final stages would mean everything to the teams involved.

The match in Manama was reasonably open for a game of such high stakes. To the untrained eye, the most easily recognisable player on the pitch was New Zealand captain Ryan Nelsen. The All Whites (yes – we’re not talking about the All Blacks in this football code) were relieved to be able to call on the Blackburn Rovers defender after doubts over a back injury – especially as Kiwi goalie Glen Moss was out through suspension. His replacement between the sticks, Mark Paston, produced a couple of fine saves to keep the All Whites on terms as Bahrain, dressed in all red, posed the greater threat.

With the away side often pinned back, Bahrain succeeded in turning and getting in behind the Kiwis’ defence on several occasions but couldn’t find a decisive finish. They had a number of chances in a lively 5-10 minute spell mid-way through the first half: a snap shot wide (from Jaycee John – who plays for Mouscron in Belgium); a header fluffed at the back post from a set piece; and a shot just shy of Paston’s near post. But it was in the second half that Bahrain squandered their best chances to establish a decisive advantage in the tie. First, a missed opportunity to lob Paston after a header through had caught out the Kiwi back-line. John later fired over from a pull-back when he maybe should have hit the target, before a Fouzi Aaish shot produced Paston’s first real save of the night on the hour and Bahrain’s centre-back struck a free kick just over the bar. Then by far the best chance of the game: Salman Isa (substituted later in the match) rounding the All Whites’ keeper to have the goal at his mercy (and Jaycee John seemingly available inside too), only to find the outside of the post from an angle. Other chances followed – Paston tipping over well and John having a shot blocked – but scoreless it remained.

The All Whites did have a few limited chances of their own. One of the best fell in the second half to Shane Smeltz, who perhaps should have had a go at the back post on the volley rather than turn the ball back inside. New Zealand even had it in the net from young substitute Chris Wood of West Bromwich Albion but it was ruled out for offside. Above all, the Kiwis will be happy to have resisted the Middle Eastern heat and come away with a creditable draw. Indeed, with the second-half additions of Wood and the lively Michael McGlinchey, they finished in pretty decent shape.

As for the second leg, some may now have New Zealand down as marginal favourites, given they will have home advantage in the return. Could this be the biggest football match ever played in this rugby-oriented country?  - apparently a New Zealand football attendance record will be set if it’s a 35,000 capacity sell-out at the Wellington “Cake Tin”. On the evidence of the first leg, Bahrain are capable of creating enough chances to go through. After just 6 goals in 8 group qualifying matches, the question is whether they can convert any of them. But they will take confidence from their earlier play-off encounter against Saudi Arabia, which they won 2-2 on away goals with a dramatic late equaliser in the away leg after a 0-0 draw at home. And if Bahrain do score an away goal in Wellington, New Zealand will be obliged to chase the win. So our prediction is that Bahrain will edge this big battle of the minnows. Just.