Football: Wood relishing his chance to shine

New Zealand's Chris Wood, left, competes for the ball against Honduras Erick Norales
New Zealand's Chris Wood, left, competes for the ball against Honduras Erick Norales
All Whites soccer coach Ricki Herbert felt the two home internationals against Honduras and Paraguay would be the start of a more permanent role in the national team for striker Chris Wood.

On the evidence of Saturday's 1-1 draw with Honduras in Auckland, Herbert's belief was justified as Wood scored his first goal in 13 matches and impressed with his allround game.

He is not the finished product -- far from it. Had he shown more composure in front of goal, he would have had three or four goals, but there is no denying his raw talent.

Having played in all three World Cup matches in South Africa as a substitute, Wood was desperate to prove he deserved to be considered as a starting player in these matches.

Scoring his first goal, a powerful first-half stoppage time header set up by Jeremy Brockie, was a good start for the strapping 18-year-old from Waikato, currently on loan to Barnsley from his English Premier League club West Bromwich Albion.

"It's my first one, hopefully of many," Wood said of the goal.

"It will always live on in my memory."

So, too, will his goal celebration, which was one of the talking points from Saturday's match.

Wood promptly ran to the corner flag and, in one of the more unusual celebrations, dropped his shorts to reveal his white and red undies and the name -- 'Woodzee'.

He was booked for his efforts, something he can joke about now but had he picked up a second yellow card, he and his teammates might not have seen the humour in it.

"It's just a thing one of my missus' gave me," Wood said when asked what the celebration was all about, before Herbert chipped in with the obvious next question.

"One of them?"

Wood replied, scrambling to correct himself. "Sorry, my missus gave me.

"So I thought I'd wear them. I think it's about the fifth time I've worn them but it's the first time I've been able to show them."

Wood will start against Paraguay in Wellington tomorrow night, with Herbert confirming Rory Fallon, who is recovering from a hernia operation, would be on the bench and only in the frame for 10-15 minutes of action.

New Zealand were encouraged by their performance against Honduras -- they dominated the match and should have wrapped it up before Shane Smeltz's glaring last-minute penalty miss, but had to settle for a draw after Walter Martinez's 64th minute equaliser.

Though disappointed not to have won, New Zealand captain Ryan Nelsen was accentuating the positives ahead of a sterner test against World Cup quarterfinalists Paraguay.

"It was in our hands, obviously we wanted to win but I think it was an entertaining game," he said.

"Honduras put out a very good team and I think it shows how far New Zealand has come, and it's fun to be a part of now when you've got confident young men pulling down their pants in scoring celebrations -- it's great to see. I'll rephrase that, it's great to see confidence."

Herbert lamented his team's finishing but thought the number of chances they created, against a World Cup team, was a step forward from previous matches and encouraging ahead of tomorrow's match.

"I think the stats were lop-sided in our favour and we haven't been like that, but we've developed.

"If Tuesday can be half as entertaining, I think people will be pleased."

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