All that remains is to see if they can translate a good performance into a positive result when they host Australia in the Soccer Ashes rematch in Auckland tomorrow night.
Despite a dominant performance from the All Whites in the first leg in Canberra on Friday night, a late Socceroos goal handed Australia the advantage heading into the return clash with a 1-0 lead.
New Zealand coach Darren Bazeley named a strong side at GIO Stadium, determined to break the cycle of Australian dominance over the past two decades.
In midfield, Ryan Thomas made his long-awaited return, pulling on the fern for the first time since 2019 after enduring back-to-back injuries that had left many, including himself, wondering if he would play for New Zealand again.
His performance showed no signs of rust, as he slotted in seamlessly alongside Joe Bell as if they had been playing together for years.
The All Whites controlled the game, creating more chances, enjoying more possession, and outshooting their neighbours from across the Tasman 9-5.
With 19 minutes gone, Sarpreet Singh threaded a ball through to Chris Wood, sending the captain one on one with Australian goalkeeper Paul Izzo, only for a brilliant block to deny the Nottingham Forest star.
Another golden opportunity came just before halftime, when Ryan Thomas’s long pass found Callum McCowatt, who teed up Wood, but the striker’s shot was parried wide.
In the second half, Michael Boxall went close from a Francis de Vries corner, while substitute Ben Old forced a strong save from distance.
But with just three minutes remaining, the Socceroos struck a sucker punch.
Only moments after coming on, new cap Max Balard was found in the box by Mohamed Toure and turned neatly before slotting past Max Crocombe to the delight of the home crowd on a chilly Canberra night.
"It’s disappointing to concede late," Bazeley said.
"I thought we played very well. I thought we were very good in possession and created some good chances but ultimately we needed to have that moment and score a goal.
‘‘It’s tough for the guys. We put a lot into this game and everyone knew how big it was."
The All Whites were the better side, but the record books will show the only statistic that mattered: Australia 1, New Zealand 0. The Soccer Ashes can be decided on aggregate so there is plenty to play for at Mount Smart tomorrow night. — Allied Media/NZ Football
