Football: All Whites believe they're on track for World Cup

New Zealand's Marco Rojas, center, and teammates applaud as they leave the pitch at the end of the Confederations Cup, Group A soccer match between New Zealand and Portugal. Photo / AP.

The All Whites believe they are on track to qualify for the 2018 World Cup, despite the near impossible route they will have to take.

The completion of their Confederations Cup campaign means that focus now shifts to the next challenge in 2017, the Oceania playoff against the Solomon Islands followed by (hopefully) a home and away tie against the fifth placed South American team.

It's a prospect that even many European nations would find difficult, especially the tie on the continent. Australia only managed to progress past Conmebol opposition once in three attempts, and their golden generation (Mark Viduka, Harry Kewell, Tim Cahill etc) needed a penalty shoot out to do it.

But this New Zealand side is confident, particularly after the progress they have made in Russia. While they failed to gain a result, internally there is a belief that significant progress has been made, which could prove crucial come November.

"Whoever we face in November and touch wood we get there - it's the fifth best team in South America," said coach Anthony Hudson. "They are fifth for a reason. It means they have lost games they should have won, [have] some weaknesses, whatever it may be...we have confidence going into that game.

I don't think there is one person in our group that looks at September or November and thinks 'Actually, I don't think we can do it'."

The All Whites have never beaten South American opposition - and never come close to winning on their rare forays in South America - but captain Chris Wood also believes his team could defy history.

"The belief is already in this team," said Wood. "Whoever it is in November - if we are there - we will be ready for them no matter what quality of opposition we come up against. We believe we can get something out of it and we want to be back here [in Russia] in a year's time."

It's an overused word, but this All Whites team is starting to build the kind of camaderie and cohesion that was so apparent in the 2007- 2010 era. It was a critical success factor, that enabled that squad to achieve results beyond their apparent potential.

Many of Hudson's team have been in the fold since 2015 and have also developed together.

However, this team has yet to display the steely edge that was so vital in the 2009-10 side. While most focus on the famous 1-0 win over Bahrain in Wellington, the path to South Africa was sealed with the 0-0 draw in Manama, an incredible defensive display.

But against top nations, Hudson's team has yet to show they are capable of that. While they probably have more flair and attacking potential than Ricki Herbert's squad, they don't - yet - have the same iron-clad defence.

This All Whites team gave up far too many scoring opportunities at the Confederations Cup, looking particularly vulnerable when opponents attacked down the flanks, and a similar output in November will be terminal to their chances.

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