Soccer: All Whites looking ahead at chance for redemption

Brian Turner was as disappointed as anyone in the All Whites camp after the first-up 5-0 drubbing by world No 1 Spain on the opening day of the Confederations Cup yesterday, but he is far from down.

Already Turner, Ricki Herbert's faithful lieutenant, is looking ahead to Thursday's game with hosts South Africa as the chance for redemption.

"They [Spain] have the ability to do that to anyone," said Turner. "We didn't get the basics right and paid a heavy price."

Against a team drawn from more than 1300 professional players in a country boasting nearly 20,000 clubs, New Zealand, 25 professionals from 325 clubs, were always battling the odds.

Now, they face a game in which they must get at least a draw or be eliminated.

"The remaining games are totally different. We will be on a much more equal footing," said Turner. "We won't be up against a team who have won 13 on the trot and gone 33 unbeaten.

"From what I saw of the scoreless draw between Iraq and South Africa, I have no doubt both are beatable but only if we play as well as we did against Italy.

"Those two countries are more in line with the standard we are at.

"South Africa will have the crowd right behind them, but they aren't at the top of their game and the strife off the field - over player payments - is only adding to the pressure they are already under."

The dour tournament opener - played on a substandard pitch at Ellis Park - produced few even half chances but with the hosts having slightly the better of the game.

"The surface obviously didn't help," said Turner. "But we can't worry about things like that. We have to have a look at our line-up - potentially there could be a change or two - and work from there."

Given Spain are certain to win their three pool matches, the games involving New Zealand, Iraq and South Africa are crucial in the battle to find who will join the Spanish in next week's semifinals.

A win for the All Whites over the hosts would be not only a tremendous fillip but could also provide the ticket to the next round ...

In another scenario, a team with just two draws could go through. On that basis, goals in games involving the three countries will prove vital as second place could be decided on goal difference.