Soccer: All Whites need to buck trend

Steve Sumner scores against Scotland in 1982. Photo / Herald file

South Africa are odds on to score at least two goals in tomorrow's group A clash with New Zealand at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium.

History shows that in all games at senior Fifa tournaments, the All Whites have conceded at least two goals.

In their first 10 matches on the big stage, the All Whites have scored only four goals with two of these coming in their first - the 5-2 loss to Scotland in the opening round of the 1982 World Cup in Malaga.

Since then their only goals were scored in 2-1 and 3-1 losses to the United States at the 1999 Confederations Cup in Guadalajara and Colombia four years later at the Confederations Cup in France.

Those goals were scored by Steve Wooddin and Steve Sumner (1982), Chris Zorocich (1999) and Raf de Gregorio (2003).

The worst two results have come in their last two outings - 5-0 against France in their last game at the 2003 Confederations Cup and again in the first game here on Monday against Spain.

The closest New Zealand have come to taking a point was in that 2-1 loss to the US in Mexico at what remains the best showing at a Fifa tournament. In three games at altitude in the Mexican city they scored that one goal and conceded only six.

A point from tomorrow's game against Bafana Bafana "The Boys, The Boys," would be a significant step for this team and one they realise they must take if they are to stay alive or return home as the wooden-spooners.