Soccer: Herbert focusing on the positives

Mark Paston of the All Whites can only watch as the ball hits the nets from a direct penalty. Photo / Getty Images

New Zealand soccer coach Ricki Herbert declared himself happy with the number of chances the All Whites created in their two home internationals but admits his team's finishing leaves much to be desired as he eyes the start of a new era.

New Zealand backed up last Saturday's 1-1 draw with Honduras in Auckland with a 0-2 defeat to Paraguay last night, signing off 2010 with a subdued performance in front of goal.

At times 49th-ranked New Zealand competed well with 17th-ranked Paraguay, World Cup quarterfinalists this year, but the gulf in class was evident as the visitors handed New Zealand, who were missing gun striker Shane Smeltz as well as captain Ryan Nelsen through injury, a lesson in clinical finishing.

"If it's creating chances, then I think it was great for us," Herbert said of the two matches.

"But putting it in the back of the net wasn't. (Paraguay) were always going to be tough with players missing but again there were opportunities and for a small period there, I think 10 minutes, we let ourselves down.

"But I thought periods of the second half were probably as good as what we've played for a while."

New Zealand had several chances in the second half, most notably through stand-in captain Tim Brown and striker Chris Killen, but could not find the target.

Paraguay, however, lifted the intensity when they needed to and, in a 5min period midway through the first half, scored twice - through a Nelson Valdez penalty and Osvaldo Martinez chip kick - to secure the win.

The classy visitors had more punch and pace going forward while New Zealand were good in patches and again created several clear-cut chances, but they lacked conviction and composure.

They also had to finish the game with 10 men, defender Winston Reid shown a straight red card in the 89th minute for a lunging tackle on Federico Santander, a good decision from rookie New Zealand referee Jamie Cross, though Herbert was not effusive in his praise of the whistleblower.

Herbert acknowledged the All Whites struggled defensively without Nelsen.

"You're taking a big slice out but we've played without Ryan before and played well," he said.

"We can't rely on one player and I think it was a good learning curve for them tonight, just to throw them in there against a side who's always going to be at you, and quick and technically good."

Herbert will "take a breath" before planning for the next World Cup in 2014.

He hopes to play internationals in every available window, starting with what will probably be an away match next March.

New Zealand's next home game might not be until September next year ahead of Oceania qualifiers in October and November.

Herbert also needs to assess who wants to stay on, and which player, if any, are considering retirement.

"For me, you go back to 2005 when I took over and you're scrambling just to get a game, but there is a lot of certainty around what we can do financially now," Herbert said.

"I think the sides we play will be very good, they will be big sides and the team warrants that now."

- NZPA