Soccer: Paston doubt for game after head knock

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A lot of All Whites were hurting after their demanding World Cup opener against Fiji yesterday, none more so than Mark Paston.

The goalkeeper picked up a heavy knock to the head and is a doubt for tomorrow's match against Papua New Guinea.

Paston took a knee to his head from Pita Bolatoga in the 51st minute of New Zealand's 1-0 win. He spilled a header from Alvin Singh and Bolatoga crashed into the 35-year-old as he challenged for the ball.

Paston needed to be assisted from the field and was under medical observation today for probable concussion.

"He's a bit dozy," defender Ben Sigmund said. "He's not in a good way."

There's a chance he will recover in time to play tomorrow (and coach Ricki Herbert didn't rule it out) but it would be a blow if he was absent. Paston has been in good form and New Zealand fans remember him best for his heroics at the 2010 World Cup.

The All Whites have three keepers in their 23-man squad in the Solomon Islands but Glen Moss is still recovering from a torn abductor and can't comfortably kick the ball. It was why Jake Gleeson replaced Paston instead and Gleeson had a few nervous moments as Fiji pressed for an equaliser.

"We will see what he's like," Herbert said of Paston.

"As long as the doctor is okay with him, he will back up." The rest of the squad escaped largely unscathed, although Ivan Vicelich landed awkwardly on his back in the first half.

It was a happier day for skipper Tommy Smith, who scored his first international goal. It was a straightforward finish as he tapped in from close range when Fiji keeper Simione Tamanisau fumbled, but it was an important strike and Smith was first to react.

"You watch strikers score their goals and try to copy what they do and I just gambled the keeper might make a mistake - and luckily he did," Smith said. "I definitely don't score many with my right foot. It doesn't matter it was two yards out, they all count.

"It was a great moment for me with it being my first international goal in my first competitive match as skipper so it's a great day for me personally, but the most important thing was that we got the first win under our belt.

"We couldn't really find the spark to break Fiji down and they got their tails up at the end. We were defending quite deep towards the end and the energy levels were low but we managed to get through it. Hopefully we can build from this and do better in the next game."