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As substitute Ben Waine prepared to run on for his All Whites debut, coach Danny Hay issued a final set of instructions.
He told the Wellington Phoenix striker to bring energy, work hard and make an impact – and eight minutes later Waine scored the most important goal of hisfledging career.
Waine's 75th minute strike was the difference in Saturday's hard fought 1-0 win over Papua New Guinea, ensuring the All Whites got off to a trouble-free start to the Oceania 2022 World Cup qualifying tournament.
"We have got a good group of young talent starting to emerge of which Ben is one of them," said Hay. "I knew he was going to provide a huge amount of energy; that was basically the message that we gave him and he did his job as a sub.
"He increased the level of energy that we had, the way he closed down, chased, harried and harassed and that's why he got his reward in the end."
The 20-year-old, who has had a mixed season at his club, was thrilled.
"I'm buzzing," said Waine. "As a sub the most important thing is to try and affect the game in the most positive way possible and the boys that came on did that. But it was the team that started that kept us in the game in the first place."
Papua New Guinea are the lowest ranked team in Group A (165th) but proved to be stubborn opposition for a scratchy New Zealand lineup.
The Kapuls have barely played over the last two years due to Covid and were missing key attacker David Browne, but were tough, committed and well organised.
The All Whites, who only had two players with more than 20 international caps, struggled for fluidity in the first half.
Matt Garbett was denied at point blank range by PNG keeper Ronald Warisan in the 35th minute, but that was New Zealand's only attempt on target in the first period, as they couldn't construct much in the final third.
"[We told them] to stay patient, to not allow it to turn into a transitional game, to not panic," said Hay. "We just needed to start moving the ball a little bit quicker and stick to our structures and processes."
Ben Waine scores on his All Whites debut. Photo / Photosport
A Joey Champness header was cleared off the line early in the second half but there were few other clear chances, as the All Whites continued to work hard without reward, while PNG had their best chance, with a Kolu Kepo header flashing past Oli Sail's near post in the 61st minute.
But Waine and Phoenix teammate Ben Old added some spark off the bench and the pivotal moment came after Waine was brought down on the edge of the area.
As the PNG defence dallied in expectation of a shot, Garbett took the free kick quickly, slipping in Dane Ingham whose cross was tucked home by an unmarked Waine.
The game opened up after that, with substitute Logan Rogerson hitting the crossbar with a diving header, before Garbett found the woodwork with a clean strike from 20 yards. Nikko Boxall also went close, his headed attempt producing a fine save from Warisman.
"It was a good professional performance," said Hay. "The keeper made an unbelievable save in the first half and we have missed a couple of gilt-edged chances. That's football sometimes but we have got the job done."
The All Whites have two days to review and recover, before they face Fiji (Tuesday 6am), led by former Wellington Phoenix talisman Roy Krishna, who upset New Caledonia 2-1 in their first game on Saturday.
The New Zealand side could be bolstered by a few reinforcements, including Chris Wood, as players arrive from their European clubs.
And if there was any sense of complacency about this tournament, that would have been extinguished after Saturday's battle.
"That's what we have to expect from all the games," Waine told Newstalk ZB. "These other teams are not just going to roll over and give us a spot; we are going to have to fight and really earn our place in that intercontinental playoff.
"It might have even been a little bit of an eye opener for some of us boys and now we know what is going to be coming at us, we will be ready."
