David Leggat: Our biggest sporting event of the year

It's 10 o'clock tonight and the World Cup beckons for the All Whites.

Bahrain have been beaten and the crowds pour down to the hundreds of watering holes along Courtney Place and elsewhere in the capital to toast the occasion.

Job well done, even if it was the easiest route to soccer's big show that has ever been.

Or ...

Westpac Stadium will be a desperate, desolate place. Bahrain are through, Ricki Herbert's men will never have a better opportunity to make the World Cup finals but they weren't up to the job, even with a record full house roaring them on.

So, which will it be?

Of one thing there is no doubt. If the All Whites fail to beat Bahrain tonight they will have squandered a royal opportunity of a magnitude they will not get again, to play, once again, on the grandest stage. They might make it, perhaps even in four years' time, but it'll never be as straightforward again.

After all, to reach this point, they had only to win the Oceania group then see off the fifth-best team from Asia.

Bet on it that by the time qualifying begins for Brazil 2014, Fifa will have seen to it that there is no back door for New Zealand to quietly slip through.

Anyway, what of tonight?

Herbert has signalled he'll start with the same XI which drew 0-0 in the first leg last month. He'll want to guard against an early goal. Chasing the game does not appeal.

And forget all the talk about the conditions having the poor frozen Bahrainis wearing three layers of thermals to survive the chill tonight.

They know every bit as well as the New Zealand players the momentous nature of the game. They might freeze metaphorically but the silly chatter about the weather being a 12th All White? It's just that.

After all, another All Whites team stepped into unfavourable conditions, the steamy, sapping heat of Singapore, to advance to Spain 27 years ago.

For the All Whites it's all about carpe diem - seize the day, or in this case, night. Bahrain have more skilled footballers but other elements will come into play tonight.

It is not a matter of playing at their very best. All the All Whites need to do is get across the line first tonight.

Not every Wimbledon champion has lifted that trophy after producing his or her finest game. And certainly few rugby World Cup winners could say their team were at their optimum when raising the Webb Ellis Cup.

It doesn't matter. Just get to the finish first and hang the issues of quality and style.

Bahrain would have been kicking themselves after failing to score in the first leg. They could have walked out tonight 2-0 up and with a foot already on the plane to Johannesburg.

So New Zealand must sharpen up. They wasted too much possession last month. They might not be the most rhythmic or sleek of soccer nations, but the basics must be done well tonight, the passing, marking and crossing.

They will get scoring chances. Even in the most one-sided contests, opportunities present themselves at the other end, so step forward Messrs Smeltz, Killen and Fallon.

And I presume they've been practising their penalties, just in case.

It is New Zealand sports' biggest day of the year. It will end in jubilation or despair. Boom or bust. Can't wait.