New Zealand 1
Bahrain 0
It is the Greatest Show On Earth and last night the All Whites earned a ticket to perform.
They won't be central characters, they will only get a glance at the 36.8cm-high solid World Cup gold trophy if they are lucky - but they will be there and that in
itself is something to cherish.
Last night they achieved what many thought would never be done and qualified for a second World Cup after the epic journey in 1982. We've had the Impossible Dream. This was the Best Ever Dream.
1982 was a time that galvanised the country and, while this qualifying campaign hasn't had the drama of 27 years ago, it has had the same result. They can only do what Fifa asks them to do, playing only eight games, but everything went to plan last night.
They will be there alongside the likes of Brazil, Germany, Italy, Argentina and England. They will be one of the 32 sides given a boarding pass to South Africa.
Relative no-names like Ben Sigmund, Tony Lochhead, Leo Bertos and Tim Brown playing against the Ronaldinhos, David Beckhams and Lionel Messis. What a brilliant thought.
There were 11 heroes in white last night but Rory Fallon etched his name in New Zealand football history with the only goal of the match.
The son of Kevin Fallon, assistant coach in 1982, was only playing because of a Fifa rule change that loosened the eligibility rules. Thanks, Fifa.
More than 35,000 fans decked out in white and millions around the country would also like to thank Mark Paston, only playing because of the suspension to Glen Moss, who made a brilliant save from a second-half penalty.
Sport is full of drama and there have been few occasions in New Zealand history as dramatic as last night. The stakes were so high it was hard not to get caught up with every emotion.
It was hardly surprising, then, that the All Whites began nervously as Bahrain attacked from the outset.
The visitors looked to attack Leo Bertos down New Zealand's right to keep the midfielder as deep as possible. They also looked dangerous on the counter-attack as they broke with pace.
But the All Whites settled well, backed by the partisan crowd, as they invariably pumped the ball long to the strikers. No point being flashy when the team's strength was their three big men up front.
They carved out a handful of good chances with Chris Killen rattling the crossbar with a brilliant left-footed volley that had the goalkeeper beaten, Bertos going agonisingly close with a curling free-kick from just outside the box and Fallon having his close-range header brilliantly saved by Bahrain goalkeeper Sayed Mohamed Jaffar.
It was a forerunner of what was to come as Fallon sent the crowd into raptures with a powerful header from a brilliant Bertos corner.
They deserved the lead because they had looked the better of the two teams.
The most encouraging thing was that New Zealand had plenty of possession. They rarely saw the ball in the first leg in Manama as they were pinned in their own half but Bahrain were happy to drop off and allow the All Whites into their own half.
It allowed them to grow in confidence and Bertos and Lochhead were able to push forward and get crosses in.
In reality, though, the goal didn't change all that much. Bahrain still needed only one goal under the away goals rule and they looked like they would get it early in the second half when they won a penalty.
Bahrain celebrated as if they had qualified for the World Cup. It was a correct decision, with Lochhead's tackle on Abdulla Ismaeel Omar clumsy more than malicious. But it was the All Whites who were celebrating when Paston brilliantly saved Sayed Mohamed Adnan's penalty down low to his right.
The nerves were palpable as Bahrain attacked in waves. Nelsen was immense as he snuffed out any chance while the rest, led by the terrier-like Brown, ran themselves into the ground. It had shades of January 1982 when the All Whites dramatically beat the odds in defeating China in Singapore.
Smeltz narrowly missed scoring a valuable second which would have given his side breathing space and Fallon was a constant menace.
But the final 20 minutes were largely about protecting their lead, not conceding and taking their place at the World Cup.
Smeltz could have settled it coming close twice in injury time but it didn't matter.
The final whistle was greeted with the biggest roar of the night.
The stadium screen triumphantly announced: 'South Africa, here we come'.
Yes, we do.
