In terms of pure technical ability this is the best All Whites squad in our history. Photo / Photosport
In terms of pure technical ability this is the best All Whites squad in our history. Photo / Photosport
OPINION:
The All Whites have their best chance of qualifying for a Fifa World Cup since 2009.
It won't be easy, especially given the rich vein of form that Costa Rica have found over the last six months, as they stormed up the Concacaf table, winning six of their lastseven qualifying games.
Now ranked 31 in the world, they will be confident, match-hardened and have pedigree, after reaching four of the last five World Cups.
But New Zealand will be in the contest, with much more than a bolter's chance, especially when compared to the near-impossible missions against Peru (2017) and Mexico (2013).
In terms of technical ability this is the best All Whites squad in our history, especially if Sarpreet Singh and Ryan Thomas return to the mix.
Experience could be an issue, with the presence of Chris Wood and Winston Reid critical. They might not yet have the defensive solidity of the 2009-10 team but boast genuine attacking weapons and look more assured in possession with every outing.
Chris Wood scores another goal for the All Whites against the Solomon Islands. Photo / Photosport
But it's the off-field factors that add to the optimistic picture.
When the All Whites headed out for their only full training session in Lima in 2017, they were in for a surprise.
Team management had been assured it would be conducted in complete privacy, just two days out from the winner-takes-all second leg.
But instead of a closed session, the suburban ground was teeming with curious locals, with media crews and journalists watching on, some from balconies and houses that overlooked the ground.
That put paid to any hopes of tactical work, and further compromised an already difficult build-up.
The journey from New Zealand was a nightmare, with the team's plane stuck on the ground in Chile waiting for the air traffic control clearance, before the players were awoken by fireworks outside their Lima hotel in the early hours of the morning.
There was much, much more.
The team's bus got stuck going into the stadium for their final training session, wedged under a tunnel roof after being diverted into the wrong entrance, to the delight of hundreds of local fans who just happened to be there.
There were witchdoctors and laser pens, while perhaps the coup de grace was the hotel flyover by Peruvian air force jets on match day afternoon, which had New Zealand Football considering diplomatic support.
Ryan Thomas dejected during the All Whites' World Cup intercontinental playoff against Peru in 2017. Photo / Photosport
These factors – which ranged from amusing to highly aggravating – meant the All Whites' preparation couldn't have been much worse.
Four years earlier, New Zealand had to face the intimidating cauldron of the Azteca Stadium, with 100,000 feverish Mexican fans willing El Tri to victory.
Such episodes have been consigned to history, after Fifa's decision to opt for single-leg playoffs at a neutral venue this time.
While it is unfortunate for local football fans – with memories of those magical Wellington occasions – the traditional scenario would have favoured Costa Rica, with no team in the world relishing a trip to San Jose.
New Zealand also have the chance for an optimal preparation.
In 2013 Ricki Herbert's team had to make do with games against two American club teams, one from the fourth tier of United States football, but this time they will have two high-quality international opponents and an extended time in camp.
The All Whites are also used to Middle East conditions, with 10 matches in the region since October, but it will be a new experience for Los Ticos.
Whether that is all enough to tip the balance for the underdogs remains to be seen, but the contest will surely be the closest since the 2009 Bahrain series.
