Soccer: All Whites held to 1-1 stalemate

Chris Wood of the All Whites competes with Erick Norales of Honduras. Photo / Getty Images

Shane Smeltz was one of New Zealand's World Cup heroes but he was left to rue an incredible late penalty miss as the All Whites were held to a 1-1 draw by Honduras in an international soccer match here tonight.

With the scores level at 1-1 after 89 minutes, New Zealand referee Peter O'Leary awarded the All Whites a controversial penalty after a goulmouth melee.

Smeltz, who scored New Zealand's goal in a 1-1 draw with Italy at the World Cup and is usually deadly in front of goal, slammed his penalty into the crossbar and blasted the rebound well over with an open goal beckoning from about 2m.

It was the most obvious of a number of chances missed by the home team, who paid the price for profligate finishing in a match they dominated and should have won.

New Zealand controlled the first hour but only had the one goal to show for it -- Waikato teenager Chris Wood's first for the All Whites in his lucky 13th A international -- and they were left to lament a hatful of wasted chances when Walter Martinez scored the equaliser during a rare period of attacking pressure from the visitors.

As a spectacle the match was good value for the crowd of 18,153 at North Harbour Stadium, who lapped up the All Whites' first match since their unbeaten World Cup campaign, but they required a win to kick the party into full swing so would have left with a feeling of what might have been.

Wood struck the decisive blow in first-half stoppage time, his close-range header proving too hot for Honduras goalkeeper Noel Valladares to handle.

Credit an industrious Jeremy Brockie with the assist as the Newcastle Jets winger latched on to a well weighted pass from Smeltz before delivering a tantalising cross into the danger area for Wood, who used his height advantage to rise above the pack.

He promptly ran to the corner flag and, in one of the more unusual goal celebrations, dropped his shorts to reveal his white and red undies and his nickname - `Woodzee'.

He was booked for his efforts but the goal handed New Zealand a deserved halftime lead.

Honduras flicked the switch on the hour mark and finally tested New Zealand goalkeeper Mark Paston, who showed glimpses of his World Cup form with back-to-back saves to deny Georgie Welcome and Walter Martinez.

But he could do nothing to stop Martinez from equalising on 64 minutes, the diminutive striker leaping high to nod home a header in the challenge of Winston Reid after a cross from Mauricio Sabillon.

New Zealand won plenty of ball and created several good scoring chances as they physically dominated the smaller Hondurans.

Smeltz, Brockie and Wood were all prominent while Simon Elliott played a handful of delightful long-range balls and his central midfield partner Tim Brown was typically combative in the challenge, ruffling feathers with his hardnosed approach.

Honduras were outgunned in the opening 25 minutes but started to get a foothold in the match with their short, sharp passing game, although New Zealand, as they did at the World Cup, proved hard to break down and the visitors were reduced to long-range attempts only.

That was not the case in the second half, however, despite New Zealand coach Ricki Herbert making four changes as he sought a winner, which should have eventuated courtesy of Smeltz.

New Zealand play Paraguay in Wellington on Tuesday in the second of two home matches, while Honduras face Guatemala in Los Angeles the same day.

- NZPA