Coach Ricki Herbert believes New Zealand's dramatic draw with Slovakia marked their greatest result.
Boss believes side threw 'extremely good punches'
Coach Ricki Herbert believes New Zealand's dramatic draw with Slovakia marked the greatest result in the country's football history.
Winston Reid grabbed the All Whites an injury-time point in Rustenburg as he headed an injury-time equaliser to cancel out Robert Vittek's 50th minute opener.
The draw leaves Herbert's side and Slovakia level with Italy and Paraguay, who could not be separated on Monday night, as Group F remains interestingly poised.
New Zealand also earned their first point at a World Cup finals as a result of Reid's heroics and Herbert is in no doubt about the significance.
"We came across (to South Africa) with the intention to make a difference and we certainly did that against a highly-rated team," said Herbert, who played when New Zealand last appeared at a World Cup in 1982.
"We are very, very proud. You would have to say this is our best-ever result.
"We have never picked up a point in a World Cup before. We have come and thrown some extremely good punches and got what I thought was a fully-deserved result."
