Several of Toronto FC's international players will be spending the next week embroiled in FIFA World Cup qualifying matches, but for Jarrod Smith and his New Zealand side, the pressure is off for the next 13 months. The All Whites have already clinched first place in their qualifying group and have advanced to a home-and-away playoff in November 2009 that will decide their World Cup fate.
New Zealand won the Oceania Nations Cup competition, which served as the Oceania region's World Cup qualifying group. The All Whites have posted a perfect 5-0 record against tournament foes Vanuatu, New Caledonia and Fiji, with one match to come against Fiji on Nov. 19.
This is the furthest New Zealand has advanced in World Cup qualifying since 1982, when the All Whites made their sole appearance in soccer's biggest tournament. The memory of that 1982 team acts as both a benchmark and an inspiration to today's New Zealand players that a country known for the its world-class rugby side can also produce a competitive soccer team.
"There's a real buzz back home," Smith said. "[Qualifying] would be huge. In 1982 they had a big qualifier to make the World Cup and there was a huge crowd of 40- or 50,000, which is similar to a crowd that the All Blacks would get. ... I think we'll get a big crowd next November when we play this home and away, and they'll be a lot of excitement around here."
New Zealand's opponents will be from the Asian Football Confederation. The top two teams in each of Asia's two qualifying groups will advance to the World Cup, while the two third-place finishers will compete in a two-leg tie to see who claims fifth place and the right to face the All Whites in November 2009.
It's possible that New Zealand's Asian opponent could end up being their top rivals, Australia. This is the first year that Australia has competed in the Asian qualifiers rather than in Oceania, which left the All Whites with a relatively problem-free draw to the Nations Cup. Australia has long been New Zealand's biggest obstacle to the World Cup, as the two sides have frequently clashed in past World Cup qualifiers, but with the Socceroos out of the picture, New Zealand is now the dominant force in Oceania football.
"Obviously it makes it a little easier for us," Smith said. "They're a good side, as they showed in the last World Cup. But we have to play the fifth-place in Asia and it could be anyone, including them. We might have to play them to get to the World Cup anyway."
While this round of qualifying has been New Zealand's coming-out party of sorts on the international stage, it has also been Smith's time to establish himself as a regular on his national side. The striker has been selected for all five of NZ's qualifiers thus far, raising his career total of caps to 11. Smith has started the last two games for his country and played over 90 minutes in each.
This type of international experience is crucial for a young player who is still trying to make his mark in Major League Soccer. Smith has played in 18 games for Toronto in his rookie season, mostly in a reserve role. The 24-year-old said that playing for the All Whites has helped him with the Reds, and vice versa.
"It's all confidence, I guess," Smith said. "I've had a bit of a tough time getting on the pitch over here so getting playing time over there [is good] for my fitness, my touch and my confidence. Obviously getting to a World Cup would be huge for me personally."
After the Fiji match, New Zealand won't be facing a year of rest and relaxation before their big qualifying playoff. As Oceania champions, they will play in the 2009 Confederations Cup next June in South Africa. This is only the third time that New Zealand has played in this competition, which matches major continental champions such as the USA, Spain, Iraq, Egypt, Brazil and 2006 FIFA World Cup winners Italy.
Smith sees this competition as a major step forward for his still-burgeoning soccer nation, but added that his side isn't content at this one date with football royalty -- the All Whites want to be facing some of these sides against at the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
"We have the Confederations Cup next, which is going to be huge. Teams such as America, Brazil, Italy and Spain have qualified, so that's an amazing thing for us to be there," Smith said. "As many games as we can get together as a squad will only help us towards that primary job, that November game next year."
Mark Polishuk is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
