N.Z. goes down by just one goal

Press, 12 February 1982, Page 20

N.Z. goes down by just one goal

PA

Auckland

New Zealand’s growing soccer reputation lost no ground last evening despite going down, 1-2, to Hungary at Mount Smart Stadium.

Hungary had the better of the mid-field, mounted more attacks and generally looked sharper, as the benefit of the lead-up matches in Australia were quickly evident. However, the New Zealand team was playing together for the first time for a month, and a full-strength team would probably have been too good for the visitors. Nevertheless. New Zealand was far from outplayed by a side which still rates as one of the powers in world soccer. Honours were even at 1-1 at half-time, and it was only a goal four minutes from time which sank the gallant New Zealanders. The scoring opened in the twenty-third minute after the Hungarians had provided much of the early pressure, but the goal came from a defensive mistake rather than a full-scale Hungarian attack.

A left-wing corner was cleared by the New Zealand defence, only as far as Gabor Poloskei, who shot the ball on to the post. In the ensuing scramble, Ignac Izso pushed home a “soft” goal. This stung the New Zealanders to take up the running. and goals nearly resulted on two or three occasions. Much of the good work was mounted from the back where Glen Adam. Bobby Almond and John Hill showed out. Duncan Cole provided the solid mid-field link, and up front both Brian Turner and Wynton Rufer had their chances. New Zealand equalised just a minute from the interval when the referee, Bill Munro, ruled a foul on Turner as he awaited a long throw from Cole. From the penalty spot Turner snapped home a

powerful drive to level at 11.

Early in the second spell the Hungarians dominated,, with Miklos Moldvan, Sandor Sallai and Bela Bodonyi, to the fore.

Wynton Rufer had a couple of chances for New Zealand, then Almond was forced to clear off the line as the Hungarians counter-attacked. New Zealand's hopes sank when Bodonyi ran on to a through ball, carved inside Adrian Elrick and flicked in the winning goal. Both camps found the result pleasing and disappointing. The Hungarians believed it was a good game but they missed too many chances. The New Zealand manager, John Adshead, said his team had worked hard enough to get a draw and was disappointed that a late goal had robbed it of a share of the result.