Wellington - New Zealand beat Bahrain 1-0 in Wellington Saturday to qualify for the finals of the World Cup in South Africa next year for the first time in a generation. Striker Rory Fallon, playing only his third match for the national All Whites, headed home the winner from a corner just before half-time to give the home side the edge in a rugged and often scrappy game before 35,500 spectators, the biggest crowd-ever to watch a soccer match in New Zealand.
But New Zealand goalkeeper Mark Paston was the All Whites' hero, saving a penalty shot from Bahrain's Sayed Mohamed Adnan just after the interval.
Paston went on to earn his countrymen's undying gratitude by bringing off a fine save from the very last shot of the game, seconds before the final whistle.
If he had failed, the draw would have been enough to give Bahrain the ticket to South Africa instead under the away-goal rule.
The two sides fought out a 0-0 draw when they met in the first leg of the playoff in Manama last month.
It will be the second time New Zealand has reached the World Cup finals - the first a generation ago, in 1982 in Spain.
The Bahrain side, who outplayed the New Zealanders in some aspects of the game, was devastated by the result which produced ecstatic celebrations among the vociferous New Zealand crowd at the final whistle.
Bahrain has never made the finals and missed out getting to the 2006 World Cup by the same 1-0 margin at the hands of Trinidad and Tobago.
It was a rugged game from start to finish, with blustery Wellington winds keeping the ball in the air and difficult to control much of the time.
The visitors were solid in defence and very nippy in attack and the New Zealanders at times resorted to passing the ball between the midfielders and the backs to slow the game down and let them catch their breath.
Play swung from end to end in the first half with neither side able to capitalise on the other's mistakes, until Ben Sigmund made a splendid breakaway run down the right wing and forced a corner.
Former English youth international Fallon, who plays for English Premier side Plymouth Argyle and only became eligible for the All Whites in June this year when FIFA removed an age limit for changing nationalities, headed home Leo Bertos's corner kick.
The second half opened dramatically with the referee ruling that Tony Lochhead had brought down Abdulla Omar in the penalty area.
Paston correctly guessed that Sayed Mohamed Adnan would shoot low towards the right hand post and saved easily.
Bahrain piled on the pressure and New Zealand skipper Ryan Nelsen was forced to head the ball to safety over his own crossbar at one time and Paston had to make another good save.
All Whites' striker Shane Smeltz, who has been in great scoring form, should have made it two after 65 minutes when he received a nice cross from Bertos, but shot wide.
Fallon went close again with a shot the Bahrain goalie could only parry, but no other New Zealander was on hand to pick up the loose ball.
The result was a dream for New Zealand coach Ricki Herbert and his assistant Brian Turner, who were both members of the 1982 team that went to Spain.
