We like being underdogs - Smeltz

NELSPRUIT, South Africa (AP):

New Zealand's performance in the shock 1-1 draw with Italy at the World Cup was motivated by the widespread belief that the team was going to be thrashed, according to Shane Smeltz, who scored the opening goal.

The Kiwis striker pounced on a mistake by captain Fabio Cannavaro to prod the ball past goalkeeper Federico Marchetti and put New Zealand 1-0 up in the seventh minute against the defending World Cup champions.

Vincenzo Iaquinta equalised with a penalty but New Zealand held on to move to two points in Group F alongside Italy, two behind leader Paraguay.

Really excited

"People were talking about this game and saying it was going to be three, four nil to Italy. It gets us up for it and spurs us on a little bit," Smeltz said Sunday. "As soon as the ball hit the back of the net, I had a quick look around and the ref wasn't blowing up for anything, so I was really excited.

"I couldn't have written the script any better, scoring a goal. I'm really pleased and it was a lot of hard work that's just all paying off at the moment."

Smeltz has been top scorer in the Australian A-League for the past two seasons, but failed to break through when he tried his luck in Europe, having unsatisfying experiences in the lower leagues in the England before returning home.

He was starting out in Australia's national league when an uncle alerted New Zealand officials that he held Kiwi citizenship, and he was picked for the under-20 team.

"At that stage I was just trying to get myself out there and make a name for myself," Smeltz says. "I was 18 and not really thinking too much about playing internationals. Then the opportunity came and it was surprise but it didn't take me long to make a decision and I'm obviously pleased with how it's turned out."