All Whites draw 1-1 with Republic of Ireland on back of strong ...

At Aviva Stadium, Dublin: All Whites 1 (Matt Garbett 59’) Republic of Ireland 1 (Adam Idah 28’). HT: 0-1

The All Whites finished 2023 on a high note, securing their first draw against a European opponent in 13 years thanks to a 59th-minute goal from midfielder Matt Garbett.

But with the way they played in the second half of the 1-1 draw with the Republic of Ireland in Dublin, they probably should have won.

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Matt Garbett equalised for the All Whites against the Republic of Ireland early in the second half in Dublin.

Not since the 2010 FIFA World Cup, when they drew 1-1 with Slovakia and Italy, had New Zealand finished tied with a team from football’s strongest continent.

Sarpreet Singh was the star of the show for the All Whites as they came up against an Ireland team that made nine changes from its final European Championship qualifier, a 1-0 defeat to the Netherlands last week.

Ireland came into the match on Tuesday (Wednesday NZ time) at Aviva Stadium having just finished their worst Euros qualifying campaign in more than three decades.

Two wins against lowly Gibraltar were all they had to show for their efforts in a tough group that also featured Greece – who beat the All Whites 2-0 on Friday – the Netherlands and France.

The All Whites gifted Ireland the opening goal midway through the first half, when errors from Joe Bell and Nando Pijnaker set Adam Idah up for an easy finish in the 28th minute.

Bell’s decision to pass to Pijnaker when Ireland had men ready to pounce was the first error, with the centre back then getting his foot stuck as he looked to play the ball back to Max Crocombe in goal.

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Adam Idah put the Republic of Ireland ahead against the All Whites midway through the first half in Dublin.

Mark Sykes had been hot on Pijnaker’s heels and duly pinched the ball, then played Idah in one-on-one with the New Zealand goalkeeper.

It had been all Ireland in the opening half-hour, but falling behind in such frustrating fashion seemed to spark the All Whites into life.

Singh went close to drawing them level before the halftime break with a curling effort that was for the top-left corner before Caoimhín Kelleher palmed it away.

Marko Stamenic also threatened with a shot from outside the box that Chris Wood tried to steer past Kelleher, only to send it out instead.

Singh finished the half by curling a shot into the side-netting, having been freed by a surging run by Liberato Cacace through the centre of the park.

Garbett went close to equalising early in the second half when he met a Singh cross from the right and sent his shot over, somewhat frustratingly as Chris Wood was in a better position to finish to his left.

He made no mistake just before the hour mark, however, when a neat bit of interplay between Tim Payne and Singh on the right freed him up to shoot from the top of the box past Mark Travers, who had replaced Kelleher in goal at the break.

Travers was kept busy, with Singh first sending in a curled effort from the left which had to be palmed away, and Cacace then firing in a fierce volley from way out after a corner.

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All Whites midfielder Sarpreet Singh was the best player on the park as they drew with the Republic of Ireland in Dublin.

The rebound fell to Michael Boxall at close-range, but he was offside as he followed up and put the ball in the back of the net via Duffy.

Max Mata replaced Wood after an hour and had three excellent chances – the last of which came after a through ball by Singh, where he could only send his left-foot shot straight at Travers.

With a win still there to be had in the final minutes, it was almost Ireland who grabbed it, when a bad giveaway by Bell allowed substitute Troy Parrott a shot from the left of the area, which he sent straight at Crocombe.

Sykes should have restored Ireland’s advantage when he met the rebound, but his mishit allowed the All Whites defenders time to regroup.

New Zealand’s final chance came right at the end of stoppage time, when Tyler Bindon sent a glancing header wide from a free kick.

The All Whites finish 2023 having had a win (over China), three draws and three losses in coach Darren Bazeley’s first seven matches in charge.

Their last win over a European opponent came just prior to the 2010 World Cup, when they beat Serbia 1-0 in a friendly.