So, a brave defensive start to the half for the All Whites, before falling asleep on two occasions and going two goals down.
There has been no ambition to keep the ball, or be positive from the Kiwis and hopefully Herbert has a 'Plan B' to turn to now.
If Mexico get a third goal, New Zealand will need to score to stay in the tie, so it could be a good time to bring on our best attacking weapon Rojas.
Halftime stats via ESPNFC.com.
Possession: Mex 81% NZ 19%
Shots: Mex 16 NZ 2
Shots on goal: Mex 8 NZ 0
- Six saves by Moss
- Yellow for Chris Wood means he'll miss second leg
But the midfield cannot continue to just lump the ball forward. That is suicide in these conditions.
Wood has had a few speculative long range shots, but the All Whites have not really looked like scoring. Be interesting to see if Herbert changes the game plan early in the half.
Very strange for mine to see Lochhead on set pieces given he is so short on match practice. As noted on Twitter by a couple of people, McGlinchey takes them weekly for Central Coast and he should be doing it.
Players are making their way back out for the second half now. Sounds like a Mexican party in the stands.
I'm loosely inclined to agree with Dale (below here), the strategy is roughly what the All Whites needed to do. The goals have come down to weak marking from a corner and IMO a Moss error in goal. They still need to show more through the middle and Christie has brought simply nothing to this game (no surprises). Some little things have been poor from NZ though and Herbert must be accountable for that
NZ with the kick off and it goes back to Vicelich who pumps one forward toward Wood.
Looks like a slight change of shape with Brockie moved higher up the park to play alongside Wood.
Wood breaks for NZ down the left hand side. He wriggles his way free from his marker and blazes a shot just over the bar. Encouraging start for the Kiwis.
If you needed definitive proof that Leo Bertos isn't a right back, well, there it was. He was not even close to being in position there.
Bertos was caught out of position by a sublime diagonal ball from the back for Mexico. Layun broke down the left flank and cut the ball back for Peralta who tapped home from six yards.
Well, worst possible start for the Kiwis. Now their resolve will be tested. This could be an uncomfortably long 40 minutes.
Mexico look like they may be targetting the Kiwis' right hand side. Three of their opening attacks in the second half have gone that way.
Tommy Smith deflects a cross out for a corner. Pressure keeps mounting.
Montes receives a short corner and rifles the ball over the bar from the edge of the box.
Sub for NZ. Chris James comes on for Christie.
Coaching a side to be attacking and come back from a deficit in the second leg will also go against every coaching fiber in Ricki Herbert's DNA, which doesn't help for the 2nd leg
"It's not head tennis, get the ball down," says Steve Sumner. I tend to agree.
NZ put together 8 or 9 passes, their longest period of possession in the match. James wins a free kick 40 yards out.
Useless Chris James info: (I may have mentioned this before). I went to Naenae Intermediate with him for a year in 1999 and he played for the school's 1st XV as a fullback because he was the only kid in form two - or year 8 - who could kick sideline conversions.
Mexico break quickly on the counter attack and Vicelich commits a professional foul to stop the attack. Vicelich has been class today and that tackle prevented a probable fourth Mexican goal.
Rojas is on now, replacing Jeremy Brockie.
People saying the #AllWhites should be taking the game to Mexico have no idea about conditions, two-legged playoffs, or football in general.by ChrisChang_nz via twitter 11/13/2013 9:28:09 PM
Strategy spot on. Just needed to implement it better. Couple of individual defensive mistakes have cost us.by Dale_Warburton via twitter 11/13/2013 9:28:29 PM
Smeltz, Butler, Henderson, Tuiloma, James warming up at halftime. But where is Rojas? Surely a second half option.@nzheraldsport #allwhitesby michael burgess via twitter 11/13/2013 9:29:16 PM
Don't give up hope. Couple of beers in the locker room at half time and New Zealand will come out a different teamby Men in Blazers via twitter 11/13/2013 9:33:11 PM