New Zealand might have arrived at this World Cup just happy to be here again. But earning a point in the opener against Iran has opened the door to a run the All Whites have never made.
"We can't let the occasion get too big," head coach Darren Bazeley said. "It's about us winning a game of football."
The All Whites enter Sunday's (Monday AEST) match against No.29 Egypt with a chance to move out of the group stage for the first time in their World Cup history.
For a nation ranked No.82, fourth lowest in this year's expanded 48‑team format, simply getting here for the first time since 2010 might have been enough.
But now, New Zealand have given themselves a chance.
