World Cup 2010: New Zealand v Slovakia and Ivory Coast v Portugal

For a country with only one professional football team (which plays in the Australian league) and a population of just 4.3 million (most of whom favour rugby), New Zealand's presence at the World Cup finals is about as incongruous as Blackpool's in the Premier League. Still, it's good to see these Kiwi fans are taking it seriously
Photograph: Lee Jin-man/AP

Curiously though, it's Slovakia who are appearing in their first ever World Cup - the All Whites having reached the 1982 finals, during which they nearly embarrassed Scotland before eventually losing 5-2
Photograph: Hassan Ammar/AP

A couple of Kiwis unfurl a banner. But where's Gary, New Zealand's most famous sheep? Still traumatised after the accidental shearing incident?
Photograph: Dennis Sabangan/EPA

A beautiful blue sky overhead, a half empty stadium in which to play ... Ryan Nelsen must be feeling like he's back in Aotearoa
Photograph: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images

The All Whites make an auspicious start, pressing the Slovakians into their own half and creating a couple of half-chances
Photograph: Vincenzo Pinto/AFP/Getty Images

Slovakia's Jan Durica drops New Zealand's Leo Bertos to prevent another attack
Photograph: Rolf Vennenbernd/EPA

New Zealand's head coach Ricki Herbert, who's also the boss of Wellington Phoenix, gesticulates on the touchline
Photograph: Dennis Sabangan/EPA

A rarity in the first half - New Zealand on the back foot. The Slovakians whip over a free-kick but the danger soon passes
Photograph: Hassan Ammar/AP

After much vuvuzela parping, these fans opt for a bit of waving instead
Photograph: Scott Heavey/Action Images

Five minutes after the interval, Slovakia's Robert Vittek sends a glancing header beyond goalkeeper Mark Paston to give the favourites the lead
Photograph: Daniel Munoz/Reuters

Vittek looks relieved - his side have done little to warrant their lead
Photograph: Alessandro Bianchi/Reuters

Jan Durica tries to spin clear of Rory Fallon
Photograph: Paul Buck/EPA

Nelsen, the Blackburn midfielder and All Whites' captain, hits the deck as the game draws to a finish
Photograph: Dylan Martinez/Reuters

But hold on, they've only gone a grabbed a point with the last attack of the game! Winston Reid - a former Danish Under-21 player who was born in New Zealand, heads in off the post in the 93rd minute ... Lovely stuff
Photograph: Clive Rose/Getty Images

Over in the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, the Ivory Coast face Portugal in the so-called group of death
Photograph: Lee Smith/Action Images

... where Ronaldo, is on show. And doesn't he know it. Put a sock in it, Ronnie
Photograph: Julie Jacobson/AP

The Real Madrid forward cracks the post with a dipping long-range effort in the first half
Photograph: Denis Balibouse/Reuters

... and clashes with Yaya Toure
Photograph: Robert Ghement/EPA

Next up, he has a spat with Ivory Coast's Guy Demel
Photograph: Lee Smith/Action Images

Didier Drogba, back despite his fractured elbow, comes on as a substitute to wrestle the limelight from the Portuguese
Photograph: Lee Smith/Action Images

But Drogba wastes a fantastic chance in the closing stages when he skews a shot across the face of the goal. The match ends 0-0, which hasn't exactly helped the tournament's pitiful goals-to-games ratio
Photograph: Howard Burditt/Reuters