Although New Zealand lost their first two matches of the qualification group stage, which counted a mere four matches per team, they left themselves with a chance, albeit slim, to qualify for the intercontinental play-off stage right until their final qualifier. It is fair to say that they got their act together for their final two matches, which were both at home, after they had lost in Tel Aviv and in Sydney respectively. 

Firstly, though, the Kiwis dealt swiftly with Chinese Taipei in the preliminary round of the qualification. As the Taiwanese had agreed to play both fixtures in New Zealand, the first was played in Wellington, and with John Adshead returning, the mood was buoyant prior to the match kicking off. A fine 4-0 win didn’t dampen the spirits, although the opposition, too, had had a few opportunities of their own. The scoreline probably flattered New Zealand somewhat. 

Both matches were played in December, and four days after the first leg, it was time for the ‘return’ clash, with Auckland this time the backdrop. The big talking point was the return of Wynton Rufer, who featured in central midfield. Another comprehensive win saw the All Whites progress comfortably through to the group stage. In the 4-1 win, striker Darren McClennan notched a hat-trick, while Rufer was kept off the scoresheet, despite a few goalscoring opportunities. 

Nearly three months would pass until New Zealand’s first group stage fixture, which took place in Tel Aviv, Israel. With precious little to go on regarding information about this game, the personnel which took to the Ramat Gan Stadium pitch would suggest either a 4-5-1 or 4-4-2 formation, depending on where Wynton Rufer played: up top or (attacking) wide in midfield. They lost to a single, early goal, and were chasing already from the off. 

Matters hardly improved for the All Whites following their trip across the Tasman Sea to face neighbours Australia. A performance which did not mirror what manager Adshead wanted to see from his teams ended in a sorry 4-1 defeat. The margin of loss could have been even greater. The three man central defensive line did not work optimally, but their main problem appeared to be in central midfield, where they could not live with the Socceroos, and certainly not once Danny Halligan had gone off with injury towards the end of the first half. A headed consolation goal by substitute Malcolm Dunford was one of very few highlights on a disappointing afternoon in Sydney. 

A three week break between the away fixture and the subsequent home return leg seemed to have done the Kiwis a world of good. They had hatched a plan of sitting back and soaking up whatever Australia could throw at them, which, in earnest, was not a whole lot. The visitors in Auckland had battled well two weeks earlier to earn a draw in Israel, and were emerging as favourites to win the group. Another headed goal by Dunford set the hosts on their way in the first half, though, and with a bleak Socceroos team never being able to truly put All Whites ‘keeper Clint Gosling to the test, an early second half opportunity through Graham Arnold apart, Billy Wright could put the icing on the cake with his deliciously curled effort right into the top corner. It was a very welcome win, but one which possibly had come too late for New Zealand to have an impact on the final standings. 

With renewed belief, the New Zealanders went about their final fixture in confident mood, but they received a set-back when Ronny Rosenthal flicked a throughball past Gosling and into the back of the net. A quick equalizer saw to that optimism was soon restored, and for the second game running Billy Wright put his signature to a goal. The wide right man struck it firmly with his right boot for the leveller. Later in the half, it was once again that unlikely man to head home: Malcolm Dunford, a central defender turned midfielder since his arrival as a substitute in Sydney, connected with stand-in right-back Halligan’s cross for 2-1. A terrific attack had been rewarded with a splendid goal. Like their counterparts, though, they could only hold on to the lead for a couple of minutes. In a game where the Kiwis had needed to win by at least three to stand a chance of finishing top of the group, they wasted a few second half opportunities, and once again the exemplary Dunford was in the thick of the action. It petered out with a four goals shared scoreline, though, and New Zealand were finished. Barring a huge home loss for the Australians in the final game, the All Whites would prop up the table in the final standings. 

So – what were New Zealand’s qualification campaign highlights? Certainly the emergence of Malcolm Dunford as a goalscorer. He would finish his international career with five goals from 41 appearances. Three of these came in successive matches towards the end of this qualification: A trio of headers. There was also those two Billy Wright strikes. The forward, who was deployed as a wide right midfielder here, was something of a controversial figure, often having rows with his coaches at club level, and due to this, he had a bit of a journey man tag. 

New Zealand’s arguably most successful football export had been Wynton Rufer. With a Swiss father, he was a 21 year old by the time he arrived in Switzerland in 1982. Now, in 1989, he was an established star player with leading club Grasshoppers. Deployed either as an attacking midfielder or as a forward, he would’ve been an asset to many a national team, and certainly also to New Zealand’s. However, he had been failing to come to an agreement with the country’s FA about terms regarding his travel payment, and so only turned out for two of New Zealand’s six qualifiers. In Switzerland also played his older brother Shane, a defender. He had resided in Europe for about the same amount of time as his sibling, but despite being a sound player, he was not of the same status as Wynton. Still, had he declared himself available to Adshead and Taylor’s regime, he most likely would’ve been an asset. 

Another player whom we never got to see during the Italia ’90 qualification, was midfielder Michael McGarry. Apparently gifted above average in terms of New Zealand footballers, it is not known to us why he did not feature in either of John Adshead’s qualification squads. He’d made his bow internationally in 1986, and would go on to win a total of 54 caps, scoring 12 goals in the process. Perhaps did he not get along with the manager. Perhaps were there other reasons for his absence. He was back in the fold again for New Zealand’s first (and unofficial) international in 1990, during a tournament in Thailand, where the Kiwis met club sides from the Soviet Union, South Korea and North Korea. 

Goalkeeper Clint Gosling had a decent, if varying, campaign. Stalwart defender Ricki Herbert brought invaluable experience from having performed in an actual World Cup, while some of the more unfashionable players, like tigerish midfield man Robbie Ironside and wide left midfielder Noel Barkley proved valuable. The Kiwis had a few British born players in their ranks: Gosling, Barkley, left-sided player Tommy Mason, midfielder Chris Riley, as well as wing man Tony Levy. Even manager John Adshead himself was born in England. He would leave his post as the New Zealand supremo after the failure to win the group, though he would still continue coaching for another good 15 years.