New Zealand's World Cup hopes took a battering on Monday. Coach Barren Bazeley watched his side collapse 3-1 against Egypt in a Group G encounter.
Bazeley blamed the second-half performance for the defeat. Egypt's intensity surge proved too much for his players to handle, he noted.
Mostafa Ziko, Mohamed Salah, and Trezeguet each found the net for the Pharaohs. New Zealand has now slipped to last place in the group with just one point.
"We were outstanding in the opening 45 minutes," Bazeley told reporters after the match. He added: "Possession was ours.
We had genuine scoring opportunities."
Things changed dramatically after the interval, according to him. "Egypt came out and immediately raised their game," the coach explained.
"We couldn't match what we'd produced so brilliantly in the first half," Bazeley continued. "That shift in momentum ultimately proved costly."
All isn't lost for the New Zealanders just yet. One more fixture remains before their tournament fate is sealed.
"We're still in contention to make history," Bazeley insisted. "Belgium is our final hurdle, and we must win it."
