The Kiwis picked up their first point at the World Cup Finals in this just their second appearance and first for 28 years at the world's biggest sporting event thanks to a sensational injury-time equaliser form young gun Winston Reid.

And despite coming into the tournament as the third lowest ranked team on FIFA's official rankings amongst the 32 competing nations - ahead of only hosts South Africa and North Korea - the All Whites now find themselves level on one point with not only Slovakia but also reigning world champion Italy and tough South American team Paraguay following the first round of matches in Group F.

And while New Zealand faces a step up in class from a Slovakia team - which at 34 was ranked 44 places ahead of the All-Whites - in their next two matches against Italy and Paraguay, Herbert says there is no reason why his underrated team cannot pull off a fairytale place in the last 16 for the first time.

"We have been building a good platform for four or five years and this is a very proud group," he said.

"We have no fear and we are well and truly in this World Cup and we are off to a pretty good start.

"We keep on dreaming [of a second round berth] because we are here and the realities are we have a chance like anyone else but we have got two really tough games to go and we know it will difficult.

"But this was an extremely strong statement today that we are competitive and that we are right up there and hopefully the brand of football we play now is more conducive to high level results and performances."

The most pleasing thing for Herbert is that the All-Whites achieved their first-ever point at the World Cup in style by not relying on hopeful long bombs to a sole striker as he continued his brave experiment of playing with width in midfield through players such as Leo Bertos and Tony Lochhead, who continued supplying quality balls for New Zealand's three-pronged strikeforce of Chris Killen, Rory Fallon and Shane Smeltz - who supplied the great cross that defender Winston Reid headed home in injury-time.

Hervery added: "We are not a one dimensional [long-ball, single striker] side any more and I would be disappointed if we ever went back to that style of football."