By Adam Hollingworth
The 35,000 fans lucky enough to get tickets to Westpac Stadium will tell their grandchildren they witnessed one of New Zealand’s greatest sporting moments.
But it seemed everyone born in New Zealand also converged on TV sets in all corners of the globe to watch sporting history.
You didn't have to be inside the stadium to experience the exhilaration of this match.
The overspill on Wellington's Queen's wharf went crazy when Rory Fallon's header bulged the net.
From Wellington to North Shore's Sin Bin the reaction was the same, even across the Tasman…or in London.
While some fans were getting pie-eyed in New Zealand, at breakfast in London they were merely munching pies.
But there was a collective chewing of fingernails when the ref awarded Bahrain a penalty.
But Bahrain choked.
Even All Black fans in Milan turned All White, for 90 minutes at least.
Prime Minister John Key was watching in Singapore.
“It's going to be an amazing boost, not just for them but for the country - we're doing so well," he says.
Mr Key's thoughts were echoed by Kiwis around the world
All Whites coach Ricki Herbert and his boys will have three weeks to celebrate before the draw for the finals is announced.
The tournament proper starts in 207 days.
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