New Zealand's Shane Smeltz is not the World Cup's best known striker but the 28-year-old is already having a greater effect on this tournament than the likes of England's Wayne Rooney and Spain's Fernando Torres.
Smeltz prodded New Zealand's shock opening goal against defending champion Italy on Sunday, pouncing on a mistake by World Cup-winning captain Fabio Cannavaro in the seventh minute.
The goal added to his assist on Winston Reid's injury-time equalizer against Slovakia in New Zealand's opening match.
``It's an absolute dream,'' Smeltz said. ``We've got the underdog tag and we are happy to keep it that way, but obviously we are turning a few heads at the moment.''
Smeltz was born in Germany to a United States serviceman father and an English mother and has lived in Australia since he was six. But he enjoyed a special moment in the white of New Zealand on Sunday.
``As soon as the ball hit the back of the net I had a quick look around and the ref wasn't blowing up for anything so I was really excited,'' Smeltz said, still flushed with the excitement an hour after the match ended.
``I couldn't have written the script any better, scoring a goal. I'm really pleased and it was a lot of hard work that's just all paying off at the moment,'' he added.
``People were talking about this game and saying it was going to be three, four, nil to Italy. It gets us up for it and spurs us on a little bit.''
Prodding the ball past Italy goalkeeper Federico Marchetti realized a dream begun when Smeltz watched the 1990 tournament in Italy and adored the host nation, especially their forward Roberto Baggio.
``I can still remember perfectly that feeling of excitement I had watching Italia 90,'' Smeltz told the Associated Press before the tournament. ``Waking up with my dad in the early hours of the morning, going back to bed for a while, but just looking forward to getting up again and into the back yard with the ball.
``I knew I wanted to play at a World Cup then and when you're nine years old you don't think there are any barriers to getting there.''
Smeltz grew up supporting Australia but it was just one of five nations he might have qualified to play for.
``My old man was in the American army and he was shipped to Germany and at a base there,'' said Smeltz. ``My mother was a pilot and was with my old man there and that's how I came about. Although they were born in the US and England they were both raised in New Zealand.
``When I left Germany, just before I turned one, I was on my mother's passport and she had a Kiwi passport. When I moved to Australia at the age of six I was still on that and never changed it.''
Smeltz has been top scorer in the Australia A-League for the past two seasons but failed to break through when he tried his luck in Europe, having unsatisfying experiences with AFC Wimbledon and Halifax Town in the lower divisions before returning home.
He was starting out in Australia's national league when an uncle alerted New Zealand that he held their citizenship, and he was picked for the under 20 team.
``At that stage I was just trying to get myself out there and make a name for myself,'' Smeltz says. ``I was 18 and not really thinking too much about playing internationals. Then the opportunity came and it was surprise but it didn't take me long to make a decision and I'm obviously pleased with how it's turned out.''
Associated Press Writer Tony Harper contributed to this report.
