The Socceroos are in danger of going from being the region's benchmark to the butt of neighbourhood jokes if they cannot refloat their sinking World Cup ship on Saturday.

Australia's tag as the highest-ranked nation in Asian football - and even their dominance in the Oceania region - is now under serious threat after New Zealand joined Japan and Korea in producing World Cup heroics.

While Australia floundered in a 4-0 drubbing by Germany, fellow Asian confederation members Japan and South Korea started their campaigns with wins.

Even the little-known North Koreans, ranked a lowly 105 in the world, showed infinitely more system and spirit than Australia in a 2-1 loss to Cup contenders Brazil on Wednesday morning.

And New Zealand's courageous 1-1 draw with Slovakia - salvaged with an injury-time equaliser to youngster Winston Reid - also threatens to lower the Socceroos' standing in their immediate neighbourhood.

The All Whites, made up primarily of players who take part in Australia's A-League, now have one point more than the Socceroos, who need something from their clash with Ghana in Rustenburg to stay alive in the World Cup.

By contrast, Japan and South Korea are on track for the second stage after a 1-0 win over fancied Cameroon and a 2-0 cruise over Greece respectively in their opening matches.

New Zealand are on equal footing for the moment with defending champions Italy, Paraguay and Slovakia in their group.

And the All Whites did it in polar opposite fashion to the timid and tepid Socceroos, who inexplicably changed tactics late and barely attacked against Germany.

Instead New Zealand went into their match in Rustenburg on Tuesday with a plan they knew, believed in and used in their lead-up friendlies - playing with three strikers against technically superior opponents despite the risks.

Sticking to their guns looked to have cost them when Slovakian striker Robert Vittek headed home after 50 minutes.

But the Kiwis refused to stray from the script and kept coming, going close with a Shane Smeltz header two minutes from fulltime before launching a final assault deep in injury time.

Gold Coast United striker Smeltz's cross from the left found Reid, a 20-year-old playing in just his fourth international, ghosting in late to send New Zealand into raptures at their first ever point in a World Cup finals.

All Whites coach Ricki Herbert said it was New Zealand football's finest moment.

"We came across with the intention to make a difference and we certainly did that against a highly rated team," Herbert said.

"We are very, very proud. You would have to say this is New Zealand's best ever result.

"We have never picked up a point in a World Cup before. We have come and thrown some extremely good punches and got what I thought was a fully deserved result."

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