World Cup: New Zealand vs. Slovakia: Tony Lochhead makes UC Santa Barbara history

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A little bit of UC Santa Barbara history was made on Tuesday, all the way in distant Rustenburg, South Africa.

Tony Lochhead became the first former UCSB player to appear in the World Cup when he took the field for New Zealand against Slovakia at Royal Bafokeng Stadium.

Lochhead, who helped the Gauchos reach the 2004 NCAA final at the Home Depot Center in Carson, has been regular starter at left back for the Kiwis for the last five or six years. He started and played all 90 minutes Tuesday.

The surprise outcome?

New Zealand got an injury time goal from Winston Reid and earned a 1-1 tie, a result that left all four teams in Group F tied with one point apiece. Italy and Paraguay had tied, 1-1, on Monday.

-- Grahame L. Jones in Johannesburg, South Africa