New Zealand striker Rory Fallon fears that either his side or Australia may pick up injuries when the two teams meet in Melbourne on Monday (1/4 Paraguay 4/1 draw 8/1 New Zealand – match betting).

Fallon, who scored the only goal of the game last November to book the All Whites’ place in the World Cup, is looking forward to the warm-up match.

But he says the fixture is a friendly in name only, and both sides will be going all-out for the victory.

Fallon, 28, said the traditional trans-Tasman rivalry gave the fixture at the Melbourne Cricket Ground an extra edge.

“When it comes to playing Australia, all bets are off,” he said.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if there are a few injuries. I don’t think anyone is going to hold back against them. I’m certainly not going to hold back.”

Fallon said Australia, who are also headed to the World Cup, wouldn’t want to suffer a defeat at the hands of what they might consider to be a lesser soccer nation (12/1 New Zealand – Group F To Qualify).

“They probably say they have a lot better pros and they won’t want to lose this, and we want to win it,” he said.

“It’s going to be a good game. It’s going to be one of those games where everyone is going to get stuck in.”

Fallon admits he still can’t get over how important his headed goal against Bahrain was for the country.

“I see that goal and every time I just say, ‘Thank you, God for giving me that goal’ – it’s just changed my life, especially in New Zealand,” he said.

“No-one knew who I was. That goal has changed everything. It is such a blessing to me and, every time I see it, it gives me goose pimples.”

After Australia, the All Whites have further friendlies against Serbia in the Austrian city of Klagenfurt on May 29 and Slovenia in Maribor on June 5.

While his immediate focus is the World Cup, Fallon’s future beyond that remains up in the air.

His English club, Plymouth Argyle, lost its battle with relegation and will be in the third-tier League One next season.

Fallon, who has an ambition to play in the English Premier League, hoped that some strong performances in South Africa might put him in the shop window.

“If I have a great World Cup, who knows, I could be going anywhere,” he said.

“I’m going to work so hard. This is my chance to do something really worthy, so I’m not going to let it slip through my fingers.”

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