Ed Baird, American helmsman, tacked the Swiss boat past NZL 92 on the second upwind leg and SUI 100 kept up its momentum to win the drag race through to the finishing line despite Team New Zealand at one point cutting its lead to just one boat length.

"The first beat went very well for us. Alinghi threw everything at us on the downwind but the boys were cool under pressure," Grant Dalton, Team New Zealand principal, said.

"Not a lot can be done when the breeze is in control. We sailed well, but so did Alinghi.

"Tomorrow is another day. We go into it with a 'must-win' race. That's not a comfortable position to be in, but we're up to the challenge."

This edition of the America's Cup is the closest since Australia II beat Liberty on the final lap for a 4-3 series win in 1983, and Team New Zealand's mastman Matthew Mason said he had used that as a positive for the rest of the crew.

"I just said to the boys, Australia II were 3-1 down in Newport and we all know what happened there," said Mason.

"So we're not going to lie down. Far from it."

Match point

Brad Butterworth, Alinghi skipper, played down premature talk of an Alinghi win on Sunday, saying: "It's the best final that's been for a long time. It's a great regatta.

"But you have to win five to win so who knows what will happen tomorrow."

Warwick Fleury, Alinghi mainsail trimmer, however, was more forthright.

"It's match point so we will try to finish it off tomorrow and if not, we have still got another two shots at it," Fleury said.

"The racing is very, very close and none of them have been easy and we are expecting more of the same tomorrow. It will be business as usual but we will certainly be trying for it."

Dean Barker, Team New Zealand helmsman, warned that his crew would be desperately trying to bounce back from a third defeat in a row.

"We'll try to be as positive as we can," he said.

"It's hard losing races... but I firmly believe we can get back into it.

"While there's still a chance, we remain a dangerous team."