Match Day 1 October 13th, 2007 Vanuatu vs. New Zealand Fiji vs. New Caledonia Match Day 2 October 17th, 2007 New Caledonia vs. Fiji New Zealand vs. Vanuatu Match Day 3 November 17th, 2007 New Zealand vs. Fiji Vanuatu vs. New Caledonia Match Day 4 November 21st, 2007 Fiji vs. New Zealand New Caledonia vs. Vanuatu Match Day 5 September 6th, 2008 New Caledonia vs. New Zealand Fiji vs. Vanuatu Match Day 6 September 10th, 2008 New Zealand vs. New Caledonia Vanuatu vs. Fiji http://www.oceaniafootball.com/compdetails/nav/1534/post/1645
What a ridiculous schedule, the first 4 matches played within 2 months, the last 2 almost a year later
AUCKLAND - FIFA has ruled that New Zealand Football cannot host both of their World Cup qualifying games against Vanuatu next month. Vanuatu had agreed to give up home advantage for their October 13 match against the Thai Airways All Whites and play in Christchurch after their ground in Port Vila was deemed unfit for a FIFA World Cup qualifier. However, football’s world governing body is understandably reluctant to set a precedent by agreeing to stage both legs in the same country despite Vanuatu’s blessing. No arrangements have been confirmed for the October 13 match although FIFA has ruled that it should be played at a neutral venue before New Zealand host Vanuatu in Wellington on October 17 as scheduled. All Whites coach Ricki Herbert is now eagerly awaiting the new arrangements with Fiji, New Caledonia and Australia all mooted as potential options. “We fully understand and accept FIFA’s decision and now we can look forward to our first home game in Wellington on October 17,” Herbert said. “The planning for Wellington is obviously well advanced and we’ll wait and see where OFC decide to play the October 13 match…time is obviously off the essence so that we can arrange details for our European-based players such as Ryan Nelsen and Chris Killen.” http://www.nzsoccer.com/plugins/newsfeed.cgi?rm=content&plugin_data_id=20828
AUCKLAND - New Zealand will open their campaign for the 2010 FIFA World Cup against Fiji in Albany on October 13 after today agreeing to a revised Oceania qualifying draw. The Thai Airways All Whites were originally scheduled to play away to Vanuatu, as South Pacific Games bronze medallists, on October 13 before facing the same opponent in Wellington four days later. But New Zealand Football has agreed to play South Pacific Games silver medallists Fiji first up as Vanuatu’s ground in Port Vila cannot be brought up to FIFA standards in time for October 13. The revised schedule confirmed today by the Oceania Football Confederation will see New Zealand host Fiji at North Harbour Stadium on October 13 before the return leg in Fiji (venue to be confirmed) four days later. Wellington’s Westpac Stadium will remain the venue for All Whites home qualifier against Vanuatu which will now be played on November 21, four days after New Zealand play in Port Vila which is expected to be up to scratch by November. New Zealand will round out their Oceania qualifying campaign against South Pacific Games champions New Caledonia in Noumea on September 6 next year before the return leg in New Zealand (venue tbc) four days later. The eventual Oceania champion automatically qualifies for the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup in South Africa as well as a home and away World Cup playoff against Asia’s fifth-ranked qualifier. Chief Executive Graham Seatter insisted NZ Football had no issues with the revised draw even though it meant the national body have only 13 working days to arrange the Fiji match at North Harbour Stadium. It will be the All Whites first home World Cup qualifier for six years following their 2-0 Oceania grand-final loss to now Asia-aligned Australia at North Harbour Stadium on June 20, 2001. “It does mean a tight time-frame to organise the first match but we’re delighted to be able to play Fiji in Auckland as we’d always intended…it’s just a bit earlier than planned,” Seatter said. “We’re confident it will appeal to both the New Zealand and Fijian football communities in Auckland so we’re looking forward to a good crowd and an exciting fixture.” Seatter remains confident re-instated All Whites captain Ryan Nelsen will be available for the home and away fixtures against both Fiji and Vanuatu. Nelsen threw an injury scare into the All Whites camp when he hobbled out of Blackburn Rovers’ UEFA Cup match at Greek club Larissa FC last Friday (NZT) after stretching scar tissue sustained during a hamstring operation. But the injury isn’t as bad as first feared with the 29-year-old central defender seen jogging along the touchline before Blackburn’s 1-0 premiership loss to visiting Portsmouth on Monday (NZT). He could play against the Greek Cup winners on October 4 although Blackburn’s premiership match against visiting Birmingham on October 7 appears a more likely return date. Ricki Herbert’s 18-man All Whites squad – poised to be unveiled on Monday - are scheduled to assemble in Auckland two days after the Birmingham match on October 9. Seatter, meanwhile, is delighted the rescheduled home game against Vanuatu can still be played in Wellington as originally planned. The Wednesday night match was reward for the way the city had embraced the Wellington Phoenix, he said. NZ Football consulted Phoenix management to ensure another match would not adversely affect the Phoenix’s double header against Hyundai A-League rivals Adelaide United and the David Beckham inspired LA Galaxy on November 30-December 1 respectively. New Zealand’s FIFA World Cup qualifying itinerary 2007 October 13 v Fiji, North Harbour Stadium, 4pm October 17 v Fiji in Fiji (venue tbc) November 17 v Vanuatu, Port Vila (tbc) November 21 v Vanuatu, Westpac Stadium, 7pm 2008 September 6 v New Caledonia, Noumea September 10 v New Caledonia, NZ (venue tbc) http://www.nzsoccer.com/plugins/newsfeed.cgi?rm=content&plugin_data_id=20864
BRISBANE, Oct 1 (Reuters) - New Zealand named their squad on Monday for upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Fiji in Auckland on Oct. 13 and Lautoka, Fiji on Oct. 17. Squad: Goalkeepers: Mark Paston (Wellington Phoenix), James Bannatyne (Team Wellington) ADVERTISEMENT Defenders: Tony Lochhead (Wellington Phoenix), James Pritchett (Auckland City), Ryan Nelsen (Blackburn Rovers, capt), Andy Boyens (Toronto FC), Ben Sigmund (Auckland City), Ivan Vicelich (RKC Waalwijk), Jeremy Christie (Wellington Phoenix) Midfielders: Leo Bertos (Perth Glory), Tim Brown (Wellington Phoenix), Duncan Oughton (Columbus Crew), Jeff Campbell (Waitakere United), David Mulligan (Scunthorpe FC/Grimsby Town), Chris James (unattached) Strikers: Shane Smeltz (Wellington Phoenix), Jarrod Smith (Hawke's Bay United), Chris Killen (Glasgow Celtic). http://sports.yahoo.com/sow/news?slug=reu-worldoceaniazealand&prov=reuters&type=lgns
Fuming Fiji to play World Cup qualifier under protest BRISBANE, Australia, Oct 11 (Reuters) - Fiji's soccer federation plans to take the New Zealand government to court for refusing to grant its national team goalkeeper a visa to play in a World Cup qualifier, saying it will ask for the match result to be nullified. The New Zealand government had rushed through visas for the team so they could play the All Whites at North Harbour Stadium on Saturday in a World Cup qualifying match. However, it denied an entry visa to first choice goalkeeper Simione Tamanisau because his father-in-law is a military policeman. Under sanctions imposed by New Zealand after last December's coup in Fiji, people with ties to the military cannot enter the country. Fiji's soccer chief Sahu Khan said he planned to take the situation to the International Court of Arbitration for Sport. He told the New Zealand Herald he was sure the court would nullify the game because it was "grossly unfair". "He is a key goalkeeper and it is a very vital position," Khan said. "For the New Zealand government to say that we give visas to all the others and not to him...means Fiji is not only playing New Zealand, but we are also playing the New Zealand government." Khan said Fiji will play the game under protest. He also said a letter had been sent to soccer world governing body FIFA protesting the situation. A spokesman for Foreign Minister Winston Peters said any Fijian sporting team coming to New Zealand for a sporting event would still be subjected to the sanctions. "New Zealand has the right to deny entry to any member of a sports team as it sees fit," the spokesman said. The two countries, in addition to Vanuatu and New Caledonia, have reached the second stage of Oceania's World Cup qualifying, to earn half a place at the 2010 finals, according to FIFA. The top Oceania team must beat Asia's fifth-placed country to reach the 32-team finals in South Africa. http://sports.yahoo.com/sow/news?slug=reu-fiji&prov=reuters&type=lgns
"DIRE CONSEQUENCES" SPELT OUT AS WORLD CUP MATCH POSTPONED http://www.nzsoccer.com/plugins/newsfeed.cgi?rm=content&plugin_data_id=21124
Wow, I just stumbled across the thread - I never knew there was so much controversy going on in World Cup Qualifying on the other side of the globe.
Does it bother anyone else that a national team nickname can be sponsored by a company - and one that is not even based in the country that it is sponsoring to boot? "The Thai Airways All Whites" ? This isn't the Coca Cola Championship we're talking about...
From the original link at the top of the thread, the schedule is different now. Of course, as per the other discussion in this thread, the first game will have to be made up somehow, somewhere: Match Day 1 October 13th, 2007 New Zealand vs. Fiji Match Day 2 October 17th, 2007 Fiji vs. New Zealand Match Day 3 November 17th, 2007 Vanuatu vs. New Zealand Fiji vs. New Caledonia Match Day 4 November 21st, 2007 New Zealand vs. Vanuatu New Caledonia vs. Fiji Match Day 5 June 14th, 2008 Vanuatu vs. New Caledonia Match Day 6 June 21st, 2008 New Caledonia vs. Vanuatu Match Day 7 September 6th, 2008 New Caledonia vs. New Zealand Fiji vs. Vanuatu Match Day 8 September 10th, 2008 New Zealand vs. New Caledonia Vanuatu vs. Fiji Note that the Fiji vs. New Zealand match has the wrong date on the FIFA website
No Ryan Nelsen. IMPENDING FATHERHOOD RULES NELSEN OUT OF WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS No Chris Killen. KILLEN INJURY GIVES ELLENSOHN HIS BIG BREAK New Zealand Football Chief Executive Graham Seatter who had helped Ellensohn gain the necessary paperwork to represent New Zealand. Daniel Ellensohn had an Austrian passport that prevent him respresenting Nz at the age group level but he is now young enough to play for New Zealand Olympic (U23) team. Also highly noticable is that the Fullham reserve's Chris James (ex-england youth international) is written in the squad as currently unattached to a club. It's a mistake isn't it? All Whites squad v Vanuatu – (Club - Caps/Goals) Goalkeepers: Mark Paston (Wellington Phoenix - 14/0), Jacob Spoonley (0/0). Defenders: Tony Lochhead (Wellington Phoenix – 14/0), James Pritchett (Auckland City 6-0), Andy Boyens (Toronto FC - 3/0), Ben Sigmund (Auckland City – 3/0), Ivan Vicelich (RKC Waalwijk – 61/7), Jeremy Christie (Wellington Phoenix – 11/0). Midfielders: Leo Bertos (Perth Glory 19/0), Tim Brown (Wellington Phoenix/Captain – 14/0), Duncan Oughton (Columbus Crew – 19/2), Jeff Campbell (Waitakere United – 18/3), David Mulligan (Scunthorpe FC/Grimsby Town – 17/0), Chris James (Unattached – 7/1). Forwards: Shane Smeltz (Wellington Phoenix – 17/4), Jarrod Smith (Hawke’s Bay United – 9/0), Daniel Ellensohn (Team Wellington 0/0) Staff: Ricki Herbert (Coach), Brian Turner (Assistant coach), Clint Gosling (Goalkeeping coach), Phil Warbrick (Manager), Roland Jeffery (Physiotherapist), Wade Irvine (Massage Therapist), Celeste Geertsema (Doctor), Kent Gray (Communications Manager).
Vanuatu - New Zealand 1-2 (1-0) New Zealand saved by a 93 min goal.... Fiji - New Caledonia 3-3 (2-0)
New Zealand - Vanuatu 4-1 (3-0) Mulligan (2) , Smeltz (2) for NZ. Sakama for Vanuatu Standings P W D L F A Pts 1 New Zealand 3 3 0 0 8 2 9 2 New Caledonia 1 0 1 0 3 3 1 3 Fiji 2 0 1 1 3 5 1 4 Vanuatu 2 0 0 2 2 6 0
Looks like New Caledonia may be the only serious contender besides New Zealand if this keeps up. New Caledonia 4-0 Fiji at Noumea Wajoka 29' Hmae 31', 60' Mapou 63'
Standings : 1 New Zealand 3 3 0 0 8 2 9 2 New Caledonia 2 1 1 0 7 3 4 3 Fiji 3 0 1 2 3 9 1 4 Vanuatu 2 0 0 2 2 6 0
Remember, even if they win the Oceania qualifying, they still have to face Asia's 5th-ranked team. Australia, Japan, South Korea, Iran and Saudi Arabia are the 5 top teams in AFC, so it is likely to be one of those. Can anyone see New Zealand beating any of these teams over 2 legs? I think their best chance is if someone does a 'Bahrain' like last year. NZ would stand a much better chance of beating the likes of Bahrain or Syria. Still, they have to beat New Caledonia first before even thinking about that.
http://fifa.com/worldcup/news/newsid=799380.html#caledonians+chase+dream is an article from FIFA today.