China has had the better of opportunities, but New Zealand has somehow hung around. It feels like once China gets their first the floodgates will open.
If i'm not mistaken China needs a win by 5 goals or more to force Denmark to beat Brazil by more than one. Doesn't look likely at this point. But they should certainly try.
New Zealand just registered their first shot on goal. It was a weak ball easily collected by the keeper.
That should be the match and move China on to the next round unless Denmark comes up with something soon.
China must have been on pins and needles until the 91st minute - any Denmark win in the other match would have eliminated them. Though they didn't score at all in three matches, I give NZ some credit - I thought they would easily be the worst team in the tournament and they weren't even second worst. Still, I don't think NZ, Ghana, and Argentina really bolstered the chances of expansion to 24 teams for 2011.
Did anyone hear about this? "China's campaign has been disrupted by high-profile spying allegations after Denmark said two Chinese men secretly filmed a strategy meeting before their match with the hosts. The team had also expressed frustration with FIFA's late decision to reschedule the New Zealand match from Wednesday after disruption caused by Typhoon Wipha."
If you go back a few pages on the WWC page you will see a couple discussions of that. Nothing will come of it. Denmark will just have to go home mad since they were spied on, FIFA wouldn't review the situation, and then the Danes lost their coaches for a couple matches.
I think it is just a excuse what a loser plead their fail in the match.No evidence can prove this affair.
Well they are the youngest if not the second youngest team at the tournament with the average age of about 22. So being the unlucky team in the toughest pool group with some inexperienced teenagers, a young coach who I know is very up todate with the latest coaching development (I know because he used to train coaches like myself) in the world but was pulled in at the begining of the year to replace a "I'm leaving for no reason" coach. So John Herdman (thats his name) had to restructure the team formation etc for the Cup from the begining of the year rather than have a decent two year gradual build up like most other NT. I am very much proud of their efforts and look forward to their development over the next 4 years as NZ enters an awkward time to adjust without the aussie not in Oceania.