Friendly matches: Oceania

AllWhitebeliever · Mar 3, 2012

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/6502169/Battling-All-Whites-edged-by-Jamaica

Upbeat in defeat, All Whites coach Ricki Herbert says he sees no reason for New Zealand to be afraid should they end up facing Jamaica in a 2014 World Cup qualification playoff.

Herbert applauded last night's performance, which saw the All Whites unlucky to lose 3-2 to Jamaica, despite fielding a raft of less experienced players glued together by the likes of captain Ryan Nelsen.

On the rough end of some dubious decisions and a fortunate opening goal, Herbert said last night's outing was a successful way to open their latest campaign, which starts in earnest in June at the Nations Cup, which doubles as Oceania's initial 2014 World Cup qualifiers.

"Absolutely, I'd feel very confident against Jamaica in a playoff situation," Herbert said.

"I think we're a shot against anyone in that confederation and why wouldn't we be?"

"This is a good benchmark. If they're number 52 in the world then I'm not sure we're 118.

"That's probably a good measuring stick to run across it."

Herbert selected an exciting starting eleven for the All Whites' first game in nine months with Chris Wood leading the attack beside Marco Rojas and Kosta Barbarouses.

And while both Wood and Rojas were able to stamp themselves on the game, Barbarouses struggled to settle.

Nevertheless, it was an overall performance which pleased Herbert.

"We went purely with that group at the top and wanted at least 70 minutes from them," he said.

"I think some of the young players we've got coming through now are going to be very exciting for us in the future.

"I wanted to leave that front three on as long as we could, coming behind them are Killen and Smeltz, it's quite a formidable look. I'm excited about that, it's only six months until we play in the Nations Cup.

"There's lots of big decisions to make.

"I'm very pleased to see Chris score, and I thought at times Marco was quality.

"Maybe we're starting to be a country that has a few alternatives in that front third of the pitch. I'm pleased with them.

"How we play and what we do at the moment is kind of irrelevant at the moment with our next games in June for the Nations Cup.

"We're going to be a bit rusty, we haven't played in nine months."

Herbert also confirmed defender Winston Reid was knocked out late in the first half and was subsequently withdrawn as a precaution.

"From a medical point of view, the doctor said he was knocked out for a period of time so it was just a responsible thing to do," he said.

Jamaican coach Theodore Whitmore declined to say if he felt his side was lucky to emerge 3-2 winners from the game, which saw his side score a fluke cross and be dominated by the All Whites for large periods.

He did concede however that the All Whites are a "pretty decent team" having said he knew nothing about them heading into the match.

"Overall I thought it was a decent performance," Whitmore said.

"Myself and the coaching staff didn't expect that great a performance [after three games in eight days] but we were against a good team and a long time on the road.

"New Zealand is a pretty decent team. Like ourselves, they are in a rebuilding stage.

"We are preparing for World Cup qualification and wanted to widen our player pool in this game before qualification."

In an open encounter New Zealand weren't able to haul back their guests after a lucky Jamaican opener was doubled early in the second half.

Xavian Virgo broke the deadlock in the 38th minute when his sliced cross looped over Mark Paston and ricocheted in off the far post.

It was a dubious way for Virgo to open his international account and a bitter blow to the All Whites, who had been much the better side of the first half.

But there was little sympathy when eight minutes after the restart Tremaine Stewart was left in space to lash low by Paston and double the visitors' lead.

Crucially, the All Whites fired back immediately.

Wood played a one-two with Rojas on the edge of the box for Wood, the in-form Bristol City striker, to thump past the outstretched right arm of Miller.

Piling the pressure on Jamaica , the All Whites were virtually camped in the Jamaican half.

But in the 78th minute, with the majority of the All Whites committed high up the pitch, Boyd slid coolly past Paston to put the game beyond New Zealand.

In the 89th minute substitute Chris Killen bundled home Leo Bertos' corner, adding late spice to the four minutes of added time.

But while the All Whites' run of not scoring more than one goal since September 2009 is finally at an end, breaking the streak still couldn't yield a win.

The performances of Tommy Smith, Jeremy Brockie, Rojas and Wood were particularly solid, while Reid also looked secure before he had to be substituted.
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The Jamaican's first goal was a flukey cross that was too flukier than that Brazilian cross that beat David Seaman in the World Cup. Also Marco Roja was brought down heavily by the keeper and that should have been an penalty kick but the referee had the blinkers on even though everyone else in the stadium could see it clear enough. The score line flatters the Jamaicans. It should have been 3-2 or even 3-1 to New Zealand on hindsight.

Alas, football is never fair.

I for one was very happy with the All Whites. They are an even stronger side than the 2010 World Cup team with the youngsters skills on show. They should get to the WCQ playoffs easily without severe injuries. Depending on their opposition in the playoffs, I think they should ranked up into the top 40-60 in the world rankings.

AllWhitebeliever · Mar 3, 2012

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/opinion/6505396/Herbert-and-All-Whites-must-keep-attacking

The All Whites may have lost to Jamaica's Reggae Boyz last night but coach Ricki Herbert must not abandon his new attacking approach.

He needs to keep his nerve and retain the new generation of All Whites and build to Brazil and another World Cup finals campaign.

Jamaica won a thriller 3-2 at Auckland's Mt Smart Stadium as you would expect from a team 70 places higher on the Fifa rankings than the 120-ranked All Whites.

The All Whites were guilty of naive defending with skipper Ryan Nelsen disappointed at "three soft goals". They couldn't cope when the Caribbean crew counter-attacked quickly. But they were denied a blatant penalty with the match still scoreless and, despite the result, there was much to admire in the way Herbert set out his stall with seven players aged under 25 in his starting lineup.

Herbert has been, by nature, a conservative coach. He was overly cautious in the All Whites' final match at the 2010 World Cup finals in South Africa where they failed to push against Paraguay and seek the goal which would have secured a second-round berth.

His Wellington Phoenix A-League team is based around being tight at the back and tough to break down. But they rarely play with the width and elan displayed by the young All Whites in patches in Auckland.

After 55 minutes, the television commentators bellowed: "Rojas to Wood, Wood to Rojas, Rojas back to Wood... goal!" Expect to hear that stanza many times in the decade ahead.

Wood, the 20-year-old Bristol City striker with a sure touch which belies his tall targetman frame, and Marco Rojas, 21, the mercurial Melbourne Victory forward, are New Zealand football's future.

It's been a long, long time since the 1980s when the great Wynton Rufer's career intersected with southern marvel Michael McGarry's that the All Whites have had players of this potential.

Rojas is a special talent, so fleet of feet, so deadly at the deadball and with a football brain and vision so rare in a young New Zealander. His perfectly pitched freekick almost earned captain Ryan Nelsen a goal on the ground where his 2002 Oceania Nations Cup winner against Australia clinched a place in the Confederations Cup finals.

But it was his imperious flick which set up Wood's goal which showcased his class. He picked out the big striker, flicked the ball to his feet, got the return pass and beat a defender to create space and unlock the Jamaican defence. Wood was left with just keeper Dwayne Miller to beat, which he did with the precision he's shown in front of goal in England's second-tier league this season.

But don't discount the "old boys" yet. Chris Killen, 30, came off the bench to head home the All Whites' second goal.

Throw in Russia-based Kosta Barbarouses, 22, Jeremy Brockie, 24, and midfielders Michael McGlinchey, 25 and Dan Keat, 24, and the All Whites are suddenly flush with attacking talent and creative input.

There's a solid look too to the back-three too with premier league star Nelsen guiding and cajoling, English championship players Winston Reid, 23, and Tommy Smith, 21.

Herbert must give this new wave as much game-time as he can throughout the World Cup qualifying campaign.

They will make mistakes as they did last night when Jamaica got in behind the Kiwi defence to set up both their goals but they will only get better with time and trust.

The match officials conspired to miss a blatant foul on Rojas in the sixth minute after a piercing pass by Barbarouses and good approach work by Brockie. It should have been a penalty but a goalkick was awarded.

The All Whites rallied, though, to have the best of the first-half chances with Nelsen denied at point blank range by the keeper's bravery.

But, the Reggae Boyz fresh from two victories against Cuba regained their rhythm when Virgo plunked a cross-cum-shot over Kiwi keeper Mark Paston's head into the top corner.

The All Whites went 2-0 down in the 53rd minute. But the Wood-Rojas Show restored the All Whites' hopes until Jamaican substitute Navian Boyd put the result beyond doubt before Killen's late header.
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msilverstein47 · Apr 1, 2012

http://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/news?slug=ap-newzealand-friendlies

Those players from ES love to bite...so try and bring some extra body armor

AllWhitebeliever · May 19, 2012

Auckland City pair added to All Whites squad

Uncapped Auckland City duo Ian Hogg and Adam McGeorge have been added to the All Whites squad for impending World Cup qualifiers in the Solomon Islands and internationals against Honduras and El Salvador, with Ryan Nelsen’s injury-enforced omission now confirmed.

May 18, 2012
AUCKLAND – Uncapped Auckland City duo Ian Hogg and Adam McGeorge have been added to the All Whites squad for impending World Cup qualifiers in the Solomon Islands and internationals against Honduras and El Salvador, with Ryan Nelsen’s injury-enforced omission now confirmed.
McGeorge, who captained the New Zealand U-23 team to Olympic qualification in March, and Hogg, who is on course to appear in a second straight Olympic games, bring New Zealand’s OFC Nations Cup squad to a full quota of 23.
However, the All Whites will be without Ryan Nelsen for the start of their World Cup qualifying campaign after medical staff at Tottenham confirmed an ankle injury picked up towards the end of the season will see Nelsen out for four weeks.
“I met with the doctors at Spurs while I was in London recently and am fully across the situation with Ryan and where he is at physically,” New Zealand coach Ricki Herbert said.
“The injury he’s has been carrying needs rest and we’ve not going to do the player or our team any favours by throwing him into the demanding schedule we’ve got coming up and risking greater long-term damage.
“If he gets the rest and treatment he needs now then we increase our chances of having him for the next stage of qualifying and the Olympic Games.”
“Two more promising players now have an opportunity to push their case and both Adam and Ian have got a great chance to help New Zealand take the next step towards Brazil and put themselves in our long-term plans.”
Due to club commitments, Dan Keat (LA Galaxy), Chris Killen (Chongqing) and Winston Reid (West Ham) have not been released for the Honduras and El Salvador games, which fall outside of the FIFA international window, with Reid involved in Sunday morning’s promotion playoff with West Ham.
Tony Lochhead (honeymoon) and Rory Fallon (pursuing coaching badges) have been excused for the USA leg while US-based goalkeeper Jake Gleeson is on standby for the Nations Cup but joins the team in the USA.
The team depart on Sunday for Texas where they play El Salvador on May 24 (NZT) and Honduras on May 27 (NZT), before travelling on to Honiara via Brisbane for the OFC Nations Cup.
There they face Fiji (June 2), Papua New Guinea (June 4) and Solomon Islands (June 6) in Group B with the top two teams from each of the two pools qualifying for the next stage of World Cup qualifying in September, October and March. The winner of June’s OFC Nations Cup also qualifies for the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup in Brazil.
Revised All Whites squad for OFC Nations Cup 2012 and USA tour
Includes ‘A’ Internationals only
* OFC Nations Cup only
** USA tour only
Goalkeepers
Jake GLEESON (Portland Timbers, USA – 1/0)**
Glen MOSS (Wellington Phoenix – 19/0)
Mark PASTON (Wellington Phoenix – 29/0)
Defenders
Michael BOXALL (Vancouver Whitecaps, CAN – 3/0)
Ian HOGG (Auckland City – 0/0)
Tony LOCHHEAD (Wellington Phoenix – 35/0)*
Winston REID (West Ham, ENG – 10/1)*
Ben SIGMUND (Wellington Phoenix – 19/1)
Tommy SMITH (Ipswich Town, ENG – 9/0)
Ivan VICELICH (Auckland City – 74/6)
Midfielders
Leo BERTOS (Wellington Phoenix – 40/0)
Jeremy BROCKIE (Wellington Phoenix – 25/0)
Aaron CLAPHAM (Canterbury United – 5/0)
Cameron HOWIESON (Burnley, ENG – 0/0)
Dan KEAT (Los Angeles Galaxy, USA – 1/0)*
Adam MCGEORGE (Auckland City – 0/0)
Michael MCGLINCHEY (Central Coast Mariners, AUS – 11/1)
Tim PAYNE (Blackburn Rovers, ENG – 0/0)
Marco ROJAS (Melbourne Victory, AUS – 3/0)
Forwards
Kosta BARBAROUSES (Alania Vladikavkaz, RUS – 5/0)
Rory FALLON (Aberdeen, SCO – 11/3 )*
Chris KILLEN (Chongqing, CHN – 40/12)*
Shane SMELTZ (Perth Glory, AUS – 37/17)
Chris WOOD (West Bromwich Albion, ENG – 18/2)
Management
Head Coach: Ricki HERBERT
Project Manager: Brian TURNER
Goalkeeper Coach: Clint GOSLING
Technical Support: Neil EMBLEN
Technical Adviser: Raul BLANCO
Sport Scientist: Kenny MCMILLAN
Team Manager: Phil WARBRICK**
Doctor: Chan DASSANAYAKE** / Mark FULCHER*
Physiotherapist: Roland JEFFERY
Massage Therapist: Wade IRVINE
Media Officer: Jamie SCOTT*
All Whites Schedule
USA Tour
New Zealand v El Salvador
May 23, 2012
BBVA Compass Stadium
Houston, USA
8pm local (1pm May 24 NZT)
Live on Sky Sport 3
New Zealand v Honduras
May 26, 2012
Cotton Bowl Stadium
Dallas, USA
7.30pm local (12.30pm May 27 NZT)
Live on Sky Sport 3
OFC Nations Cup / FIFA World Cup qualifying
2-10 June 2012
Honiara, Solomon Islands.
New Zealand v Fiji
Lawson Tama Stadium
June 2, 12pm (1pm NZT)
New Zealand v PNG
Lawson Tama Stadium
June 4, 12pm (1pm NZT)
New Zealand v Solomon Islands
Lawson Tama Stadium
June 6, 3pm (4pm NZT)
Semi finals
June 8, 11am & 3pm (12pm & 4pm)
Final
June 10, 3pm (4pm)

Defender Smith lines up All Whites captaincy

TONY SMITH

Getty Images
CAPTAIN: Ipswich Town defender Tommy Smith appeals as All Whites captain Ryan Nelsen's World Cup understudy and ultimate successor.

OPINION: Ipswich Town defender Tommy Smith appeals as All Whites captain Ryan Nelsen's World Cup understudy and ultimate successor.
Coach Ricki Herbert is set to shed his conservative cloak and appoint a younger team member as Nelsen's deputy for the World Cup campaign after longtime understudy Tim Brown's retirement.
Herbert confirmed yesterday Smith and West Ham defender Winston Reid were potential candidates, but the appointment will not be confirmed until the All Whites arrive in the Solomon Islands next week for the Oceania Nations Cup tournament.
He had yet to confirm who would lead the All Whites against El Salvador in Houston today, but said it was unlikely to be veteran midfielder Ivan Vicelich. Ben Sigmund, who captained the All Whites against Fiji in 2008 and has led the Wellington Phoenix, or senior striker Shane Smeltz are other options.
Nelsen will miss the El Salvador match and the Honduras game in Dallas on Sunday, plus the Oceania tournament with an ankle injury, but will captain the All Whites through the World Cup campaign. The new deputy will be in charge in Honiara and Herbert said it would be someone with "for future leadership" potential.
Smith, who has just re-signed for Ipswich for two more years, is the obvious frontrunner. He could wear the armband today even though he only arrived in camp yesterday with West Bromwich Albion striker Chris Wood.
He has just turned 22, but is a mature individual who handled the pressure of playing in the World Cup finals as a 20-year-old with aplomb.
Reid – 24 in July – has helped West Ham win promotion to the English Premier League and, like Smith, is now an automatic All Whites selection. But he is best left to develop his own game and establish himself as a premiership player.
Herbert is looking ahead. He has handed Auckland City left back Ian Hogg, 22, his All Whites debut today as a left-sided wing back in a 3-4-3 formation. Herbert has also been impressed by teenage English-based midfielders Cameron Howieson (Burnley), 17, and Tim Payne (Blackburn Rovers), 18, at training.
Vicelich will join Central Coast Mariners' Michael McGlinchey in central midfield with Hogg on the left flank and veteran Leo Bertos surprisingly preferred on the right flank to new Phoenix signing Jeremy Brockie.
But Herbert said the All Whites' brains trust now see Brockie as a central striker.

"We may use twin strikers at the Nations Cup and you may see that against Honduras."
Sigmund will play in a three-man defence with Smith and Michael Boxall, with World Cup hero Mark Paston in goal. Smeltz will be the sole central striker with Kosta Barbarouses and Marco Rojas on the flanks.
New Zealand (probable): Mark Paston, Ben Sigmund, Michael Boxall, Tommy Smith, Ivan Vicelich, Leo Bertos, Michael McGlinchey, Ian Hogg, Marco Rojas, Shane Smeltz, Kosta Barbarouses. Substitutes: Glen Moss, Jake Gleeson, Jeremy Brockie, Adam McGeorge, Aaron Clapham, Cameron Howieson, Tim Payne, Chris Wood.
El Salvador (from): Dagoberto Portillo, Benji Villalobos, Alfredo Pacheco, Xavier Garcia, Victor Turcios, Carlos Monteagudo, Steve Purdy, Alexander Mendoza, Milton Molina, Dennis Alas (captain), Ramon Sanchez, Eliseo Quintanilla, Osael Romero, Jaime Alas, Edwin Sanchez, Elder Figueroa, Arturo Alvarez, Darwin Ceren, Isidro Gutierrez, Ricardo Ulloa, Lester Blanco, Rafael Burgos, Maikon Orellana, Nelson Bonilla.
- Join us at Stuff Sport for a live blog commentary for the match between the All Whites and El Salvador, kicking off in Houston at 1pm (NZT)
- © Fairfax NZ News
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slaminsams · May 23, 2012

msilverstein47 said: ↑

http://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/news?slug=ap-newzealand-friendlies

Those players from ES love to bite...so try and bring some extra body armor
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The was one player in our U23 team that isn't even playing in this friendly. A lot of countries have players do stupid things in games you don't take a shot at a whole country for it. Getting back to the actual game its El Salvador 1-1 New Zealand at halftime

slaminsams · May 23, 2012

New Zealand 2-2 El Salvador fulltime

AllWhitebeliever · May 25, 2012

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/6977908/All-Whites-El-Salvador-draw-in-Houston

Apart from an overdue mark in the W-column, All Whites football coach Ricki Herbert would have got everything he wanted out of today's entertaining 2-2 draw with El Salvador in Houston, Texas.

In part forced by injury and unavailability, the All Whites side had a fresh look to it with a new captain, Tommy Smith, two debutants - Ian Hogg and substitute Cameron Howieson - and several young players inexperienced at senior international level, but they acquitted themselves admirably in what was essentially an away match against the 49th-ranked team in the world.

There were some shaky moments at the back, perhaps not surprising given Ryan Nelsen's guiding hand was missing through injury, but they were more than compensated by an encouraging attacking performance which built on the 3-2 loss to Jamaica in February.

At the forefront was Kosta Barbarouses, who provided the assist for the first goal and scored New Zealand's second - his first for the All Whites - with a tidy finish from a rebounded Shane Smeltz shot that drew the All Whites level for the second time, in the 64th minute.

Hogg, who had a tidy allround match playing basically a left wing-back, ensured his senior international debut would be a memorable one with New Zealand's first goal midway through the first half, driving into the box after a neat layoff from Barbarouses before rifling a stinging shot from an acute angle low into the far corner.

New Zealand were quick out of the blocks and could easily have taken the lead inside 10 minutes when veteran Ivan Vicelich put his midfield mate Michael McGlinchey one-on-one with Benji Villalobos in the Salvadoran goal, but McGlinchey's finish couldn't match his excellent run as he failed with his attempted lob.

El Salvador took the lead, against the run of play, on 13 minutes when Rafael Burgos latched onto a hopeful long ball and with his first touch beat Mark Paston to score what was essentially an opportunist goal.

There was a strong hint of offside but New Zealand's back three was nonetheless caught too square and Burgos finished delightfully for his eighth goal from 16 internationals.

Both sides were guilty of wayward passing, and there was slack defending at both ends, but it made for an entertaining first 45 and, encouragingly, New Zealand shaded their higher ranked opponents in terms of chances.

They got the equaliser their efforts deserved in the 27th minute through Hogg, and should have gone a goal up immediately from the re-start when Barbarouses was involved again.

The Russian-based Wellingtonian delivered a perfectly weighted through ball into Shane Smeltz's path but the usually clinical striker failed to round the keeper as Villalobos made a desperate diving save.

Paston also made a couple of top saves at his end as New Zealand's defence opened up a tad more than Herbert would have liked, without being brutally exposed.

Marco Rojas should have put the Kiwis up two minutes into the second stanza but his shot his the post, and the Salvadorans made them pay soon after, albeit luckily, when Burgos' cross took a wicked deflection off Michael Boxall's knee and made a beeline for Paston's goal.

Barbarouses' equaliser eight minutes later set up a fascinating final 25 minutes but as the heat started to take its toll, the substitutions rolled in and some of the pace was taken of the game.

Herbert handed young Burnley midfielder Howieson a debut and also made several other changes, but they weren't enough to force a winner. The result: another credible draw.

New Zealand round out their short trip to the United States weith a match against Honduras in Dallas on Sunday, before heading to the Solomon Islands for the Oceania Nations Cup.

El Salvador 2 (Rafael Burgos, Michael Boxall og) New Zealand 2 (Ian Hogg, Kosta Barbarouses). Halftime: 1-1.

- © Fairfax NZ News
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AllWhitebeliever · May 25, 2012

A great debut for Ian Hogg.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/6982866/Rookie-defender-Hogg-stars-as-All-Whites-draw

Auckland City left back Ian Hogg flew to the United States hoping for a burst off the bench and wanting to ensure he made a tackle or two.

However, as well as performing his core duties well in a 2-2 draw against El Salvador yesterday, the All Whites debutant scored a goal the world's best strikers would happily include among their career highlights.

Trailing 1-0 in Houston after Rafael Burgos had beaten the offside trap and lobbed Mark Paston, 22-year-old Hogg recovered from a clumsy first touch to rifle a tight-angle shot into the far corner with his preferred left foot.

"I was a bit shocked when I actually scored so I didn't really celebrate too much because I couldn't believe it," Hogg said.

"I got a wee touch from a defender and I thought about going down, because I was stumbling.

"But I wasn't quite sure if I was inside the box or out and once I regained my composure and balance I thought `oh, why not have a lash because it's the only chance you're going to get.' It all worked out in the end but it's pretty crazy stuff."

Hogg was only added to the All Whites squad last Friday after skipper Ryan Nelsen was ruled out through injury.

However, with Tony Lochhead away on his honeymoon, Hogg earned a start wide on the left in Ricki Herbert's 3-4-3 formation.

"I was just over the moon to get the callup and I thought I might get the last 20 minutes in one of the games off the bench," Hogg said.

"But to start, it was out of the blue and I didn't really expect it. Obviously, Ricki said to start off a bit more conservative, which I did, I didn't want to get caught out early on. But I wanted to get into the game and as the game went on I got a bit higher up the field."

Hogg has long been rated as one of the top players in New Zealand's national league.

While Lochhead will return for next month's OFC Nations Cup in the Solomon Islands, Herbert now has a genuine alternative.

It was an entertaining and encouraging performance from an understrength All Whites, playing on limited preparation against the world's 49th-ranked side.

A Michael Boxall own goal gave El Salvador the lead again in the second half, but a youthful New Zealand kept attacking wherever possible.

Russia-based Wellingtonian Kosta Barbarouses then scored the equaliser – and his first international goal – following up on a saved Shane Smeltz strike.

The All Whites now prepare to play Honduras in another warmup game in Dallas on Sunday with Herbert likely to make several personnel changes and perhaps switch to a 4-4-2.

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"Thrilled, probably one of the better performances we've put in with a number of senior players not here and players coming off six or seven weeks of no football," Herbert said of the play.

"I was delighted, a very young side out there tonight against a team ranked in the top 50 in the world.

"I think it's pretty clear for everybody to see, there's some exciting talent coming through and if we can keep exposing them at this level then the confidence rises.

"I thought we passed the ball very well, we played with conviction and some good pace, coming out of [Marco] Rojas and Barbarouses."

As expected, 22-year-old Tommy Smith captained New Zealand for the first time while 17-year-old Cameron Howieson made his debut off the bench.

- © Fairfax NZ News
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AllWhitebeliever · May 25, 2012

Herbert to go with similar All Whites lineup

All Whites coach Ricki Herbert is closely monitoring the recovery of his players before settling on a starting line up Sunday's (NZ time) match against Honduras in Dallas.

A positive display from the All Whites in sweltering Texas conditions yesterday earned a 2-2 draw with El Salvador but has taken a physical toll on players. Herbert is waiting to see how some players pull up in the next 24 hours, but said his preference was to make few changes.

"It was a tough game physically for the players given where they were at," Herbert said.

"At this stage won't make a lot of changes to the starting 11 but may have a different variety of substitutions coming on different from the El Salvador game."

"We'll wait until we see how a few players pull up and what personnel we have available to take on that challenge."

Herbert also indicated that he wasn't about to change from the favoured 3-4-3 formation that has served the team well since late 2009.

"The current shape has proven again that it's a good way for us to play and if we wanted to go to a back four then I would be comfortable switching to that in the Solomon Islands, especially with the arrival of Winston Reid and Tony Lochhead giving us extra depth in defence."

A potential tweak to the formation however could see Herbert switch to a narrower forward line at some stage during the match with twin strikers backed up by a playmaker in behind instead of the three man forward line employed against El Salvador.

"We got options to play two at the top with one in behind rather than one starker with two wider and we may look to experiment there. We set out to achieve a certain objective against El Salvador and I thought we did that really well.

"We may just challenge the team again to try something different but again it's down to personnel.

"We're reasonably okay in that department. Chris Wood didn't play a lot in the last match so he's a chance and Jeremy Brockie is a player I'd like to use up top so he a chance as well."

The All Whites are using the two matches in Texas to warm up for the OFC Nations Cup in the Solomon Islands, which doubles as the beginning of a World Cup path that could culminate in a intercontinental playoff against a North or Central American nation in November 2013.

While Honiara is the focus for now, Herbert acknowledges the long term value of the matches like Sunday's.

"It's perfect for us. Both these sides are going to be very strong contenders if not to qualify automatically then certainly for that playoff spot."

The last time New Zealand met Honduras, in October 2010, Chris Wood netted his first international goal in a 1-1 draw at North Harbour Stadium.

The match kicks off at 12.30pm Sunday (NZT) with live coverage on Sky Sport 3.

New Zealand v Honduras
Cotton Bowl Stadium, Dallas, USA
Sunday, 12.30pm, Sky Sport 3 (NZ time)

New Zealand (from): Mark Paston (GK), Jake Gleeson (RGK), Glen Moss (RGK), Michael Boxall, Ben Sigmund, Tommy Smith (captain), Jeremy Brockie, Aaron Clapham, Cameron Howieson, Adam McGeorge, Tim Payne, Leo Bertos, Ivan Vicelich, Michael McGlinchey, Ian Hogg, Marco Rojas, Shane Smeltz, Kosta Barbarouses, Chris Wood. Coach: Ricki Herbert.

Honduras (from): José Mendoza (GK), Noel Valladares (GK), Maynor Figueroa, Víctor Bernardez, Emilio Izaguirre, Mauricio Sabillon, Johnny Leveron René Berrios, Juan Carlos Garcia, Javier Arnaldo Portillo, Brayan Beckele, Wilmer Crisanto, Irving Guerrero, Rommel Murillo, Daniel Tejada, Wilson Palacios, Óscar Garcia, Roger Espinoza, Alfredo Mejia, Édder Delgado, Melvin Valladares, Carlos Discua, Hendry Cordoba, David Suazo, Carlo Costly, Allan Lalin, Anthony Lozano, Kervin Johnson. Coach: Luis Fernando Suarez.

- © Fairfax NZ News
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AllWhitebeliever · May 25, 2012

If you want a live Blog on how El Salvador vs New Zealand game went down, click the following link. . ..

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/6978549/Live-blog-All-Whites-vs-El-Salvador-friendly

w-inds. · May 25, 2012

there are no updates in Yellow Fever forum ?
who know reasons?

AllWhitebeliever · May 28, 2012

New All Whites breed straining at leash

BILLY HARRIS

Last updated 05:00 27/05/2012

OPINION: It's coming together nicely.

As the euphoria of the last World Cup morphs into anticipation for the next one, the All Whites, 2012 edition, is showing that it has the goods to give us another decent ride.

Against El Salvador last Wednesday, the All Whites played with confidence and verve.

They looked a side for whom "getting results" doesn't necessarily mean 90 minutes of graft and grind and a goal from a set piece, a side capable of keeping the ball and injecting moments of flair and imagination.

So promising were the performances of up-and-comers Michael Boxhall, Ian Hogg, Marco Rojas and particularly Kosta Barbarouses, that some of the heroes of the last World Cup campaign might find themselves surplus to requirements sooner than expected.

Tim Brown has gone of his own accord, but Leo Bertos and Tony Lochhead are feeling the breath of the hungry new breed, straining and salivating at the leash for their go. Rory Fallon, confirmed as an All Whites legend for scoring the goal that took the team to South Africa, missed this game because he was doing his coaching qualifications. With alternatives aplenty at his disposal, Ricki Herbert might tell him to keep doing them.

One of the team's biggest successes was Ian Hogg. The left back or left wing back provides long overdue competition to Lochhead, offering greater pace and, if his stunning goal is any guide, penetration. If the youngster ensures that his aggression doesn't spill over into recklessness, then there's one less reason for Herbert to keep him in Lochhead's shadow.

But star of the night was goal scorer Barbarouses. The nomadic attacker of no fixed position could be of greatest service to the cause if allowed to roam freely just behind the front line, prompting attacks with the sort of deft lay off that invited Hogg to rampage into El Salvador's penalty box to score, and the exquisite pass which gave Shane Smeltz a golden chance in the first half.

The multi-talented Wellingtonian has pace, vision, touch and can score, all qualities he demonstrated with Brisbane Roar before heading to Russia.

Marco Rojas slipped slightly from the radar of Kiwi fans when he transferred from the Phoenix to Melbourne Victory last season and suffered injury to boot. But he showed a glimpse of his considerable repertoire when he bamboozled an El Salvador defender with a shake of the hips before sliding a shot against a post.

Defensively, there is also plenty to get enthused about. Wednesday's trio of Sigmund, and youngsters Boxhall and Smith would only get better with time together, but they may never get it when you consider that Ryan Nelsen and Winston Reid are certain starters when available.

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What of veteran midfielders Simon Elliot and Ivan Vicelich? Elliot keeps getting mentioned in press releases as "unavailable through injury", which strongly suggests he's still firmly in Herbert's thoughts. But the nearly-38-year-old, one of the stars of South Africa, faces a massive fight against Father Time and players young enough to be his son if he's to regain his place in Herbert's starting 11.

Thirty-five-year-old Vicelich was another many thought would be handed a pair of golden slippers after South Africa. But there he was against El Salvador still doing a solid job in midfield. With Brazil only two years away, there might still be enough tread on the tyres to see Vicelich through.

It would be no surprise if Herbert was to stick with his 3-4-3 formation for the Honduras match today and the World Cup qualifiers beyond. He trusts it. The players have grown used to it. And it would certainly suit Hogg, who has the wheels to play the wide midfield role.

One final adjustment, to 3-5-2, would allow Barbarouses to slot in behind the front two where he could do some major damage.

Be excited, ladies and gentlemen. Be very excited.

- © Fairfax NZ News
Click to expand...

AllWhitebeliever · May 28, 2012

I don't always argee with him but maybe this one time. . . .

New All Whites breed straining at leash

BILLY HARRIS

Last updated 05:00 27/05/2012

OPINION: It's coming together nicely.

As the euphoria of the last World Cup morphs into anticipation for the next one, the All Whites, 2012 edition, is showing that it has the goods to give us another decent ride.

Against El Salvador last Wednesday, the All Whites played with confidence and verve.

They looked a side for whom "getting results" doesn't necessarily mean 90 minutes of graft and grind and a goal from a set piece, a side capable of keeping the ball and injecting moments of flair and imagination.

So promising were the performances of up-and-comers Michael Boxhall, Ian Hogg, Marco Rojas and particularly Kosta Barbarouses, that some of the heroes of the last World Cup campaign might find themselves surplus to requirements sooner than expected.

Tim Brown has gone of his own accord, but Leo Bertos and Tony Lochhead are feeling the breath of the hungry new breed, straining and salivating at the leash for their go. Rory Fallon, confirmed as an All Whites legend for scoring the goal that took the team to South Africa, missed this game because he was doing his coaching qualifications. With alternatives aplenty at his disposal, Ricki Herbert might tell him to keep doing them.

One of the team's biggest successes was Ian Hogg. The left back or left wing back provides long overdue competition to Lochhead, offering greater pace and, if his stunning goal is any guide, penetration. If the youngster ensures that his aggression doesn't spill over into recklessness, then there's one less reason for Herbert to keep him in Lochhead's shadow.

But star of the night was goal scorer Barbarouses. The nomadic attacker of no fixed position could be of greatest service to the cause if allowed to roam freely just behind the front line, prompting attacks with the sort of deft lay off that invited Hogg to rampage into El Salvador's penalty box to score, and the exquisite pass which gave Shane Smeltz a golden chance in the first half.

The multi-talented Wellingtonian has pace, vision, touch and can score, all qualities he demonstrated with Brisbane Roar before heading to Russia.

Marco Rojas slipped slightly from the radar of Kiwi fans when he transferred from the Phoenix to Melbourne Victory last season and suffered injury to boot. But he showed a glimpse of his considerable repertoire when he bamboozled an El Salvador defender with a shake of the hips before sliding a shot against a post.

Defensively, there is also plenty to get enthused about. Wednesday's trio of Sigmund, and youngsters Boxhall and Smith would only get better with time together, but they may never get it when you consider that Ryan Nelsen and Winston Reid are certain starters when available.

What of veteran midfielders Simon Elliot and Ivan Vicelich? Elliot keeps getting mentioned in press releases as "unavailable through injury", which strongly suggests he's still firmly in Herbert's thoughts. But the nearly-38-year-old, one of the stars of South Africa, faces a massive fight against Father Time and players young enough to be his son if he's to regain his place in Herbert's starting 11.

Thirty-five-year-old Vicelich was another many thought would be handed a pair of golden slippers after South Africa. But there he was against El Salvador still doing a solid job in midfield. With Brazil only two years away, there might still be enough tread on the tyres to see Vicelich through.

It would be no surprise if Herbert was to stick with his 3-4-3 formation for the Honduras match today and the World Cup qualifiers beyond. He trusts it. The players have grown used to it. And it would certainly suit Hogg, who has the wheels to play the wide midfield role.

One final adjustment, to 3-5-2, would allow Barbarouses to slot in behind the front two where he could do some major damage.

Be excited, ladies and gentlemen. Be very excited.

- © Fairfax NZ News
Click to expand...

AllWhitebeliever · May 28, 2012

Kosta Barbarouses desperate to build on success

SAM WORTHINGTON

Getty Images
OFF THE MARK: Kosta Barbarouses scored his first goal for the All Whites in Thursday draw with El Salvador.

Kosta Barbarouses is off the mark and the young Wellingtonian will have to keep scoring goals if he is to hold his place in an increasingly competitive All Whites strikeforce.

The 22-year-old opened his international account in Thursday's 2-2 draw against El Salvador and is set for more game time in tomorrow's friendly against Honduras in Dallas.

By New Zealand standards coach Ricki Herbert has unprecedented attacking riches at his disposal, with seven quality options competing to fit into his preferred 3-4-3 set-up.

Barbarouses and Marco Rojas provided the width either side of Shane Smeltz against El Salvador, with Chris Wood and Jeremy Brockie coming off the bench.

Then there are experienced marksmen Chris Killen and Rory Fallon, who will join the team in the Solomon Islands for the June 2-10 World Cup qualifiers.

Whatever combination Herbert plumps for, the future is bright.

"It was a tough game and to pop up and get a goal was good," Barbarouses said.

"We had two or three one-on-ones in the game as well, so we could have had a few more. There were lots of positives in the game. The boys are a lot more confident to play the ball out from the back with, not a new batch of boys, but I suppose there's a fresh sort of look in the team. It's looking pretty positive."

Herbert indicated he may experiment tomorrow with twin strikers backed up by a playmaker in behind instead of the three-man forward line employed against El Salvador.

Barbarouses said he would leap at the chance to partner Smeltz and Wood in a more central striking position.

"That's sort of my preferred position. I started playing that wider role when I went to Brisbane and did quite well there. I'm quite versatile in those sorts of formations, so hopefully I can get a lot of game time on this tour."

Barbarouses has struggled for regular game time at his Russian club Alania Vladikavkaz and admitted he was exhausted after playing 90 minutes in Houston.

But he hoped to use the All Whites campaign and the London Olympics to boost his goal-scoring confidence before returning for another crack in Russia.

He is contracted to Alania for two more seasons.

"I'd like the game time situation to change a little bit but I'm still 22 and it's not like I haven't played at all.

"I've been playing bits and pieces and it's at a decent level now that we're in the premier league. There's at least 10 good teams there so we'll see what happens."

Herbert said he would assess players today before settling on the starting XI to play world No62 Honduras, but didn't forecast many changes. He had flirted with the idea of switching formation to 4-4-2 but was likely to wait for Winston Reid and Tony Lochhead to join the team in Honiara before making that move.

What: All Whites v Honduras Where: Cotton Bowl Stadium, Dallas When: 12.30pm tomorrow TV: Live on Sky Sport 3 TAB: All Whites $3.65, Honduras $1.95, Draw $3.30 New Zealand (from): Mark Paston, Jake Gleeson, Glen Moss, Michael Boxall, Ben Sigmund, Tommy Smith, Jeremy Brockie, Aaron Clapham, Cameron Howieson, Adam McGeorge, Tim Payne, Leo Bertos, Ivan Vicelich, Michael McGlinchey, Ian Hogg, Marco Rojas, Shane Smeltz, Kosta Barbarouses, Chris Wood Honduras (from): Jose Mendoza, Noel Valladares, Maynor Figueroa, Victor Bernardez, Emilio Izaguirre, Mauricio Sabillon, Johnny Leveron, Mario Rene Berrios, Juan Carlos Garcia, Javier Arnaldo Portillo, Brayan Beckele, Wilmer Crisanto, Irving Guerrero, Rommel Murillo, Daniel Tejada, Wilson Palacios, Oscar Garcia, Roger Espinoza, Alfredo Mejia, Edder Delgado, Melvin Valladares, Carlos Discua, Hendry Cordoba, David Suazo, Carlo Costly, Allan Lalin, Anthony Lozano, Kervin Johnson

- © Fairfax NZ News
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AllWhitebeliever · May 28, 2012

Live blog: All Whites vs Honduras friendly

Join Stuff.co.nz's Scott Preston from 12.15pm for live updates from the All Whites' international friendly with Honduras from Dallas, Texas.

POST-MATCH

3.05pm: The All Whites are next in action when they get their Oceania Nations Cup campaign under way in the Solomon Islands in six days time, against Fiji. Thanks for joining us, for now, it's goodbye from the Stuff newsroom.

3.04pm: The All Whites take away a 1-1 draw with El Salvador (ranked 49th) and 1-0 victory over Honduras (ranked 62nd) from their trip to Texas.

3.02pm: More solid performances from a young All Whites line-up. The back three gave up a few chances and had a few nervious moments but largely gave Mark Paston an easy ride in goal. They were fortunate with two Honduras shots hitting the post.

3.01pm: Shane Smeltz gets the match-winner for New Zealand in the 45th minute to get New Zealand their first victory since a 1-0 win over Serbia in Klagenfurt on May 29, 2010, during their World Cup build-up.

SECOND HALF

93rd min: Final whistle blows. The All Whites defeat Honduras 1-0 at the Cotton Bowl.

93rd min: Last minute of play now.

91st min: Three minutes of time added.

90th min: Into the final minute of regulation time now. Expecting somewhere around five minutes of stoppage time coming up.

89th min: Another substitution for the All Whites. Adam McGeorge comes on for his senior debut, replacing Kosta Barbarouses.

88th min: Another New Zealand free-kick close to the area as Chris Wood battles for possession. Kosta Barbarouses looks to take this. Pushes it too far, over the head of everyone.

87th min: Tim Payne has his ankles clipped from behind, which allows the All Whites to waste away some time.

86th min: Carlo Costly slips through the All Whites' offside trap but offside is called. Mark Paston kicks away the shot for good measure.

84th min: Plenty of great skill on the ball from the Honduras players but they are struggling to break down the New Zealand defence once it gets set.

81st min: Some fine work from Chris Wood and Tim Payne earns New Zealand a corner. Wood whistled for a foul in the middle.

78th min: Can the All Whites hold on for another 12 minutes, plus stoppage?

77th min: The All Whites dropping deeper and deeper. A weak clearance from Cameron Howieson goes straight to a Honduras player, who rips a shot across Mark Paston which glances off the post.

75th min: Captain Tommy Smith takes down a Honduras player, cutting an attack short. Tim Payne comes on for his New Zealand debut, replacing Leo Bertos.

73rd min: Another Honduras attack ends with a ball played just a little too long. Goal kick coming up from Mark Paston. Leo Bertos down on the turf, indicating a hamstring problem.

71st min: Ivan Vicelich air-swings on a clearance but scrambles to clear the ball before Honduras can take advantage. Nervous moments for New Zealand fans.

70th min: Just 20 minutes to play now, All Whites still lead 1-0.

65th min: Kosta Barbarouses played through into a one-on-one situation but the ball gets caught under his feet and the trailing defender is able to clear the danger. Should have done better with that.

63rd min: Free-kick coming up for New Zealand on the egde of the area after Marco Rojas clipped down. Chris Wood's shot curls around the wall but skids just wide. Cameron Howieson about to enter the match for Marco Rojas.

62nd min: Honduras get into the area, the shot beats Mark Paston but hits the post and after some scrambling, New Zealand get it out of danger. On replay looked like Tommy Smith deflected the shot.

59th min: After a long cross-field pass finds Chris Wood, he lays off to a hard-charging Jeremy Brockie, who blasts a shot wide. Would have been a SportsCenter Top-10 calibre goal if that snuck in the top-right corner.

58th min: The All Whites coming under more pressure at the back from Honduras now, but dealing with it well.

56th min: Aaron Clapham clips Oscar Garcia on the edge of the penalty area. Garcia anticipated the contact coming and was already falling before it happen. Edder Delgado's free-kick gets through the wall but goes wide.

52nd min: Chris Wood goes to work on the left, drives the ball across to Aaron Clapham, whose awkward volley shot bounces just wide.

50th min: Chris Wood and Michael Boxall into the game for New Zealand. Not sure of for who.

49th min: Honduras' Carlo Costly with a Maradona-esque handball in the box. However the officials notice it and Costly is shown a yellow card.

47th min: The score/time graphic has changed the NZ flag to Moldova's and Honduras' to El Salvador. Moldova and El Salvador met in the preceding match at the Cotton Bowl. Incidently, the Honduras and El Salvador flags look almost identical from a distant. Kind of like NZ and Australia to the untrained eye.

46th min: All Whites put the ball in play to start second half, leading by a goal.

HALFTIME

2.05pm: Like New Zealand and El Salvador, Honduras has been to just two World Cups - also 1982 and 2010. They have three draws and three losses in World Cup play, the same as the All Whites. The team is nicknamed La Catrachos, which means The Hondurans.

2.00pm: Did you know, the Cotton Bowl was the home of the Dallas Cowboys from 1960 to 1971 and now the biggest games at the 92,000 capacity stadium are the Cotton Bowl post-season college football game, the Red River Rivalry college football game between Texas and Oklahoma and high school football playoffs.

1.58pm: Pleasing first half for the All Whites. They capitalised on their one real chance in front of goal, and like they did against Honduras 18 months ago, they lead 1-0 at halftime.

FIRST HALF

46th min: New Zealand go into the halftime break up 1-0.

45th min: GOAL! A crucial strike just before halftime for the All Whites, 1-0. Jeremy Brockie, playing on the left after Ian Hogg went off, delivers a perfect cross into the middle, where Shane Smeltz was undefended and heads it into the top corner.

43rd min: Rammel Morillo hits a curling left-foot shot that is covered by a diving Mark Paston and just goes wide of goal.

42nd min: Almost got excited there, as Kosta Barbarouses and Shane Smeltz were through in the area but whistled for offside. The All whites starting to create more openings.

40th min: A curling long free-kick into the area from Brockie is punched away from the goalkeeper at the far post, with two New Zealand players waiting.

39th min: All Whites able to break-out, with Kosta Barbarouses on the right flank, he gives it to Michael McGlinchey on the edge of the penalty area but his first touch is poor and Honduras' keeper corals the ball.

38th min: Ben Sigmund takes down David Suazo, giving Honduras a free-kick from 30m out. Played into the box but cleared away by the head of Vicelich.

37th min: Neither team able to create many, if any, clear scoring chances.

32nd min: David Suazo again finds himself free in the box, with McGlinchey running at him, he buries the ball right into the heart of the empty stand at the end of the stadium.

30th min: Another corner for the All Whites. Michael McGlinchey delivers in, Shane Smeltz's header heads back towards McGlinchey and Honduras clear it.

28th min: Oscar Garcia rips a hard long-range shot, flies just over the crossbar. Mark Paston had it well covered.

27th min: After a ball just fell out of the reach of Shane Smeltz, Honduras push onto attack and a dangerous cross is clear out for a corner by Jeremy Brockie. Honduras head the ball across the goal from the corner but New Zealand are able to clear it out.

24th min: Leo Bertos lets fly with an ambitious left-foot shot. Not surprisingly, it doesn't force a save.

22nd min: Marco Rojas forces a corner, the first of the match. The corner is cleared away.

20th min: We're almost a quarter of the way through this match, no score and no great scoring chances.

19th min: Ian Hogg succumbs to the rib injury, with Leo Bertos given his entry into the game. Looks like he'll go to the right side of the midfield.

17th min: Honduras looking more likely to open up New Zealand's defence than the All Whites do of Honduras' back four. But still very early.

14th min: New Zealand put the ball out over the sideline as Ian Hogg goes to the ground again to get some treatment. Hogg not looking good, in considerable pain.

13th min: Ian Hogg goes down after copping a knee in the ribs during an aerial challenge.

12th min: David Suazo finds some space with Ivan Vicelich defending him but his shot at goal flies into the stands.

10th min: Shane Smeltz whistled for a foul as he raises his foot to control the ball, but makes contact with the defenders' head.

8th min: After some nifty footwork to get clear from Honduras' No 13, his cross into the middle is nowhere near anyone, let alone any of his strikers.

5th min: Honduras showing that they're much keener to keep hold of possession rather than El Salvador's attack-from-anywhere mentality. Could be a slower, more structured game today.

3rd min: All Whites in white. Honduras in blue. The five-yard line markings showing through at the Cotton Bowl, which is primarily used for American football.

2nd min: Honduras play a long ball forward, but the threat comes to nothing.

1st min: And ball is in play at the Cotton Bowl. Brockie and Clapham into the starting line-up for the All Whites. Have kept the same three up-front with Kosta Barbarouses, Shane Smeltz and Marco Rojas.

PRE-MATCH

1.05pm: Two long anthems and we're almost underway. One of the Honduras players is rocking a sweet face mask. He looks like Zorro.

1.01pm: Stat of the day courtesy of Newstalk ZB's Jason Pine from Twitter. On Tuesday, it's two years to the day of the All Whites' last win. Six draws and five losses since then.

1.00pm: Teams now on the field, lining up for anthems.

12.57pm: Sky putting up an All Whites team list that includes Jeremy Brockie at the back. Not sure if that's quite right.

12.52pm: Kick-off has been delayed due to the El Salvador-Moldova match preceding it running over time. No definite start time but hopefully we're not waiting too long.

12.51pm: Pictures now coming through from the Cotton Bowl, showing Honduras fans decked out in blue and white. Similar colours to El Salvador.

12.48pm: Honduras are ranked 62nd in the world, which is 13 spots lower than El Salvador, but still well ahead of the All Whites' ranking of 130.

12.46pm: This kick-off seems to be taking forever to get here.

12.43pm: Katsanos and Ngata predicting Ricki Herbert will stick with the 3-4-3 formation for today's match against Honduras. Also looking at Chris Wood and Jeremy Brockie to get more game time and possibly Glen Moss get a stint in goal.

12.39pm: Sky giving us a gentle reminder to watch Euro 2012, starting June 9 (NZ time).

12.37pm: As we await kick-off, here's a look at the All Whites' matches coming up from the Oceania tournament: vs Fiji on June 2, vs Papua New Guinea on June 4 and vs Solomon Islands on June 6. The winner of the Oceania tournament earns a spot at the Confederations Cup, while the top-four move on to the next stage of 2014 World Cup qualifying. Doesn't appear Sky will be showing the All Whites matches next month, but I believe there is live streaming from Fifa.

12.33pm: Weather update from Dallas: temperature sitting at 90 degrees fahrenheit (low-30s celcius), with 37 percent humidity and light winds. Warmer than Houston for the match against El Salvador on Thursday but less humidity. Good preparation for the Oceania tournament in the Solomon Islands next month.

12.30pm: Sky TV coverage getting underway on Sky Sport 3. Again we've got Dennis Katsanos and Harry Ngata in-studio, with Andrew Dewhurst and Ngata on the commentary from Auckland.

12.25pm: Honduras' latest results have been a 1-1 draw with Costa Rica in San Jose on April 11 and 2-0 loss to Ecuador in Guayaquil on February 29.

12.22pm: The All Whites and Honduras last met on October 9, 2010 at North Harbour Stadium, playing out a post-World Cup 1-1 draw. New Zealand lead 1-0 at halftime in that match, with Chris Wood scoring NZ's goal before dropping his shorts and Shane Smeltz missing a late penalty.

12.18pm: Here's a look at the squads for today's match:

New Zealand (from): Mark Paston, Jake Gleeson, Glen Moss, Michael Boxall, Ben Sigmund, Tommy Smith, Jeremy Brockie, Aaron Clapham, Cameron Howieson, Adam McGeorge, Tim Payne, Leo Bertos, Ivan Vicelich, Michael McGlinchey, Ian Hogg, Marco Rojas, Shane Smeltz, Kosta Barbarouses, Chris Wood

Honduras (from): Jose Mendoza, Noel Valladares, Maynor Figueroa, Victor Bernardez, Emilio Izaguirre, Mauricio Sabillon, Johnny Leveron, Mario Rene Berrios, Juan Carlos Garcia, Javier Arnaldo Portillo, Brayan Beckele, Wilmer Crisanto, Irving Guerrero, Rommel Murillo, Daniel Tejada, Wilson Palacios, Oscar Garcia, Roger Espinoza, Alfredo Mejia, Edder Delgado, Melvin Valladares, Carlos Discua, Hendry Cordoba, David Suazo, Carlo Costly, Allan Lalin, Anthony Lozano, Kervin Johnson

12.17pm: Afternoon, and welcome back for the All Whites' second international of their US tour, this time against Honduras at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, Texas.

- © Fairfax NZ News
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AllWhitebeliever · May 28, 2012

All Whites coach impressed by young guns

TONY SMITH

Sky Sports

Can the All Whites continue their recent good form?

Ricki Herbert has hinted his young guns could be pressing for places in the Oceania Nations Cup campaign after completing the All Whites' first international victory in two years.

Striker Shane Smeltz gave New Zealand a 1-0 win over Honduras – ranked 62nd in the world to the All Whites' 130th – when he headed home Jeremy Brockie's brilliant left-footed cross on the halftime hooter in Dallas, Texas, yesterday.

Herbert hugged his coaching assistants as he celebrated the All Whites' first win in 11 matches since beating Serbia 1-0 in May 2010 in the leadup to the Fifa World Cup finals in South Africa.

He hailed a "a terrific" team performance that saw the tenderfoot team survive a Honduras onslaught in the final quarter to claim a morale-boosting victory at Cotton Bowl Stadium.

However, he was already looking ahead to Sunday's Oceania campaign opener against Fiji in Honiara after completing an unbeaten short tour of the United States that opened with a 2-2 draw with El Salvador last Thursday.

Herbert said senior players Winston Reid, Chris Killen, Rory Fallon and Tony Lochhead would join the squad in Brisbane "in the next 48 hours" to prepare for the Oceania assignment.

However, they might not be guaranteed starts after youngsters Kosta Barbarouses, Marco Rojas, Chris Wood and Ian Hogg grabbed their opportunities to impress in the Texas doubleheader against opposition the All Whites could strike in the November 2013 inter-continental World Cup playoffs.

"It's about performance, not about age," said Herbert, who felt 20-year-old Wood was "strong and dominant" after replacing Smeltz for the second half.

The West Bromwich Albion striker created gilt-edged chances for Aaron Clapham and Barbarouses, but neither was able to pull the trigger with only Honduras goalkeeper-captain Noel Valladares to beat.

The All Whites had few chances in the first 44 minutes despite some razzle dazzle by Leo Bertos, who replaced Hogg – a goal-scoring debutant against El Salvador – after the latter limped off following a heavy challenge.

However, the Hondurans were equally shot-shy in the first spell.

Smeltz fired the All Whites ahead in the 45th minute when he soared high to head home a perfect left-wing cross by Brockie.

The new Wellington Phoenix signing had been released by a precision pass from Clapham, the Canterbury United captain who produced an energetic effort in his first All Whites start in an unfamiliar holding midfield role.

The All Whites were under the cosh for the final 30 minutes, with the woodwork twice coming to their rescue when Honduran shots struck a post.

However, Herbert was happy with the "tremendous composure" in challenging circumstances.

The 32 degrees Celsius heat was taxing, a pockmarked pitch tested technique and the All Whites had a limited warmup while El Salvador beat Moldova 2-0 in the curtainraiser.

"The guys were fantastic," Herbert said.

"We've backed up, [Honduras] were fresh and I thought we might be a little lethargic.

"I thought we took it to another level today."

Tommy Smith – New Zealand football's youngest captain at 22 – and veteran Ivan Vicelich marshalled the defence admirably, with solid support from Clapham.

Seven of the All Whites starting lineup were aged 25 or younger – as were five of the six substitutes, including debutants Tim Payne, 18, and Adam McGeorge, 23.

Burnley professional Cam Howieson, 17, won his second cap off the bench.

Rojas and Barbarouses were more subdued than they were in the El Salvador draw.

However, they will still put real heat on Herbert for starting places in the Solomon Islands tournament.

"As an ex-All White, I'm really proud to see the depth and quality of the players coming through," Herbert said.

"I'm pleased we've been given the chance to blood them at this level of international football."

- © Fairfax NZ News
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jonny63 · Apr 25, 2013

June 4 New Zealand - Jordan , TBC

http://www.jfa.com.jo/InterNewsDetails.aspx?NID=2929&lang=ar

jonny63 · May 12, 2013

Friendly 4 nations tournament in Saudi Arabia in September .

Teams : Saudi Arabia , UAE , Trinidad & Tobago and NEW ZEALAND

jonny63 · May 12, 2013

jonny63 said: ↑

June 4 New Zealand - Jordan , TBC

http://www.jfa.com.jo/InterNewsDetails.aspx?NID=2929&lang=ar
Click to expand...

This friendly seem confirmed now.

http://www.jfa.com.jo/InterNewsDetails.aspx?NID=3027&lang=en

jonny63 · Sep 7, 2014

Singapore 2-1 Papua New Guinea

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10152680392738255

jonny63 · Aug 19, 2015

Fiji 5-0 Tonga

jonny63 · Aug 29, 2015

Fiji 6-0 American Samoa

http://www.fijifootball.com.fj/tabi...bb78-4929f098b621/language/en-US/Default.aspx

jonny63 · Nov 5, 2015

Vanuatu will play Fiji in two international friendlies at Port Vila Stadium.

Venue: Port Vila Stadium
Date: Saturday 7 November 2015
Time: 3pm

Date: Tuesday 10 November 2015
Time: 3pm
http://www.vanuafoot.vu/tabid/1354/...a24e-e29402ff6b1c/language/en-US/Default.aspx

EvanJ · Nov 6, 2015

FIFA lists those games but http://www.flashscore.com/soccer/world/friendly-international/fixtures/ and http://us.soccerway.com/international/world/friendlies/2015/friendlies-1/r25869/?ICID=SN_04_118 don't list them.

jonny63 · Nov 7, 2015

Vanuatu 1-1 Fiji

Fiji scored in injury time

https://twitter.com/vanuafoot