All Whites

NZ All Whites secure grand final spot in OFC

New Caledonians gave All whites a tough battle until a penalty in the 48th minute right after time broke the deadlock.

Woods fired a banana kick just outside the 18 yards over the NCL  defence that slipped off the goal keepers hands and into the net behind.

New Zealand now secures the first spot for the finals as they await the winner of Papua New Guinea and Solomon Island encounter tonight at the Sir John Guise Stadium in Port Moresby.

Wood excited by PNG challenge

The 24-year-old, who was the youngest member of New Zealand’s 2010 FIFA World Cup squad in South Africa, says playing in the Oceania region is never easy.

“Island football is something you can only experience yourself, people usually don’t realise how difficult it can be until they try it.

“With the heat and the pitches it’s totally different from everything you experienced before as a professional,” Wood says.

“You have to adjust to it and take different measures, but it’s always a great campaign and I’m looking forward to it.”

Reid honoured at NZFMA awards

All Whites captain and West Ham defender Winston Reid has been named New Zealand Player of the Year at a football awards dinner on Friday.

The accolade was announced at Auckland Grammar School during the Friends of Football’s Celebration of Excellence dinner, held in conjunction with the New Zealand Football Media Association awards.

The highlight of the evening were tributes to All Whites greats Steve Sumner and Brian Turner.

NZ Football files appeal over expulsion from Olympic qualification tournament

The All Whites were thrown out of the competition in Papua New Guinea’s capital after a protest made by semi-final opponents Vanuatu over the eligibility of South African-born Deklan Wynne was upheld at a disciplinary hearing on July 12.

Vanuatu, who were handed a 3-0 walkover win despite succumbing to a 2-0 defeat in their last-four encounter, went on to play Fiji in the final later that same day, losing 4-3 on penalties at the Sir Hubert Murray Stadium.

Big World Cup hurdle for Oceania

The draw in St Petersburg has pitted the Oceania winners against the fifth-placed South American nation in an intercontinental play-off for a berth in the 2018 tournament.

Two-time World Cup winners Uruguay have finished fifth in the last four South American qualifying competitions and taken part in an intercontinental play-off on each occasion.

Last time around, with the likes of star strikers Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani in their side, they beat Jordan 5-0 on aggregate to get to the World Cup in Brazil.