WCQ Final All Whites v New Caledonia | Mon 24th Mar | 7:00pm | Eden Park

Thoroughly fired up for us to get to the bloody world cup!

It looks as if the grass put over the cricket pitch is sitting higher than the rest of the grass.

Surely not and it's just the way it looks on camera, but it looks like a mat would on top of carpet

Mccowatt has to score there..

Decent sized crowd. Kiwis much much taller side....get it launched

Monto

Thoroughly fired up for us to get to the bloody world cup!

bloody oath

Ref is a bit crap

Thought handball at first but no, good clearance NC

Players are running heavy, the pitch doesn't seem ideal. Lots of slip during the cricket too..

To my mind this would be a near perfect match for Rufer

We need a goal. I don’t want this to be zero zero at 60 mins 

Joe bell looks pretty shark out there imo. Not controlling proceedings at all.

You know how everyone says where were you when Rory nodded in that header against Bahrain?

Get ready for where were you when it went to extra time 120 minutes against New Caleodnia and then Ben Waine sacked it in the penalties?

NC one pass away from scoring.

Boxall out of position twice now, way too hesitant. Needs to sort it out

This is Baze ball.

We will get smacked in the World Cup… If we make it.

Not liking this at all

This is actually a bit crap from us. 

Come on lads, fudgeing get into it!

Oh my.  Wood

Looks like we are back to only be able to score from a set piece 

One hell of a night to have an off game

Wood is having a ‘mare

Fudge these commentators are shark. Stop going on about their local NZ football clubs (who gives a fudge) and also saying they are playing in front of a full house. Just demonstrates how shark you are 

What's a goin on? I thought we woz flat track bullies?

To be fair NC are a shark load better than Fiji. Capable of passing it around.

Watching with sound off

Who’s co comms and is he blind? How is this a full house? Decent contest this though, hadn’t realised it was on tv.

AW's not great but it's more of a case of being overconfident and knowing they're in control. So the intensity and concentration are lacking slightly.

I would hook Garbett and McCowatt at half time and bring on Just and Kosta. 

It’s dire at the moment. 

AucklandPhoenix

Fudge these commentators are shark. Stop going on about their local NZ football clubs (who gives a fudge) and also saying they are playing in front of a full house. Just demonstrates how shark you are 

 
That’s Piney. Just a continuous train of utter bullsh!t useless facts and literally talks about every kick of the ball.

He comes from radio but still hasn’t understood we can actually see what’s happening when the game is on tv..

Get Garbett off. Absolute rubbish so far tonight.

How was there no time several seconds left. 

This is really interesting as both sides seem to be quite freaked out. NZ that its not coming together and clicking, and NC that they are 45 minutes in and more than still in it. Very keen to see which of the two sides has the mental resolve to rise above in the second half.

Our only saving grace so far is New Caledonia seem to be doing their finest Phoenix circa 2024/25 impression in the final third.

Baz was all smiles as we missed a couple of opportunities early on.

It’s not going to be all smiles and giggles if we bottle this 

Absolutely shocking. 

We play like we did on Bazes first game....🙂

Feels like a game for someone like Rogerson or Just from a bit further out. Just injured though? 

Missing FDV and Mata on the corners huh. We’re looking a bit tired and lacking zip. 

New Caledonia look fairly competent technically, some great desperate defending and some good discipline so far. 

0-0 at half time was not on my bingo card

The only decent player for us on the ball tonight has been Bindon 

If the boys don't pick up their act, NC will become more buoyant, park the bus in defence and aim for penalties!!
That is when I will be checking my blood pressure.

I shouldn't type this, but didn't Sotiro once use his speed to score on the counter for the Nix in Mt Eden?

And yeah as per martinB it does feel a game where Just coming infield, and pinging a curling shot off that left foot would be handy. Something different to what's happening out there. Yes also in Rogerson's armoury to be that hero from distance.

We could have had a couple from corners already.  And are playing a side with a fairly low block and a decent enough transition, so we are careful not to overcomit.

Plus there could have been a red (on Payne) and two yellows on Singh already that haven't been called. So pro players being a little careful to avoid injury in a game that we should get ahead in without taking that sort of risk.

Makes it a bit messy in open play.