All Whites V New Caledonia Fri 7pm

On reflection, being 2-0, Ricki may hold out until 70th minute before going to bench.

68' A pass from Georges Gope-Fenepej to Jacques Haeko but the New Zealand defense clears the ball.

From Buffy. 

http://jay.mx/andyharpergame/

3rd yellow card for NZ.

Sarah Millican on Graham Norton show - funniest Geordie since Gazza.

2' YELLOW CARD Winston Reid is cautioned for New Zealand.

73' The Cesar Lolohea's cross finds the Paston's gloves.

75' SUBSTITUTION Michael McGlinchey is replaced by Tim Payne for New Zealand.

80' The Shane Smeltz's cross finds Jeremy Brockie at the second who shoots but he misses the target.

81' SUBSTITUTION Jeremy Brockie is replaced by Kosta Barbarouses for New Zealand and Jeremie Dokunengo is replaced by Miguel Kayara for New Caledonia.

wonder if there will be a late flurry of goals?

steady as she goes,lads

84' Free kick for New Caledonia, Miguel Kayara takes it but straight into the wall.

I posted on FIFA before the match that we were going to win 3-0, heres hoping for some wizardry

4 mins extra time - jesus

Raging at this, just quietly. Whats the bet he gets a yellow in the next game too?

90' Four minutes additional time.

90+1' YELLOW CARD Dominique Wacalie is cautioned for New Caledonia.

I suppose in hindsight, first match of the campaign, away, it's probably more important to get the win.  But I'd like to see these guys getting game time, we need to introduce younger guys in the midfield.

Actually, scratch that - let's begin by introducing a midfield

Sets up Tuesday night nicely with Solomons winning.

Thank fuck for that.

90+2' SUBSTITUTION Chris Wood is replaced by Marco Rojas for New Zealand.

90+2' Georges Gope-Fenepej shoots but he misses the target.

The referee whistles the end of the game.

No world cup qualifying win away from home is to be sniffed at. Good result. Hope we get some highlights

I have to ask - Bertos and Lochhead over Rojas and Kosta? I can get the Ivan thing but these two? 

Pleasing start to the weekend.

No to search jigh and low for H/Ls.

The first two provide us with much more defensive cover.

After that result we must be good enough to win the world cup.

I just find it weird that he continues to play a guy from the NZFC in midfield in Vicelich, but he steadfastly will not go to that league to look for a Right Back.  He obviously finds it very difficult to drop people who have done a job for him previously.

Leo, for example, can't get into the Phoenix team but is immovable for the AWs

Yeah, I'm just saying well played fielding experienced players over youth. Like you say he doesn't want to change the formation but that is largely due to the fact he doesn't have a right back he can trust to do the job. If you don't have a proven player it IS risky to play someone there in these games. Every player he put out there tonight he knows he could trust to do their job.

Vicelich is playing ASBP now but his experience is far beyond that. Give me a RB that has that has that experience in the ASBP. He doesn't exist. Herbert knows Vicelich won't put a foot wrong.

I'm not always a huge fan of Herbert's work but I'm saying here that it is the right call to play his experienced players in big games. The future is bright for NZ football but right now our good young players still aren't polished enough or experienced enough to be relied on just yet. They also probably haven't quite found their place in 'Herberts style' yet which also translates to Herbert doesn't know how to unitlise them, yet (he says hopefully).

Same reason he persisted on wheeling out Simon Elliot in his zimmer frame when a win (or not a loss) was vital. 

TopLeft - that's all correct, but at some stage pragmatism has to be overtaken by picking a team that can win the play-off and not just beat the island nations as well as looking to the future.  It's hard to judge until we see the team and game plan for Tuesday.

But I'd like to see some different players getting some opportunities, especially in midfield - even as substitutes.  Vicelich is 36!  

Also, the nickname for the Solomons of the "Bonitos" is awesome!

You are possibly fishing and I am probably falling for it.... and i know you are traditionaly a doomsdayer but you are being chief reporter for the doom post....

I beleive Bertos played in 27 games last season.. and i think we managed to play 29 games in total...

To me that constitutes being able to get inro the Phoenix team

Perhaps I should have said as a winger and I'm talking about this season.  I don't think he's first choice  

I'm basing that on his potential move to RB for the Phoenix (he wouldn't be tried there I would have thought if he was 1st choice elsewhere)...plus we now have Brockie who could well start from wide right.

I just look at two starting Premiership backs and a Championship one and ask "is that not enough??

In two years time, it won't be Bertos and Lochhead because of age. You stay in the team at that age if you have outstanding pedigree/quality/performance or there is no one else. Nelsen will, Elliott never played a bad game for NZ despite his age and Ivan hasn't either. While its hard to speculate, I can't say that that Bertos and Lochhead will fit into that because I don't feel they are the same quality. Plus add an extra 2 years to both Rojas and Kosta, I would assume they would well over take them.

Not ragging on Bertos on Lochhead because they are good footballers but I can't see them starting in '14. Build that team now and I suspect Keat for Ivan is the same. The 8 plus the 3 mentioned before should in theory be a starting team in '14.

Agree

video highlights anywhere?

Highlights:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0IIw0TA86Y&feature=g-u-u

Looked pretty comfortable

So was that footage produced by the OFC?

Can someone remind me why that couldn't have been streamed on the Internet?