Back to Forum

All Whites vs Haiti | Wed 3rd June | 12:00pm (NZT) | Fort Lauderdale

250 replies · 9,779 views

4 days ago

The Florida hot weather will dictate things. Hard to press for 90 mins in draining heat & humidity.
Thankfully it's going to be cooler in LA & Vancouver.

The squad may also be flogged in training right up until the Haiti game. Which is obviously not what you do in the buildup to the Iran match.
It could be wholesale changes at HT. Nearly the whole squad bar keepers, Bell, Thomas & Old could get mins on Wednesday.

As Baze mentions in that article whilst a result against the Haitians would be nice, the games folks will remember are the 3 WC pool matches.

The run on lineup verus England likely a better guide of who will start against Iran.

Permalink

4 days ago · edited 4 days ago · History

Honestly with only a two game build up, I don’t think they can mess around too much.

The results are not crucial but the minutes/combinations are.

Many of the players have also not exactly been rolling in recent games - Crocombe, Libby, Rufer, Singh.

They need to get minutes into these guys and combinations working for the top team.

It’s not like they have a four game build up like the last World Cup.

Auckland will rise once more

Permalink

Endorsed by

4 days ago

I think he will try and give everyone a run in this game and then maybe start the first 11 against England with lots of replacements in the second half.
Ideally they could have done with an earlier warmup game even against a local club side.
Im a bit worried about the lack of game time for some of our players.
There has been lots of comments about the heat and humidity and how thats going to impact the teams. Sustained high tempo 90 min pressing will be tough. As will expecting wide players to bomb up and down the sidelines all match. Substitutes will be very important.
The overall feeling is that possession based low tempo teams will do well.
Im picking Spain and maybe Argentina

Permalink

4 days ago · edited 4 days ago · History

These two warmups are in open air stadiums in sweltering Florida. No respite from the heat. They will be the toughest conditions the AWs play in, over the next few weeks. Hence you will likely see players subbed off earlier, than the actual WC matches.

SoFi Stadium in LA, where the AWs play Iran is super high tech (cost $US5 billion) and has a design that supposedly keeps it relatively cool.

The temps in Vancouver for the other two pool games will be max mid 20s.
We got lucky re venues, and the chance to press hard as long as possible.

Key Details About SoFi Stadium Temperature:

Design: It is a hybrid "indoor-outdoor" stadium with a fixed ETFE roof that provides shade and lets in light, but it is not a fully enclosed, air-conditioned dome.
Cooling Mechanism: The panels in the roof can open, and the sides are open, allowing for natural cross-breezes.
Performance: While it can feel 10 degrees cooler inside than outside on some days, the stadium can still get hot during intense California heat waves.

But yeah many of the other venues look like definitely being affected by the heat.

https://www.climatecentral.org/climate-matters/world-cup-stadiums

Extreme June-July heat is currently most common at stadiums in Miami, Mexico City, Houston, and Guadalajara.

Of the 16 World Cup stadiums, three are fully climate-controlled (Atlanta, Dallas, and Houston), and two have either passive cooling (Los Angeles) or a retractable roof without air conditioning (Vancouver). The 11 other stadiums are open-air.

Permalink

3 days ago

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/360986307/all-whites-matt-garbett-and-marko-stamenic-have-been-best-mates-years-now-theyre-going-fifa-world

Permalink

3 days ago

https://twitter.com/NZ_Football/status/2061586124099768410

https://twitter.com/NZ_Football/status/2061586124099768410

https://twitter.com/NZ_Football/status/2061509995594940902

https://twitter.com/NZ_Football/status/2061509995594940902

Permalink

3 days ago · edited 3 days ago · History

austin111 wrote:
Marto wrote:
Will this game and the England game be on TVNZ or Prime? Asking for those who are older and have big issues with Fifa+.
FIFA+ is moving/moved to DANZ. Apparently it will still be free....ha ha! When does FIFA give anything away for free?
You have to open an account with DANZ and then use your FIFA+ account id to access.
What could possibly go wrong.

TV Guide mag for next week confirms that the England game is also live at 7.50 am on TVNZ 2.
With these games also streaming on TVNZ+, no need to use FIFA+ if you want an online streaming or on demand option, though the Haiti game is also on FIFA+ tomorrow.
However the England game is not (probably due to rights issues - the England FA are unlikely to allow their national team games to be shown free on FIFA+)
These games and all All Whites World Cup games will also stream and be available on demand on for free on TVNZ+
As will the Football Ferns's two upcoming friendlies.
Funny how we're playing Haiti in women's footbball this week too.
TVNZ+ have been criticised recently for not showing Ferns matches.(including by Ferns players interviewed on the TV One news).
Football Ferns's match v. Haiti on Saturday at 4 am NZT (or on demand) and their match v Morocco on Wednes. 4 am:
TVNZ+ stream here:
https://www.tvnz.co.nz/sport/football
FIFA+ stream here:
https://www.dazn.com/en-NZ/competition/Competition:50kvbmxi5r9amj2e39hznggqj?tab=schedule

Accessing FIFA+ through DAZN is pretty straight forward:
If you already have a paid sub to DAZN it's part of the lineup.
If not, to get the free version of DAZN and only access FIFA+, go here:
https://www.dazn.com/en-NZ/competition/Competition:50kvbmxi5r9amj2e39hznggqj
Click on the tab "Sign up for free" and then either enter your email address and they will send you a code OR use your existing FIFA ID from using FIFA+ in the past.

Big Pete 65, Christchurch

Permalink

3 days ago · edited 3 days ago · History

I think the heat and the fact the squad maybe training intensely right up until today, means yes alot of the players will just get 45 mins in this game.

For the little it's worth at the moment, the starters look like being -

Crocs/AP, Cacace, Boxall/Bindon, Surman, Payne, Rufer, Stamenic, Singh, Just, McCowatt/Randall/Garbett and Wood

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/360986726/creator-behind-tim-payne-phenomenon-flying-watch-viral-all-whites-player

Bazeley can use 11 substitutes in the friendly and intends to make significant changes at halftime, including swapping in Max Crocombe for Alex Paulsen, as their battle to be the World Cup No 1 goes down to the wire.

While Joe Bell and Ryan Thomas are both sitting the match out, taking a risk-free approach after recent leg muscle issues, Ben Old is set to be available off the bench after being a late arrival into camp.

The main areas of intrigue around the starting lineup are at centre back, where Finn Surman is expected to start, but could be partnered by either Tyler Bindon or Michael Boxall, and on the left of the attacking midfield trio, where Matt Garbett, Callum McCowatt and Jesse Randall are the three contenders.

Permalink

Endorsed by

3 days ago · edited 3 days ago · History

Quick wrap on Haiti.
FIFA ranking 83rd with AWs 85th.

Their GK captain Placide is 38 years old, and his Bastia team just got relegated from Ligue Two in France. Old's St Etienne had a costly loss away in Bastia in the final few weeks

Looks like 32 yr old Duckens Nazon (76 caps, 44 goals) is their main threat. He plays with Esteghlal in Iran!!
So he might be a bit rusty, after no club football for 3 months. Maybe the IRG will fit him with a Go Pro! Hopefully no tourney ending tackles from him

They also have 31 yr old Frantzdy Pierrot (49 caps, 33 goals) who plays for Çaykur Rizespor in Turkish Super Liga.
Plus some MLS based guys in Toronto's Derrick Etienne Jr. (46 caps, 8 goals) and Dallas's Louicius Deedson (30 caps, 10 goals).

Then yeah some defenders based in Ligue 1 (France) plus Belgium.

Should be a tough enough test, in hot conditions. But then most of their squad like ours are based in cold European winter leagues.
Seems alot of them weren't even born in Haiti, but qualify through parents or grand parents.

On paper seems like we have higher quality depth (they have few in the USL 2nd tier Portugal, U23 type level), but who knows in a game that I don't think will be a huge pointer to how we will go in our pool games. More a first real stretch of the legs with lots of HT subs. Keeping the powder a bit dry for the England match, as the hard fitness training tapers off a bit in the WC run in?

Haiti had a bit of luck to qualify for the WC.

In the third round, Haiti would be grouped with Costa Rica, Honduras and Nicaragua in Group C. Haiti began the round by drawing with both Honduras and Costa Rica, and then defeating Nicaragua. However, a subsequent 3-0 loss to Honduras meant that Haiti would have needed to win both their remaining matches and have other group results go their way to qualify directly.

A 1-0 win over Costa Rica, followed by a 2-0 win over Nicaragua on the final matchday, combined with Honduras losing to Nicaragua and drawing with Costa Rica, meant that Haiti finished at the top of Group C, earning direct qualification to the tournament. This marked the country's second appearance in the FIFA World Cup, its first since 1974, breaking a 52-year drought.

The squad features the team’s key players: captain Johny Placide in goal, defensive stalwarts Ricardo Ade and Carlens Arcus, the latter enjoying a fine season in Ligue 1, the midfield duo of Leverton Pierre and Danley Jean Jacques and legendary striker Duckens Nazon.

Since qualification was secured, Migne and his staff have been trying to attract new players to bolster the ranks and bring additional experience. Josue Casimir and Wilson Isidor, both on the squad list, recently made their debuts, with the latter scoring his first international goal in the friendly 1-1 draw against Iceland in March.

Having come through the ranks at Paris Saint-Germain, Lenny Joseph is fresh from a season in which he scored 16 goals and provided 10 assists across all competitions with Ferencvaros (Hungary), and adds another dimension to an already formidable attacking line-up. The other two are Dominique Simon, who plays in Slovakia and will bolster the midfield, and Keeto Thermoncy, a 20-year-old centre-back who has taken part in youth team training camps and was given a one-minute appearance against Nicaragua.

They will join marksman Nazon, the national team’s all-time leading goalscorer with 44 goals in 76 appearances, and other attacking options like Frantzdy Pierrot, Louicius Deedson, Derrick Etienne Jr. and Ruben Providence.

Permalink

3 days ago

DAZN doesn’t rate us too badly for this one. But we shouldn’t be going too hard out, given it’s a warm up.

Permalink

Endorsed by

3 days ago

On paper Haiti have a stronger squad than us, having recruited several players since qualifying (some in recent months) of Haitian ancestry, especially from former colonial rulers France. While it is true that several players play in smaller leagues, just as our All Whites do, they have more players than us currently or previously playing in top European and UK leagues.
Two players played a lot of EPL this season for Sunderland and Wolves:
FW Wilson Isidor Sunderland - key striker in gaining promotion in 2025, played every game this season, one of Sunderland's top goal-scorers. Monaco youth product , a lot of experience in Russian Premier League. Switched to Haiti only in March - French age group international;
MF Jean‐Ricner Bellegarde Wolves - three seasons with Wolves (96 apps in all comps), preceded by five in Ligue 1 with Strasbourg,. Former French youth interntional;
DF Hannes Delcroix - played a season for Burnley in the EPL but most of his career has been spent in the Belgian, Dutch and Swiss top flights.
Several players with a lot of Ligue 1 / Ligue two experience, including:
GK Johny Placide (captain) - Six seasons in Ligue 1 with Le Havre, Reims and Guingamp; nine in Ligue 2 with Le Havre and Bastia;
DF Carlens Arcus - three seasons in Ligue 1 with Troyes and Angers (a regular starter the last two seasons); before that, two seasons in with Vitesse in the Dutch Erediviie where he played every game; 162 games for Auxerre in Ligue 2;
DF Jean-Kévin Duverne - last two sesons in the Belgian top flight (Kortrijk and Gent) preceded by six seasons in Ligue 1 with Brest and Nantes.
FW Josué Casimir - last three seasons in Ligue 1 with Auxerre and Le Havre (80 appearances)
MF Danley Jean Jacques - two seasons with Metz in Ligue 1 (regular starter) before two seasons with Philadelphia Union in MLS.
Major League Soccer:
Three players currently there, the most appearances being by:
FW Derrick Etienne Jr. - more than 200 games in MLS for NY Red Bulls, Columbus, Atlanta, Toronto

Big Pete 65, Christchurch

Permalink

Endorsed by

3 days ago

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/360968362/fifa-world-cup-2026-live-latest-updates-our-reporters-ground-all-whites

All Whites coach Darren Bazeley speaks to Stuff ahead of Haiti match

The All Whites' bring the first phase of their World Cup campaign to an end when they play Haiti in a friendly at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida at 8pm on Tuesday night local time – 12pm on Wednesday NZ time

After a short press conference at the team hotel on Monday (attended by me and one local reporter), I got a chance to speak to All Whites coach Darren Bazeley one on one. Here's what he had to say.

On coming together with a full-strength squad…

“It's been a good start for us. We had a group training in Miami for seven to 10 days – those guys that didn't have clubs to train or play at, that were missing football. We got a group together and we had a good period of time with them, which was beneficial for those guys.

"Then everybody drip fed in from the 27th really, when they finished their seasons. That's the best time, when they all come together. Those first few days of them meeting and greeting each other when they hadn't seen each other for a while.

“We've almost got everybody fully fit. We've had lots of windows through the last two years with missing players. [Chris] Woodsy missing, Libby [Cacace] missing; Marko [Stamenić], Joe [Bell], Ryan Thomas – people missing in different windows. Everybody's here. We're still getting a couple of people through the next week [Bell and Thomas], but everybody's here in camp together for the first time and it's great.

“We're in a good room upstairs [at the team hotel] where everybody's around each other a lot of the time, through meal times and relaxation times, and it's good catching up with everybody.”

On their first four days of training…

“The first few days it was almost just checking in on how they are. We hadn't seen them for a while. We're guided by our experts – our S&C and medical departments – around, you know, what they can do in training, the loadings. They want to push them – and it's a way of us checking where they're at currently.

“Some players missed quite a lot of football, when you look at Libby and Sarpreet [Singh] and even [Matt] Garbett – players that haven't played so much in the last few months. It's enabled us to test them a little bit, push them a little bit, and acclimatise to this type of weather and get the journey out of their legs.

"So far, I've been pretty impressed with the intensity at training.

“When you look through this squad, they all want to play. They all obviously wanted to be selected in the squad, but now they're here, they want to be in the starting lineup, and that gives us lots of challenges. We've got some really tough decisions around that.

“For now with this Haiti game it gives us a chance to give a lot of people minutes, and I suppose that is an opportunity for them to push themselves forward when we get to those tougher decisions around those bigger games."

On the competitiveness…

"I think we learn something every day. We're lucky now, because everything's videoed. This afternoon we'll sit and watch the whole training session again and code it, and really look into it, and then feed back to the players some of the clips that we've seen from training, and it gives us some conversation starters to talk to the boys.

"I thought training was of a really high standard. It was really competitive and I feel like they know we're here to now go and perform at a World Cup, and some of them are really saying, I want to put my best foot forward here, pick me, which is great to see, but they're good team-mates as well. You put probably any footballers on a small-sided pitch together and they're going to try and win, and that's good."

On what can be read into the starting XI and minutes played v Haiti…

“It's a cliche that coaches say – don't read anything into this lineup – because you're always looking at things.

"This is an opportunity for a starting XI to go and play. We'll make a lot of subs at halftime, because we do want to give people opportunities. We do want to protect some players in regards to minutes, and we do want some players to get some minutes.

"It's a good programme for us, our build up in our training, and then these games. This game and then England should give us a good platform to build minutes and give an opportunity for players to push themselves forward and make it a tougher conversation when we get towards that Iran fixture."

On the battle to be the starting goalkeeper…

“It will be a half each against Haiti [for Max Crocombe and Alex Paulsen]. We've already spoken to the guys. Alex will start, and then Max will come on. They're both fully aware. We've been talking to them pretty regularly.

“At some stage, we're going to have to make a tough decision. They know that. Right now, we don't have to and we're going to let them both have an opportunity to play.

“It won't all be on how they play against Haiti. We've obviously got an England game to come and a lot of training.

They're both very good goalkeepers. Personally, I'm actually really happy with either of them.

“We know we're going to have to make a decision at some stage, but we can say that throughout the team. When we look at our centre backs, we've got really good options, [we've got really good] attacking midfield options. We're pretty blessed with the quality of players and people that we have to select from.”

Permalink

3 days ago

https://www.friendsoffootballnz.com/2026/06/02/new-zealands-opponents-haiti-10-things-you-might-want-to-know/

New Zealand’s opponents Haiti: 10 things you might want to know

Haiti will face New Zealand’s All Whites in Florida as part of both teams’ preparations for the FIFA Men’s World Cup.

Known as Ayiti in Haitian Creole, the Caribbean nation have qualified for the World Cup for only the second time and will bring strong local support to the fixture.

Here are 10 things you might want to know about Haiti.

1. It could feel like a home game

New Zealand’s match against Haiti will be played at Inter Miami CF Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

More than 500,000 people of Haitian descent live in Florida, meaning the atmosphere could strongly favour Haiti.

However, All White Tim Payne went viral on social media in the last week. With millions of new followers, with the majority from Latin America, it’s anyone’s guess what the stadium atmosphere will be.

The All Whites also played at the same venue in November 2025 against Colombia.

Permalink

3 days ago · edited 2 days ago · History

Good synopsis of Haiti coochiee & Big Pete. I’m looking forward to tonight’s friendly. Not sure how the match will go (I never read too much into pre-tournament friendlies at this stage), but I recon the AWs are the better side.

That said, Haiti are a huge pain in the ass for Canada (my side) perpetually. They’re big, fast, physical and aggressive. They’re a bogey team for Canadian age group teams over the years and turned over a 0-2 lead at the Gold Cup in 2019.

This era of the squad was always a very organized and familiar back four (Arcus-Ade-Delcroix-Experience, though now I think Lacroix is likely to start at LB), a very aggressive and physical midfield and then Nazon and Pierrot banging in goals up front. You get them in Port-au-Prince in sweltering heat and humidity and playing on a dodgy artificial surface where they’re all over second balls and 50-50s, it’s hard to play quickly through their pressure with the ball bobbling all over and it’s a long day for any opponent. It amazes me that they qualified without playing at home at all. I couldn’t believe Honduras and Costa Rica bottled qualification so badly and Haiti prevailed even without any kind of home field advantage.

They have added a number of played with Haitian ancestry, so the dynamic of this group has evolved in the last 12 months or so. Pierrot is a huge unit, just a massive target man and Nazon plays off of him, but now they have Isidor from Sunderland to play up top and Lenny Joseph (who can play on the wing) too. I really hope Nazon and Pierrot get plenty of time paired with Isidor. They were down 2-0 at half in Costa Rica and it looked like they were done and Nazon bagged a second half hat trick to kick their qualification campaign into gear. Nazon and Pierrot don't have the club pedigree of some of their attackers, but I would back them to be just as effective if not more so.

Deedson and Etienne Jr give them pace on the wings, though Casimir on the right and Joseph on the left may be preferred in the tournament. In the midfield, Bellegarde from Wolves adds more class and Jean-Jacques is tireless.

Johnny Placide is 38 and he’s seen it all with Haiti. The FA f’ed up and didn’t get his US visa sorted and he missed the return leg in Chicago against Canada in the 2022 qualifiers (yes Canada played its home qualifier in Chicago due to COVID restrictions). I’m really pleased for him in particular that they qualified.

Permalink

Endorsed by

2 days ago · edited 2 days ago · History

Haiti as a country has a very tragic history. Now huge parts of it are basically run by gangs with terrible consequences. The UN force in there woefully ineffective

If for a few weeks Haitians can take their minds off the grinding poverty and violence, through the joy of football that’s a good thing

Permalink

Endorsed by

2 days ago

Not today but in the World Cup they will be one of my second teams to support.

Auckland will rise once more

Permalink

Endorsed by

2 days ago

coochiee wrote:
Haiti as a country has a very tragic history. Now huge parts of it are basically run by gangs with terrible consequences. The UN force in their woefully ineffective

If for a few weeks Haitians can take their minds off the grinding poverty and violence, through the joy of football that’s a good thing

Not sure if this made headlines around the world, but in March of 2021, the Belize squad had their bus stopped and they were held at gunpoint until the police were able to negotiate their safe passage with the bandits:

https://x.com/Nicocantor1/status/1374184339156652033?

Not only did that match go ahead, but Canada had to play there in June of 2021 with our qualification on the line. Thankfully the trip went off without incident, but Haiti hasn't played at home since.

It's a real shame for the Haitian people who deserve better. As you say, hopefully the joy of being back on the world's stage for a few weeks anyway. Even those living abroad - many of whom have been vilified for no reason - deserve this opportunity to feel pride in where they're from and who they are.

Permalink

Endorsed by

2 days ago

I'm guessing Rufer will play a big part in this game, with Bell and Thomas out.

The coach loves Garbett so I can see him starting with Just and Wood.

Permalink

2 days ago

Elemenop wrote:
I'm guessing Rufer will play a big part in this game, with Bell and Thomas out.

The coach loves Garbett so I can see him starting with Just and Wood.

Not quite ...

Good line-up though.

I know, I know, its serious!

Permalink

Endorsed by

2 days ago

Big chance for Roofs to showcase himself. Happy to see both Libby, Sarpreet & Bindon start. They all need playing time.

Tyler B hasn't played for a few months now, and he's too good a player not to somehow get ample mins this WC.

Permalink

Endorsed by

2 days ago

Possible delayed kick-off due to lightening strikes in the area:
https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/360973503/live-all-whites-v-haiti-fifa-world-cup-warm-match-florida

USA - a land of extremes in so many ways.....

Big Pete 65, Christchurch

Permalink

Endorsed by

2 days ago

It seems like a very attacking team!
Wonder if we’ll miss McCowatt’s pressing and running.

Will Tommy Smith get any minutes?

Feels like this could be a rollercoaster and a lot will depend on Singh to control ball movement and speed..

Permalink

Endorsed by

2 days ago

Stuff live link above: have a vote on match outcome:

What is your prediction?

All Whites win

66%

Haiti win

11%

Draw

23%

355 votes

Ends in one day

Big Pete 65, Christchurch

Permalink

2 days ago

With the absence of big boppers such as Bell and Thomas I don't hate it. As mentioned above good for guys who have been out of club football for a while to get some minutes. Just hope we don't have any FInland-esque jitters. Hoping we pick up where we left off against Chile.

Permalink

Endorsed by

2 days ago

Big Pete 65 wrote:
Stuff live link above: have a vote on match outcome:

What is your prediction?
All Whites win
66%
Haiti win
11%
Draw
23%
355 votes
·
Ends in one day

I think a lot of people are under estimating the opposition. It won't be easy.

Permalink

Endorsed by

2 days ago

Anyone else getting DAZN coverage issues?
There yesterday gone today?

Permalink

2 days ago

martinb wrote:
Anyone else getting DAZN coverage issues?
There yesterday gone today?

I've got visual but no audio.

Permalink

2 days ago

martinb wrote:
Anyone else getting DAZN coverage issues?
There yesterday gone today?

As someone else sarcastically said FIFA+ moving to DAZN pre World Cup what could go wrong!

MartinB - I've gone and joined TVNZ+
https://www.tvnz.co.nz/sport

Permalink

2 days ago

Gordinho wrote:
martinb wrote:
Anyone else getting DAZN coverage issues?
There yesterday gone today?
I've got visual but no audio.

Update - now have audio.

Permalink

2 days ago

Match delayed apparently?

Permalink

2 days ago

martinb wrote:
Match delayed apparently?

Yep - lightning pre-game. Now 12.35

Permalink

Endorsed by

2 days ago

coochiee wrote:
martinb wrote:
Anyone else getting DAZN coverage issues?
There yesterday gone today?
As someone else sarcastically said FIFA+ moving to DAZN pre World Cup what could go wrong!

MartinB - I've gone and joined TVNZ+
https://www.tvnz.co.nz/sport

I knew it. I had a relaxed feeling that finally ‘investing’ in these sport coverage apps had paid off…should have seen this coming!

But hopefully it’s the delayed game thing and they’ll have it soon…

Permalink

2 days ago · edited 2 days ago · History

Kickoff in the FIFA World Cup warm-up match between the All Whites and Haiti at Inter Miami Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida was delayed due to lightning in the area.
The game will kick off at 12.35pm NZ time.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
This is going to be a regular occurance during the WC.
Happened a lot during last year's Club World Cup with long delays due to electrical storms.....
"A total of six matches in the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 experienced significant delays due to severe weather, torrential rain, and the threat of lightning. These storm-related interruptions lasted anywhere from 40 minutes to two hours.

Specific matches affected by the adverse weather included:

Ulsan HD vs. Mamelodi Sundowns (Orlando): Delayed for 65 minutes.
Red Bull Salzburg vs. CF Pachuca (Cincinnati): Delayed for 97 minutes.
SE Palmeiras vs. Al Ahly (East Rutherford): Delayed for 40 minutes.
S.L. Benfica vs. Auckland City FC (Orlando): Delayed for 120 minutes.
Auckland City FC vs. Boca Juniors (Nashville): Delayed for 50 minutes.
S.L. Benfica vs. Chelsea FC (Charlotte): Delayed for 120 minutes

Interesting article in World Soccer Magazine post Club World Cup last year about all the problems playing in the USA at this time of year.
Extreme weather a major issue - even players from the warmer Mediterranean countries described it as the toughest conditions they'd ever played in, the often hot and humid conditions in open stadia being a problem too.
Plus many players said that the pitches were crap.

Big Pete 65, Christchurch

Permalink

2 days ago

"US stadium and FIFA policy:
Generally, a 30-minute mandatory delay follows a lightning strike within an approximately 13 to 16km radius. Every subsequent flash sets off a new half-hour pause."
Oh, dear....
Lets hope there's no more lightening today, although it is Florida...

Big Pete 65, Christchurch

Permalink

2 days ago · edited 2 days ago · History

Broadcast just starting on TV 2
All Whites entering stadium live just now...
English commentator.
Big Haitian crowd!

Big Pete 65, Christchurch

Permalink

2 days ago

Chris Wood to the top of the tree in all time appearances for the AW's (89) 👏

Goes past Ivan Vicelich (88).

Permalink

Endorsed by

2 days ago

Huge Haitian crowd. Awesome to see!

I have an amazing ability to find my way out of mazes. I'm pathological.

Permalink

2 days ago

we look a bit rusty so far. Thy look better with the ball than us so far... early days.

Permalink

2 days ago

I understand taking it slow due to the conditions and not wanting to risk anything before the big dance but we've looked like ass the first 10 minutes. Lots of that worrying aimless in possession stuff that's plagued us in previous windows.