All Whites, Ferns, and other international teams

All Whites vs Ivory Coast | Sun 8th June | 11:00am (NZT) | BMO Field (Toronto, Canada)

300 replies · 15,330 views
10 months ago
Actually after I posted, I checked. There is no FIFA+ app I can download in the LG app store. So all I can do on the big TV is watch the FIFA channel through TVNZ+...
I might need to watch through my computer and cast to the tv. Quite annoying...

VUW AFC - Victoria University Football for life

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10 months ago · edited 10 months ago · History
https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/360709432/why-all-whites-world-cup-qualifying-hero-michael-boxalls-place-under-pressure

Matt Garbett’s lack of club playing time is set to leave him as a bench option only, while Sarpreet Singh wasn’t used by his Portuguese second-tier club in the final weeks of the season, as he had broken a bone in his hand and they didn’t want to risk him falling on it.

He is set to be fine to play some part for the All Whites, but is likely also to be restricted, with Elijah Just, Callum McCowatt and Ben Old shaping as a potential starting trio in that area of the pitch.
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10 months ago
I find it works better connecting your computer to your TV with an HDMI cable. 
newzealandpower
Actually after I posted, I checked. There is no FIFA+ app I can download in the LG app store. So all I can do on the big TV is watch the FIFA channel through TVNZ+...
I might need to watch through my computer and cast to the tv. Quite annoying...
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10 months ago
Foreshadowing of who is starting right back? When you look at the numbers on the tops Elliot has 2 and Tuiloma has 23
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10 months ago
I thought it was odd that the All Whites were training on turf at Varsity Stadium (though it is very centrally located in the city centre), but now it looks like they're out at Downsview at Toronto FC's facilities (which is where Ukraine has been training). 

It looks like Diallo has pulled out of the CIV side and was replaced by Emmanuel Latte Lath from Atlanta in MLS.
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10 months ago
Singhs hand is still heavily wrapped.
Waine is looking very lean, so despite not getting any game time, he clearly has been doing the mahi.
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10 months ago
juneof86
I thought it was odd that the All Whites were training on turf at Varsity Stadium (though it is very centrally located in the city centre), but now it looks like they're out at Downsview at Toronto FC's facilities (which is where Ukraine has been training). 

It looks like Diallo has pulled out of the CIV side and was replaced by Emmanuel Latte Lath from Atlanta in MLS.

Is it a series of double headers at BMO Field?

ie will we effectively play both our games as an entree, before the main course Canada matches in each instance kick off later?
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10 months ago
coochiee
juneof86
I thought it was odd that the All Whites were training on turf at Varsity Stadium (though it is very centrally located in the city centre), but now it looks like they're out at Downsview at Toronto FC's facilities (which is where Ukraine has been training). 

It looks like Diallo has pulled out of the CIV side and was replaced by Emmanuel Latte Lath from Atlanta in MLS.

Is it a series of double headers at BMO Field?

ie will we effectively play both our games as an entree, before the main course Canada matches in each instance kick off later?
We play after Canada on Sunday and before them on Wednesday (NZT)
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10 months ago · edited 10 months ago · History
Be interesting to see if many of the locals stay around for us as the 2nd game on Sunday. Are Canadians just too polite to get up & walk out?

I guess you are getting a chance to see one of the EPL's best strikers live.





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10 months ago · edited 10 months ago · History
Sounds like it will remain a back 4, despite any reservations about Elliott/Tuiloma.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MsZwfAI8Gs






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10 months ago
Are Canadians just too polite to get up & walk out?

If they boo our national anthem we know we’re in trouble.
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10 months ago
Anyone know if the game will be on the TVNZ app FIFA+ channel they have?  
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10 months ago
I don't think many will stay for the second match. I would, but I'm not a normal supporter. I find it quite odd that Canada is the early match on Saturday.

The weather looks like it's going to unseasonably cool and around 23 at kickoff. Can't ask for much better than that. There are some serious wildfires in my neck of the woods. The smoke hasn't been an issue in Toronto but could be on Friday. I don't think it will be anything worth worrying about, but I thought I would mention it since they had an air quality advisory for the morning.
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10 months ago · edited 10 months ago · History
Yes some quite extensive coverage of the Canadian wild fires here on SBS Australia. 
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10 months ago
LFCNZ
Anyone know if the game will be on the TVNZ app FIFA+ channel they have?  

Don't think so. Raised this earlier in the thread and it seems like the FIFA+ mobile app and website content are rather different to what you can get on th TVNZ FIFA channel.

Speaking of which, I realised I have to take team pics for my son's football team as I'm the coach and that's at 12 so I'll miss the game. Does anyone know if they chuck replays up on FIFA+ and, if so, how soon after the game ends?

VUW AFC - Victoria University Football for life

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10 months ago
newzealandpower
LFCNZ
Anyone know if the game will be on the TVNZ app FIFA+ channel they have?  

Don't think so. Raised this earlier in the thread and it seems like the FIFA+ mobile app and website content are rather different to what you can get on th TVNZ FIFA channel.

Speaking of which, I realised I have to take team pics for my son's football team as I'm the coach and that's at 12 so I'll miss the game. Does anyone know if they chuck replays up on FIFA+ and, if so, how soon after the game ends?
The Ferns game, a 4AM kickoff, was available as a replay around 7AM, which was when I first checked.
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10 months ago
coochiee
Sounds like it will remain a back 4, despite any reservations about Elliott/Tuiloma.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MsZwfAI8Gs






I think a back 3 would be great. Unleash Libby!!!
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10 months ago
FIFA+ ad saying its Friday 7 June local time... awkward
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10 months ago
they do, and usually pretty quickly after, probably within a couple hours of full time 
newzealandpower
LFCNZ
Anyone know if the game will be on the TVNZ app FIFA+ channel they have?  

Don't think so. Raised this earlier in the thread and it seems like the FIFA+ mobile app and website content are rather different to what you can get on th TVNZ FIFA channel.

Speaking of which, I realised I have to take team pics for my son's football team as I'm the coach and that's at 12 so I'll miss the game. Does anyone know if they chuck replays up on FIFA+ and, if so, how soon after the game ends?
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10 months ago · edited 10 months ago · History
Adingra will be a challenge for Elliott or Tuiloma.

https://www.friendsoffootballnz.com/2025/06/07/new-zealands-opponents-cote-divoire-10-things-you-might-want-to-know/

Most recent match line-up
In their last match, against Gambia  in March 2025, the Côte d’Ivoire line-up was:

Yahia Fofana (Angers), Ousmane Diomande (Sporting Lisbon), Wilfred Singo (Monaco), Hassane Kamara (Udinese), Jean-Philippe Ghamin (Zurich), Franck Kessié  (captain) (Al Ahli-Saudi Arabia), Mohamed Diomande (Rangers), Ibrahim Sangaré (Nottingham Forest), Simon Adingra (Brighton), Nicolas Pépé (Villareal), Sebastien Haller (Utrecht, on loan).

Fofana, Kamara, Pépé and Haller were all born in France, and all but Pépé played for France at age-group level.


Champions of Africa
Côte d’Ivoire are the current African Nations Cup champions after beating Nigeria 2-1 in February 2024 in the final in Abidjan. They became the first host country since Egypt in 2006 to lift the trophy.

They won the tournament the hard way, making the last 16 as one of the best third-placed teams.

Goalscoring hero in the final win against Nigeria was Sébastien Haller, who the year before had recovered from testicular cancer.

All Whites captain Chris Wood’s Nottingham Forest teammates Willy Boly and Ibrahim Sangaré were in the Ivorian squad. Captain Serge Aurier was also a Nottingham Forest player at the time, but has since moved to Galatasaray in Turkey.


A history with penalty shootouts
If the All Whites draw with Côte d’Ivoire after 90 minutes, the match will go straight to penalties.

If that’s the case, Côte d’Ivoire have a love/hate relationship with shootouts.

Having won the 1992 African Nations Cup after a 21-penalty tiebreaker, Côte d’Ivoire also needed spot kicks to win their second title.

In 2015, in Equatorial Guinea, they again beat Ghana on penalties in the final but this time by 9-8.

However, they were eliminated by penalty shootouts in 2006 and 2012.


A New Zealand link
Striker Eugène Dadi played two internationals for Côte d’Ivoire, and played club football in nine countries, including  Côte d’Ivoire, Switzerland, France, Austria, Scotland, England, Israel, Australia and New Zealand.

He had a 10-game stint with the Wellington Phoenix in 2010, scoring five goals. One of the goals was a spectacular bicycle kick, nominated for the A-League’s Goal of the Season.

Now retired from football, Dadi has worked as an actor in Austria and owns his own fashion label.


Breaking new ground
Whatever the result, Sunday’s game in Toronto will be the first full international played between New Zealand and Côte d’Ivoire.

Of 12 African Confederation nations, Côte d’Ivoire is the only one that has not played New Zealand.

In 18 matches against CAF teams, New Zealand have won two (against Gambia and Ghana), and drawn six.
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10 months ago




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10 months ago
Obviously massive underdogs in the matches ahead, but looking forward to this, including against Poland and Norway.

Regardless of the results, always a great occasion for our men and women when we play opposition of this calibre. Good for the game and builds up national team experience and exposure for the youngsters, which couldn't come at a more crucial time.

Two absolute smashings by Ivory Coast and Ukraine though, the pressure continues to pile on Bazeley and there should start to be some serious considerations around him.

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10 months ago
Huge game for the AWs. The Ivory Coast are a very difficult opposition. They are physically imposing, have great technical skill and are very athletic. They do like playing into space. Deny them that space and you could frustrate them. The AWs will have to be compact and well organised and not turn over any ball in dangerous positons. Im going for IC 2-0
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10 months ago
Is the canada game on fifa plus? 
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10 months ago
Sorry i mean CAN  v UKR
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10 months ago
Oh sorry, not sure, not from what I could see!
JasperNix
Sorry i mean CAN  v UKR
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10 months ago
Not surprised at all that Tuiloma starts, Baze is quite predictable. Could get ugly down that side of the field for us
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10 months ago
All I want from this game is to see us play well and as a unit, and I’d love a goal. We’ve been toothless up top for a while. Cant wait for kick off.
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10 months ago · edited 10 months ago · History
Barba starts. Wood on the pine.
A Bindon & Surman combo.
Tuiloma at RB - maybe the thinking is his French will be handy to decode what the Ivorians are up to on the field!
Old mates McC, Just & Singh as the trio behind Barba

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10 months ago
I have fond memories of BMO field supporting Toronto FC.  Hoping for a good game.
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10 months ago
Loved that footage there of the Ukraine fan helping the All Whites fan set the Flying Kiwis banner up.
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10 months ago · edited 10 months ago · History
Anyone got a link or suggestion for those with an Aussie based FIFA+ account?
Was fine for OFC WC qualifiers
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10 months ago
FIFA + coverage is garbage.  Instead of a countdown screen why no show the crowd??


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