New Zealand "A" vs Fiji

New Zealand "A" vs Fiji

I wonder who will be selected for these games.

I think it will be a NZ and Australia based team, similar to the one that we put out against Malaysia last year (in what were also classed as 'A' fixtures).  But you're right, we are looking pretty strong.  Only thing is that quite a few of the under 20s will be returning to their US colleges which would (probably) rule them out.

Should be a full international, get some ranking points.

Personally, I think the whole excercise playing Fiji is a waste of time. The only possible merit is to have a look at Fiji prior to the World Cup.  I would rather see us playing quality opposition at home in a full international.  Perhaps a return stoush with the Welsh  boyos! Unlikely to ever happen though.

Thats really the point though isn't it KiwiHatter.  We take what we can get.  And being professional about our preparation in having a look at our opposition isn't necessarily a bad thing.

Games are in Fiji on 10 and 12th Aug i think.

http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=67396

True JD, I'm just thinking that for our football to progress forward we need to be playing better sides than Fiji.  Sure it will be good for the fringe players but I think we should be aiming at getting more of our players playing at a higher level against quality opposition.  And thats why I believe its a bit of a lame excercise.  We know how the Fijians will play, or should do by now!  Ricki could sent Stu Jacobs to have a wee look at the South Pacific games tourney too I guess.  Just chuckin it out there to stimulate some debate!

I think it is worthwhile to play these games- even though it would be good to see some full internationals at home.

I think it can help our football to progress, providing a bit more depth and experience- we have stumbled against supposed weaker Oceania teams before, especially when playing away. It would be good to have it as a full intenational, even if we cannot put our strongest team on the park (when can we?). Theoretically we should win even with a mainly nz based squad, and the few ranking points we get could help. It would also focus the minds of those playing, giving it increased importance. I guess it is a bit of a risk if we did not get a result tho.

The other thing that is beneficial in terms of these games- it hopefully also helps develop the game in the pacific/ oceania region. Given that is where we are currently placed, rasing the standard of the game in the region overall is important- particularly if we are to retain direct entry for Oceania in the world cup tournaments that have it currently.

Excellent point about development for the other Oceania countries, Shauneboy!  I was looking at it from a one eyed Kiwi perspective.

I don't think we need to panic. Am sure we will have more European/Sth American games in the next year or two. Lets just make sure we actually qualify for Asian 5th ranked playoff first.

rabo will carve nz a haha

james dean2007-07-30 19:12:41

There is no way it will be called a full international! My guess is a team with some fringe all whites (barron, pritchett, etc)that ricki will be looking at to see who to inlclude in the WCQ squad he names shortly...plus some players they may be looking at for the Olympic team plus maybe a few of the 20s who are based here or havent gone back to the states. Anyone know where the games are? Suva i guess?

Has the team not been selected already. Heard it was a selection of club players. Joel Matthews name came up?????

He was in the last 20s 2005 ones wasn't he so maybe looking at him for Olympic team if there is one. There is nothing on NZSoccer website but maybe it has been named?

http://yahooxtra.net.nz/sport/0,,14629-7695437,00.html

Nice find Gings. Its hard work finding this sh1t out isn't it?

It would be good if the Fijians put out a young side too, to develop their player base.  Not sure that, that will happen though.  Good experience for the young uns!Jeff Campbell's the grandad at 28 years old! 

New Zealand Invitational 11 to play Fiji (August 10-12):

Goalkeepers: Roy Bell (Macarthur Rams, NSW), Jacob Spoonley (Wellington Phoenix).

Defenders: Sam Jasper (North Shore United), Joel Mathews (Central United), Steven Old (Wellington Phoenix), James Pritchett (Auckland City/Bay Olympic), David Samson (Melville), Craig Wylie (Lynn Avon AFC).

Midfielders: Andrew Barron (Canterbury United), Jeff Campbell (Waitakere United/North Shore United), Stuart Hogg (Birkenhead AFC), Sam Mathews (Central United), Cole Peverly (Waikato FC/Hamilton Wanderers), Aaron Scott (Waikato United/Melville).

Forwards: Jeremy Brockie (Hawke's Bay United), Daniel Ellensohn (Macarthur Rams, NSW), Craig Henderson (Dartmouth Col lege, USA), Sam Messam (Hawke's Bay United).

im always reading the yahooxtra sport pages coz its generally up to date and accurate...its almost religious (but not asmuch as YF)

Fiji will get behind it, aslong as there is no military/political intervention....i'd back Fiji aswell, they'll push them

New Zealand A drew with Tahiti twice in February
will they lose matches in Fiji (with strong squad) ?

but I hope both matches will count for FIFA international matches

I don't understand why these games are being played in Fiji.

They are supposed to be charity games to raise money. Surely there is more possibility of bigger crowds and therefore more revenue if the games were played here.

More revenue here maybe, but they'll get 10-20k there.  NZ A here last year barely got 1000

Canterbury's Andy Barron will captain a New Zealand Invitation soccer team in the first of two Football for Life charity matches against Fiji in Suva on Friday night.

The New Zealand 11 also contain All Whites Jeremy Brockie and Jeff Campbell and New Zealand under-20 player Craig Henderson for the match.

New Zealand Invitation team: Jacob Spoonley, James Pritchett, Aaron Scott, Steven Old, Craig Wylie, Jeremy Brockie, Andy Barron, Jeff Campbell, Craig Henderson, Stuart Hogg, Sam Messam.

Substitutes: Roy Bell, Cole Peverley, David Samson, Sam Jasper, Joel Mathews, Sam Mathews, Daniel Ellensohn.

NZ won 2-1

Sweet as. If an invitational team can beat Fiji than the All Whites definitely can!

Yeah Fiji didnt look that sh*t hot, eithier did NZ thou. But our team was pretty weak on and they were at full strength. A full NZ team should be able to beat them 5-0.  All the goals were cracking thou. Messam scored from 30 or so yards out.

Good Result. I would be interested in getting a match report on the game.

Good goals. S**t game.

Pretty much sums it up. Shocking game of football with 3 good goals. No football was played at all couldnt string 2 passes together! I dont think the state of the pitch helped. One thing I took out of the game is the All Whites at full strength eg Killen and nelsen should destroy Fuji in Qualifying as Fuji were woeful.  NZ Invitational team wasnt much better though. Hope sundays game is better

hope the pitches are better for the qualifiers becuase they could be a real leveler if there not

Did anyone watch the game on tv?

My flatmate recorded it - about 7-8 minutes in, once he realised it was live and I'd probably want to watch it - and it wasn't pretty, like other guys have said. The pitch was atrocious, Fiji ws laughable, and our lads didn't string three passes together and still won pretty comfortably.
Officiating was absolutely dreadful - not sure where the refs were from, but they were useless.

If you'd seen the U-20 qualifiers in Auckland the officiating would have been no surprise.  They were absolutely disgraceful and doing anything they could to engineer an NZ loss.

A well-taken goal from teenager Roy Krishna gave Fiji a 1-0 win in Lautoka over a New Zealand Invitation 11 and squared the two-match charity soccer series.

The New Zealand 11 who won the first match of the series 2-1 in Suva on Friday fell behind after Krishna first-timed a flicked on goal-kick past stranded New Zealand goalkeeper Roy Bell.

New Zealand wasted a number of good chances.

Sam Messam headed wide early on and was toppled in the box with 20 minutes remaining but shouts for a penalty were waved away.

Jeff Campbell and Daniel Ellensohn saw their shots saved and midfielder Cole Peverley's effort went narrowly wide in the 86th minute.

On the stroke of fulltime, Peverley just missed connecting with an in-swinging freekick from Campbell.

Fiji went close to a second goal when Pita Rabo snatched at a shot in the 85th minute.

A couple of well-timed saves from Bell also kept the Kiwi Invitation XI in the match until the final whistle.

All proceeds from the two-match series went to the victims of April's deadly tsunami in the Solomon Islands.

Scores:

Fiji 1 (Roy Krishna 47th) New Zealand Invitation 11 0. Halftime 1-0.

Copyright: NZPA 2007

Watched the last half hour, a couple of good displays but some awful ones as well.

Yeah watched the game, it wasnt too bad, i quiet like the fijian stikers they were quik and good on the ball. Roy Krishna would be a good buy for any NZFC team