Payne did this for the Nix, plenty of options going forward but opts for a back pass. It's infuriating. But all in all I think we played a decent game.
Does no Just and Rojas mean Danny doesn't rate them, or that he's hiding them from CR analysis and going to give them match time vs Oman? I'm honestly not sure. Even Boxall falls in that category vs Smith/Payne/PJ, although I feel like defenders are less likely to be someone you hide.
We looked much better 2nd half... despite 0-0 half time and losing 1-0. I'm unconvinced about Greive relative to Kosta/Rojas and even Waine. Does having more control of the midfield second half mean Lewis is in contention for a starting spot?
I think so re Lewis. He was there in 2017. An older head. Both Bell & Stamenic are hugely promising but young. Marko gave ball away alot in that first half, but he'll be better for the experience.
Wonder what CR got out of this game. Given our midfield was overdrawn esp in the first half, and then we give away a goal with a keeping error. Do they play with a higher press, stronger midfield presence rather than just sitting deep like they did in CONCACAF qualifying with a back 3/5.
But for me apart from the goal giveaway (which he'll learn from), Sail went pretty good. Mostly got it right coming out of his box. Garbett, Libby strong games. Was it just me (watching with Spanish commentary) but did Garbett win it clean in tackle, ball first and potentially release Wood on goal, but get wrongly pulled back for a free kick? Anyway MG is clearly developing well in probably an intense high level training environment at Torino. Best 2 AWs player were the 2 at Serie A clubs.
Bell better as game went on, and AWs seemed to play with less fear. Pijnaker went pretty well. And with AWs only winning one corner all game, alot of value of Tuiloma starting was diminished. His passing was often poor.
Wood was pretty subdued. Hopefully that achilles is not bothering him much.
All in all almost the perfect hitup, if Waine had stayed onside! As it was, a hugely valuable warmup.
Does no Just and Rojas mean Danny doesn't rate them, or that he's hiding them from CR analysis and going to give them match time vs Oman? I'm honestly not sure. Even Boxall falls in that category vs Smith/Payne/PJ, although I feel like defenders are less likely to be someone you hide.
Surprised Marco got no minutes. But if he's behind where he needs to be, well he should have played in the March OFC tourney.
Imagine will be Ingham, Champness and Rogerson who miss the cut for the 23 man squad naming.
How big of a gap is there in the class of Peru and Costa Rica? Peru is apparently better, but by how much?
I think the second half was much better, but our passing was off all game imo. A lot were under hit and a lot over hit - Peru pressed but not that hard. So nerves maybe?
Tuiloma looked the weakest of the back 3, is passing was poor. But he should be safe. PJ or Smith is an interesting call. Smith read the game well, but we miss someone at the back who can switch play which Pj offers.
Kirwin was serviceable for me, but I thought his option taking when he did get forward.
Lewis earnt a start a head of Stamenic. Garbett won a lot of ball up top, but did give it away a little to much when we fought hard to win it... has probably done enough to start against CR (could be swapped out for Stamenic to play higher).
Wish we could see the Oman game to see if there is anyone who can change the game for us.
Waine to stay in the squad. Only player who can play a similar role to Wood.
Overall 6/10. Solid, unspectacular effort as expected.
Grieve was ineffectual (not his fault) as was Wood.
For what it's worth, this was Peru's starting midfield Aquino (DM), age 27, 26 caps plays in Mexico Liga MX for America
Yotun (CM) age 32, 117 caps was in Mexico Liga MX/MLS now back Peru
Pena (CM) age 26, 28 caps Malmo (Sweden)
We were mostly over run in that first half. Possession ended up 62% Peru, 38% NZ. We don't want a repeat.
Costa Rica have 2 hugely experienced if slow CMs in Borgas (34) & Tejeda (30), who both started today against Martinique. They also had the very experienced 33 yr old Venegas, playing this morning just in front of them. Hopefully they are going to be slower than the Peruvians, but no doubt technically as good if not better. They have spades of big game experience
Will they go for a younger, more mobile guy in there like alongside them like Galo or Chacon (who both started against Panama)? Looks like they are going to play with a back 4.
I just feel our starting midfield (Garbett, Stamenic & Bell) was too raw. I'd bring in Lewis for Stamenic, or put Garbett at the point of a diamond and bring in Lewis in for Greive. Lewis was there in 2017, that's handy stuff for this huge game.
Good news is that the crowd in Doha shouldn't be as anywhere as intimidating as this virtual 'home' game in Barcelona was for the Peruvians. Younger players especially like Stamenic, Greive (who never played age group WCs) etc will be better for the experience.
I thought the ref was piss poor being at the game. He was blowing up the dives the Peruvians were pulling out, ignoring our boys getting chopped down and was massively swayed by the Peruvian crowd. Was a great buzz to be a part of though.
Thanks for helping me out there NZF with tickets, I am most appreciative.
I thought Kirwan and Garbett both had their best games yet for the national team.
The goal was right in front of us and stunk of the many piss poor goals the Nix conceded this season. Payne was completely at fault, playing it back when not under pressure. That might have just cost him a chance against Costa Rica next week. Had we not done that stupid bit of play, we'd be celebrating a 0-0 draw against a top footballing nation.
My main concern for Costa Rica is where our goals are going to come from. Wood hardly even got the ball today and when he did, didn't look very threatening. I also think Grieve was better then Barbs and Wayne. I do wish Rojas had a run today though.
I can only guess our strongest XI will play Oman but the team will be kept hush hush until after we finish off CR.
To be honest it went both better and worse than I expected. Better because we showed some glimpses of brilliance, that disallowed goal was just beautiful, and we were unlucky Waine couldn't hold back a tad more.. Worse because with Wood being marked essentially out of the game, I struggle to see where the goals will be coming from. And you can expect Costa Rica to double mark him at every opportunity. Of course it's a shame to lose a game like that with a silly error, but I feel for Sail as he's had a great season and in the very instance of play, had just done really well to keep under control a difficult ball and pass it to Payne... I hope we stick with him for the play off game. How does Garbett not play any higher than the Primavera League I don't know? Surely his agent's phone will be ringing a lot every time he plays for the AWs?? Good game Niko Kirwan and Cacace. Bell did lots of running but wasn't as tidy as usual. Same for Stamenic. Lewis a good came off the bench, like Waine who was unlucky to be just offside for the goal. The CBs did well. Hope Reid's injury midway through the second half is just a knock...
It's a shame we only got 1 corner all game, as obviously we have some good set piece threats. From memory Peru didn't deal that well with the corner either. But Navas is world class and a big boy, so I imagine the Ticos will defend corners pretty well.
Playoff will probably be a game of few chances. Unless we take the lead. Then expect waves from the Ticos, and plenty of heart in mouths moments.
Hopefully the Woodsman is saving a moment of class for next week. I see Libby as a real goal threat as well, won't put it past him grabbing one. Was a peach of pass to Waine for the non goal.
Took some time to think about the game. Firstly, gutted about the result - I think the days of our national side taking the pitch and believing they've already lost are long gone, so am certain that result was not what they aimed for. Losses are never good, even if the opposition are good, so yeh, bugger.
Secondly, that opposition really was good. We haven't played a team anywhere near that good since, well, the last time we played them. They were slick and professional and clearly well coached - so an excellent outfit to test our progress against. We need to play more teams like that more often - and hopefully that statement isn't merely a pipe dream.
My earliest impression was Stamenic giving the ball away a couple of times. I'm a big Stamenic fan and think he has a huge future, but today he looked really young, for want of a better description. Bossing OFC teams is one thing, but today he faced quick, high quality pressure from the off. Am sure he'll be better for the experience - actually, he has to be, because I'd like him to be part of the midfield for years. But not playing like that first half today.
It wasn't rocket science that they knew to target and isolate Wood. And their press was such that as our formation sagged back to defend, he became even more isolated. He also looked like he was holding back a little (Achilles perhaps?).
Cacace - different gravy. Brief though it is, his Serie A experience is already obvious - he looked completely assured in that atmosphere and in that company. Those cut inside runs he does are becoming more and more of a weapon, and no surprise at all that our best chances came via him today.
De Jong made a comment in his call today that Waine should've been more alert to that offside before he 'scored' - and he was dead right. Forward play 101 is looking along the line to time your run - sure, the adrenaline and excitement of the moment probably got the better of him, but he is a full time professional and a senior international. One step too early cost him the biggest goal of his career to date - no doubt a lesson he won't forget. Because overall he did his cause no harm today during the time he was on.
Last thought - today was a friendly. Sure, huge event and opponent - but a friendly. Yes, a dress rehearsal and practice for the playoff - but a friendly. Hype it as much as you like, but it's just never going to be quite the same. Come playoff time, the whole atmosphere and feeling in that squad will be ramped up to where it needs to be. Remember those Bahrain games - the performances from some of those players were better than they'd ever played before in a white shirt (Chris Killen springs to mind). It wasn't that they hadn't done their best before - it was just that the occasion carried them to that level.
And I'm convinced that the same can happen for this team against Costa Rica. Time will tell - can't wait :)
Will be fascinating to see how Peru go against Socceroos or UAE, the day before we play Costa Rica.
They dominate possession then, like they did against us in that first half especially, then that won't be a bad sign for the AWs. We mostly coped okay (yes got lucky with the woodwork twice) with a top outfit, in a pretty intimidating arena.
And yes the young players like 20 yr old Stamenic - who has been playing in the lower half of the Danish 2nd tier the last 3 odd months - will be much better for the experience of the huge jump in class, speed and tension. I'd still start older head Lewis somewhere in that midfield mix against CR though.
And Libby is a real class act now, he will genuinely have the Ticos worried about their right flank. I think he went better with Pijnaker on the field, but that may just have been because it took the AWs awhile, and maybe a HT pep talk to grow into the match, and lose some fear. Smith was a curious selection to start.
And interesting to me that our 2 best players in today's game are with Serie A clubs. High class training environments every day I imagine. Hopefully Garbett can stay in Italy and get a loan deal to a Serie B or lower Serie A team.
Edit - and yeah alot of these guys played that 2019 U20 WC quarter final against another Latino country Colombia, in a toe to toe encounter. So that's a useful memory, to fall back on for some of the younger guys I guess.
Impressed with Garbett, Kirwan and Cacace. Disappointed with Tuiloma. Sail looked quite nervous. Bell improved throughout. Waineo's movement made a difference, hope he learns from that off-side. Had the chance to be a hero. Peru really gave us an acid test with their full on press, slick passing and controlling the possession. We did well to not buckle under it.
- still don’t think the 5-diamond - 1 works. We were too narrow so meant Wood was just too easy to mark. We need to ply with a front 3 and drag their backs wider. - was really surprised that neither Just or Rojas played. I thought it was them and Grieve for the front 3. (However given the shape played Garbett was the right person- very physical, athletic- a quality display for someone so young). I still don’t like the shape and think it works against us. - Lewis played himself into a starting role. Stamenic still the most natural midfielder I’ve seen in my time following the all whites but he was meek today. We need to be combative as well as technical. I know he can do that. Not sure if it was just the occasion. Pressure does different things to people. - hoping that not playing Just and Rojas and that shape was a good poker hand by Hay. I think with no Singh it is just who will unlock the CR defence and Rojas who has the ability for an individual piece of brilliance.
Just viewed a Breakfast TV show here in Lima, where on the sports section they had about a 1 hour wrap of the game in Barcelona. Each guest doing a little salsa dance as they came onto the stage. They showed pretty normal match highlights up to the goal, which they then replayed about 15 times for full analysis! They then broke down the happy pitch invader's run about 4 times (he hugged the goal scorer). That was then the end of highlights. Nothing of Waine's no goal. Just the good stuff. Plenty of interviews of expat Peruvian at the game 'muy emotivo'. A young girl in tears because the GK gave her one of his gloves.
I did notice when the proper sports journo started talking about Australia (didn't really mention UAE) as being tough opponents, the carnival studio mode briefly stopped. But it soon restarted when they bought on Yoshi Youton's rather portly madre. Who also did a bit of dance. Then they showed Youton's first half shot rebounding off the cross bar about 10 times, whilst his mama chatted away.
Somewhere in Costa Rica will no doubt be similar high quality TV offerings. She is pretty shark economically & politically here in Peru at the moment. The football team is one bright spot, and escape outlet. Things will get very very gloomy, if it all implodes and they lose their Playoff next week. Plenty of pressure on both the Peru players and coach, to make a nation a little happy for the next 6 months up to Nov-Dec. I'm sure in CR there are very similar high expectations of making it to Qatar. Losing not an option.
What a day. Stirring performance from the All Whites. And those fans! (Love this guys gesture at the end…) pic.twitter.com/As1nfTD1gA
Nice touch. NZF not usually good at this sort of stuff. One thing I like which FA do when naming the Socceroos is list their boyhood football club. An idea for future AWs namings.
Just viewed a Breakfast TV show here in Lima, where on the sports section they had about a 1 hour wrap of the game in Barcelona. Each guest doing a little salsa dance as they came onto the stage. They showed pretty normal match highlights up to the goal, which they then replayed about 15 times for full analysis! They then broke down the happy pitch invader's run about 4 times (he hugged the goal scorer). That was then the end of highlights. Nothing of Waine's no goal. Just the good stuff. Plenty of interviews of expat Peruvian at the game 'muy emotivo'. A young girl in tears because the GK gave her one of his gloves.
I did notice when the proper sports journo started talking about Australia (didn't really mention UAE) as being tough opponents, the carnival studio mode briefly stopped. But it soon restarted when they bought on Yoshi Youton's rather portly madre. Who also did a bit of dance. Then they showed Youton's first half shot rebounding off the cross bar about 10 times, whilst his mama chatted away.
Somewhere in Costa Rica will no doubt be similar high quality TV offerings. She is pretty shark economically & politically here in Peru at the moment. The football team is one bright spot, and escape outlet. Things will get very very gloomy, if it all implodes and they lose their Playoff next week. Plenty of pressure on both the Peru players and coach, to make a nation a little happy for the next 6 months up to Nov-Dec. I'm sure in CR there are very similar high expectations of making it to Qatar. Losing not an option.
What a day. Stirring performance from the All Whites. And those fans! (Love this guys gesture at the end…) pic.twitter.com/As1nfTD1gA
Dude is wearing an Allianza top - biggest club in Peru.
I watched a number of post match reviews from Peruvian shows this week
A few believe Peru did not play at a 100%, a few were concerned the final ball was lacking in the attacking third. Most agreed this NZ side was better than the 2017 version.
The majority declared Pedro Aquino the holding midfielder as the best player (he is rarely disappointing with Peru) and were lamenting the fact he wont start in the playoff because that is Renato Tapia's spot and the coach rarely plays them together.
I did hear a few say that after watching this game, Costa Rica should be worried. There was some complaining about the fouling in this game seeing it was a "friendly" but a week ago the same people were complaining Julian Alvarez of River Plate was not fouled enough by Alianza Lima when he scored 6 goals against them....
My own perspective on the game is that there were two concerning things for NZ
One was that Wood was a non-factor in this game, I feel he caused more problems half injured coming off the bench vs Peru in 2017 than in this game.
The other was the amount of poor cross field passes NZ were doing, they were either going out or putting the receiving player under pressure.
I did think the NZ play leading to the offside goal was fantastic, and as a Peru fan it concerned me how easily we were shredded on that play.
Some nice feedback. I like 'Costa Rica' should be worried, and that the Peruvians fans didn't like the fouling. I feel we need to bring some niggle to the Ticos game. Try and get under their skin. Nothing wrong with that. Get them thinking about things other than just controlling the midfield tempo. We can't be passive, and just stand off them. Is Lewis better at that, than Stamenic?
And yeah we definitely need the Woodsman more involved, and hopefully those bad cross field switches by Tuiloma esp (but also remember Smith being guilty once) were mostly nerves - and won't be there next week. But could well mean Pijnaker now starts against the Ticos, as those swift cross field passes need to be on button, for the AWs to play how they want to.
I also agree that the AW performance against Peru was better than in 2017.
The AW forward line pressing high up the field certainly made the Peruvian defenders a little bit uncomfortable but they handled the situation. Latinamerican teams aren´t used to this, they will normally retreat to defend on their half.
Now the high pressure tactic comes at a cost when the ball makes its way to the other half of the field, and if on top of that you have a goalie playing too much outside the box then you are in for some surprises.
Having the goalie play outside the box is probably too adventurous for a play-off game where one goal can be all it matters before really starting to play defensively.
Something the AW need to work on, is in getting possession back, particularly in the midfield. Many times the AW defended succesfully only for the Peruvian midfield to win the ball back very quickly.
Costa Rica is a better team than the Honduras squad the socceroos had to play in the 2017 playoffs but playing a single game in neutral ground is something to the AW´s benefit.
Peru is probably a bit stronger than Costa Rica, so it was the right team to play in a friendly.
Thinking beyond Qatar, NZF should think about lobbying Conmebol for a spot on the 2024 Copa America (the socceroos and Qatar were originally invited to the 2020 version). Contacts with the Peruvian Football Federation could prove useful.
