Latest news with #DarrenBazeley
Morocco World
5 hours ago
- Sport
- Morocco World
New Zealand vs. Ukraine: When, How to Watch & Score Prediction
New Zealand return to action tonight against Ukraine in a friendly game with confidence sky-high. Kick-off is at 10 p.m. at BMO Field, Toronto and fans can catch the action live on FS2 and FOX Sports app. Darren Bazeley's men are unbeaten in eight and haven't lost in almost 15 months. The 1-0 win over Cote D'Ivoire last weekend was their fourth clean sheet in a row and their eighth consecutive home victory. Add 34 goals scored across those matches, and the All Whites look primed for another dominant outing. Kosta Barbarouses is likely to lead the line again, flanked by Elijah Just – who netted the winner on Sunday – and Callum McCowatt. In midfield, Joe Bell anchors things with support from Sarpreet Singh and Marko Stamenic. But Tuesday's visitors are no pushovers. Ukraine, under Serhiy Rebrov, will provide a far sterner test than New Zealand's recent opposition. Belgium narrowly beat the Blue and Yellow in their Nations League playoff and are coming off a 4-2 defeat to Canada – a match in which they dominated possession but fell apart defensively. That result was Ukraine's second loss in a row and exposed vulnerabilities at the back. They've conceded seven goals in their last two matches and have only one win from their last five away games. With World Cup qualifiers against France looming, they'll be desperate to turn the tide. Ukraine may be without key midfielder Mykola Shaparenko after he went off injured in the Canada match. Oleksandr Pikhalyonok could step in, while goalkeeper Dmytro Riznyk is expected to start after Anatoliy Trubin was taken off at the weekend. Possible lineups: New Zealand: Crocombe; Bindon, Tuiloma, Surman, Cacace; Stamenic, Bell, Singh; Just, Barbarouses, McCowatt Ukraine: Riznyk; Matviyenko, Bondar, Zabarnyi, Tymchyk; Kalyuzhnyi; Tsygankov, Pikhalyonok, Zinchenko, Sudakov; Yaremchuk Predicted score: It's a real test for both sides. New Zealand want to prove they can beat tougher opposition. Ukraine need to rediscover form and defensive shape. Given recent trends, the home side may just have the edge. MWN say: New Zealand 2-1 Ukraine Tags: friendlyNew ZealandUkraine
RNZ News
16 hours ago
- Sport
- RNZ News
Ryan Fox and the All Whites - a collaboration made in Canada
Ryan Fox wins Canadian Open and the All Whites stop by to watch after Canadian Shield game Photo: Collage/Photosport Golfer Ryan Fox was closing in on a second PGA Tour win and the All Whites had just claimed one of their biggest victories in more than a decade - both things happened in Toronto, Canada - so it makes sense that New Zealand sporting stars crossed paths far from home. Eight All Whites, who are also handy with a golf club, were at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley to watch Fox win the Canadian Open in a play off with American Sam Burns. All Whites captain Chris Wood said he "was a lot more nervous watching" Fox win the title than he is playing football. "You can't control anything," Wood said of being a spectator to the big moment. "And seeing a fellow Kiwi doing so well it was exciting to see, he's done fantastically well and having that opportunity to be there and watch that bit of history for him and qualify for the US Open and things like that, it's fantastic. "He was a gentleman and gave us time after after his round, to speak to us and let us in on a little bit of information and how he played and things like that." The All Whites' trip to the golf was fully signed off by coach Darren Bazeley. "I think it was a great opportunity. On a day after a game we go through pretty good process with recoveries, so they spent all morning going through recovery process with the guys and they had an opportunity to go and follow the final round and Ryan being there doing so well I think it was great. "They were very well looked after, which was nice, and got themselves on the TV, which was cool. "I think that's part of our culture, following wherever we are in the world, finding and following Kiwis and connecting. It's a big part of what we try and do is connecting, so it was a good day." Would Fox be in the stands at the All Whites' next Canadian Shield game against Ukraine? "Unfortunately, he had to fly straight out to the US Open," Wood said. "He said he would have liked to but he has a bigger fish to fry this week and hopefully he can do some damage in the US Open this week." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
17 hours ago
- Sport
- RNZ News
All Whites claim shock win against Ivory Coast 'isn't an upset'
All White Chris Wood Photo: Andrew Lahodynskyj / The All Whites' biggest win in more than a decade was a year in the making, but the challenge is backing it up. New Zealand defeated world number 41 Ivory Coast 1-0 on Sunday at the Canadian Shield in Toronto. The win against a team they were playing for the first time at senior level, and that is ranked 45 places ahead of them in the FIFA world rankings, did not surprise coach Darren Bazeley or captain Chris Wood - or anyone else in the All Whites environment. "It's a performance that we felt has been coming over the last year," Bazeley said. The All Whites' participation at the four-team Canadian Shield invitational tournament is part of the long build-up to next year's FIFA World Cup to be co-hosted by USA, Canada and Mexico. Wood had limited participation in the game against Ivory Coast as his workload is managed after a season for English Premier League side Nottingham Forest in which he played the most games he has in more than eight years. "The body's feeling the effects of that, I'm not 24 anymore I can't bounce back like I used to," Wood quipped. "Just got to take care of the body because I want to be around for for a long time." Wood saw the victory against Ivory Coast as a benchmark. "It gives us belief that we can compete against these strong teams. I think it's one that has really opened the eyes to everybody to know that we are capable of performing against these type of teams and that's the standard we need to set and we need to get better as well," Wood said. "We cannot fall below the standard we've already set in the previous game we need to strive to be better and have a better performance than we did the other day, which will only make us a better team." Clashes with high ranked opposition is something Wood said the playing group had sought throughout his All Whites career and the current squad were ready for the challenge. "I think that's what the last two years have been about, educating, growing as a team, growing as players, individually, and then bringing the performances along to get to this point," he said. "We know we're going to face these type of oppositions when we come to the world cup and now it's about producing it, putting it together and showing what we're truly about." Ben Old of New Zealand plays the ball Photo: Andrew Lahodynskyj / Assistant coach Tony Readings agreed with Wood that the squad could improve again against Ukraine after the Ivory Coast result. "For us it isn't an upset. For us there's an expectation now in this group that we keep getting positive results against this level of teams. "I think the real focus of this next game is to back up what we've done, but to go to another level, because we know we played well in the last game, but we know we can play better." The All Whites have noted Ukraine are "very organised" in defence and "very fluid" in attack but the New Zealanders want to "dominate more of the ball", than they did against Ivory Coast, according to Readings. "For us it's more about us imposing ourselves on the game, so being able to control the ball a lot more, and even when we don't have it being able to make sure that we're dictating the game as well. "We know it's going to be a tough challenge against them and it's exactly what we need at this time because the more learnings we can get now the better. "Getting learnings and winning the game, that that's our ideal outcome for this one." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
5 days ago
- Sport
- RNZ News
All White Libby Cacace facing World Cup selection battle after Italian club relegation
Libby Cacace has experienced the highs and lows of football within months. Photo: Andrew Cornaga/ All Whites defender Libby Cacace has an uncertain future, after experiencing the highs of international football and the lows of club football within months. Part of the New Zealand squad that qualified for next year's Football World Cup in March, the 24-year-old returned to Italian club side Empoli, who were batting to avoid relegation out of Serie A. In May, Empoli dropped down to Serie B for next season, putting Cacace in a tough position before the global tournament. "It wasn't a was a nice feeling, getting relegated, but it was definitely an experience that will help me grow as a player," he said. "I was hoping that it wouldn't come down to the last match day, like it did. Doing that two seasons in a row takes a toll on you mentally and physically." Cacace's agent would work behind the scenes, but he was still contracted with Empoli for another season. All Whites coach Darren Bazeley favoured players who were getting game time in top competitions and said Cacace's left-back position, among others, was one with plenty of competition in World Cup squad selection. "I have no worries that players will get the right environments for themselves and, whilst we want everybody playing every minute of every club game, it's not just on that," Bazeley said. "We've got players that are really good in our environment and our culture, so there's lots of different reasons for selections for different players. We look at every decision individually, positionally, but it does get tougher." The All Whites celebrate their World Cup qualification against New Caledonia. Photo: Shane Wenzlick / New Zealand play Côte d'Ivoire and Ukraine in the Canadian Shield this week, two of the highest-ranked opponents they have faced this year. With many of their club seasons over, Bazeley said he would have to make use of most of his squad during the games in Toronto. "I think it's going to be difficult for a lot of players to play 90 minutes, so we'll definitely be looking to use the squad and make changes. We can use six substitutes for this game and I can imagine we'll do that, so we'll get 17 players that get game time and probably pretty good game time." Despite this, Bazeley would also try to find consistency with players. "We've got a style of play in and out of possession that we've got agreed with the players that we've been working on for the last year, and we've agreed that we don't keep changing, because we don't get a chance to train that much. "We get together for an international window and and you can't keep starting again, playing a different formation or trying to do new things. What we need to do is just get better and better at what we do. "In every game we've played in the last 18 months, two years, we've had moments within games that we've executed things really well. The challenge now is we do that more, we do that more consistently and regularly, and we do it against better teams." Cacace expected Côte d'Ivoire to offer a different challenge to the Pacific Island teams that the All Whites played to get to the World Cup. "They'll be very physical and they'll use their physical attributes to try to dominate us, but at the same time, we've got to make sure that we use our strengths to hurt them. "I think if we do that, we can have a good chance of winning." New Zealand Football wanted the All Whites to face as many different playing styles as possible in preparation for the World Cup. "That's going to be very important heading into a World Cup, because we're going to be playing three different sides and they're all going to be different, so we're just going to make sure that we adapt the best way possible and use these games to make sure we can adapt," Cacace said. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
21-05-2025
- Sport
- RNZ News
Football: Five changes to All Whites squad as they continue World Cup build-up
Chris Wood of New Zealand celebrates his goal with Ben Old of New Zealand. Photo: PHOTOSPORT All Whites coach Darren Bazeley has made five changes from the squad that qualified for the World Cup for next month's internationals against Cote d'Ivoire and Ukraine. Defenders Finn Surman, Callan Elliot and Bill Tuiloma, goalkeeper Nik Tzanev and attacker Ben Old have all been included. Tim Payne misses the matches as he awaits the birth of a child, while Oliu Sail, Jesse Randall, Logan Rogerson and Storm Roux are missing from the squad that played the Oceania World Cup qualifiers. The All Whites (FIFA rank 86) face Côte d'Ivoire (41) and Ukraine (25) in the Canadian Shield Tournament in Toronto, Canada. With only five international windows before he is set to name his FIFA World Cup 2026 squad, Bazeley will be looking to give opportunities to a range of players to prove they deserve a place at the tournament next year. Old has returned from injury and Surman is back after it was agreed between his Portant Timbers club and All Whites coaching staff he would miss the previous international window. Samoa's Jarvis Vaai New Zealand's Finn Surman. FIFA World Cup 2026 - OFC Qualifiers, Samoa v New Zealand, Go Media Stadium Auckland, Monday 18 November 2024. Photo: Shane Wenzlick / "We have been lucky to play a number of home games over the last few windows, but it has always been the plan that heading into the FIFA World Cup next year we need to test ourselves, playing away, against a range of teams we could face in 2026," Bazeley said. "To face two top 50 sides, in a tournament situation, in one of the FIFA World Cup 2026 host venues, is the perfect challenge for us. "We have made a few changes to the squad from March which gives us the opportunity to look at some different players in the environment." The All Whites will face Côte d'Ivoire on Sunday 8 June at 11am NZT (Saturday 7 June at 7pm local time) followed by Ukraine on Wednesday 11 June at 9am NZT (Tuesday 10 June at 5pm local time). Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
