Kiwis itching to spoil South Africa´s party
June 16, 2009
RUSTENBURG, South Africa (AFP) – Nobody likes being a party pooper – unless you happen to be a New Zealander and tackling Confederations Cup hosts South Africa in a make-or-break Group A tie here on Wednesday.
A win for Ricki Herbert’s All Whites would leave South Africa with the unenviable task of having to beat Spain – something surely not even their most ardent supporter President Jacob Zuma would suggest was remotely possible.
The history books tell you the Oceania champions are unlikely to spring an upset – ranked a modest 79th in the world they have failed to pick up a point in six matches from two previous Confed Cup appearances.
They were like rabbits caught in the spotlight in the 5-0 rout by Spain, but even so captain Tim Brown refused to discount a shock.
“Hopefully we can turn around after the Spanish game and create history by causing an upset,” he told an eve-of-match press conference Tuesday.
“We’re not under any pressure, we can play with freedom, perhaps unlike South Africa.”
Herbert, who played for New Zealand at the 1982 World Cup finals, described the game in Rustenburg as “huge” for South Africa, who were left stunned after being held to a goalless draw by Iraq on Sunday.
“They’ll be looking to win after Iraq and will be under a lot of pressure.
“We are still looking for our first point, maybe we have a chance to get it tomorrow.”
He said New Zealand would play to their strengths.
“One of those is set pieces. Most people saw in the friendly against Italy that set pieces were successful for us. We’ll continue to look to dominate areas like that if we can.”
He said the side had reviewed the Spanish rout but despite leaking five goals he insisted there would be no drastic changes to his back line.
“I’ll be interested to see how other teams do against Spain,” he smiled.
“No one will be prouder than me if we can get something from tomorrow’s game. There’s a good atmosphere in the group. There will be lots of noise and a big crowd and that’s what we like.”
Forward Shane Smeltz believes the fact that South Africa must go for broke could play to their advantage.
“The South Africans will try to get at us, perhaps that will give us the opportunity to get at them.”
Tags: ardent supporter, captain tim, Captain Tim Brown, confed cup, confederations cup, crowd, drastic changes, Eve, history books, Iraq, Italy, jacob zuma, New Zealand, new zealander, Oceania, party pooper, President Jacob Zuma, rabbits, Ricki Herbert, rout, rustenburg south africa, shane smeltz, South Africa, south africans, Spain, spanish game, tim brown, World Cup, world cup finals, zumaRelated posts
Oceania needs a rethink after New Zealand thrashing
June 16, 2009
In the previous post, Martyn Herman looked at soccer’s international minnows while here Mark Gleeson discusses the particular plight of New Zealand.
Oceania, as a confederation, threatened to disintegrate under the weight of a quick fire Fernando Torres hat-trick on Sunday night.
The match-up in the Confederations Cup between European champions Spain and New Zealand, who represent FIFA’s smallest and least competitive confederation, was almost as one-sided as any major international in decades.
As Torres banged in three goals in the first 17 minutes, so the legitimacy of the 11-member confederation came under a stark spotlight.
Fortunately for Oceania’s cause, the Spanish managed just two more, albeit one profiting from a schoolboy error, but there will
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Tags: confederation, confederations cup, decades, european champions, Fernando Torres, FIFA, hat trick, Herman, legitimacy, Mark, mark gleeson, match, minnows, New Zealand, Oceania, plight, rethink, schoolboy, soccer, Spain, spotlight, WC Qualifying South-AfricaRelated posts
We´ll bounce back, vows Kiwi coach
June 15, 2009
RUSTENBURG, South Africa (AFP) – New Zealand coach Ricki Herbert vows his team will bounce back after crashing 5-0 to Spain, a team which he rated as clear favourites for the Confederations Cup title.
The nervous All Whites suffered stage fright on Sunday against the star names of Spain and were four goals down after 24 minutes before they woke up and made a match if it.
Herbert, who played for New Zealand at the 1982 World Cup finals, said it had taught his team, which rarely gets to play such top class opposition, some hard lessons.
“The guys are obviously disappointed. There were too many individual errors but they will take on the chin,” he said.
“We’re not surprised by the Spanish performance, I think they are the favourites to go on and win the tournament.”
New Zealand, the Oceania champions, are playing in their third Confederations Cup but have yet to take a point from seven games.
Herbert said breaking that jinx was a key motivation in their two remaining group games here against South Africa on Wednesday and Iraq next Saturday.
“We haven’t got a point and there’s certainly a burning desire to get that,” he said.
“But the competition itself is enough motivation for us. It’s a new day today and we’ll bounce back.
“We’re learning, but we do have a few things to turn around, particularly against the hosts South Africa who after their 0-0 draw with Iraq will also be looking to turn it around a bit.”
Tags: burning desire, class opposition, confederations cup, favourites, group games, hosts, Iraq, jinx, kiwi, match, motivation, new day today, New Zealand, Oceania, Ricki Herbert, Rustenburg, rustenburg south africa, seven games, South Africa, Spain, star names, Whites, World Cup, world cup finals, zealand coachRelated posts
Quick Report: South Africa 0-0 Iraq
June 15, 2009
No goals were scored in the opening game of the 2009 Confederations Cup, as hosts South Africa and Iraq drew 0-0.
The match started at 4pm local time, following a 25-minute opening ceremony that allowed the spectators to get warmed up ahead of the actual clash between the home side and the Asian champions.
South Africa dominated from the start but couldn’t convert their chances to goals. Particularly the second half showed a significant difference between the two sides, but Iraq keeper Mohammed Kassid kept his side alive on several occasions.
As result of this draw, Spain get a chance to lead Group A if the European champions beat New Zealand in Sunday’s second game. Similarly, a New Zealand victory would leave the Oceania champions on top.
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Tags: clash, confederations cup, european champions, hosts, Iraq, jonathan, kassid, local time, match, mohammed, Mohammed Kassid, New Zealand, occasions, Oceania, opening ceremony, second game, second half, South Africa, Spain, spectators, victory, WC Qualifying South-AfricaRelated posts
Sizzling Spain fire six-goal Confed Cup warning
June 10, 2009
JOHANNESBURG (AFP) – Spain fired a six-goal warning on Tuesday as the countdown to the June 14 kick-off of the FIFA Confederations Cup in South Africa continued.
Striker David Villa, reportedly on the wanted list of super spenders Real Madrid, performed a one-man sales pitch during the first half in Azerbaijan with a hat-trick that set up a 6-0 friendly triumph.
While pitting the country ranked first in the world against opponents who weigh in at number 140 might appear cruel, the sizzling Spaniards reeled off another victory without a hint of mercy.
Euro 2008 winners Spain inhabit what appears to be much the easier of the two Confederations Cup groups with hosts South Africa and the champions of Asia and Oceania, Iraq and New Zealand.
On the other side of the draw, World Cup holders Italy come face to face with defending Confederations Cup champions Brazil, and potentially dangerous ‘dark horses’ Egypt and the United States lurk in the background.
New Zealand, who have lost all six encounters in two previous Confederations Cup appearances with an embarrassing 2-17 goal tally, face Spain in the north-west mining town of Rustenburg on Sunday.
And when the score from Baku in the oil-rich east European state filters through to the ‘All Whites’ camp, it can only heighten fears that they are set to become the next victims of the Spanish armada.
Villa from cash-strapped Valencia demonstrated his predatory instincts by converting an Alvaro Albeloa cross, slamming home a shot from outside the penalty area, and converting a penalty when Cesc Fabregas was fouled.
Albert Riera, substitute Daniel Guiza and Liverpool goal machine Fernando Torres scored in the second half as Spain demonstrated why they are the most feared national football team in Europe.
It was much closer in Cape Town where Iraq scored first but had to settle for a 1-1 draw with Poland in their first competitive action under Serb Bora Milutinovic, who has coached five countries at the World Cup.
Mahdi Kareem half volleyed a cross from constant menace Hawar Mohammed into the Polish net on 54 minutes only for Brazil-born Roger Guerreiro to equalise with a shot that gave goalkeeper Noor Sabri no chance.
South Africa, who edged Poland 1-0 in Johannesburg last weekend, meet Iraq in the tournament opener at Ellis Park on Sunday with the winners expected to accompany Spain into the semi-finals.
Super Stadium in Atteridgeville outside Pretoria – host to numerous recent South Africa fixtures – will stage a friendly between Italy and New Zealand on Wednesday night.
This fixture presents a challenge for notoriously fickle South African football followers who must decide between attending the game in expected freezing winter conditions or watching it live on television.
The Confederations Cup began officially in 1999 and now serves as a four-yearly dress rehearsal for the World Cup, which South Africa hosts between June 11 and July 11 next year.
Tags: albert riera, Asia, Baku, Bora, bora milutinovic, brazil, cape town, cup champions, Daniel Guiza, dark horses, DAVID VILLA, East European, Egypt, ellis park, euro 2008, Europe, fabregas, Fernando Torres, fifa confederations cup, goal tally, guiza, hat trick, Iraq, Italy, johannesburg, kareem, Liverpool, MADRID, mining town, mohammed, national football team, New Zealand, noor sabri, Oceania, Poland, predatory instincts, pretoria, real madrid, Rustenburg, sales pitch, South Africa, Spain, spaniards, spenders, Super Stadium, United States, Valencia, wanted list, World CupRelated posts
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