FIFA World Cup qualifier: All Whites v Tahiti all you need to know

Thursday, 10 October 2024, 7:33 pm
Article: RNZ

Mathew Nash, Sports Contributor

All Whites v Tahiti

FIFA World Cup 2026 Oceania Qualifier

Kickoff: 3pm Friday, 11 October (NZT)

VFF Freshwater Stadium, Port Vila, Vanuatu

Live blog updates on RNZ Sport

It's been 14 years since New Zealand have been to a men's FIFA World Cup, but the best chance in a generation of breaking that jinx is about to kick off in earnest.

The All Whites begin their qualification campaign for the 2026 event, held across the United States, Mexico and Canada, on Friday afternoon - facing Tahiti at a neutral location in Vanuatu.

So what do you need to know before the All Whites get their campaign underway this week?

The squad

There are no massive surprises, and head coach Darren Bazeley will be pleased to have star players Chris Wood, Libby Cacace and Marko Stamenic all available. Reading FC youngster Tyler Bindon was just five years old the last time the All Whites made a World Cup, and has been recalled to the squad with hopes of helping guide his nation to another. Finn Surman, Bill Tuiloma and Joe Bell miss out from last month's US tour, with Cam Howieson and Storm Roux back in the fold.

Goalkeepers: Max Crocombe, Alex Paulsen, Oli Sail

Defenders: Tyler Bindon, Michael Boxall, Liberato Cacace, Tim Payne, Nando Pijnaker, Tommy Smith, Sam Sutton, Storm Roux

Midfielders: Matthew Garbett, Ben Old, Cam Howieson, Marko Stamenic, Alex Rufer

Forwards: Kosta Barbarouses, Elijah Just, Logan Rogerson, Ben Waine, Chris Wood

Probable starting XI:

Crocombe; Payne, Boxall, Pijnaker, Cacace; Rufer, Stamenic, Garbett; Old, Just, Wood

All Whites preview

World Cup qualification for New Zealand has followed a similar pattern in recent attempts - they waltz through the regional phases before coming unstuck in a cross-continent play-off.

Mexico, Peru and Costa Rica have kiboshed those World Cup dreams at the playoff stage in the last three attempts at qualification. However, with a guaranteed Oceania place in 2026's extended tournament, New Zealand are overwhelming favourites to qualify.

The All Whites will view this as the most difficult game in their group, which also contains Vanuatu and Samoa, but will still expect a comfortable win - much like their 5-0 triumph over the same opponents in June's OFC Nations Cup semi-final.

Bazeley will be warning against complacency, while also encouraging his players to operate with the freedom and flair needed to carve their tenacious opponents' resistance.

Meet the opponents

Tahiti are the only nation to have broken New Zealand's stranglehold on the region since Australia's 2006 exodus, winning the 2012 OFC Nations Cup. However, they did so without needing to beat New Zealand themselves, a feat they have failed to achieve since 1995. Tahiti last scored against New Zealand nearly two decades ago - 11 games without a win or goal, a 31-0 aggregate score across those fixtures for the All Whites.

To break that duck they will be relying on captain and record scorer Teaonui Tehau to replicate some of his outrageous domestic form on the international level.

That said, it is at the other end where Tahiti might cause an upset. When organised and set up correctly, they can be a stubborn opponent as the All Whites nearly discovered in the last World Cup qualification cycle where only a second-half goal from Cacace broke the Tahitian resistance.

A similar dogged display might cause some nail-biting in the New Zealand camp.

Recent meetings

27 June 2024 - New Zealand 5-0 Tahiti

27 March 2022 - New Zealand 1-0 Tahiti

16 October 2012 - New Zealand 3-0 Tahiti

Prediction

The All Whites squeaked past a battling Tahiti side in qualification for the last World Cup and, on their day, the underdogs can certainly make it hard work for Bazeley's boys.

However, this New Zealand side are in better form, are better equipped post-Covid and are coming off the back of a promising 1-1 draw with the United States.

Nothing more than a comfortable win will do, and that's what we should expect.

New Zealand 3-0 Tahiti

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