New Zealand national football team, wey dem dey call All Whites, don kick off dia FIFA Series match against Finland for Eden Park inside Auckland. Dis match na part of dia final preparation before dem travel go North America for 2026 FIFA World Cup wey go hold for June. Kick-off time na 7pm, and di game dey draw plenty attention as di last chance for many local fans to watch di team play for home soil before di global tournament.
Coach Darren Bazeley don name im squad for di two matches wey dem go play for Eden Park – against Finland today and against Chile for Monday. Di squad list show say some key players no dey available because of injury. Captain Chris Wood, Libby Cacace, Sarpreet Singh, Michael Boxall, Matt Garbett, and Nando Pijnaker all dey miss out. Ryan Thomas dey under injury cloud after hamstring concern for im club PEC Zwolle, but Bazeley say dem dey monitor am daily and hope say e fit play 45 to 60 minutes if e dey safe.
One new face for di squad na Lachlan Bayliss from Newcastle Jets. Di 23-year-old midfielder get Kiwi heritage through im papa and im recent form for im club don earn am dis call-up. Bayliss previously play for Oly-Whites for 2024 Paris Olympics, and Coach Bazeley say im selection na “no-brainer” after e score five goals and provide two assists during five-match period wey help Jets reach top of A-League table. Bayliss versatility allow am play as centre midfielder, winger, or attacking midfielder.
For di forward line, Ben Waine dey expected to lead di attack in absence of Chris Wood. Waine recent form for Port Vale for England FA Cup don put am for spotlight after e score decisive goals wey help im League One club reach quarter-finals. Jesse Randall, wey just sign for Dundee United in Scotland, also dey in form with nine goals and six assists for Auckland FC dis season. Kosta Barbarouses and Andre de Jong na other attacking options wey dey available.
Di goalkeeper position get Max Crocombe, Alex Paulsen, and Michael Woud wey don secure di third spot ahead of other contenders. Defensive options include Tyler Bindon, Finn Surman, Bill Tuiloma, Francis de Vries, and James McGarry. Midfielders wey dey available na Joe Bell, Eli Just, Ben Old, Alex Rufer, Marko Stamenić, and di returning Callan Elliot and Logan Rogerson from Auckland FC.
Coach Bazeley talk say di selection process don difficult because of injuries but im dey positive about di available players. E mention say Chris Wood injury dey track well and e dey expected to return for Nottingham Forest around mid-April. For Libby Cacace, Bazeley say im dey concerned about di consistent muscle injuries wey limit am to just 12 league matches for Wrexham dis season, but e dey expected back in two to three weeks.
Dis FIFA Series matches na important opportunity for All Whites to test themselves against European opposition before World Cup. New Zealand don draw into Group F for World Cup alongside Morocco, Croatia, and Saudi Arabia. Di team get additional warm-up match against England for Florida on June 6 (June 7 NZT) and dem dey look for one more pre-tournament match few days before dat.
For di Finland side, dem dey use dis match as part of dia own preparation as dem no qualify for 2026 World Cup. Di Finnish team get some experienced players wey play for top European leagues, and dem go want to give All Whites strong test for Eden Park. Di match dey broadcast live across New Zealand, and fans dey expect competitive performance from di home team as dem build toward dia World Cup campaign.
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