Fiji coach Juan Carlos Buzzetti believes his team can put a week of controversy behind them and emerge shock victors in today’s OFC Nations Cup/2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa Qualifier at Churchill Park, Lautoka, this afternoon.
The wily Uruguayan says his team has all the motivation it requires to upset the highly-fancied New Zealand All Whites despite the fact the Kiwis star-studded line-up
features an array of experience drawn from the Scottish Premier League, Major League Soccer (USA)and the Australian A-League.
“The pressure is not on us. It is on New Zealand. If we want to win this game our players will still need to perform well. If they do what I ask of them then I am
confident.”
Buzzetti said any reference to Vanuatu’s 4-2 win over the All Whites in Adelaide was unhelpful and irrelevant.
“The feeling was different back then. We only had a squad of 15 players to choose from and our backs were against the wall. Vanuatu had just finished a preliminary
tournament in Samoa and we were fatigued.
The mentality to win a match like this is different. When an pacific island team plays another island team, it is a different challenge.
To play New Zealand or Australia, you require different attributes – physical fitness, pace, agility and mobility,” Buzzetti said.
Fiji have no injury problems ahead of this afternoon’s match but Buzzetti prefers to play his cards close to his chest about what his final team line-up and formation
will be.
“We’ll see. We will see what we want to do. I want to make sure everyone is fit before I commit to naming the team. As far as what New Zealand do, I prefer to
concentrate on what my players do.”
Fiji go into the match with reason to be confident after an impressive series of performances at the XIII South Pacific Games that included wins over Cook Islands (4-0),
Tahiti (4-0), Tuvalu (16-0) and Vanuatu (3-0).
A draw (1-1) and defeat (0-1) against New Caledonia sit alongside August’s win (1-0) and loss (1-2) against a New Zealand XI in Lautoka and Suva.
Prior to that, Fiji played against Major League Soccer’s Real Salt Lake where they suffered a respectable 0-2 defeat in a match played in snowy conditions.
Despite the outward confidence and bluster, Buzzetti’s assessment of Fiji’s chances in the OFC Nations Cup/2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa Qualifiers is frank should
his team lose today’s match.
“If you lose two games in this competition, everything will start to be very difficult. One match? Maybe this could be okay – I expect 12 points to be enough for the
winning team – Oceania is a very difficult place to travel and win games.
Today’s match? I expect it to be very close, 1-1, 1-0, maybe.”
New Zealand arrived in Nadi late yesterday afternoon and were taken by police escort to their hotel before engaging in a light training session at Churchill Park.
Coach Ricki Herbert was adamant his team were ready for the challenge ahead of them.
“I’m pleased with the work we’ve done since the match was cancelled last week and the players are looking forward to the match,” Herbert said.
Herbert has no injury concerns ahead of today’s game with both of his first choice strikers – Glasgow Celtic’s Chris Killen and Wellington Phoenix Shane Smeltz – in good
form with their looming tussle against Peni Finau and Malakai Kainehewe a fascinating prospect.
Killen, in particular, looks in excellent form with his recent exploits including involvement in Celtic’s 2-1 UEFA Champions League win over AC Milan and scoring his
first Scottish Premier League goal in a 2-1 win over newly promoted Gretna.
Shane Smeltz has been in equally good touch for Wellington Phoenix with four goals to his name in seven A-League appearances this season.
FIJI squad list:
1. Simione TAMANISAU (gk); 2. Avinesh SUWAMY; 3. Shalen LAL; 4. Samuela VULA; 5. Ronil KUMAR; 6. Apisalome TURUVA; 7. Roy KRISHNA; 8. Pita BALEITGOA; 9. Maciu DUNADAMU;
10. Osea VAKATALESAU; 11. Pita RABO; 12. Peni FINAU (c); 13. Taniela WAQA. 14. Tuimasi MANUCA; 15. Salesh KUMAR; 16. Malakai TIWA; 17. Malakai KAINIHEWE; 20. Shamal KUMAR (gk).
Coach: Juan Carlos BUZZETTI.
NEW ZEALAND squad list:
1. Mark PASTON (gk); 2. Jeremy CHRISTIE; 3. Tony LOCHHEAD; 4. David MULLIGAN; 5. Andy BOYENS; 7. Ivan VICELICH; 8. Tim BROWN (c); 9. Shane SMELTZ; 10. Chris KILLEN; 11.
Leo BERTOS; 12. James PRITCHETT; 13. Jarrod SMITH; 14. Chris JAMES; 15. Ben SIGMUND; 16. Duncan OUGHTON; 17. Jeff CAMPBELL, 18. James BANNATYNE (gk).
Coach: Ricki HERBERT.
Referee: Jair MARRUFO (USA)
Assistant Referee 1: Charles MORGANTE (USA)
Assistant Referee 2: Adam WIENCKOWSKI (USA)
Fourth Official: Baldomero TOLEDO (USA)
OFC NATIONS CUP/2010 FIFA WORLD CUP SOUTH AFRICA QUALIFIER
FIJI vs. NEW ZEALAND
Wednesday 17th October, 2007
At Churchill Park
Lautoka
Fiji
Kick-off: 4:00pm (local time)/5:00pm (NZT)
MEDIA COVERAGE
Live text updates available at www.oceaniafootball.com
Delayed coverage Fiji TV
Match shown on live streaming at www.tvnz.co.nz (available to NZ audiences only)
Delayed coverage TV ONE at 10:35pm
Deayed coverage TVNZ Sport Extra Freeview
Channel 20 (see www.tvnz.co.nz for details)