Game one of the three-match series is at 8pm at the ASB Sports Centre in Kilbirnie and Futsal Whites coach Scott Gilligan says the team have been firing in camp with everyone focussed on the task ahead over the next three days.
“It’s been very positive,” Gilligan said, “we don’t get together a lot but when we do it’s very productive.
“The spirit in the team is very good, we all get on well and everyone pumps everyone up. We’re pretty switched on to face the Aussies and hopefully get our first win against them.”
The tactical plan of the New Zealand side will be key to those chances of victory and Gilligan has identified what he believes is the key area of focus for the match-up.
“Most of our sessions have been on defensive transition because we know that the Aussies are very good at moving from defence to attack and we need to combat that.
“We’ve conceded a few goals in our past history in regard to that and we feel if we can cut out those errors we’ll be certainly more in the game.”
A former coach of the Futsalroos side, Gilligan is well placed to assess the impact a win for the Futsal Whites would have on the landscape of the sport in New Zealand and beyond.
“To draw would cement in the players’ minds that we are improving but to win would even surpass that. To win our first game against Australia would be a watershed moment for New Zealand futsal.
“We’re the underdogs and they are the hot favourites. History has shown so we have nothing to lose and they have everything to lose.”
The squad includes 56-cap All White Leo Bertos who will make his Futsal Whites debut in the series.
Trans-Tasman Cup Futsal Series – Futsal Whites v Futsalroos
July 11-13
ASB Sports Centre, Kilbirnie, Wellington
Futsal Whites squad: 1. Atta Elayyan (GK), 2. Josh Stevenson, 3. Dylan Manickum, 4. Ouadhah Ragued, 5. Ryan Batty, 6. Kareem Osman, 7. Marvin Eakins, 8. Daniel Burns, 9. Jakub Sinkora, 10. Jan Fischer, 11. Leo Bertos, 12. Hicham Kamri, 14. Tai Barham, 15. Miroslav Malivuk, 16. Bakr Al-Saudi, 18. Elias Billeh (GK)
Coach: Scott Gilligan
Match schedule
Game 1 – Friday 11 July, 8pm
Game 2 – Saturday 12 July, 8pm
Game 3 – Sunday 13 July, 12pm
If you can’t make it to Wellington to catch the game, watch live via YouTube here.
Story courtesy of www.nzfootball.co.nz

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