Ref to take part in U-17 World Cup

Ricki Herbert, New Zealand coachI think our entire country, which numbers four million inhabitants, came to a stop to watch our performance. It’s an incredible result for football in New Zealand. It’s historic and greater than anything else we’ve ever achieved when you consider the standing of our opponents. From now on, everything is possible,…

Only a Vincenzo Iaquinta penalty prevented Marcello Lippi’s Azzurri dropping all three points as the All Whites, who took an early lead through Shane Smeltz, produced a courageous and intelligent performance to earn their second FIFA World Cup point.Faced with a side ranked 74 places above them, New Zealand might have been expected to park…

As the New Zealanders stayed glued to their spots waving flags, a grinning Prime Minister John Key lingered in the VIP box, apparently content to drink in the glory of the All Whites’ surprise showing against the defending champions. Ecstatic fans, some of whom had travelled nearly a full day by plane to be at…

Arguably just as unthinkable is the manner in which Ricki Herbert’s side set about taking a fully merited point from the all-star Italians. Faced with a team 74 places above them in the FIFA world rankings, the Kiwis would have been forgiven for taking the default underdogs’ approach: field a 4-5-1 formation in which the…

The Wellington Phoenix only met up with the squad in South Africa last week following surgery on his injured shoulder. He sat out the draw against Slovakia but is keen to realise his FIFA World Cup dream by making it onto the pitch as soon as possible.Coach Ricki Herbert is pleased with the way Brown…

Nelsen will lead an unchanged line-up against the Azzurri at Mbombela Stadium, where a win for either side would see them break free of the Group F logjam – all four sides have a point each after their first match – and put one foot into the knockout stages. Bookmakers may have the All Whites…

The two sides go head-to-head on Sunday (2am Monday NZT), with both having drawn their opening Group F games in the 2010 FIFA World Cup.They are no strangers to each other, having clashed in a friendly warm-up ahead of last year’s FIFA Confederations Cup, in which Italy scraped a 4-3 victory. Chiellini and his team…

The All Whites stunned a highly-rated Slovakia side with a stoppage-time goal to earn a 1-1 draw in their opening match on Tuesday. Coach Ricki Herbert called the point the greatest result in the rugby-mad country’s football history and sees no reason why they can’t build on the euphoria and make the round of 16.“It’s…

Newly married – his honeymoon has had to wait until the All Whites’ adventure in South Africa is over – Killen will find himself out of work at the end of the month unless he can find another club or persuade his current employers, Middlesbrough, to offer him a new deal.The 28-year-old’s threat in the…