Having spent the last two days on the training pitch, the group are ready to face the 92nd-ranked side – yet to lose in five 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers played so far this year – with the aim of netting their first win of the year after a tight 1-0 loss to Korea Republic in March and a 1-1 draw with Myanmar in September.
Melbourne Victory forward Kosta Barbarouses says the team have been focussed since their arrival in Muscat working in a system he says is well-suited his own game.
“It suits me perfectly, I’ve been at the Victory for my third season now and that’s pretty much exactly how we set up,” Barbarouses says.
“We like to press high up on the field so for me it’s almost the same sort of set up. It’s a little bit different positionally, but it’s a similar philosophy so it works well for me.
“The boys have come in, everyone’s looking fresh and we’ve kept training nice and sharp with a clear understanding of what we want to do in the game and I think everyone is looking forward to getting out there.
“We just want to go out there tomorrow and execute our game plan. It’s becoming pretty clear how we want to play and if we do that everything will come into place.”
Tour captain Chris Wood backed up his team mate, saying the side need to lay a solid foundation in their work without the ball before their talents in possession can shine.
“First of all we have to have the work rate and the desire there,” Wood says.
“We have to match them and exceed them in that sense. Then hopefully the quality we have in the squad will come through.
“We know our game plan inside out and as long as we bring that application on the pitch I’m sure our abilities will show through.
“We’ve got some quality players in behind me which is nice to see. We’ve got a good attacking front and a few of the young boys have come in and shown what they can do when they come on or are given a start.”
Wood said with the team preparing for next year’s 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers in Papua New Guinea he wants to see the team continuing to sharpen their edge as the OFC Nations Cup draws closer.
“It’s getting down to crunch time and we need to be ready and on point for the [English] summer so the next couple of games is where we need to be starting to hit our form.”
Watch the action LIVE on SKY Sport 1 from 2.50am on Friday 13 November (NZ time).
All Whites v Oman
Al Seeb Stadium, Muscat, Oman
Thursday 12 November, 6pm (Friday 13 November, 3am – NZ time)
New Zealand (from): 4. Themi Tzimopoulos, 5. Michael Boxall, 6. Clayton Lewis, 7. Kosta Barbarouses, 8. Michael McGlinchey, 9. Chris Wood, 11. Marco Rojas, 12. Max Crocombe (GK), 14. Ryan Thomas, 15. Te Atawhai Hudson-Wihongi, 16. Louis Fenton, 17. Sam Brotherton, 18. Alex Rufer, 19. Thomas Doyle, 20. Henry Cameron, 21. Nik Tzanev (GK), 24. Logan Rogerson, 25. Stefan Marinovic (GK)
Coach: Anthony Hudson
Story courtesy of New Zealand Football

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