The Thai Airways All Whites have been reduced to playing an inter-squad game on the day they were suppose to open their campaign for a place at the
2010 FIFA World Cup.
Six players from New Zealand Football Championship clubs Auckland City and Waitakere United helped make up the numbers in the 70-minute hit out at
North Harbour Stadium on Saturday.
The match – arranged in place of New Zealand’s World Cup qualifier against Fiji which was postponed by FIFA on Friday – was won 5-3 by an XI that is
likely to closely resemble the side coach Ricki Herbert sends out in Wednesday’s away leg at Churchill Park in Lautoka (5pm NZT).
Wellington Phoenix striker Shane Smeltz scored twice for the victors as did Celtic marksman Chris Killen, Columbus Crew midfielder Duncan Oughton and Perth Glory playmaker Leo Bertos.
England-based All Whites midfielder Chris James and Auckland City ring-ins Chad Coombes and Joel Mathews scored for the other side.
Herbert – watching from the media tribune high above halfway – was pleased with what he saw. It made a happy change from the grim faces in the All
Whites camp 24 hours earlier when NZ Football Chief Executive Graham Seatter confirmed the match had been called off because of entry visa issues for Fiji’s first-choice goalkeeper.
Story courtesy of NZF Media…
http://www.nzsoccer.com/plugins/newsfeed.cgi?rm=content&plugin_data_id=21135