Date: Monday, March 24, 2025
Venue: Eden Park, Auckland, New Zealand
Kick-off: 7 PM (Local Time)
It promises to be a special occasion with OFC granted direct entry to the FIFA World Cup™ Finals for the first time.
New Caledonia arrives with confidence and hope. Having safely navigated the semi-finals with an impressive performance against Tahiti, the team is focused and determined. Speaking at a pre-final media Conference at Eden Park, midfielder Jekob Jeno emphasised that his side has been working tirelessly for this moment and is ready to give it everything they have tomorrow night. “We want to win. We come here to play and give all for this game,” said Jeno.
His commitment is mirrored by head coach Johann Sidaner, who spoke about the importance of teamwork and confidence in their approach.
For Sidaner, the key to success lies in maintaining a compact, disciplined shape while waiting for the right moments to capitalise on opportunities. “We are here to show our strength and confidence,” he remarked.
For New Zealand, the atmosphere within the camp is buzzing with anticipation. Vice-captain Liberato Cacace and coach Darren Bazeley acknowledged the pressure that comes with being favourites.
“We know we’re the favourites, but we can’t be complacent,” Cacace said, stressing the importance of discipline and sticking to their game plan.
Head coach Darren Bazeley spoke about the need to avoid complacency, especially given the high stakes of this final. While acknowledging New Caledonia’s flair and counter-attacking threat, he made it clear that New Zealand must focus on playing their own game. “If we just keep our discipline and have the right mindset, we should have a really good evening,” Bazeley remarked.
The New Zealand coach is wary of the threat posed by New Caledonia.
“We’ve watched a lot of their recent games and obviously we were at the game on Friday. They have some threats. They’ve got some flair.
They’ve got a few players that look like they can hurt teams, as we saw on Friday night. Competitive, physical and a counter-attack threat with a few players that can do something a little bit different. Definitely some challenges.”
Bazeley also spoke about the significance of Oceania finally having direct entry to the sport’s biggest stage.
“I think it’s great to have a direct entry from this part of the world. It’s probably needed for a while now to make it a truly global competition. When you look back the past three times, we’ve had to play Costa Rica, Peru, Mexico. That’s pretty tough when you’re playing a fourth place CONCACAF or fifth place CONMEBOL team. That’s pretty tough opposition, and rightly so because it’s a prestigious tournament. Having something from this part of the world in the actual World Cup is great for the whole region. It gives everybody something to aspire to. There’s a secondary element to this qualification process as well.”
The runner up tomorrow will also get a chance to qualify for the FIFA World Cup™. OFC will join one team each from AFC, CAF, and CONMEBOL and two from CONCACAF in the inter-confederation play-offs. The teams will be ranked according to the FIFA Men’s World Ranking, with the four lowest-ranked teams playing in two single-elimination matches.
The winners will meet the two highest-ranked teams in another set of single-elimination matches, with the winners of these matches qualifying for the World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Photo Credit: OFC Media via Phototek