The All Whites face Fiji in a World Cup qualifier on March 21, 2023. New Zealand, favored to win, aims for a spot in the 2026 World Cup after a long absence. Recent matches indicate their dominance, and they are primed for a victory against the underdog Fijian squad, despite their coach’s experience and talent.
New Zealand’s All Whites are set to face Fiji in a FIFA World Cup qualifying match on March 21, 2023, at Sky Stadium, Wellington, starting at 7pm. After a hiatus since 2009, where they last qualified for a World Cup, the All Whites aim to regain their spot, with the winning team from Oceania automatically qualifying for the 2026 event. New Zealand’s journey includes needing to overcome this semi-final match against Fiji before a potential final against New Caledonia or Tahiti.
The All Whites are heavily favored to win against Fiji. In their recent group stage matches last year, New Zealand dominated with scores of 3-0 against Tahiti, 8-1 against Vanuatu, and 8-0 against Samoa. Coach Darren Bazeley is bolstered by players like Chris Wood, a leading scorer in the Premier League, and Libby Cacace from Empoli, who has been performing well in the Coppa Italia.
In terms of team selection, Max Crocombe is expected to start as the goalkeeper. Defenders such as Tommy Smith, Nando Pijnaker, and Francis de Vries are in contention for starting roles. Marko Stamenic is anticipated to anchor the midfield, while Chris Wood is set to lead the attack based on form and experience. The predicted XI includes Crocombe, Bindon, Pijnaker, Boxall, Cacace, Rufer, Stamenic, Garbett, Just, Rogerson, and Wood.
Fiji’s team, despite being underdogs, has notable talents, including their coach Rob Sherman, who has experience coaching significant players. Though star player Roy Krishna is sidelined due to injury, other players such as Sairusi Nalaubu and Setareki Hughes present threats in the attack and midfield. Fiji’s squad features a mix of local and overseas-based players.
New Zealand has had the upper hand in their recent matchups against Fiji, winning 4-0 in 2022 and 2-0 in both 2017 matches. Given the disparity in team strength, fitness, and organization, a comfortable victory for New Zealand is highly anticipated. A scoreline of New Zealand 4 – Fiji 0 is expected from this encounter.
As the All Whites prepare to face Fiji in the FIFA World Cup qualifier, their history of dominance in past encounters coupled with a strong squad suggests a high likelihood of victory. New Zealand’s robust performances in recent qualifications provide them with confidence as they seek to return to the World Cup stage. Fiji, while capable, faces considerable challenges against a superior All Whites squad, making a significant upset unlikely.
Original Source: www.rnz.co.nz
