New Zealand and China played out a goalless draw in a friendly match on Thursday, 23rd March, at Auckland’s Mt. Smart Stadium. The game was closely contested, with both sides creating numerous chances but ultimately failing to find the back of the net.
New Zealand dominated the first half, but it was China who came closest to scoring in the opening 45 minutes. Winger Wei Shihao sent a free kick just wide in the 32nd minute before forcing a great save out of New Zealand goalkeeper Oliver Sail two minutes before halftime.
New Zealand suffered a setback when their captain, Chris Wood, was ruled out of the game due to injury. Despite this, the All Whites put an interesting performance especially from players as Alex Rufer and Callan Elliot, who made his debut for his national team.
The game took a dramatic turn when New Zealand defender Tommy Smith was sent off for denying a clear goal-scoring opportunity. This forced the All Whites to concentrate more on their defensive end, but they were able to hold on for a hard-fought draw.
Both teams will be disappointed not to have found a winning goal, but it is New Zealand who will probably be the happier of the two sides, given that they had to play with a man down for a significant portion of the game. The teams will meet again in another friendly match at Sky Stadium in Wellington on Sunday, 26th March.
New Zealand is looking to build on their performance as they prepare for a new World Cup cycle, while China will be hoping to start their new era under coach Aleksandar Jankovic on a positive note.
Oceania Football Center 