Flying Kiwis – April 11
Ben Waine – Plymouth Argyle (English League One)
It’s been a rough couple of months for Ben Waine since initially bursting onto the scene at Plymouth Argyle. A bunch of games plus a goal in cup competitions stirred up all sorts of buzz from the stands... but since then a few other forwards have come back to fitness and form. Couple that with Waine having a couple of performances which suggested maybe that he’d been rushed in a bit too quickly and suddenly je’d disappeared from focus.
That’s no great drama. It takes time to ease on into a new situation and this was just balancing out the early prominence. Waine-o wasn’t part of the squad that lost the EFL Trophy final to Bolton at Wembley recently however he did make the bench five days later for the trip to face Morecambe. It was a game that Plymouth were banking on winning against a team in the relegation zone but they conceded three minutes into the contest and were still trailing at the half. They were still trailing ten minutes after the half, thus it was time for a double substitution and oh look Ben Waine was one of the blokes sent on.
Five minutes later one of those subs curled in a beauty of an equaliser. It was Danny Mayor not Ben Waine who did it, sorry to be a tease, though Argyle did continue to step it up from there in search of a winner. Then, cowabunga, in the 86th minute they found one...
Pressing high, turning the ball over, and Ben Waine offering the quick positioning for the cross. A finisher like him wasn’t ever going to miss from there once that ball found its way over. First league goal for Waine with Plymouth, his second for the club overall. They went on to win it 3-1 as Jay Matete bagged another in stoppage time - all three goals were scored by subs to show the value of a deep bench. With Sheffield Wednesday only drawing, that win moved Plymouth two points clear at the top of the division (although Ipswich won yet another game to nil so they’re hot on their heels in second now).
The goal itself was a tap-in even if he did show great alertness to be in the right area. But it was also a crucial goal in the course of his team’s season and you could tell what it meant by the celebrations. A moment like that is a fantastic reward for all the underground mahi and exactly the kind of thing that’ll keep him getting further chances. And to make it even more special, his family had just flown in and were able to see it happen live.
Ben Waine: “Mum and Dad flew over from New Zealand; they've been here for a couple days now. They literally landed on the day of Wembley. This was their first league game. I had my auntie, uncle and cousins from Newcastle here, and grandma back in the hotel room watching. It just made the day a lot more special. It's been hard for them to keep up with games, but believe me, they've been up at 3am in New Zealand watching all of them. [The goal had] felt like a long time coming, but it’s a really good time to score, isn't it? I'm just buzzing.”
Beautiful stuff. Sadly it wasn’t to be repeated in the second game of the week. Argyle hosted Lincoln City and Waine was rewarded for his goal with an even longer run off the bench, subbed on after 52 minutes. But they were 2-0 down at the time after leaking one on the counter attack in the first half then conceding early in the second. Against a solid defensive team that was too of a hurdle to overcome. Argyle did have some moments, such as a Ryan Hardie 1v1 in the first half, but didn’t convert and wasteful errors will cost you in these kinds of games.
Waine may have had an extended run but he didn’t have an expanded impact. Only five touches of the ball in his 38 minutes of action, which has been a trend for him so far. Part of that is him playing off the last man and searching for goal-scoring moments. Part is inexperience not really knowing where his areas are yet.
In other results, there was a win for Sheffield Wednesday which puts them back atop the ladder albeit with one extra game played. Ipswich’s hot streak finally hit a snag with a 1-1 draw away to Cheltenham which keeps them behind Plymouth by a couple spare points. Barnsley also won to stay on the fringes of the top two battle. Each team plays 46 games. Top two go up automatically. It’s going to be a belter of a finish.
Up Next: Exeter City vs Plymouth at 11pm on Saturday (NZT)
Matthew Garbett - NAC Breda (Dutch Eerste Divisie)
It’s games like this that make Matt Garbett so exciting. We’ve seen it once or twice from him with the various national teams (including age grades) though it hasn’t really come out at senior club level before now. NAC Breda against Den Bosch... and Garbett was absolutely all over it. He scored a goal. He set one up. He could have had at least one more of each of those things with a man of the match performance to guide his team to a 2-0 victory. Garbs was absolutely immense.
It was far from smooth sailing with the scoreboard still empty after the first half. Breda were in full control defensively but they were struggling to find a way past the guards up the other end. Garbett did what he could skipping past defenders and looking to get the ball into dangerous areas but it wasn’t really clicking until the second half, which had barely started when Garbett fizzed a killer low ball into the area that only needed a touch to break the deadlock except that none was forthcoming. Soon after he got to the line on the overlap, waxed his marker cutting inside, but had his square cross deflected and then saved.
Not to worry. The scoring was all taken care of in a short span just after the hour mark. Again it was Garbett running through from the right side on 62’ and this time Elias Mar Omarsson was on call to slip it home for the lead. A mere two minutes later Jort van der Sande did similar from the other side only this time it was Matty Garbs in the middle for the simple finish. His first goal for NAC Breda. Love it. There’s a good chat with him here from the post-match media too, if you’re interested.
That was an important win dispatching of a team down near the bottom of the standings. Speaking of which, Breda are now chilling in eighth yet only three points off rising another three places. Those playoffs are very much in their sights if they can get a few more of these days out of Matthew Garbett.
Meanwhile Ryan Thomas started for PEC Zwolle as usual and lasted 64 minutes before he was subbed. They were away to FC Eindhoven and after scoring inside three mins they’d been dragged back to trail 2-1 after half an hour only to be level going into the break. It was still 2-2 when Thommo was taken off. It ended up 4-2 to Eindhoven, a disappointing ending costing them important points with only six more games left in the regular season. At least they got fortunate with their closest challengers Heracles also being beaten on the same day so the lead remains five points.
Up Next: Saturday at 6am, NAC Breda are at home against Willem II (NZT)
Nando Pijnaker & Max Mata – Sligo Rovers (League of Ireland Premier Division)
Boom. Sixth of the season. In ya go. Max Mata is on fire.
This latest goal was away to Dundalk in a pretty important game as whichever team won would leap up to third on the ladder (after eight games). Sligo had gone three in a row without tasting victory. But quarter of an hour into this one they were leading thanks to the main man Max.
The goal fitted into a quality start from Rovers although the home side did steadily improve as the half went on and by the latter stages were absolutely bossing it – leading to a 44th minute equaliser from Rayhaan Tulloch. Scored after a penalty which Tulloch himself had earned with an insane bit of skill to draw the foul. He missed the spot-kick but then scored on the rebound.
Scores tied and again Rovers started the second half better though this time they didn’t take advantage and again Dundalk came back strong as time wore on. Mata was excellent up front with his hold-up play and general work-rate. Pijnaker was every bit as good at the back setting a commanding presence and also shifting the ball with accuracy. However it was seeming like they’d do well just to hold on for a point... when substitute Stefan Radosavljevic went on a mad run to score a wonderful winner in the 89th minute for Sligo Rovers.
Definitely a bit fortunate with the result but a massive three points all the same with the 2-1 victory. Mata and Pijnaker were great. Mata scored again to remain top of the Golden Boot standings. Six goals in eight games. Can’t fault it.
Sligo Rovers manager John Russell: “I think Max can play at a higher level, and if he continues to score goals in this league I’m sure he will. He’s flying it this year and it’s no surprise. People talked about Aidan [Keena] leaving and what would happen at Sligo because he was getting all the goals. He was our talisman last year and we utilised his strengths, and Max probably didn't see a lot of game time towards the end of the year because Aidan was playing. But we knew the potential Max had and knew he was going to take flight this year. Having a year in the league last season and coming in and having the full pre-season helps. He’s got back into the national team in New Zealand now, and you see his attributes. We’re just thankful he’s in a good rein of form at the moment.”
Then they played again, the old Friday-Monday doubleheader for the long weekend. This game was away to Shelbourne and initially they were having some dramas dealing with Shels and their pace out wide. Luckily the crossing and finishing weren’t so flash from the home side and while more of the game was happening in their own half there were also moments where Sligo seemed to slice up the Shels defence quite easily. The first of those began from some Mata hold-up gold and ended with Will Fitzgerald sliding a square ball in front of Mata but behind Radosavljevic who dragged it wide (still should probably have scored). Fitzgerald himself smashed the crossbar after 20 mins running in behind. The opportunities were there.
And on 36’ they put one away. Corner kick from Fabrice Hartmann and attacking it at the back stick was Daniel Lafferty, whose header was almost saved but managed to creep over the line. A deserved lead. Regardless of the territory, it was Sligo Rovers who’d actually created all the best chances in the half... although Shels did have a strong phase immediately after conceding. 1-0 at half-time.
In a fit of reactionary thinking, Shelbourne made three changes at the break and, well, it sorta did the trick. Fifteen minutes later Shels were up 2-1 after goals from Matty Smith (52’ powering header from a corner) and an own goal from John Mahon (58’ a back-header from outside the area which wrong-footed and beat his own keeper). Righto. That one escalated quickly and soon it was Sligo’s turn to make a few subs to try and flip it back the other way. Except that they more they pushed forward, the more open they also looked at the back. That did allow for one badass last-man tackle from Nando near the end but it also meant they couldn’t muster an equaliser and lost 2-1. That rotten start to the second half doomed them. Guts.
Up Next: Home to Drogheda at 6.45am on Sunday (NZT)
Liberato Cacace – Empoli (Italian Serie A)
Top bloke, ol’ Libby. Getting amongst the community. Chipping in with the club charity.
Tell ya what else he got amongst this week: a bit of AC Milan at the San Siro. Not the first time he’s had that task because he actually did start against them in a 1-0 loss last season. This time he was on the bench but with the scores still level and less than a quarter of an hour remaining, with AC Milan in all-out-attack mode to try and maintain their hold on the last Champions League place... it was Cacace Time.
Not at left back, mind you. Another little twist in the tale saw Cacace brought on as a wide midfielder on that edge instead, playing in front of Fabiano Parisi rather than instead of him. Of course it was still a defensive sub because effectively Cacace was there to double up with his fullback as an extra layer of prevention (at times looking like a back five when pushed deep). Had to be done – Empoli hadn’t even registered a shot when Cacace was introduced so settling for the point was the wise thing to do. First half they’d had some sketchy moments but mostly looked solid. Second half Milan had ramped things up, particularly after Rafael Leão and Olivier Giroud were subbed on. This was part of the necessary response.
You know what though? Empoli actually had a good spell of possession straight after Cacace came on. Libs had room to drive infield with a fullback outside him which is exactly what he did to set up his team’s first shot of the entire game (Jacopo Fazzini’s attempt blocked on the edge of the box). But then it very swiftly went back the other way until the moment when Olivier Giroud bossed his man at the back post to give AC Milan the 89th minute lead.
Until it was disallowed. Turns out it was handball from Giroud, which a couple of the Empoli defenders had spotted it instantly and eventually the VAR stepped up to intervene. Back where we were, with seven minutes of stoppage time to manoeuvre through. That meant dealing with heaps of crosses... it also meant Empoli bursting forward in the final seconds with a counter attack down the right and Cacace there open in the middle but they couldn’t get the ball to him as Milan got enough defenders back to crowd them out. Final whistle blew for a 0-0 draw. They’ll take that for sure.
Up Next: Cremonese vs Empoli on Saturday at 4.30am (NZT)
Callum McCowatt - FC Helsingør (Danish Division 1)
Big game away to Hvidovre this week with FCH knowing that a win would bring them back within three points of the second promotion spot... and things could hardly have started better. Callum McCowatt’s fourth goal of the season put them up on 13’ then Sterling Yakete doubled that on 25’. A brilliant start on the quest for that six-point swing. Happy days (video still hasn’t popped up yet so check back again tomorrow).
Fast-forward to the final whistle and they’d lost 3-2. Hvidovre pulled one back before the break, then levelled things up ten minutes into the second spell before claiming the victory in the 85th minute. Full game for McCowatt in his now regular midfield role but yeah nah this was a devastating result. Instead of closing with three points of promotion, they’re now nine points back and it’s quite hard to see how they make up that ground. Eight more games to play in the promotion rounds so it’s far from over but this could’ve been massive for them. McCowatt has one more year on his contract after this season so it’ll be curious to see what happens there if they fail to get promoted once again – if they want any coin for him this offseason might have to be the one (they’ve already sold Eli Just for an alleged €100k fee).
That’s all much more dramatic than anything we got in the top division. Marko Stamenic wasn’t in the squad as FC Copenhagen were beaten 1-0 by a late Randers goal which dips them down below FC Nordsjælland who themselves got back to winning ways with a 2-1 victory against Brøndby. Joe Bell was on the bench for BIF who were 2-0 down after half an hour, sparked things up the rest of the way, but only managed to score once via a 76th min penalty. Bell was brought on in the wake of that goal and wasn’t able to spark an equaliser. Meanwhile Eli Just’s AC Horsens team didn’t even play (they’re on Wednesday morning).
Up Next: FCH vs Næstved at 5am on Saturday (NZT)
Sarpreet Singh - SSV Jahn Regensburg (German Bundesliga 2)
Earlier in the year, Regensburg couldn’t seem to score a goal that wasn’t directly influenced by Sarpreet Singh and they also couldn’t seem to stop losing either. These days he’s not getting the goals and assists but they are picking up some occasional points so that’s... nice? S’pose so, although given that he’s only on loan we don’t really have to care so much about the team’s efforts, therefore the one man show version was kinda better from our selfish Flying Kiwis point of view.
This week it was Magdeburg on the fixture list, another team right down near the bottom of things, and the two sides split the points in an entertaining 2-2 draw. Magdeburg were leading at the half thanks to a direct free kick after ten minutes yet SSV Jahn had played some useful stuff. They just weren’t forging any notable shots to show for their work... hence it was pretty convenient when the opposition goalkeeper dropped a goober at Andreas Albers’ feet for an equaliser early in the second half. One of the softest goalie errors you’ll see for a long while, officially it went down as an own goal to one of his defenders. 53 mins gone.
On we went with chances at both ends in what was now a much more open contest. Eventually Magdeburg regained the lead on 80’ with a header from a free kick but Regensburg levelled up once more in the 90th minute via Kaan Caliskaner. 2-2 draw, put it in the books. Phew.
We got through that whole match recap without actually mentioning Sarpreet Singh which makes it sound like a quiet game from the fella. The truth is that it was anything but. While things didn’t quite go his way overall, he was one of the best players on the park, credited with five key passes (which was also the amount of times he was fouled) and it would have paid off in the dying moments as he broke through on goal with mere seconds remaining and the potential of a winning goal at his very feet... only for Daniel Heber to bring him down as the last man. Instant red card. But it did save a point for DH’s team by preventing Singh from getting his heroic moment. Ah well.
Up Next: Furth vs Jahn Regensburg at 4.30am on Saturday (NZT)
Alex Greive - St Mirren (Scottish Premiership)
Good chat from St Mirren’s most-capped player. That’s one to put on the resume.
There’s also been plenty of positivity around the Buddies on the pitch too thanks to another impressive victory, beating Hearts 2-0. Greive didn’t play a major role, subbed on for the last quarter of an hour or so, but he still did what was needed of him after goals from Curtis Main (52’) and Alex Gogic (57’) had put the Saints up a couple on the road. By the time Greive entered the match, Hearts were also down to ten men following a second yellow for Robert Snodgrass... at which point all they really needed to do was manage things.
That they did. Limited work from Greive who only had six touches with no proper attacking moments in there but the damage had already been done. He gave them the shot of energy they needed at the time and St Mirren got through for the 2-0 win which lifts them to just one point behind their opponents on the ladder. Hearts had Aussies Kai Rowles and Cammy Devlin starting while Garang Kuol was an unused sub. But this was their fourth loss in a row so the manager got sacked soon afterwards. All good news for St Mirren as they’re suddenly chasing a European position.
Up Next: Away to Rangers on Sunday at 2am (NZT)
Marco Rojas – Colo-Colo (Chilean Primera División)
A wee bit of Coppa Chile action away to Santiago City was the chance for Marco Rojas to slide on into the starting line-up again. It was only his fourth appearance of the year as he’s found himself outside the first-choice lads at what’s obviously a really strong team. Last week he was on the bench for the opening Copa Libertadores group stage game but wasn’t called upon to make his debut in South America’s Champions League equivalent. Colo-Colo drew 1-1 away to Deportivo Pereira of Colombia. Only two league apps for Rojas so far, both in February. He did also start the Super Cup.
But a lower league opponent in the cup meant prime rotation opportunities so there he was dashing around from the right wing. Didn’t have anything to do with the long ball towards Carlos Palacios that set up his 8th minute opener and by the time they finally added a second in the 89th minute he’d long been replaced. However he did nearly set one up early second half with a chipped cross that was headed on target but saved. Good to see him getting to stretch his legs and hopefully that Copa Libertadores debut is just around the corner.
Up Next: Sunday at 7am away to Universidad Catolica (NZT)
Abby Erceg – Racing Louisville (American National Women’s Soccer League)
A smaller number of female pros from Aotearoa means that international windows tend to leave almost nothing to go on. There was the news of Rebekah Stott getting a new manager. Melissa Phillips has been signed for the remainder of this season and two more on top of that, an American coach though she did previously coach London City Lionesses. Most recently she’s been at Angel City as an assistant so it’s another case of swapping one kiwi player for another, Ali Riley for Rebekah Stott. Phillips will be the fourth manager that Brighton have had this season after Hope Powell, Jens Scheuer, and two-term interim Amy Merricks.
But aside from that nobody’s playing so here’s a sneaky cool note about Abby Erceg’s Racing Louisville...
Yep, first team in NWSL history to represent all six different FIFA confederations (‘continents’ is clearly the wrong word, Oceania is not a continent, but then nobody ever accused Americans of understanding geography – and it’s still a very cool factoid).
Up Next: The battle of the kiwi captains as Angel City host Racing Louisville at 2pm on Sunday (NZT)
Michael Boxall – Minnesota United (American Major League Soccer)
In a quieter week than usual with the ladies on international break, it would have been cool for another big result in the American stuff... but that didn’t happen. Michael Boxall’s Minnesota United had that brilliant win last week against St Louis however they weren’t able to follow that up, going down 2-1 away to Chicago Fire. A poor first half dug them into trouble and despite some significant improvements after the break they still came up short. So here’s a preseason feature instead of game highlights...
Bill Tuiloma’s Charlotte FC were also well beaten 3-1 away to Real Salt Lake. They were 1-0 up at half-time and then things got messy. At least the loss for Minnesota was unusual, their first of the season. For Charlotte they’re second to last in the Eastern Conference with only one win from seven.
Anything else in the lower grades? Well, yeah Deklan Wynne was excellent with a couple of assists in US Open Cup action...
Also Kyle Adams and Elliot Collier got the better of Moses Dyer as San Diego beat Tulsa 2-1 thanks to an injury time own goal. Then the other major one was the young bro Jesse Randall getting his professional debut off the bench in a 3-2 Charleston Battery win over Hartford. He didn’t play in the cup game where Wynne got the assists but he did get twenty minutes in the next one, out there alongside Wynne as their team scored the winner in the final seconds in some horrendous weather.
Up Next: Minnesota vs Orlando City at 12.30pm on Sunday (NZT)
Logan Rogerson & Ollie Whyte - FC Haka (Finnish Veikkausliiga)
The league cup stuff didn’t pan out so well for FCH, failing to make it out of the group stage. Since then the team has been absent from these pages as they awaited the start of their league season with even their friendly stuff made irrelevant by the absence of both Rogerson and Whyte. Injuries have limited both over the last few weeks but each trained fully in the days prior to the trip to face SJK in round one. That’s good news... although only Rogerson actually made the matchday squad and even then he was only on the bench.
There are good ways to begin a new season and then there are other ways, such as when Haka conceded after exactly sixty seconds. In fairness, that was a rare break in their defence as they otherwise kept things tidy the rest of the half – almost levelling things up with a shot off the post on 40’. They went better after the restart when Ryan Mahuta finished smoothly from a Juan Lescano cross (Lescano formerly of the Brisbane Roar if you recognise the name). Logan Rogerson was then summoned ten minutes later in search of a winner but unfortunately they conceded again almost as soon as he got out there. And... that was how it ended. A deep Rogerson cross on 87’ almost led to something from the nod back but nope. 2-1 to SJK. Fingers crossed both Rogerson and Whyte are back in the starters for next time.
Up Next: Haka vs Oulu on Saturday at 3am (NZT)
Michael Fitzgerald – Albirex Niigata (Japanese J-League)
It didn’t make the cut last week because there was heaps else going on, but we’ve got more room today so here’s Mike Fitzgerald getting sent off for Niigata a couple games back...
Initially a yellow, upgraded to a (deserved) red after the VAR took a look. Niigata were 1-0 up at the time against Nagoya and went on to lose 3-1 so that was a bummer. He was able to play the 2-0 League Cup group stage win over Kashiwa Reysol that followed but was suspended for a 0-0 draw with league leaders Vissel Kobe more recently. Niigata sit 11th out of 18 teams with 9 points from 7 games after being promoted back to the top flight.
As for Michael Woud... don’t ask. He’s been on the bench in one game across all competitions so far. Two different goalies have been used in the league by Kyoto Sanga while a third has been used in the cup which suggests he’s fourth choice now. Might be worth having a chat to the agent, aye?
Up Next: Niigata vs Avispa Fukuoka at 5pm on Saturday.
Zac Jones – Haverfordwest County (Welsh/Cymru Premier)
This is getting to be a real pattern now. A 2-0 win over Pontypridd Town means yet another clean sheet for Zac Jones. Hwlffordd had scored first thanks to Jordan Levi-Davies on 28’ though they had to withstand a barrage early second half that included a few near post reaction saves from Jones as well as a dipping deep shot pushed over the bar to safety. Those were concerning moments... until a defensive mistake allowed Dan Hawkins to score on the counter attack (63’) and that two-goal buffer made all the difference. Highlights here.
This win means they’re now just one result away from securing top spot in the relegation rounds and getting themselves a spot in the playoffs for Europa Conference League qualification. Or... maybe. Because they did recently get refused a licence for next season which means automatic relegation unless they’re successful with an appeal. Something to do with being under the minimum stadium capacity due to having removed some dodgy seats in the process up upgrading things. It’s one for the lawyers to figure out, not the footballers.
Up Next: Haverfordwest County vs Aberystwyth at 4.15am on Sunday (NZT)
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