Originally, the All Whites weren’t even going to bother with the Nations Cup. They instead wanted to utilise the June international window for a pair of higher-quality friendlies... but then NZ Football remembered that you get multiplied world ranking points for confederation tournaments
Twelve months ago, Alex Paulsen had just wrapped up an A-League season in which he sat on the bench for every single game without playing a minute. One year later, he’s just wrapped up an A-League season in which he played every single game without missing a minute
These were never likely to be very memorable results and that’s exactly how it panned out. The Football Ferns went to the neutral territory of Spain to meet a very good Japanese team whereupon they lost 2-0 and 4-1.
Every now and then the wide world of football throws up something beyond ordinary mortal comprehension... like NAC Breda getting promoted to the Eredivisie the way they just did
You have to lose one before you can win one. That’s how the saying goes. Obviously you don’t have to do anything... but there is definitely wisdom in that age-old message.
As the clock ticked into stoppage time, Libby Cacace and his Empoli team were heading towards relegation. Udinese were on their way to a 1-0 win over Frosinone in the other game which meant that nothing short of victory would suffice for the Azzurri
The club season has been going so hard lately that news of a fresh Football Ferns squad came as a bit of a surprise. But then of course there’s a new Ferns squad because we cannot forget the small matter of an Olympic tournament on the near horizon
There is very little room for sentimentality in football. If there was then the Wellington Phoenix would’ve won on the weekend. But there isn’t so Chris Wood had nothing to worry about as he returned to Turf Moor to play against Burnley
There were mere seconds remaining when Sam Sutton lumped a hopeful ball forward. The allotted added-time had already been expended and it was up to the referee’s discretion how much longer this game would last.
It’s trophy time in the European football scene and the kiwis are getting amongst it. Last week saw Marko Stamenic clinch the Serbian SuperLiga. This week we’ve got Callum McCowatt putting his fingerprints on the Danish Cup trophy
Most people who’ve been following the Wellington Phoenix throughout this season, especially those who’ve watched the three previous meetings with Melbourne Victory this season, would have probably have predicted this nil-all draw ahead of time
It will be the Wellington Phoenix against the Melbourne Victory for a place in the 2024 A-League Men’s Grand Final. Sunday night at 6pm NZT is the first leg over in Melbourne.
Wherever he goes, Marko Stamenic wins trophies. A league and cup double with FC København last season and now Crvena zvezda are in the process of trying to do the same
And so ends the finest regular season in the history of Wellington Phoenix football. Records fell across the board as Giancarlo Italiano and his cohorts defied the odds to forge a squad of title-contenders
You know who is truly one of the most consistent of all the Flying Kiwis? Week in week out delivering 7/10 or better performances, never anything less, whilst captaining his team as its all-time leading appearance maker?
It’s not so easy to compete on an uneven playing field. The Welly Nix Wahine’s lack of imports during their first two seasons (seasons in which they finished dead last both times) was a self-imposed issue, but it did leave them with a pretty significant limitation.
One year ago, Macey Fraser was a bit of a forgotten player in the kiwi footballing landscape. Now she’s the A-League’s record transfer fee on her way to the Utah Royals in the NWSL.
For the third consecutive game, the Wellington Phoenix were involved in some frantic stoppage time antics. Against Central Coast they conceded a 90+1st minute winner. Against Melbourne Victory they scored a 90+5th minute winner. Then against Newcastle Jets…
The best transfers are the ones that appear like a lightning bolt from the ether and significantly change the entire scene. Macey Fraser moving from the Wellington Phoenix to the Utah Royals for an A-League Women’s record transfer fee is absolutely one of those
Many Football Ferns were handled with care by their clubs after returning from the international window. But not CJ Bott. She had an FA Cup semi-final to play and 180 minutes for the national team plus a couple of long-haul flights weren’t going to keep her out of that one.