New Zealand Men's U-20s

Lol... wouldn't we expect the NIX youth to be stand out amongst their peers?

After all, they have the better facilities and coaches... not to mention the added access to data analysis to simply talking to professionals day in and day out to learn.

in fairness, and perhaps alarmingly in this instance, it was mentioned by someone who has unmatched knowledge of the nz football scene and always presents a balanced and well thought out point of view

The full squad is:

Goalkeepers:
Henry Gray, currently on trial in England    
Alby Kelly-Heald, Wellington Phoenix, New Zealand
Kees Sims, Ljungskile SK, Sweden

Defenders:      
Isaac Hughes, Wellington Phoenix, New Zealand
Jackson Jarvie, Eastern Suburbs, New Zealand
Lukas Kelly-Heald, Wellington Phoenix, New Zealand
Finn Linder, Vancouver Whitecaps, Canada
Everton O'Leary, Birkenhead United, New Zealand
Adam Supyk, Eastern Suburbs, New Zealand
Finn Surman, Wellington Phoenix, New Zealand
Aaryan Raj, Eastern Suburbs, New Zealand

Midfielders:     
Fin Conchie, Wellington Phoenix, New Zealand
Jay Herdman, Vancouver Whitecaps, Canada
Noah Karunaratne, Wellington Phoenix, New Zealand
Jackson Manuel, Western Springs, New Zealand
Dan McKay, Wellington Phoenix, New Zealand

Forwards:
Oliver Colloty, currently on trial in England
Kian Donkers, NEC Nijmegen, Netherlands
Oli Fay, Ljungskile SK, Sweden
Norman Garbett, Potenza Calcio, Italy
Ben Wallace, Wellington Phoenix, New Zealand

So who was the unlucky one to miss out?

Disappointing no Dibley-Dias. Presumably he's not pursuing an international football path with NZ. 

https://www.nzfootball.co.nz/newsarticle/127784?newsfeedId=1275622

The 21-person squad sees 16 players from the side that won the OFC U-19 Championship 2022 return as well as 10 players that featured in the U-22 squad for games against China PR in March.

The side features 13 players currently based in Aotearoa New Zealand with 8 players playing overseas in Canada, England, Italy, Netherlands and Sweden.

Would’ve really liked Till Estermann and Matt Dibley-Dias to have been called up. Lawton Green would’ve been cool too but he’s probably not any better than the selected keepers.

Dibley-Dias will decide on his terms when he’s ready, but I feel like Estermann would’ve been a good get. CB and captain of Neuchâtel Xamax U21, Swiss 4th tier is not a super high level yet but he’s playing against grown men and seems to have good potential.

reg22

in fairness, and perhaps alarmingly in this instance, it was mentioned by someone who has unmatched knowledge of the nz football scene and always presents a balanced and well thought out point of view

The 2019 U20 was drawn almost solely from Weenix & Ole/ES. They did pretty well.

Though you now look back at a guy like Alex Greive, who missed out of that team - but who's career has moved forward since. Should he have been picked back then? I presume he was a US College player in 2019?

Matt Conroy & Max Mata were the backup strikers to McCowatt & Waine (played more as winger at that tourney?). 

As per MetalLeg's question I'd be interested to know which players were unlucky to miss out? I have no idea. Seems about 5 of the guys who won through the recent OFC qualifying have been dropped for the WC itself.

carlind

YoungHeartHM

🔔 SQUAD ANNOUNCED 🔔

Our squad has been named for the U-20 @FIFAWorldCup in Argentina.

We will be playing (local time):

20 May - vs. 🇬🇹 Guatemala
23 May - vs. 🇺🇿 Uzbekistan
26 May - vs. 🇦🇷 Argentina #U20WC

— New Zealand Football 🇳🇿 (@NZ_Football) May 1, 2023

Squad for the World Cup.
Let's go lads 🙌

14 of the 21 have been at either the Phoenix or Suburbs in the last year or so. Only one player in NZ picked who's not from either of those teams. I wonder if it's simply pure coincidence that the head coach and assistant are employed at those clubs?

Coaches pick 'their' players, so kids who want to be given a shot will then have to join their academy to become one of 'their' kids and around it goes. All the while the reputation of the coaches is embellished as they have x number of 'their' players in NZ U22/U20/U17, and thus academy fees can go up as can remuneration.

If the team isn't a success over there then questions should be asked. I won't be holding my breath though.

Obviously not the kids' fault I'll add.

Yes, a few bolters have been included so I can only assume some interesting discussions had been happening in the background. I agree and find it a conflict of interest that NZ football employs Phoenix coaches for the junior international teams so it is no surprise to find the team heavily represented by the Phoenix. It may be because they are the only NZ professional team so we will see if things change when Auckland get their professional team onboard. 
I tend to also agree with you that if they struggle the excuse will be it was because the opposition were superior and nothing to do with selection and I doubt NZ football will review their selection or coaching policies. 

coochiee

reg22

in fairness, and perhaps alarmingly in this instance, it was mentioned by someone who has unmatched knowledge of the nz football scene and always presents a balanced and well thought out point of view

The 2019 U20 was drawn almost solely from Weenix & Ole/ES. They did pretty well.

Though you now look back at a guy like Alex Greive, who missed out of that team - but who's career has moved forward since. Should he have been picked back then? I presume he was a US College player then?

Matt Conroy & Max Mata were the backup strikers to McCowatt & Waine (played more as winger at that tourney?). 

Yes it was a shame he missed out and it does appear that many boys on US university scholarships get overlooked. I do not recall seeing any boys from any US colleges included for the recent friendlies or Tournies which could widen the pool to choose from if these US college boys were included.

reg22

in fairness, and perhaps alarmingly in this instance, it was mentioned by someone who has unmatched knowledge of the nz football scene and always presents a balanced and well thought out point of view

I agree with your assessment regards generally balanced and thought out views, but not so alarmed as I do not know in this case whether ze has a favourite donkey in this race. No matter.

The reason Phoenix and Ole academies have a high representation is they head hunt the best NZ talent and provide a fulltime* training environment. A large proportion of the best talent attends these centres. Those that attend are also showing a certain commitment to their football journey. Not all who go will make these sides, but they do have a better chance because of the environment.
Those that don’t attend, or go for a period and leave to follow other paths are still in the frame and not discriminated against. Their perhaps slight disadvantage is they are training a little less, and in some cases are under the care of arguably lesser coaches.
The same happens with the W age group sides, except in their case until recently you pretty much needed to be with the FF development program.

Players need to follow their own path. Mine had to choose between WPX and Uni (course not offered in WGTN). Eligible for the next cycle, and acknowledges it will be harder to make it, but still in with a shout, and just needs to continue to work hard and show it at the various camps.

Like any selection, the first third pick themselves, the second third most will agree with, the last third, fair minded pundits will acknowledge there are others around that level and it comes down to opinions.

For those that missed out, are they actually better? Or perceived to be better because of where they play? 
Outside those whose job it is  most of us have not watched them play enough to say for certain.

coochiee

reg22

in fairness, and perhaps alarmingly in this instance, it was mentioned by someone who has unmatched knowledge of the nz football scene and always presents a balanced and well thought out point of view

The 2019 U20 was drawn almost solely from Weenix & Ole/ES. They did pretty well.

Though you now look back at a guy like Alex Greive, who missed out of that team - but who's career has moved forward since. Should he have been picked back then? I presume he was a US College player in 2019?

Matt Conroy & Max Mata were the backup strikers to McCowatt & Waine (played more as winger at that tourney?). 

As per MetalLeg's question I'd be interested to know which players were unlucky to miss out? I have no idea. Seems about 5 of the guys who won through the recent OFC qualifying have been dropped for the WC itself.

all good points

i don't have an opinion. just interested that someone who does have the knowledge had that particular perspective on things. 

I’d suggest Waine was taken as backup to Mata, due to Mata being suspended for first games. 
Waine then took his opportunity to stake his claim as a starter.

Friar Tuck

Would’ve really liked Till Estermann and Matt Dibley-Dias to have been called up. Lawton Green would’ve been cool too but he’s probably not any better than the selected keepers.

Dibley-Dias will decide on his terms when he’s ready, but I feel like Estermann would’ve been a good get. CB and captain of Neuchâtel Xamax U21, Swiss 4th tier is not a super high level yet but he’s playing against grown men and seems to have good potential.

I think all of these players are playing against grown men and have potential.
While Estermann will be disappointed, as a CB he has competition including the highly rated Finns - Surman with a fair number of A-League appearances, and Linder with Whitecaps playing NextPro. Hughes (a couple of 1st team travelling squad call ups) Kelly-Heald and Raj are all playing top NZ league and can play CB. 
Is he ‘better than them’?  I don’t know the answer, but all those all fit the same description of playing v grown men and have potential.

Friar Tuck

Would’ve really liked Till Estermann and Matt Dibley-Dias to have been called up. Lawton Green would’ve been cool too but he’s probably not any better than the selected keepers.

Dibley-Dias will decide on his terms when he’s ready, but I feel like Estermann would’ve been a good get. CB and captain of Neuchâtel Xamax U21, Swiss 4th tier is not a super high level yet but he’s playing against grown men and seems to have good potential.

I'm disappointed we didn't snag him, but we were not terribly far away from getting Dibley-Dias. 👀

A very high profile coach for our group A opponents Argentina who are coached by former Argentina legend Javier Mascherano (West Ham, Liverpool and Barcelona defender) who retired as Argentina's most-capped player of all time at that point in 2018 (147 caps).
Argentina of course only qualify because they are hosting and don't deserve to on the team's merits, having crashed out in the South American u-20 Championship in February.
They failed to get out of their first round group, finishing fourth behind Brazil, Colombia and Paraguay, winning only one match and losing three.
Brazil, Uruguay, Colombia and Ecuador qualified for the FIFA u-20 finals.
Argentina squad in qualifying (all are based at Argentinan clubs apart from three overseas at Manchester City, Brighton and Real Madrid)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argentina_national_under-20_football_team#Current_squad
               ________________________________________________________
Fiji's coach at the finals in Argentina is also Argentinian, Rodolfo Zapata.
He has extensive experience running the US Soccer Federation's youth programs and coaching senior club sides in Africa over the last 22 years.
             ______________________________________________________________
France, England, Italy, Slovakia and Israel qualified from UEFA.
The usual heavyweights Germany and Spain didn't even qualify for the 2022 UEFA u-19 championship finals held in Slovakia.
Germany finished bottom of their final round qualifying group behind even Finland.
Spain, despite hosting their final round qualifying group, failed to win a game and Austria went through.
UEFA u-19 squads in qualifying:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2022_UEFA_European_Under-19_Championship_squads 
Italy's squad contains three of Liberato Cacace's Empoli team mates, two of whom are first team regulars.
The striker Baldanzi scored Empoli's winner away against Inter Milan in January.

ClubOranje

Friar Tuck

Would’ve really liked Till Estermann and Matt Dibley-Dias to have been called up. Lawton Green would’ve been cool too but he’s probably not any better than the selected keepers.

Dibley-Dias will decide on his terms when he’s ready, but I feel like Estermann would’ve been a good get. CB and captain of Neuchâtel Xamax U21, Swiss 4th tier is not a super high level yet but he’s playing against grown men and seems to have good potential.

I think all of these players are playing against grown men and have potential.
While Estermann will be disappointed, as a CB he has competition including the highly rated Finns - Surman with a fair number of A-League appearances, and Linder with Whitecaps playing NextPro. Hughes (a couple of 1st team travelling squad call ups) Kelly-Heald and Raj are all playing top NZ league and can play CB. 
Is he ‘better than them’?  I don’t know the answer, but all those all fit the same description of playing v grown men and have potential.

 
Yes, there was a big emphasis for this U20 team to be playing against men hence many from NL/CL were selected but it is very interesting to note that many of the boys playing abroad were playing in the U19 leagues. 

ClubOranje

reg22

in fairness, and perhaps alarmingly in this instance, it was mentioned by someone who has unmatched knowledge of the nz football scene and always presents a balanced and well thought out point of view

I agree with your assessment regards generally balanced and thought out views, but not so alarmed as I do not know in this case whether ze has a favourite donkey in this race. No matter.

The reason Phoenix and Ole academies have a high representation is they head hunt the best NZ talent and provide a fulltime* training environment. A large proportion of the best talent attends these centres. Those that attend are also showing a certain commitment to their football journey. Not all who go will make these sides, but they do have a better chance because of the environment.
Those that don’t attend, or go for a period and leave to follow other paths are still in the frame and not discriminated against. Their perhaps slight disadvantage is they are training a little less, and in some cases are under the care of arguably lesser coaches.
The same happens with the W age group sides, except in their case until recently you pretty much needed to be with the FF development program.

Players need to follow their own path. Mine had to choose between WPX and Uni (course not offered in WGTN). Eligible for the next cycle, and acknowledges it will be harder to make it, but still in with a shout, and just needs to continue to work hard and show it at the various camps.

Like any selection, the first third pick themselves, the second third most will agree with, the last third, fair minded pundits will acknowledge there are others around that level and it comes down to opinions.

For those that missed out, are they actually better? Or perceived to be better because of where they play? 
Outside those whose job it is  most of us have not watched them play enough to say for certain.

There were only 2 boys from Ole selected, with most from the Phoenix or ex Phoenix (western springs & eastern suburbs) including the coach and assistant coach.

But haven't 1-2 of the Weenix guys, only recently come across from Ole?

Sims, Fay & Norman Garbett were all out there in Porirua for a time.

coochiee

But haven't 1-2 of the Weenix guys, only recently come across from Ole?

Sims, Fay & Norman Garbett were all out there in Porirua for a time.

 
I recall 1 boy moving to weenix from ole a few years ago but he is not in the U20 squad and is on the bench most of the time. As for Fay, was he not from weenix in Auckland?

Football Ted

coochiee

But haven't 1-2 of the Weenix guys, only recently come across from Ole?

Sims, Fay & Norman Garbett were all out there in Porirua for a time.

 
I recall 1 boy moving to weenix from ole a few years ago but he is not in the U20 squad and is on the bench most of the time. As for Fay, was he not from weenix in Auckland?

There were a few that crossed the hill last year. Sorry, don’t recall who exactly…

Argentina name their 21 man squad for the U20 World Cup.

#Sub20 Lista de convocados por Javier @Mascherano para disputar la @FIFAWorldCup 🏆 en nuestro país.

📝 https://t.co/Yo4xA4LYEa pic.twitter.com/HZAiSR6elX

— 🇦🇷 Selección Argentina ⭐⭐⭐ (@Argentina) May 3, 2023

a lot of the local players are supremely talented. Watch for Barco from Boca, and Di Lollo... They didnt qualify to the world cup originally because colombia & brazil had very strong sides... No Garnacho, Nico Paz and Buonaotte either

YoungHeartHM

Argentina name their 21 man squad for the U20 World Cup.

#Sub20 Lista de convocados por Javier @Mascherano para disputar la @FIFAWorldCup 🏆 en nuestro país.

📝 https://t.co/Yo4xA4LYEa pic.twitter.com/HZAiSR6elX

— 🇦🇷 Selección Argentina ⭐⭐⭐ (@Argentina) May 3, 2023

Barco is running around in Santiago as we speak against Marco Rojas's Colo Colo.   
Di Lollo on the bench for Boca.

Early days in the Argentinian Liga (14 games in), but Boca are struggling a bit in 13th spot. Is the big BA derby against bitter rivals, top of the table River Plate this weekend, at Estadio Mâs Monumental. I did a quick tour of that ground in 2019.

Will be a huge test for NZ's best U20 players, against a powerhouse like Argy with their massive talent pool on their home turf. And no doubt football there will be on a high, post Qatar. You do well in a game like that, and the talent scouts will take note. Hopefully the Nix can get alot of their contingent signed on at least scholarship deals pre U20 WC kick off.

It's the game I'm looking forward to the most - Argentina in Argentina, in a World Cup. Doesn't get any bigger than that in my opinion. But if we want our boys to make it further in the game and possibly get noticed by a few scouts, these are the teams we want to be playing against. Huge stage, lots of interest, lots of eyeballs. Massive is an understatement.

I can't wait for this tournament to kick off.

coochiee

But haven't 1-2 of the Weenix guys, only recently come across from Ole?

Sims, Fay & Norman Garbett were all out there in Porirua for a time.

Virtually all of the boys that have come to the Nix from Ole are 2005's and 2006's. They will be eligible for the next u20 rotation. Only 2005's who made the squad this time around are the Kelly-Heald twins and Henry Gray. 

Just wondering if we've got any pre world cup friendlies lined up in Argentina?

I see Uzbekistan (who we are likely to need some sort of result out of if we are to progress) have been very active recently - Played Brazil, Dominican Republic & Gibraltar under 20/21 sides within the past fortnight, before heading into a training camp is Tashkent leading into their departure. Have seen that they're taking on Uruguay on the 13th as well.

Anything for us in the pipeline NZF?

YoungHeartHM

Just wondering if we've got any pre world cup friendlies lined up in Argentina?

I see Uzbekistan (who we are likely to need some sort of result out of if we are to progress) have been very active recently - Played Brazil, Dominican Republic & Gibraltar under 20/21 sides within the past fortnight, before heading into a training camp is Tashkent leading into their departure. Have seen that they're taking on Uruguay on the 13th as well.

Anything for us in the pipeline NZF?

 Yep, there's a Subbuteo tournament being held in someone's garage in Te Atatu. 

YoungHeartHM

Just wondering if we've got any pre world cup friendlies lined up in Argentina?

I see Uzbekistan (who we are likely to need some sort of result out of if we are to progress) have been very active recently - Played Brazil, Dominican Republic & Gibraltar under 20/21 sides within the past fortnight, before heading into a training camp is Tashkent leading into their departure. Have seen that they're taking on Uruguay on the 13th as well.

Anything for us in the pipeline NZF?

From memory last year the U20 women managed to get their Australia U20 counterparts, over to NZ to visit for a couple of WC friendlies. Though Australia had also qualified for that WC, so the FA likely were pretty accommodating.

Unfortunately Australia U20 men didn't qualify, so likely the FA are far less motivated to help organise a couple mens U20 friendlies with the ALM playoffs about to get underway. In NZF's defence our bottom of the world location makes it more difficult to organise stuff like this. Lucky we got those 3 friendlies in Indonesia a few months ago. I'm sure there will be 1-2 pre tourney (closed doors?) warmups in Argentina.

Rusty Dunks

YoungHeartHM

Just wondering if we've got any pre world cup friendlies lined up in Argentina?

I see Uzbekistan (who we are likely to need some sort of result out of if we are to progress) have been very active recently - Played Brazil, Dominican Republic & Gibraltar under 20/21 sides within the past fortnight, before heading into a training camp is Tashkent leading into their departure. Have seen that they're taking on Uruguay on the 13th as well.

Anything for us in the pipeline NZF?

 Yep, there's a Subbuteo tournament being held in someone's garage in Te Atatu. 

 Well, a large portion of the squad played (and lost to) Western Suburbs last night, so they've done some match prep

I've now been told NZF have lined up a warm up game verus Ecuador in Argentina.
The Ecuadoreans looking for a pseudo Fiji maybe.

https://us.soccerway.com/international/world/u20-world-cup/2021/group-stage/r54710/

JUSTSAYING

coochiee

But haven't 1-2 of the Weenix guys, only recently come across from Ole?

Sims, Fay & Norman Garbett were all out there in Porirua for a time.

Virtually all of the boys that have come to the Nix from Ole are 2005's and 2006's. They will be eligible for the next u20 rotation. Only 2005's who made the squad this time around are the Kelly-Heald twins and Henry Gray. 

Henry Gray is one of the 2005s that was at Ole but went to the Phoenix about 4 years ago.

CBFryingpan

JUSTSAYING

coochiee

But haven't 1-2 of the Weenix guys, only recently come across from Ole?

Sims, Fay & Norman Garbett were all out there in Porirua for a time.

Virtually all of the boys that have come to the Nix from Ole are 2005's and 2006's. They will be eligible for the next u20 rotation. Only 2005's who made the squad this time around are the Kelly-Heald twins and Henry Gray. 

Henry Gray is one of the 2005s that was at Ole but went to the Phoenix about 4 years ago.

And then Karori 

Nixieboys222

a lot of the local players are supremely talented. Watch for Barco from Boca, and Di Lollo... They didnt qualify to the world cup originally because colombia & brazil had very strong sides... No Garnacho, Nico Paz and Buonaotte either

YoungHeartHM

Argentina name their 21 man squad for the U20 World Cup.

#Sub20 Lista de convocados por Javier @Mascherano para disputar la @FIFAWorldCup 🏆 en nuestro país.

📝 https://t.co/Yo4xA4LYEa pic.twitter.com/HZAiSR6elX

— 🇦🇷 Selección Argentina ⭐⭐⭐ (@Argentina) May 3, 2023

Yes, quite a few differences from the squad that failed in qualifying.
Only one of the three goalkeepers is retained.
And there are now six overseas-based players called up (only three previously).
There is quite a different selection of overseas-based players with only Perrone of Manchester City retained but Buonanotte of Brighton and Paz of Real Madrid rejected in favour of new call-ups defender Roman Vega of Barcelona, midfielders Mateo Tanlongo of Sporting Lisbon and Valentin Carboni of Inter Milan and strikers Matias Soule of Juventus and Luka Romero of Lazio.
And as has been commented, their domestic-based players are no slouches either.
I'm really looking forward to this game, and it's good that it's our boys' last group game, coming after Guatemala and Uzbekistan.
Seems like an ascending order of difficulty which is better I think.
(Uzbekistan qualified as AFC u-19 champions, knocking out the Aussies in their quarter-final, so are probably stronger than Guatemala). 

Dibley-Dias with stronger NZ connections than I initially thought.

https://theniche-cache.com/football/2023/5/4/aotearoa-at-the-2023-mens-u20-world-cup-squad-yarns-amp-preview

Matt Dibley-Dias is one bloke that many were hoping to see selected. Fulham academy midfielder who is eligible for England, Brazil, Portugal, and Aotearoa. His mother’s family are all from Wellington. He’s not about to be scooped up by any of those other countries, certainly not yet and probably not ever, but it doesn’t seem that NZF have able to convince the fella to give it a go for the good guys. Not yet anyway. Youth teams are a lot easier to crack than senior ones (and let’s be fair he can still switch allegiances once more in the future), however that dream has not fully evaporated yet because there’s still the Olympics next year.

There will be guys who missed out entirely who go on to have great careers. Alex Greive is a recent example of someone outside the Welly Nix pipeline who never played age grade internationals yet now he’s a regular for the All Whites. But that’s enough youth football chat for today. U20 World Cup starts in two weeks. We’ll be ready.

coochiee

I've now been told NZF have lined up a warm up game verus Ecuador in Argentina.
The Ecuadoreans looking for a pseudo Fiji maybe.

https://us.soccerway.com/international/world/u20-world-cup/2021/group-stage/r54710/

All this pseudo-another team stuff makes me laugh to be honest. 

lthomas20

coochiee

I've now been told NZF have lined up a warm up game verus Ecuador in Argentina.
The Ecuadoreans looking for a pseudo Fiji maybe.

https://us.soccerway.com/international/world/u20-world-cup/2021/group-stage/r54710/

All this pseudo-another team stuff makes me laugh to be honest. 

I wrote it tonque firmly in cheek. But you can imagine the Ecuadoreans having absolutely no idea on Fiji, and though they will win easily- they won't know that yet. So lets play NZ who also come from OFC

 excited for this team. plenty of quality. there also seems to be plenty of quality that did not make it, which is encouraging

Kick-off times are now confirmed.
NZ's games in NZT:
Sunday 21 May 6 am
New Zealand vs Guatemala
Estadio Único, Santiago del Estero

Wed  24 May 6 am
New Zealand vs Uzbekistan
Estadio Único, Santiago del Estero

Sat. 27 May 9 am
New Zealand vs Argentina
Estadio del Bicentenario, San Juan
                         ____________________________________________________
All Group A matches:
Add 15 hours to the local Argentinian time to find the NZ time:
20 May 2023

15:00

Guatemala

Match 1

New Zealand
| Report | 

Estadio Único Madre de Ciudades, Santiago del Estero

20 May 2023

18:00

Argentina

Match 2

Uzbekistan
| Report | 

Estadio Único Madre de Ciudades, Santiago del Estero

23 May 2023

15:00

Uzbekistan

Match 13

New Zealand
| Report | 

Estadio Único Madre de Ciudades, Santiago del Estero

23 May 2023

18:00

Argentina

Match 14

Guatemala
| Report | 

Estadio Único Madre de Ciudades, Santiago del Estero

26 May 2023

18:00

Uzbekistan

Match 26

Guatemala
| Report | 

Estadio Único Madre de Ciudades, Santiago del Estero

26 May 2023

18:00

New Zealand

Match 28

Argentina
| Report | 

Estadio San Juan del Bicentenario, San Juan

im going to Argentina next week to see family after many years.. however i will only be in Buenos Aires, shame all games are basically held in the provinces. Nice area though if you like beef & wine

Big Pete 65

Kick-off times are now confirmed.
NZ's games in NZT:
Sunday 21 May 6 am
New Zealand vs Guatemala
Estadio Único, Santiago del Estero

Wed  24 May 6 am
New Zealand vs Uzbekistan
Estadio Único, Santiago del Estero

Sat. 27 May 9 am
New Zealand vs Argentina
Estadio del Bicentenario, San Juan
                         ____________________________________________________
All Group A matches:
Add 15 hours to the local Argentinian time to find the NZ time:
20 May 2023

15:00

Guatemala

Match 1

New Zealand
| Report | 

Estadio Único Madre de Ciudades, Santiago del Estero

20 May 2023

18:00

Argentina

Match 2

Uzbekistan
| Report | 

Estadio Único Madre de Ciudades, Santiago del Estero

23 May 2023

15:00

Uzbekistan

Match 13

New Zealand
| Report | 

Estadio Único Madre de Ciudades, Santiago del Estero

23 May 2023

18:00

Argentina

Match 14

Guatemala
| Report | 

Estadio Único Madre de Ciudades, Santiago del Estero

26 May 2023

18:00

Uzbekistan

Match 26

Guatemala
| Report | 

Estadio Único Madre de Ciudades, Santiago del Estero

26 May 2023

18:00

New Zealand

Match 28

Argentina
| Report | 

Estadio San Juan del Bicentenario, San Juan

Asado & a glass or two of Malbec is a great combo.
Argentina, tough going for vegetarians