Callum Mccowatt of New Zealand celebrates after scoring 0-1 during the international friendly football match between Sweden and New Zealand All Whites on Friday June 16 2023 at Friends Arena, Stockholm, Sweden. Photo: Jesper Zerman / www.photosport.nz Photo: www.photosport.nz
Egypt v New Zealand
Kickoff: 9am Saturday, 23 March (NZT)
New Administrative Capital Stadium, New Cairo
Live blog updates on RNZ Sport
The All Whites play their first game of 2024 this weekend, facing seven-time African champions Egypt in Cairo on Saturday. The game is part one of their FIFA Series 2024 international window, with the winners of this tie taking on the victors of Croatia and Tunisia in the final. The two losers will also face off, in a third-fourth playoff.
The All Whites are looking to build on a positive showing against the Republic of Ireland in their last outing back in November. They face an out-of-form Egypt side, shorn of their one true world-class player, with Mo Salah staying in Liverpool.
The games represent a chance for New Zealand to test themselves against two nations in the world's top 50 and help prepare for the OFC Nations Cup in June.
Here's a look at the squads:
Egypt
Goalkeepers: Mostafa Shobier, Mohamed Awad, Mohamed Abou-Gabal, El-Mahdi Soliman. Defenders: Mohamed Hany, Mohamed Abdelmonem, Akram Tawfik, Ramy Rabia, Mohamed Hamdi, Ahmed Ramadan Beckham, Mohamed Shokri, Ahmed Hegazy. Midfielders: Marwan Ateya, Emam Ashour, Mohamed Magdy Afsha, Ahmed Nabi Kouka, Hamdy Fathi. Forwards: Mostafa Mohamed, Omar Marmoush, Mahmoud Trezeguet, Mostafa Fathi, Mohamed Sherif, Hussein El-Shahat, Ahmed Atef, Mohamed El-Shami.
New Zealand
Goalkeepers: Max Crocombe, Alex Paulsen, Oli Sail. Defenders: Tyler Bindon, Michael Boxall, Liberato Cacace, Dane Ingham, Lukas Kelly-Heald, Nando Pijnaker, Tommy Smith, Finn Surman. Midfielders: Matthew Garbett, Clayton Lewis, Callum McCowatt, Ben Old, Sarpreet Singh, Marko Stamenic, Alex Rufer. Forwards: Kosta Barbarouses, Elijah Just, Max Mata, Ben Waine.
All Whites preview
Several key questions will be playing on coach Darren Bazeley's mind before the game.
Perhaps most interesting is the goalkeeper position. Oli Sail's initial poor form at Perth Glory this season left the door ajar for other 'keepers to put their hands up. Max Crocombe got the start against Ireland and is performing well in England's League One. Then there is Alex Paulsen, one of the best young players in the A-League this season, regardless of position. It might be Bazeley's first big decision as head coach, and he will hopefully make the right call.
Kosta Barbarouses of the Wellington Phoenix. Photo: Fiona Goodall
There appears to be a changing of the rear-guard for the All Whites. It's somewhat serendipitous that when New Zealand's last defensive behemoth, Winston Reid, was playing his final game back in September 2022, Finn Surman was captaining New Zealand to OFC U-19 Championship glory the same day. The Phoenix defender now looks like Reid's most likely long-term replacement and alongside other youngsters Tyler Bindon, Lukas Kelly-Heald and Paulsen he represents fresh blood in the New Zealand backline. Establishing Surman as a regular is crucial to cap-tie the 20-year-old at the OFC Nations Cup later this year. Born in the Welsh town of Llantrisant, Surman will undoubtedly be of interest to the Welsh Football Association.
Then there is New Zealand's biggest problem of all, scoring goals. Record scorer Chris Wood is out after suffering another injury setback and finding goals from elsewhere is a long-running issue. However, Kosta Barbarouses is in stellar domestic form. Here's hoping he can channel that for his country and add to a surprisingly low tally of just four goals for his nation.
Liberato Cacace of New Zealand. Photo: www.photosport.nz
Egypt preview
The Pharaohs come into this international break in need of results after a difficult African Cup of Nations campaign earlier this year. They exited at the Round of 16 stage without winning a single game, following three draws in the Group Stage and a penalty shoot-out defeat to DR Congo.
Omar Marmoush of Egypt. Photo: MB Media
Such a weary performance led to the sacking of Rui Vitoria, who has been replaced by the nation's record goal scorer, Hossam Hassan, as head coach.
Hassan's task has already been hindered by the absence of star player Salah, who is still returning to full fitness at Liverpool. However, Eintracht Frankfurt attacker Omar Marmoush has been in fine form this season, scoring 15 goals in 33 games for his club, and will represent a potent attacking threat for the All Whites defence to handle.
Most recent results
New Zealand
Republic of Ireland 1-1 - Australia 0-2 - Greece 0-2
Egypt
DR Congo 1-1 (loss on penalties) - Cape Verde 2-2 - Ghana 2-2
Previous meetings
10 July 1999 Egypt 1-1 New Zealand
15 July 1999 Egypt 1-0 New Zealand
Prediction
If New Zealand can perform as they did against Ireland in November, they certainly have every chance against an out-of-form and Salah-less Egypt.
The likes of Sarpreet Singh, Matthew Garbett and the in-form Ben Old have the creativity to cause problems while Barbarouses' goalscoring form will give the All Whites hope of not coming up gun-shy.
That said, Egypt still has impressive attacking talent and are on home soil - not to mention they also have a new manager to impress.
It will be tight and perhaps New Zealand can force a draw in regulation time at which point the game will be anyone's for the taking in a penalty shoot-out.