Captain Liberato Cacace leads the way as All Whites beat Malaysia
Monday, 14 October 2024
At North Harbour Stadium, Auckland: All Whites 4 (Elijah Just 53’, Matt Garbett 61’, Chris Wood 72’, Logan Rogerson 90’+1) Malaysia 0. HT: 0-0
Liberato Cacace led the way as a young All Whites side delivered what was expected of them and secured their first win outside Oceania in 19 months.
The Empoli left back was handed the captain’s armband against Malaysia on Monday night at North Harbour Stadium, with Chris Wood kept in reserve on the bench.
Cacace was one of eight players aged 24 or under in the All Whites’ starting lineup and they all had a part to play as New Zealand secured a 4-0 win – their biggest outside Oceania in 25 years.
From the opening whistle it was evident that there was a gulf between the two teams, with New Zealand ranked 95th in the world by FIFA and Malaysia ranked 132nd.
It wasn’t for a lack of trying that the contest remained deadlocked at 0-0 at halftime, with the All Whites testing Malaysian goalkeeper Syihan Hamzi on several occasions.
Cacace then proved to be the key figure early in the first half, curling in a cross that Elijah Just slid in to meet in the 53rd minute, then squaring for Matt Garbett to double the lead from the top of the box eight minutes later.
“I led the boys out and it was a real special moment for me and my family,” Cacace said afterwards.
“I've always tried to improve that side of the game and I’m happy I got the two assists.”
Wood then came off the bench and scored the All Whites’ third, twisting his body at the far post to head home a cross from fellow substitute Kosta Barbarouses that Syihan got a glove to first.
The icing on the cake came from Logan Rogerson, who fired off a rocket from distance in stoppage time that went in off the crossbar – the perfect start to a week that will end with him being part of Auckland FC’s A-League Men debut.
Wins against teams from outside Oceania don’t come around often for the All Whites, who regularly find themselves playing friendlies against stronger opposition when they aren’t busy with regional commitments.
Coach Darren Bazeley noted that a comfortable win was expected of his side, but was pleased that they delivered, as their focus now returns to Oceania qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
It won’t be until next June that they next face a team from outside the Pacific Islands, and by then they will have hopefully booked a return to international men’s football’s biggest stage for the first time since 2010.
The teams they will be aiming to face there will be far tougher than Malaysia, who have now lost nine of their 13 meetings with New Zealand, and were the last team the All Whites beat by four goals outside Oceania – 5-1 in Kuala Lumpur in 1999.
But this will nevertheless have been a confidence boost for squad that had only won once in their first 11 matches against teams from the wider world – a 2-1 victory over China in Bazeley’s second game in charge as interim boss in Wellington in March 2023.
In addition to Cacace and goalscorers Just and Garbett, there were also strong showings from Ben Old – who is reaping the benefits of regular playing time in Ligue Un in France with Saint-Étienne – and Tyler Bindon, the baby of the team aged just 19.
Cacace said he hoped the performance had “showed New Zealand fans that we've got a very good generation at the moment.
“As long as we keep it up, it's a very exciting future for us.”
What’s next
The All Whites are back in action next month with their last two Oceania World Cup qualifying group stage matches. First they play Vanuatu in Hamilton on November 15, then they play Samoa at Mt Smart Stadium in Auckland on November 18.