N.Z. Soccer Team Loses First Game

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30391, 16 March 1964, Page 12

N.Z. Soccer Team Loses First Game

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright)

HONG KONG, March 15.

The New Zealand national soccer team was beaten, 3-1, by a Hong Kong selection yesterday in the opening match of their world tour. At half-time the score was 1-1.

New Zealand took the lead by a spectacular early goal from the centre-forward, R. Moore. He scored from a pass engineered by the out-side-left, J. J. Ryan, in the twelfth minute.

Hong Kong equalised through its centre-forward, Lau Kai Chiu, in the thirtythird minute.

Eight minutes after the resumption Hong Kong attacked in strength and the inside-right, Evans, put the home side ahead. Three minutes later Lau Chi Lam made

it 3-1. The game was watched by a crowd of 5000.

Tactics Failed

The New Zealanders made the mistake of using long, ground shots, which the Hong Kong players always countered effectively, instead of using their height to advantage.

Against Hong Kong's unrelenting attacks, these tactics failed. The New Zealanders took a more defensive approach to the game in the second half.

The score did not do credit to New Zealand’s goalkeeper, P. L. Whiting. He made daring saves and on each of the three occasions Hong Kong scored Whiting was down. If anybody was the hero of the match it was Whiting.

About 15 minutes from the end, the New Zealand 'righthalf, J. Lawson, injured his left leg, and for the rest of the match, he was a passenger.

A. Leong was named to play at left-back, but he sprained his ankle during practice in the morning and was replaced by S. S. Scott.