N.Z. squad hit by injuries

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33155, 20 February 1973, Page 24

N.Z. squad hit by injuries

(New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND. With nine of his 18 players needing treatment for injuries after only two games in the Oceania Cup tournament, the New Zealand soccer coach. Mr B. Truman, is still waiting for his World Cup squad to be increased.

Mr Truman has had 1 no reply to his call for j the present 20-man squad, which must i tackle five vital World < Cup preliminaries in , (Australia next month, to j be raised to the maxi- c mum 22 allowed. The chairman of the New (Zealand Football Association (Mr J. Cowie) said last j night he knew nothing about a call for more players to be added to the World Cup squad. Mr Cowie, who saw the' I week-end’s matches in Auckland, said no request or call for more players had been made to him. Meanwhile, the Oceania. Soccer Confederation has \ taken action to ensure there; is no repeat of the scenes in the New Zealand versus Tahiti match at Newmarket Park on Sunday. MEETINGS The confederation secre- j tary (Mr C. Dempsey) said there had already been a meeting and a decision made on the handling of the 1-1 draw by the Fijian referee,. Mr P. Raman. The emergency committee; for the Oceania Cup series! would meet again to decide: whether either New Zealand or Tahiti —or both—would be reprimanded for the scenes.j Mr Dempsey said. “I was dismayed,” he said ; ■‘We’ve had talks with F.I.F.A.’s representative here. Mr Stanley Lover, and steps have been taken to ensure; it does not happen again.” LEAD SHARED New Zealand and Tahiti lead the tournament, each side having gained three points from a win and a

draw. The other national teams playing are Fiji, New Caledonia, and the New Hebrides. The draw for the remainder of the matches is:— Today: Fiji v. New Caledonia, New Hebrides v. Tahiti. Tomorrow: New Hebrides v. Fiji. New Zealand v. New Caledonia. Friday: Fiji v. Tahiti, New Zealand v. New Hebrides. Saturday: Play-; off for third, and then the final.