N.Z. soccer tour of Americas

Press, 14 July 1980, Page 23

N.Z. soccer tour of Americas

PA Auckland New Zealand’s World Cup soccer squad will make a sevenmatch tour of North, Central and South America in September and October. New Zealand will play Canada twice, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Bolivia twice and Chile in what the World Cup director, Mr Charles Dempsey, terms “an almost ideal build-up for the big cup games next year.” Air Dempsey completed arrangements for the tour while at the F.I.F.A. congress in Zurich last w’eek. The contracts will have to be signed, but everything has been verbally agreed. The itinerary will be.—September 14 v. Canada (in Vancouver), September 17 v. Canada (in Calgarv), September 20 v.

Costa Rica (in San Jose), September 22 v. Ecuador (in Quito), September 26 v. Bolivia (m La Paz). September 28 v. Bolivia (in La Paz). October 2 v. Chile, (in Santiago).

There are two more games on offer — against Peru, in Lima, and Tahiti, in Papeete, but they will not be taken up unless there is a hitch in the rest of the programme. The tour party will comprise 22 people •— 18 players, the manager, John Adshead, the coach, Kevin Fallon, Hie physiotherapist, Doug Edwards, and the tour leader, Mr Dempsey. New Zealand has also been invited to take part in the Merdeka tournament in Kuala Lumpur from October 20 to November 4. but this will only be accepted if the American tour does not take place.