N.Z. must win last two soccer games

Press, 2 December 1981, Page 48

N.Z. must win last two soccer games

PA Auckland New Zealand must now win its two remaining matches in the World Cup soccer qualifying round to guarantee its "place in the 24team World Cup finals in Spain next year. That is the situation after Kuwait's 1-0 win over China in the Asia-Oceania zone match in Kuwait yesterday. China still leads' the AsiaOceania zone with seven points, but has played all six games and completed its campaign. Kuwait is strongly positioned to take one of the two qualifying places from this zone. It has six points with two games — against NewZealand and Saudi Arabia — still to come. New Zealand is third with four points. Like Kuwait, it has two matches to play — against Kuwait, in Kuwait on December 14, and against Saudi Arabia in Saudi Arabia, on December 19. Saudi Arabia has no hope of qualifying having scored only one point from its four games. “We can’t afford even a draw in our final two matches — we must win them both to guarantee we qualify for Spain,” said New Zealand’s World Cup director, Mr Charlie Dempsey, in Auckland yesterday. “A win and a draw would put us level on points with China, but China has a far

better goal difference than us at present and would go through on that basis.” China scored nine goals and conceded four in its six matches while New Zealand has scored four and conceded four in its four games to date. ' "At least we now know exactly, where we stand. The lads know what they have to do and they can do it," said Mr Dempsey. “It’s not going to be easy, but we're still in -there with a chance.” The New Zealand team assembles in Auckland today for the final stage of its qualifying campaign. The squad will train in Auckland under its manager. John Adshead, and his assistant, Kevin Fallon, until departing for Kuwait next Tuesday. The team will have a night stopover in Bahrain and arrives in Kuwait on December 10 giving it three full days before playing Kuwait on December 14. From Kuwait, the New Zealanders will fly to Saudi Arabia for the match against the Saudis, in Riyadh on December 19. Group standings are.— P W D L F A

Remaining matches: Dec. 7. Kuwait v. Saudi Arabia; Dec. 14 Kuwait v. New Zealand; Dec. 19. Saudi Arabia v. New Zealand.

Pts China 6 3 1 2 9 4 7 Kuwait '4 3 0 1 4 4 6 N.Z. 4 1 2 1 4 4 4 S. Arabia 4 0 1 3 4 9 1