Ambitious All Whites face hosts in opener

Coach Anthony Hudson vows the All Whites will aim high against host nation Russia in St Petersburg in the opening match of next year’s Fifa Confederations Cup.

New Zealand were drawn alongside the 2018 World Cup hosts, European champions Portugal and Concacaf champions Mexico in Pool A for the eight-team tournament from June 21 to July 2.

Hudson said: ‘‘We know that we are the smallest team there and no one is going to expect anything from us.

‘‘People will expect us to be a turnover in the tournament and that will be great for us but we are going to be incredibly singleminded and make sure we go there with the purpose of causing an upset and doing something special.’’

The All Whites will face Russia at St Petersburg Stadium at 6pm on June 17 (3am June 18, NZT), before facing Mexico at 9pm on June 21 (6am June 22) and Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal at 6pm on June 24 (3am June 25).

‘‘To be opening the tournament against the hosts is going to be very special,’’ Hudson said.

The All Whites have recent history with Mexico, losing 2-1 in Nashville on October 8. They were also swept aside 9-3 in the two-leg World Cup playoff by Mexico in November, 2013.

Hudson said it would be great preparation for the 2017 Intercontinental Playoff should the All Whites qualify.

‘‘Playing them twice is going to be a great test because it is very similar to what we will face in November if we get there.

‘‘We know them very well. I have a huge amount of respect for their coach [Juan Carlos Osorio] and it will be a huge game,’’ Hudson said.

‘‘It is such an amazing tournament and to be playing against the champions of Europe especially someone like Ronaldo is a once in a lifetime opportunity for New Zealand and for our players.’’

Hudson said he, manager Rob Pickstock and NZ Football chief executive Andy Martin had a number of conversations with the other teams in the leadup to the draw. He hinted they were close to

"We are going to be incredibly single-minded and make sure we go there with the purpose of causing an upset and doing something special." Anthony Hudson, above

securing buildup matches ‘‘equally as big’’ against nations who were not in their group.

‘‘In the next week or so we will, touch wood, have those games confirmed as well which puts us in an even stronger position.’’

Meanwhile, Fifa President Gianni Infantino warned that the future of the Confederations Cup is uncertain beyond next year’s competition in Russia.

Infantino said it remains unclear how and when the following edition, provisionally set for 2021, will be played.

That’s because the 2022 World Cup in Qatar will be held in November and December, meaning the Confederations Cup would cause severe disruption to the club calendar if held in its traditional slot a year before the bigger tournament.

Infantino said Fifa officials are discussing questions such as ‘‘Shall we play it in June? Shall we play it in November? Shall we think about the format?’’

He added that ‘‘we are putting everything on the table’’.

- Fairfax, AP