All Whites’ World Cup playoffs against Peru confirmed for midNovember
WELLINGTON: The All Whites will play the first leg of their intercontinental World Cup playoff against Peru in Wellington on November 11, New Zealand Football confirmed yesterday.
Governing body Fifa says the home leg will be staged at Westpac Stadium, with kickoff at 4.15pm.
The away leg will be played at the Estadio Nacional de Lima in Peru’s capital on November 15, with kickoff at 9.15pm (3.15pm on November 16, NZ time).
NZF chief executive Andy Martin said he was pleased to finally have the dates confirmed.
‘‘The interest in this World Cup qualifier from the media and the New Zealand football community has been huge,’’ he said.
‘‘Now it’s confirmed, we can complete our preparations and look forward to one of the biggest sports events in New Zealand.’’
Martin said Fifa had listened to the requests of both national teams and recognised the amount of travel required for both sides and, as a result, had extended the international window.
‘‘We’re pleased that Fifa have extended the window by a day and ensured that both teams will have a chance to travel, recover from their jetlag and be at their best for the home and away qualifiers.’’
Tickets for the home leg go on sale at noon tomorrow for the waitlist, which already has 10,000 fans signed on, and to the general public on Friday at noon.
‘‘Football fans in this country have great memories of that magical night in Wellington when the All Whites beat Bahrain to qualify for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa,’’ Martin said
‘‘The folklore around that game is huge, and we want to recreate that atmosphere on November 11.’’
The All Whites qualified for the intercontinental playoff after beating the Solomon Islands 83 on aggregate in the final stage of Oceania qualifying, while Peru is one step away from Russia after finishing as the fifthranked side in the South American confederation.
New Zealand has qualified for the World Cup twice, in 1982 and in 2010, while Peru has made four World Cup finals, most recently in 1982.
The two teams have never played each other before. — NZN