The Wellington Phoenix were represented across the globe in the past week.
All Whites
Three Wellington Phoenix players were involved as the All Whites were defeated 3-0 by Mexico at the Rose Bowl in California.
Kosta Barbarouses and Tim Payne were both handed starts by Darren Bazeley, while Alex Rufer played the last twenty minutes in midfield.
2023-24 standout Ben Old, now at AS Saint-Étienne in Ligue 1, also started on the left wing.
The All Whites were unable to get a firm hold on the match as a classy Mexican outfit dominated the 90 minutes.
New Zealand face the United States of America in their final match of this international window on Wednesday, 11 September at 11am.
Wellington Phoenix players in the All Whites squad:
Kosta Barbarouses
Tim Payne
Alex Rufer
Sam Sutton
FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup
The Junior Football Ferns improved in each of their matches at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Colombia, but found no reward in a tough group.
Manaia Elliott was the captain of the side, and Zoe McMeeken and Ella McMillan were also ever-present.
The first match saw the Ferns fall to a 7-0 defeat against 2018 champions and 2022 runners-up Japan.
Phoenix players Daisy Brazendale and Rebekah Trewhitt both featured from the bench.
Former Phoenix players Milly Clegg and Helena Errington were also involved in the tie.
There was an improved showing but no points in the second game, as Austria triumphed 3-1.
Brazendale came into the starting lineup for this match, while Marie Green, Olivia Ingham, and Trewhitt all saw playing time in the second half.
Clegg scored New Zealand’s goal with a powerful header from an Errington corner.
The final group encounter again ended in a loss, this time 3-1 to Ghana.
In a tight game, where both teams had goals disallowed, the African side took their chances better on the day.
Trewhitt had earned a place in the starting eleven, while Brazendale moved to the bench.
Brazendale, Green, and Ingham were all subbed on in the second half.
After Ghana took the lead early in the second half, Elliott equalised just five minutes later with an improvised lob over the stranded goalkeeper.
Down a goal in injury time, the Ferns piled on pressure in search of a leveller before a breakaway counter sealed the win for the Ghanaians.
Wellington Phoenix players in the NZ U-20 Women’s squad
Daisy Brazendale
Aimee Danieli
Manaia Elliott
Marie Green
Olivia Ingham
Zoe McMeeken
Ella McMillan
Rebekah Trewhitt
Iraq
Mohamed Al-Taay is a member of the Iraq squad for this international window, but missed the 1-0 win against Oman with an injury.
He will get another chance to feature when they travel to Kuwait on Wednesday, September 11th at 6am.
Wellington Phoenix players in the Iraq squad:
Mohamed Al-Taay
OFC U-16 Women’s Championship
The Young Football Ferns got off to a flyer in their pursuit of the OFC U-16 Women’s Championship, thrashing New Caledonia 8-0.
The two teams who make the final of the tournament, hosted by Fiji, will qualify for the 2025 U17 Women’s World Cup to be held in Morocco.
Mackenzie Bryant captained the Ferns, and was joined by Holly Robins who came on to play the whole second half.
On Thursday, 12 September, they will take on Tahiti in the second group stage match, with a win guaranteeing a spot in the semi-finals.
Wellington Phoenix players in the NZ U-16 Women’s squad:
Mackenzie Bryant
Katie Pugh
Holly Robins
