Thursday’s friendly matches:
Australia vs New Zealand, Iceland vs Venezuela, Trinidad & Tobago vs Tajikistan and Suriname vs Nicaragua.
Accumulator of the day
📰 Table Of Contents
Australia vs New Zealand
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These two Oceanic neighbours will meet twice during this international window, after they enjoyed mixed result during June intercontinental play-offs.
Australia do have November’s World Cup to look forward to, after they ousted Peru on penalties in Al-Rayyan during the summer.
That was the Socceroos’ 20th match of the qualification cycle, but it maintains their record of having reached every World Cup since 2002.
So now, ahead of meetings with reigning champions France, Denmark and Tunisia, Graham Arnold only has these two fixtures to fine-tune his squad.
New Zealand meanwhile heartbreakingly missed out on a World Cup spot, beaten 1-0 by Costa Rica in Qatar.
This is the third successful cycle in which the All Whites have fallen in the inter-confederation play-offs, losing to Peru five years ago and Mexico in 2013.
However, from 2026 onwards, World Cup expansion means OFC will have one guaranteed World Cup berth, so expect New Zealand to be familiar faces at the tournament in future.
For now, Danny Hay has to lift a heartbroken group of players, hoping to beat their biggest local rivals on the road for the first time since 1998.
Australia’s quality though should see them to victory at Brisbane Football Stadium.
Iceland vs Venezuela
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Two teams, hoping for brighter futures, go head-to-head in this friendly in Mödling, Austria.
Iceland made their major tournament debut at Euro 2016, reaching the quarter-finals, before making their World Cup bow two years later.
Then, they were seconds away from Euro 2020 qualification, dramatically beaten by Hungary in the play-off final.
This has seemingly signalled the start of Iceland’s decline, as they finished fifth in their World Cup qualifying group, their only victories coming over Liechtenstein.
Back in June, Arnar Viðarsson’s team drew all three UEFA Nations League fixtures, with their final match away to Albania on Tuesday.
So, given that they’ve only won two of their last 18 competitive games, a morale-boosting friendly victory would be most welcome.
Venezuela meanwhile are the only CONMEBOL nation to have never qualified for a World Cup, and that’s unlikely to change anytime soon.
La Vinotinto, once again, finishing rock bottom of the qualification table, accumulating just ten points from 18 outings.
So, attention turns to Copa América 2024 for José Pékerman’s team, who are actually in decent form in friendly terms.
This summer, Venezuela beat Malta and Saudi Arabia, both 1-0, with Salomón Rondón and Nahuel Ferraresi the scorers.
So now, can they win three successive matches for the first time since 2019 in this one at Motion invest Arena?
Trinidad & Tobago vs Tajikistan
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After a disappointing period, Trinidad & Tobago are hoping to rebuild.
The Soca Warriors were embarrassingly eliminated from CONCACAF World Cup qualifying in the first round.
Back in March 2021, failure to beat minnows Puerto Rico and Bahamas saw T&T finish second in the group, below St. Kitts & Nevis.
Back in the summer, Angus Eve’s side won three of four CONCACAF Nations League matches, most recently smashing Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 4-1.
This competition is crucial as, down in League B, T&T must win the group to qualify for next summer’s Gold Cup.
Before that competition returns in March, will the Soca Warriors enjoy some friendly victories in Chiang Mai?
Opponents Tajikistan already have their plans for next summer sorted.
Back in June, Petar Šegrt’s side qualified for Asia Cup 2023, beating Myanmar and Singapore before a dead-rubber 0-0 draw with Kyrgyz Republic, who’d also already qualified.
So, Tajikistan will be the only debutants at next year’s Asia Cup, making preparation before then key.
Will there be a winner at 700th Anniversary Stadium in Thailand?
Suriname vs Nicaragua
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Two Central American rivals go head-to-head in the Netherlands.
Last year, Suriname featured at a CONCACAF Gold Cup for the first time since 1985, so are desperate to qualify again.
However, Aron Winter’s team are currently bottom of their Nations League A group, below Mexico and Jamaica, so will probably compete in next June’s preliminaries.
Nicaragua meantime are targeting automatic qualification via League B.
La Azul y Blanco are currently top of their section having accumulated ten points from their first four matches.
Marco Antonio Figueroa’s team visit Trinidad & Tobago on the final matchday in March, with this fixture almost certainly going to be decisive.
Before all of that, who will win this friendly at Yanmar Stadion?
