Football: All Whites v Malaysia - what you need to know

Liberato Cacace of New Zealand. Photo: Jenny Chuang / www.photosport.nz

All Whites v Malaysia

International friendly

Kick-off: 7pm Monday 14 October (NZT)

North Harbour Stadium, Auckland

Live blog updates on RNZ Sport

Job done. That was the overriding message from All Whites boss Darren Bazeley after they began their World Cup 2026 qualifying campaign with a 3-0 win over Tahiti on Friday, a welcome result in hot and humid conditions on a difficult playing surface in Vanuatu.

Now they face Malaysia in an international friendly on home soil, as they look to keep up that momentum into next month's concluding World Cup qualifying group games against Samoa and Vanuatu.

Last time these two sides met in 2006, also at North Harbour Stadium, Campbell Banks and Andy Barron scored on debut to secure a 2-1 win. While there are no potential debutants on this occasion, there will still be a chance for some of the fringe players to put their mark on the squad.

It will be interesting to see if the likes of Alex Paulsen, Storm Roux and Sam Sutton are given the chance after their excellent A-League form last season, as Bazeley will no doubt be keen to assess different combinations and options.

New Zealand squad

Goalkeepers: Max Crocombe, Alex Paulsen, Oli Sail

Defenders: Tyler Bindon, Michael Boxall, Liberato Cacace, Tim Payne, Nando Pijnaker, Tommy Smith, Sam Sutton, Storm Roux

Midfielders: Matthew Garbett, Ben Old, Cam Howieson, Marko Stamenic, Alex Rufer

Forwards: Kosta Barbarouses, Elijah Just, Logan Rogerson, Ben Waine, Chris Wood

Potential starting XI

Paulsen; Roux, Boxall, Smith, Sutton; Rufer, Howieson, Stamenic; Garbett, Just, Wood.

This will be a step up in quality that the All Whites need to continue their development under Bazeley and a chance to play in front of home fans yet again. Not much was learned from the Tahiti game, against an extremely defensive side on long grass not likely to be seen in other international theatres. This will be more of a gauge of where New Zealand are and given recent positive results against the USA, Ireland and China, one which they will expect to win.

Malaysia is in good form following three successive friendly wins, a much-needed boost after they fell agonisingly short of reaching the latter stages of AFC World Cup qualification. A recent 1-1 draw against A-League newcomers Auckland FC in a behind-closed-doors friendly will also have given the Harimau Malaya confidence.

A recent surge in capping naturalised or heritage players has certainly strengthened the squad, with a namesake for Real Madrid wonderkid Endrick among their ranks. They are however without their captain Dion Cools and dangerous forward Faisal Halim, who continues to recover from a horrific acid attack earlier this year.

Games against sides outside of the AFC are rare for Malaysia but the last time it happened they annihilated the All Whites' OFC stablemates Papua New Guinea 10-0 last year, which will give Bazeley's boys an understanding that they should not be taken lightly.

23 February 2006 New Zealand 2-1 Malaysia

19 February 2006 New Zealand 1-0 Malaysia

19 August 2000 New Zealand 2-0 Malaysia

Malaysia are no pushovers but are likely to be more open at the back then the low block of Tahiti. New Zealand will hopefully be able to string some more cohesive attacking play together and continue in their quest to be more potent in front of goal against higher quality opposition than their federatio rivals. They have the players to do so and hopefully it clicks in Auckland.

New Zealand 2-1 Malaysia