All Whites score much-needed win over China
A big occasion for the All Whites as they scored their first victory since March with an away win, 3-0 over China in Chongqing.
Goals were scored by Tyler Bindon early in the game, Ben Waine in the fist half and Owen Parker-Price in the 82nd minute. For Waine is was second goal of the international window after putting one past hte keeper in the 2-2 draw Palestine last week.
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The win is also the team’s first clean sheet since June last year when they defeated Ivory Coast 1-0 in Canada.
The All Whites’ strong start saw Bindon score his fourth goal for his country to give New Zealand the lead after he was found unmarked by Callum McCowatt who did well to keep the play alive down the left-hand side.
China struggled to formulate any meaningful attacks until midway through the first half when Bindon had to take action at the other end of the field.
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The defender threw himself at the ball with a last-ditch block as China’s captain Wang Zimming’s shot threatened to undo New Zealand’s good early work.
The end-to-end contest swung the All Whites’ way again before the end of the half as Logan Rogerson volleyed into the side netting, before Eli Just shook the left-hand post after dribbling through China’s half of the pitch.
But the next time the All Whites came knocking, they found the back of the net through Waine in the 29th minute.
The striker capitalised from a well-worked team move as Eli Just pulled the strings through multiple one-two passes with McCowatt and Ben Old. The Swansea attacker was unleashed into the hosts’ area and found Waine in front of goal to give his side a 2-0 lead at the break.
The free-flowing football from the opening 45 minutes turned into a much cagier affair in the second half, not helped by the substitution of McCowatt, whose strong performance was cut short by what appeared to be a head injury.
All Whites coach Darren Bazeley looked to share minutes within his squad as he made eight changes in the second half, including Owen Parker-Price who was injected into the match in the 79th minute.
The 27-year-old Örgryte midfielder from the Swedish top tier made the most of his late substitution, scoring his maiden international goal three minutes after coming on to seal the All Whites’ memorable win.
Parker-Price nodded home New Zealand’s third and final, quickest to react to a rebound after a superb save from China’s goalkeeper who had denied another late sub, Moses Dyer, from close range.
The New Zealand side now travel to Japan, where they turn their attention to the Kirin Cup and opening opponents Panama on Thursday. New Zealand will play either Japan or Ecuador in their second Kirin Cup match.
All Whites 3 (Tyler Bindon 4’, Ben Waine 29’, Owen Parker-Price 82’)
China 0
