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SOCCER:
Costa Rica, Venezuela Locked in
for All Whites
New Zealand Soccer today
confirmed the All Whites will
play matches against Costa Rica
and Venezuela in the build-up to
their 2010 World Cup qualifying
matches this year.
New Zealand, ranked 131st in the
world, play the 68th-ranked
Costa Ricans and 73rd-ranked
Venezuela in late March.
Further details on these and
other matches will be announced
later this month, New Zealand
Soccer told NZPA.
Costa Rica contested the 2006
World Cup, but coach Alexandre
Guimaraes quit after their
dismal performance, suffering
losses against Germany (2-4),
Ecuador (0-3) and Poland (1-2).
It was Costa Rica's third
appearance at a World Cup
finals: they reached the second
round in 1990 but also failed to
get past the first round at the
last tournament in 2002.
The All Whites March games fall
within Fifa's international
window, meaning New Zealand's
overseas-based players will be
available for selection.
The All Whites were hammered in
last year's three-match European
tour, with 17 players
unavailable for either all or
part of the trip.
Although the August tour started
well with a 1-1 draw against
English Premier League team
Charlton Athletic, it concluded
with heavy losses to Blackburn
Rovers (5-0) and Uefa Cup
holders Sevilla (5-1).
The All Whites were also without
their overseas-based players in
a two-match tour of Chile in
April last year, returning with
4-1 and 1-0 losses.
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