All Whites lose warm-up match

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The All Whites lost 4-0 to Haiti in a World Cup warm-up match in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on Saturday night local time. The game was delayed because of bad weather and lightning nearby, but it started at 8:35pm.

Haiti scored first in the 12th minute when Ruben Providence lifted the ball over New Zealand goalkeeper Alex Paulsen. The All Whites tried to respond and won several corners in the first half. Chris Wood attempted a bicycle kick from one of them, while Marko Stamenic forced Haiti goalkeeper Johny Placide to make a strong save.

New Zealand made five changes at half-time, but Haiti became even stronger after the break. Lenny Joseph scored Haiti’s second goal with a neat finish, before Frantz Pierrot headed in a third from close range. Marcos Lacroix then completed the win with a powerful strike into the bottom corner.

The match was also important for Chris Wood, who played his 89th international game for the All Whites. This made him the team’s all-time leader for appearances, moving ahead of Ivan Vicelich. The All Whites will now prepare for their final warm-up match against England in Tampa Bay on Sunday morning New Zealand time.

How did this story make you feel?

SMART Prep | Quick Question 211586

In Room 8, 8 out of 16 students chose soccer as their favourite sport. What fraction of the students chose soccer?

  

Did You Know?

Did you know Chris Wood became the All Whites' all-time leader in appearances?
Chris Wood played his 89th game for the All Whites, making him the all-time leader!

Vocabulary

Click on the words in the article. See if you can find them all.
  • warm-up A practice game before a big event. The All Whites played a warm-up match before the World Cup.
  • goalkeeper The player who guards the goal and stops the ball. Alex Paulsen is the All Whites' goalkeeper.
  • appearance Playing in a game or event. Chris Wood made his 89th appearance for the All Whites.
  • Thinking Question

    How do you think the All Whites can improve for their next match?

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