Football: Sides pledge thrilling start to cup

Visiting Fifa U20 team officials from Myanmar and the US check the turf at the new sports centre at Springs Flat, Kamo. Fifa Under-20 World Cup mascot Wooliam, left, Myanmar Football Federation's Soe Moe Kyaw, WDC senior groundsman Ross Hart and US team co-ordinator Zach Crusse. Photo / John Borren

Football fans can expect an exciting game between Myanmar and the United States when the Fifa Under-20 World Cup kicks off in Whangarei on May 30.

The two countries are among five who will play in Whangarei when the city hosts games in the cup - Fifa's second largest tournament - and officials from both countries visited Whangarei yesterday, less than 24 hours after the draw for the event was made.

The Northland Events Centre - it cannot be called Toll Stadium during the tournament because of Fifa's requirements to have "clean stadia" free of non-Fifa-approved advertising - will host three U20 group matches, with the first kicking off at 4pm on May 30 between Myanmar and the United States.

Other games at the centre are Myanmar v Ukraine on June 2 and Fiji v Uzbekistan on June 7.

Whangarei's round of 16 match will kick off at 4pm on June 11 and pit the winners of group F (Germany, Fiji, Uzbekistan and Honduras) against the second-placed team in group B (Argentina, Panama, Austria and the winners of CAF3 qualifier).

For Myanmar, it is the first time the country has qualified for any world football event and as such expectations among the nation's fans are not high, but the team will put on a good performance, coach Gerd Ziese said from the Springs Flat training facility the team will use while based in Whangarei.

Ziese said it would be a real team effort with his charges determined to play attractive, exciting football.

He said the team could adapt their style of play to suit whoever they faced and he vowed the team would make the country proud.

"We will play very good football, with a lot of excitement," Ziese said.

"We won't hide and the spectators can expect to see good football from us."

Soe Moe Kyaw, director of administration, media and communications for the Myanmar Football Federation, said it was wonderful for the country to make their first Fifa tournament finals, with football the No1 sport in Myanmar.

Whangarei can expect to see plenty of Myanmar fans - with 1000 already booking their tickets to the tournament before where they would play had been announced - and more based in Auckland ready to travel up.

"We are ready to support our team. Our fans are crazy about football and will bring plenty of colour and passion to your city [for the games]," Mr Kyaw said.

Zach Crusse, USA team co-ordinator, said their side played a fast-paced, possession-based game that was thrilling to watch.

"We like to play with possession and fast passing so you will see some explosive play.

"We have pretty high expectations to get out of the group [and into the knockout rounds] but we know it will be difficult, with all teams in this strong group capable of winning on the day," Crusse said.

"We should have a lot of supporters coming over or from elsewhere in New Zealand."

The regional co-ordination group chairman, Peter Gleeson, from Whangarei District Council, said now Whangarei knew who it would host the festival to accompany the football could be planned and he urged Northlanders to get behind the teams.

"It's pretty exciting to have these teams here and the round of 16 match will be interesting, as we could potentially see [pre-tournament favourites] Germany and Argentina playing in Whangarei and those two teams are massive."

Mr Gleeson said Whangarei could expect some colour and vitality from the many people expected to come to the city during the tournament.

"Myanmar will be up here for almost two weeks so let's get behind them. We're also expecting quite a few people to follow the USA, while there's also a large Fijian population in Northland and the rest of New Zealand and Fijians love to support their country," he said.

"The games could also put the region on the global scene with a potential audience of up to 200 million watching."

During the tournament, teams will train at the Springs Flat sports facility developed for the event and the field inside the athletics track at Kensington Park.