Nelsen and Paston earn Fifa praise

IAIN McGREGOR/The Press

COMPETITIVE DEFENDER: All Whites captain Ryan Nelsen was singled out for praise in a Fifa report.

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All Whites goalkeeper Mark Paston and skipper Ryan Nelsen have been hailed for their World Cup performances in an official Fifa report.

A 289-page study by a 16-person technical study group was published last week by Fifa.

It said that the All Whites – ranked 22nd in the 32-team tournament despite being the only unbeaten team in South Africa – featured "disciplined, well-organised defence". Their strengths included their "deep, defensive block, aerial dominance in defence, counterattacks and excellent team spirit".

Fifa president Sepp Blatter noted in his report that "New Zealand, who did not lose any of their games, Slovakia and the USA provided some early headlines" in group play.

Only two All Whites were singled out by the technical study group for individual mention. Paston was "excellent in the air" and impressed with his "good reflexes and quick distribution", according to the report.

Nelsen was a "competitive central defender, good in the air" and stood out as a defensive organiser.

The report noted New Zealand were at their first World Cup finals since 1982 but said the All Whites, "despite being placed in a tough group alongside Italy, Paraguay and Slovakia, gave a more than respectable account of themselves".

"With three draws, the Kiwis failed to qualify for the next round but were still a good advertisement for their confederation [Oceania], for which qualifying for the finals and performing well at them is of great importance.

"Ricki Herbert's team particularly impressed through their good organisation, competitiveness and compact defence."

One item in the report might raise a few eyebrows. The Fifa report said all 15 penalties awarded at the World Cup were "100 per cent correct" decisions, including, by implication, the dive by Daniele De Rossi for Italy's equaliser in a 1-1 draw with the All Whites in Nelspruit.

Meanwhile, Canterbury United will play their first three games in the new ASB national premiership at Linfield Park in Bromley. They have switched to the Linwood rugby club's home ground for matches against Youngheart Manawatu (November 14), Hawke's Bay United (November 21) and Waitakere United (December 19) because English Park is out of action while a new artificial pitch is installed.

The Canterbury Dragons will be back at English Park against Auckland City from January 9, but will take their home game against Team Wellington to Nelson's Trafalgar Park on January 16.

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