Penalties could be used to decide match between All Whites and Socceroos

posted in: All Whites, News |

The All Whites and Socceroos will use a penalty shootout to find a winner if Wednesday’s friendly international ends in a draw after 90 minutes.

The national bodies have agreed to use penalties, if necessary, to decide where the rediscovered Soccer Ashes Trophy will go after the match to be played at Brentford’s Gtech Community Stadium in London.

NZ Football have confirmed that extra time has been ruled out, and the game will go straight to penalties, if required.

Main photo: All Whites midfielder Marko Stamenic unleashes a shot against Australia when they met at Auckland’s Eden Park in 2022. Photo: Shane Wenzlick / Phototek.

The match will contest the historic Soccer Ashes for the first time in almost 70 years but neither team will lift the original trophy on Wednesday.

“Recognising the irreplaceable significance and fragile nature of the trophy, the decision has been made to retain it safely rather than risk its journey to London for the game,” NZ Football have said in a statement.

“Instead, a separate trophy will be awarded with the original trophy presented back in Australia or New Zealand at a later date.”

Both teams played international friendlies at the weekend.

New Zealand drew 1-1 with DR Congo in Spain, thanks to a late penalty scored by captain Chris Wood.

Australia lost 1-0 to England at London’s Wembley Stadium, with Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins scoring the winner in the 57th minute.

About the Soccer Ashes

The trophy was created in 1923, containing ashes of cigars smoked by Australian captain Alex Gibb and New Zealand captain George Campbell following the first meeting between the two nations in Australia in June 1923.

The trophy went missing in 1954 but was rediscovered during the COVID pandemic and returned to Football Australia.