Latest news from Friends of Football
By Joan Grey West Coast Rangers and Western Springs have set the pace in the Lotto NRFL Women’s Premier League and remain the only unbeaten teams after two rounds. With no draws in the competition yet, teams were quickly divided … Read More
By Joan Grey Lotto NRFL Women’s Championship attackers were on fire last weekend, scoring 21 goals across the four games. The Tauranga derby kept spectators on tenterhooks in a seven-goal thriller as Otumoetai edged a 4-3 victory over cross-town rivals … Read More
The Wellington Phoenix will name their new men’s team coach next week after confirming the impending departure of head coach Ufuk Talay. Talay has confirmed he won’t seek reappointment as he wants a new coaching challenge, and he’ll leave at … Read More
Here’s your guide to the weekend’s football with Northern, Central and Southern League fixtures, as well as men’s and women’s Lotto NRFL games in the north. Enjoy your footballing weekend! Game to be played on Friday April 14, 2023 Southern … Read More
Two goals in stoppage time gave Christchurch United a 2-0 win against Selwyn United in Friday night’s only Southern League fixture. Locked up 0-0 after 90 minutes, the game seemed destined for a draw but United secured the points with … Read More
By Jonno Ross Expect plenty of goals in the Lotto NRFL Men’s Championship this weekend as the fixture list puts some of the competition’s leakiest defences to the test. Two high-scoring teams — Hibiscus Coast and Mount Albert Ponsonby — … Read More
By Jonno Ross With the top four teams level on 10 points, and playing each other this weekend, the Northern League will begin to give us a hint of how the league table might shape up this season. Game of … Read More
By Jack Sharp The Scott Parsonage-coached Waikato Unicol are already the only side to keep their 100% winning record after three rounds of the Lotto NRFL Southern Conference. They’ve been impressive so far, building on the promise shown last season … Read More
By Jack Sharp A revised draw for the Lotto NRFL Northern Conference will see the first appearance of promoted club Central United this weekend. Central won their place in the league after successfully overturning a Northern Region Football decision to … Read More
By Luke Austin League leaders Wellington Olympic should continue to set the pace in the Central League with a home game against winless newcomers Whanganui Athletic. But which sides stand the best chance of at least staying within reach of … Read More
By Logan Smith The Southern League’s top two teams, Cashmere Technical and Christchurch United, are threatening to run away again in the race for National League qualification, while their closest chasers face off in Dunedin this weekend. Elsewhere, a cellar … Read More
Some Auckland clubs have reduced their registration fees for young players, acknowledging the pressure on families to meet the costs in the current economic environment. These include Waitemata and Albany United, who have lowered their costs for the 2023 winter … Read More
He has already captained his country and made his Northern League debut last year, a week after his 16th birthday. He hopes to be in the New Zealand squad for the 2023 FIFA U-17 World Cup. He’s Dylan Gardiner who … Read More
The Wellington Phoenix scored 20 goals in their 18-game women’s A-League season — and you can enjoy them all again here. Newcomer Milly Clegg led the goalscoring with four goals, followed by Ava Pritchard and Marisa can der Meer, who … Read More
New Zealand have climbed five places to 100th spot in the official FIFA world rankings of international men’s teams. The April 2023 rankings show the All Whites’ results against China in the March international window had helped lift the side’s … Read More
UPDATE: Midfielder Betsy Hassett has two broken ribs, having left the pitch during New Zealand’s 3-0 loss to Nigeria. Head coach Jitka Klimková said coaching staff would “do the maximum to take care of her”. Klitková was speaking after New … Read More
Auckland goalkeeper Nick Burke has landed a first-team spot with Sydney National Premier League side St George. Burke (23) headed to Australia after spells with Auckland clubs Fencibles United, Bucklands Beach, Manukau United and Manurewa. As a youth player, he … Read More
Central United members are mourning the loss of Marko Bebich, one of the club’s best players and a long-time committee member, who has died, aged 79. He died over the Easter weekend, prompting the following tribute from the club: “It … Read More