All Whites break South American duck with morale-boosting win over 10-man Chile
Monday, 30 March 2026
At Eden Park, Auckland: All Whites 4 (Kosta Barbarouses 31’, Eli Just 40’, Jesse Randall 60’, Ben Waine 71’) Chile 1 (Gonzalo Tapia 83’). HT: 2-0. Red card: Dario Osorio (Chile) 27’
The All Whites might not have learnt much in the context of the looming FIFA World Cup by playing against 10 men for more than an hour at Eden Park on Monday night.
But their 4-1 win over Chile – their first over any South American nation in 20 attempts – would have been a confidence and morale booster nonetheless.
It came after a run of seven losses in eight matches, including Friday’s 2-0 defeat against Finland at the same Auckland venue, and gave the home fans in the 14,239-strong crowd plenty to cheer about. It was just their 12th win ouside Oceania since their last World Cup appearance in 2010.
While the first-half red card to Dario Osorio did alter the nature of the match, Darren Bazeley’s world No 86 side had come through early pressure to be going toe to toe with their world No 54 rivals before it.
Kosta Barbarouses ended a 14-year wait for a second goal against a team from outside the Pacific, while Ben Old – playing at left back – and Jesse Randall – ahead of him – impressed for the second match in a row and will have given their coach plenty to contemplate. So to will have Alex Paulsen, so there was still value to be had.
They also still had to make the visitors pay once going a man up – and duly did.
The All Whites now head back to their clubs, with the World Cup squad to be named at some stage in mid-May and their next camp being the one for that tournament in North America in June, where they will play Iran, Egypt and Belgium, after a warm-up match against England (with another still being sought).
Osorio received his first caution in the 23rd minute when he came in late on Barbarouses in the All Whites’ half. He received his second four minutes later for pulling the New Zealand striker back by the shoulders.
Soft, especially in a friendly, but stupid on the player’s part.
Before his indiscretions, he made made himself a player to watch in the second minute, when he let rip from 40 metres out and forced Paulsen to make a flying save to push his shot out for a corner.
Chile started the stronger of the two teams, but the All Whites gained a foothold in the match when Barbarouses won a free kick on the left.
Payne curled in a free kick which Tyler Bindon headed in at the back post, only for the assistant referee to flag him as offside.
Having put the ball in the back of the net, albeit for no gain, New Zealand seemed to lift.
Paulsen produced a nifty knee-slide to retain the ball under intense pressure at the back – a highlight that will help him press his case to start ahead of Max Crocombe at the World Cup.
Tim Payne, becoming the 21st All White to earn 50 caps, was immense, winning headers with venom and helping his side to surge forward. After a patchy display Friday, he seemed to respond more than anyone.
Randall then had two shots blocked in quick succession before Osorio fouled Barbarouses twice in quick succession and picked up two yellow cards and a red.
Emboldened with an extra man, the All Whites took just four minutes to capitalise, when Barbarouses was left free at the back post at a Payne corner and volleyed a shot goalwards.
It was the 10th goal of the 36-year-old’s international career, but just the second in the 48 matches he has played against teams from outside Oceania. Against Oceania teams, he has eight in 26.
Captain Marko Stamenić should have doubled his side’s lead when he charged towards the box on the right with only goalkeeper Lawrence Vigouroux to beat, only to be denied by a leg save.
Eli Just did give the All Whites a two-goal buffer, when he poked home a ball in from Bell following a corner to score his ninth international goal – one that was only given after a four-minute video assistant referee review confirmed he was onside.
Paulsen had to make another sharp save after his own giveaway early in the second half, but the All Whites eased any lingering nerves when Jesse Randall scored his second international goal in his first start.
He began the move on the left flank, cutting inside then passing to Bell, who curled a ball out to Barbarouses on the right. His cross then hit Chilean defender Benjamin Kuscevic and fell to Randall, who had run to the back post in the 60th minute.
Ben Waine came off the bench to make it four in the 71st, firing home from just inside the box after the ball fell to him at a Payne corner. He now heads back to England for an FA Cup quarterfinal away to Chelsea on Sunday (NZ time).
There was a sight of the much talked about Bell, Stamenić, Ryan Thomas midfield trio in the five minutes between Thomas coming on and Bell going off. Expect to see that more often in June.
Chile scored a consolation goal in the 83rd minute, when Gonzalo Tapia spoiled Paulsen’s clean sheet, after Bindon air-kicked as went to block a long ball forward.
The only blemish on a heart-warming night.
What they said
Darren Bazeley (All Whites coach): “I'm really pleased. Friday [the 2-0 loss to Finland] was a tough evening and we spent a couple of days reviewing it. We had some really good meetings with the players, and the players stood up over the last few days and were determined to come back today and have a positive reaction and show the crowd who they are”.
Joe Bell (All Whites midfielder): “We've been looking to score more goals and we've been looking to get wins. We know that we're going to need that at the World Cup. Chile's a strong team and obviously we saw tonight (they have) quality players, but I think the overall team performance from us and the attitude was the key point”.
Kosta Barbarouses (All Whites forward): “It's easy to say we still would have got a good result, but I felt like it was one of those nights where we looked really good. We were on it from the beginning. We were compact and we looked dangerous as well. [A red card] can happen in the World Cup too, so you can't say it's because we were a man up. You’ve got to play what's in front of you”.