The All Whites qualified for the tournament by beating host nation Papua New Guinea in the final of the OFC Nations Cup last year. It was the fifth time New Zealand have been crowned champions of Oceania and the second since Australia moved to the Asian federation in 2006, yet while they remain too strong for much of their own continent, they are unlikely to make much of an impact in Russia in the coming weeks. Their focus, moreover, will be on a two-legged play-off tie with Tahiti which takes place in less than two months' time; the winner of that game will progress to an intercontinental match against the fifth-placed side in South America, with the victors then advancing to the World Cup.
It would be wrong to completely write New Zealand off, however, particularly as they were similarly dismissed prior to the 2010 World Cup and ended the competition as the only unbeaten team (although three draws were not enough for them to reach the knockout phase). Tahiti were the whipping boys in Brazil four years ago, losing their three games by an aggregate scoreline of 24-1, but the Kiwis have more quality than the Iron Warriors and could succeed in making life difficult for their Group A adversaries.
Hudson will probably line his team up in a 5-3-1-1 formation, with an emphasis on defending deep, getting bodies back behind the line of the ball and allowing the opposition to control possession. Attacks will be limited to quick breaks forward in transition, while set-pieces could be an important part of their strategy for creating goalscoring chances. The bookmakers' odds reflect the fact that New Zealand will likely lose all three of their encounters, but a plan to frustrate could see them spring a surprise or two, with hosts Russia potentially vulnerable due to their relative lack of invention and creativity.
Leeds striker Chris Wood will have to take full advantage of any opportunities that come his way, while veteran frontman Shane Smeltz could be called upon from the substitutes' bench. Marco Rojas will probably be fielded as a No.10 and will be tasked with linking the play, while central defenders Tommy Smith, Michael Boxall and Andrew Durante will be kept busy by opposition frontlines. Behind that trio, goalkeeper Stefan Marinovic will have to be at the top of his game if New Zealand are to be competitive in Group A.
The All Whites will almost certainly fail to reach the knockout stage, and it would not be too much of a surprise if they failed to collect a single point. Perhaps, though, it would be worth sticking some money on them holding Russia to a draw in the tournament's opening game, with relatively long odds available on a stalemate.
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