All Whites coach Danny Hay is excited about what his players can achieve next month after completing two wins from two in their games in Bahrain.
Photo: PHOTOSPORT
New Zealand followed up their 2-1 win over Caribbean side Curacao at the weekend with a 1-0 win over Bahrain in Manama this morning.
Italy-based Niko Kirwan scored the winner in the 88th minute.
The wins against higher ranked nations should result in an improvement in their current ranking of 121.
"We gave more players the opportunity to show what they're capable of, I think our average age was 23, so a lot of young players showing what they're capable of," said Hay.
But Hay has no doubt about the main thing they can take out of theses games.
"We're starting to form a strong identity around what this team is about and now it's about looking to November and continue to build on the progress that we've made."
The next international window is from November 8th to 16th and Hay may have to rely on European and US-based players again unless the borders in Australia open up.
Until this trip the All Whites last game was in November 2019, just after Hay was appointed national coach.
"Every since I've taken the job I've been clear around changing the way we approach games."
Stamenic, Pijnaker, Wood and Boxall Photo: PHOTOSPORT
"I think we've got a far more creative, exciting type of player starting to emerge in the game, they're young and enthusiastic and for me it's just giving them the courage to go and express themselves."
"Historically we always had a negative-defensive approach, but what we're starting to see from this group is that they are far more positive and trying to win games."
Hay says they're close to locking in some games for next month's international window.
"We think we've got two good quality games that will test us and that's what we want to keep testing the players as we look to Qatar 2022 (World Cup finals) and beyond to 2026, to develop the depth and quality to compete on the world stage."
Hay is encouraged about qualifying for the World Cup.
The Oceania World Cup qualifying tournament is set to take place in January in the Middle East with the winner of that then set to play a team from the America's for a place at the World Cup finals in Qatar.
"I've always had huge belief in this group, I have firm belief in the quality and character of these players and believe that we can take on any side.
"If we get through Oceania, the way we're starting to progress, I don't think any team in that inter-continental play-off will want to play us."
Danny Hay Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Hay says captain Chris Wood is excited about being a part of this group.
"We said never before has he been a part of a New Zealand team that's gone away and won two games on the bounce.
"I think this is reinvigorating him in terms of his international career, he's really excited about what the future holds and he's going back to Burnley with a smile on his face."
Hay and his staff don't have MIQ spots back in New Zealand and so they'll base themselves in Abu Dhabi and wait for the November window.
It was a largely different side from the Curacao game that took on Bahrain today and Hay was mostly happy with their performance.
"I think over the two games we could have scored a few more goals and could have won them comprehensively and in a World Cup play-off game we're not going to get many chances."
