September 6, 2025 • 9 mins
A late goal has sunk the All Whites one-nil in their opening Ashes match with Australia in Canberra.
Midfielder Max Balard found the back of the net in the 87th minute to snatch victory for the hosts.
New Zealand failed to take advantage of a dominant first half, led by their captain Chris Wood. Piney caught up with Wood as the team heads back to New Zealand for the second leg of the Soccer Ashes.
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from Newstalk zb.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
To kick us off, this our heartbreak for the All
Whites in game one of the soccer Ashes in Canberra
last night, a late goal from Soccer US sub Max
Ballard has given Australia a one yill win in a
game New Zealand dominated for long periods. Game twos in
Auckland on Tuesday night, All White skip up. Chris Wood
is with us as the team prepares to depart Canberra
in a few hours.
Speaker 3 (00:32):
Thanks for your time, Chris.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
How do you reflect in general terms on last night's
performance from the side?
Speaker 4 (00:39):
Look, yeah, I think it's a very positive outcome that
we played well, but not getting away from the illusion
that we didn't win the game when we dominated so
much of it and we're a better stide for majority
of the time. So look, it's a bittersweet, but we've
got to focus in and do the business in the
second league to win their overall ashes.
Speaker 2 (00:59):
How do you balance the disappointment of losing the game
with being encouraged by the way you played and control
the game for long periods.
Speaker 3 (01:07):
Can you strike that balance?
Speaker 4 (01:11):
Yeah, it's a tough one to strike because you are
disappointed that you can see on a sucker punch with
really the only chance of the game, when we had
chances to put the game to bed. I mean, there's
no illusion getting away from if I stick one of
my chances away, that game turns out differently and we
win that game in my eyes for sure. But we've
(01:32):
got to take positive of we're creating those chances and
on another day we'll stick them away and we'll be
running away with that game.
Speaker 2 (01:40):
What are the main things you can take from game
one into game two on Tuesday night and awful the
things to really build.
Speaker 4 (01:47):
On, Well, I think that the domination that we showed
on the ball, nullifying their strengths and nullifying their going
forward and creating chances. And then the best thing for
us is we actually created chances, which is something we've
planned to try and improve on and do better go
into big games like against these top teams in the world.
Speaker 5 (02:09):
So we've got to tell the positives of that.
Speaker 2 (02:12):
You were off one on one with Paul Azzo in
the first half, just take us through your mindset.
Speaker 3 (02:17):
Is that passenger play played out?
Speaker 5 (02:21):
Look?
Speaker 4 (02:21):
Yeah, I mean it was one of those when I
went through, I decided to take it early and watching
it back, he's actually made a very good say. Of course,
I'm more disappointed I should score. I should do better
in those situations as the person I am, the striker
I am, and as I said before, under no illusions.
If I score that, we go on to win the
game because we're with that dominant.
Speaker 2 (02:43):
How good is it having Ryan Thomas back in the
national side for the first time in six years?
Speaker 5 (02:49):
Look here, it's fantastic. We know the quality brings.
Speaker 4 (02:52):
Obviously, he's been in Europe for a long period of
time now and thankfully he's injury free and doing extremely
well for his club.
Speaker 5 (02:59):
So it's brilliant to have him in the setup.
Speaker 4 (03:01):
I think we could see last night with the quality brought,
and hopefully we can back it up again for him
and the team come Tuesday.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
And we saw you Chris come off after an hour
or so. Was that always the plan that your minutes
would be managed in that way?
Speaker 5 (03:17):
Look, yeah, it's one of those things.
Speaker 4 (03:19):
I've got a long season, we've got European campaign, lots
of internationals. We're going to be playing over fifty five
to sixty games this season. As a club and country.
It's one of those things. Minutes have to be managed
and they will be managed at club as well level
and things like that. So it's just normal in these circumstances.
But as we saw back in the qualifiers that we're
(03:42):
ready to play full games if needed and things like that.
So it's just one of those things.
Speaker 2 (03:46):
So without really knowing for sure until your touchdown, would
you be good for ninety on Tuesday or is it
likely to be another hour or so in the second
game as well.
Speaker 5 (03:57):
It's just waiting to see how the body turns around.
Speaker 4 (03:59):
Two games in quick succession is what we're going to
have to look at for the whole team, and we
and well the manager will make the judgment calls on those.
So it's one of those things where I'm ready to
start the game as I feel now, body will tell
me in the next forty eight hours how it's feeling
and where it's ready to go.
Speaker 2 (04:19):
Can you sense within the squad now are heightened energy
with World Cup qualification, secure players looking to pook their
best foot forward to be on that plane next year.
Speaker 5 (04:30):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (04:31):
Well, and truly I think it's a very positive and
exciting time. As you say, we're all fighting for positions. Now,
we're all fighting to be on that plane over there.
We've got a great squad of thirty five forty players
to choose from these days, and everybody wants to be
on that plane over there. So yeah, the people that
are playing in the moment have got the chance to
really put their foot forward and stamp their plane ticket
(04:54):
over to the.
Speaker 5 (04:56):
US Mexico in Canada. But it's very exciting.
Speaker 2 (05:00):
Indeed, there's just a couple of questions on your Premier
League season win loss and a draw to start, how
do you evaluate Nottingham forestability to match or even better
last season's finish.
Speaker 5 (05:12):
Look, I think we're in a very strong position.
Speaker 4 (05:14):
We've been able to really go through it in the
transfer window, brought in some quality, some depth and to
the squad to make it look like a better squad
than we have last year, which is fantastic to see.
And that's the positives that we've got and who knows,
I think, well, the squad we've got, we're more than
capable of finishing where we did last year and competing
in Europe.
Speaker 2 (05:35):
Yeah, and just on those European nights you'll be playing
Europa League. The drawers out for the initial part of that.
How special are those home European nights going to be
for fans and players at the city Ground this season?
Speaker 5 (05:49):
Look, will be unbelievable.
Speaker 4 (05:50):
I mean everybody's talked about the city Ground under the
lights in European competitions. It's been away for a long
period of time, but there's something special. So now we
get to finally feel it and see it what it's
going to be like when we play that first home game.
But yeah, we've got some great games coming up, winnable
games for sure, and hopefully we can go far in
the competition.
Speaker 2 (06:08):
And just to finish, you originally honored with inclusion in
the PFA Premier League Team of the Season for your
exploits last season. How big a moment was that for you,
Chris in terms of your football career.
Speaker 4 (06:20):
Look here, it was huge and I didn't really realize
it until I was actually there and around the people.
They were on stage at the same time. So it's
something that I'm very honored with and something that's going
to live long in my lifetime. And look, it's maybe
more hungry and ready to hopefully put my best foot
forward to go again next season to be in that
(06:41):
Team of the Year again.
Speaker 3 (06:43):
Good man, Chris, thanks for chatting mate.
Speaker 2 (06:44):
I hope the background noise here wasn't too distracting for
your safe travels made and all the best on Tuesday.
Speaker 5 (06:49):
Night, problem Chet's pony, take care You take.
Speaker 3 (06:52):
Care too, mate, Thanks to day Chris Wood joining us
out of Canberra. There.
Speaker 2 (06:56):
They were good last night, the All Whites really really
good and as good as I've seen actually from our
national men's team again to quality opposition like Australia New Zealand.
Boss that game for an hour of it and actually
funnily enough. I'm not sure that's the right phrase, but
(07:16):
it was when Chris Wood was withdrawn from the game
after sixty minutes along with Ryan Thomas, that it felt
as though the ascendancy was almost back with Australia. But
I was just so encouraged by what I saw from
the All Whites last night. Ryan Thomas. Man, how we
have missed that player, How we have missed his influence
around the team.
Speaker 3 (07:36):
He's had a horrendous run of injuries, Ryan Thomas.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
But finally, now, finally we're going to hopefully get the
chance to see him in an All White shirt. He
was on as I say, for an hour last night
and just looked every inst the player that we all
hoped he would be off the back of these injuries
that he has suffered. So to have Ryan Thomas back
in the national set up as brilliant, Chris Wood leading
the line, New Zealand relatively untroubled really until the goal
(08:02):
went in the eighty seventh minute.
Speaker 3 (08:04):
There was a situation.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
Really, it was a real sense of deflation because often
in the past New Zealand sides would have been happy
just to sort of compete with Australia.
Speaker 3 (08:16):
They dominated that game by every metric.
Speaker 2 (08:19):
They had more chances, they had more possession, they had
better creativity. Every stat and every metric was in favor
of New Zealand, apart from the one that matters the most,
and that is the scoreline at the end of the day.
So what happens now these two teams. I think they're
actually sharing a charted flight.
Speaker 3 (08:39):
I heard to Auklant they.
Speaker 2 (08:43):
Land late this evening and then on Tuesday night it
is game two and what is the soccer Ashes series?
And with the score at one nil to Australia, it
is the aggregate score at the end of the two games,
So if New Zealand can win by two, they'll get
the soccer ashes. If it's a one goal win for
New Zealand on Tuesday night, then we'll go to a
penalty shootout, so something a bit different there as well,
(09:06):
as we take on Australia for a rare two game
series in recent times.
Speaker 1 (09:13):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, listen live
to News talk Ed b weekends from midday or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from Newstalk zb.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
To kick us off, this our heartbreak for the All
Whites in game one of the soccer Ashes in Canberra
last night, a late goal from Soccer US sub Max
Ballard has given Australia a one yill win in a
game New Zealand dominated for long periods. Game twos in
Auckland on Tuesday night, All White skip up. Chris Wood
is with us as the team prepares to depart Canberra
in a few hours.
Speaker 3 (00:32):
Thanks for your time, Chris.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
How do you reflect in general terms on last night's
performance from the side?
Speaker 4 (00:39):
Look, yeah, I think it's a very positive outcome that
we played well, but not getting away from the illusion
that we didn't win the game when we dominated so
much of it and we're a better stide for majority
of the time. So look, it's a bittersweet, but we've
got to focus in and do the business in the
second league to win their overall ashes.
Speaker 2 (00:59):
How do you balance the disappointment of losing the game
with being encouraged by the way you played and control
the game for long periods.
Speaker 3 (01:07):
Can you strike that balance?
Speaker 4 (01:11):
Yeah, it's a tough one to strike because you are
disappointed that you can see on a sucker punch with
really the only chance of the game, when we had
chances to put the game to bed. I mean, there's
no illusion getting away from if I stick one of
my chances away, that game turns out differently and we
win that game in my eyes for sure. But we've
(01:32):
got to take positive of we're creating those chances and
on another day we'll stick them away and we'll be
running away with that game.
Speaker 2 (01:40):
What are the main things you can take from game
one into game two on Tuesday night and awful the
things to really build.
Speaker 4 (01:47):
On, Well, I think that the domination that we showed
on the ball, nullifying their strengths and nullifying their going
forward and creating chances. And then the best thing for
us is we actually created chances, which is something we've
planned to try and improve on and do better go
into big games like against these top teams in the world.
Speaker 5 (02:09):
So we've got to tell the positives of that.
Speaker 2 (02:12):
You were off one on one with Paul Azzo in
the first half, just take us through your mindset.
Speaker 3 (02:17):
Is that passenger play played out?
Speaker 5 (02:21):
Look?
Speaker 4 (02:21):
Yeah, I mean it was one of those when I
went through, I decided to take it early and watching
it back, he's actually made a very good say. Of course,
I'm more disappointed I should score. I should do better
in those situations as the person I am, the striker
I am, and as I said before, under no illusions.
If I score that, we go on to win the
game because we're with that dominant.
Speaker 2 (02:43):
How good is it having Ryan Thomas back in the
national side for the first time in six years?
Speaker 5 (02:49):
Look here, it's fantastic. We know the quality brings.
Speaker 4 (02:52):
Obviously, he's been in Europe for a long period of
time now and thankfully he's injury free and doing extremely
well for his club.
Speaker 5 (02:59):
So it's brilliant to have him in the setup.
Speaker 4 (03:01):
I think we could see last night with the quality brought,
and hopefully we can back it up again for him
and the team come Tuesday.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
And we saw you Chris come off after an hour
or so. Was that always the plan that your minutes
would be managed in that way?
Speaker 5 (03:17):
Look, yeah, it's one of those things.
Speaker 4 (03:19):
I've got a long season, we've got European campaign, lots
of internationals. We're going to be playing over fifty five
to sixty games this season. As a club and country.
It's one of those things. Minutes have to be managed
and they will be managed at club as well level
and things like that. So it's just normal in these circumstances.
But as we saw back in the qualifiers that we're
(03:42):
ready to play full games if needed and things like that.
So it's just one of those things.
Speaker 2 (03:46):
So without really knowing for sure until your touchdown, would
you be good for ninety on Tuesday or is it
likely to be another hour or so in the second
game as well.
Speaker 5 (03:57):
It's just waiting to see how the body turns around.
Speaker 4 (03:59):
Two games in quick succession is what we're going to
have to look at for the whole team, and we
and well the manager will make the judgment calls on those.
So it's one of those things where I'm ready to
start the game as I feel now, body will tell
me in the next forty eight hours how it's feeling
and where it's ready to go.
Speaker 2 (04:19):
Can you sense within the squad now are heightened energy
with World Cup qualification, secure players looking to pook their
best foot forward to be on that plane next year.
Speaker 5 (04:30):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (04:31):
Well, and truly I think it's a very positive and
exciting time. As you say, we're all fighting for positions. Now,
we're all fighting to be on that plane over there.
We've got a great squad of thirty five forty players
to choose from these days, and everybody wants to be
on that plane over there. So yeah, the people that
are playing in the moment have got the chance to
really put their foot forward and stamp their plane ticket
(04:54):
over to the.
Speaker 5 (04:56):
US Mexico in Canada. But it's very exciting.
Speaker 2 (05:00):
Indeed, there's just a couple of questions on your Premier
League season win loss and a draw to start, how
do you evaluate Nottingham forestability to match or even better
last season's finish.
Speaker 5 (05:12):
Look, I think we're in a very strong position.
Speaker 4 (05:14):
We've been able to really go through it in the
transfer window, brought in some quality, some depth and to
the squad to make it look like a better squad
than we have last year, which is fantastic to see.
And that's the positives that we've got and who knows,
I think, well, the squad we've got, we're more than
capable of finishing where we did last year and competing
in Europe.
Speaker 2 (05:35):
Yeah, and just on those European nights you'll be playing
Europa League. The drawers out for the initial part of that.
How special are those home European nights going to be
for fans and players at the city Ground this season?
Speaker 5 (05:49):
Look, will be unbelievable.
Speaker 4 (05:50):
I mean everybody's talked about the city Ground under the
lights in European competitions. It's been away for a long
period of time, but there's something special. So now we
get to finally feel it and see it what it's
going to be like when we play that first home game.
But yeah, we've got some great games coming up, winnable
games for sure, and hopefully we can go far in
the competition.
Speaker 2 (06:08):
And just to finish, you originally honored with inclusion in
the PFA Premier League Team of the Season for your
exploits last season. How big a moment was that for you,
Chris in terms of your football career.
Speaker 4 (06:20):
Look here, it was huge and I didn't really realize
it until I was actually there and around the people.
They were on stage at the same time. So it's
something that I'm very honored with and something that's going
to live long in my lifetime. And look, it's maybe
more hungry and ready to hopefully put my best foot
forward to go again next season to be in that
(06:41):
Team of the Year again.
Speaker 3 (06:43):
Good man, Chris, thanks for chatting mate.
Speaker 2 (06:44):
I hope the background noise here wasn't too distracting for
your safe travels made and all the best on Tuesday.
Speaker 5 (06:49):
Night, problem Chet's pony, take care You take.
Speaker 3 (06:52):
Care too, mate, Thanks to day Chris Wood joining us
out of Canberra. There.
Speaker 2 (06:56):
They were good last night, the All Whites really really
good and as good as I've seen actually from our
national men's team again to quality opposition like Australia New Zealand.
Boss that game for an hour of it and actually
funnily enough. I'm not sure that's the right phrase, but
(07:16):
it was when Chris Wood was withdrawn from the game
after sixty minutes along with Ryan Thomas, that it felt
as though the ascendancy was almost back with Australia. But
I was just so encouraged by what I saw from
the All Whites last night. Ryan Thomas. Man, how we
have missed that player, How we have missed his influence
around the team.
Speaker 3 (07:36):
He's had a horrendous run of injuries, Ryan Thomas.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
But finally, now, finally we're going to hopefully get the
chance to see him in an All White shirt. He
was on as I say, for an hour last night
and just looked every inst the player that we all
hoped he would be off the back of these injuries
that he has suffered. So to have Ryan Thomas back
in the national set up as brilliant, Chris Wood leading
the line, New Zealand relatively untroubled really until the goal
(08:02):
went in the eighty seventh minute.
Speaker 3 (08:04):
There was a situation.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
Really, it was a real sense of deflation because often
in the past New Zealand sides would have been happy
just to sort of compete with Australia.
Speaker 3 (08:16):
They dominated that game by every metric.
Speaker 2 (08:19):
They had more chances, they had more possession, they had
better creativity. Every stat and every metric was in favor
of New Zealand, apart from the one that matters the most,
and that is the scoreline at the end of the day.
So what happens now these two teams. I think they're
actually sharing a charted flight.
Speaker 3 (08:39):
I heard to Auklant they.
Speaker 2 (08:43):
Land late this evening and then on Tuesday night it
is game two and what is the soccer Ashes series?
And with the score at one nil to Australia, it
is the aggregate score at the end of the two games,
So if New Zealand can win by two, they'll get
the soccer ashes. If it's a one goal win for
New Zealand on Tuesday night, then we'll go to a
penalty shootout, so something a bit different there as well,
(09:06):
as we take on Australia for a rare two game
series in recent times.
Speaker 1 (09:13):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, listen live
to News talk Ed b weekends from midday or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio
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