5 Aug 2010

All Whites to play Paraguay

10:27 pm on 5 August 2010

The All Whites will play Paraguay in New Zealand in October, in their first match since their unbeaten run at the World Cup in South Africa.

The match will be played on 12 October but the venue has yet to be confirmed.

The All Whites drew 0-0 with Paraguay, who are ranked 16th in the world, in their final pool game at the World Cup.

Paraguay went on to reach the quarter-finals, where they lost to eventual champions Spain.

New Zealand Football chief executive Michael Glading says that bringing a top 20 team to New Zealand has not always been possible in the past, but that the All Whites' performances in South Africa has boosted New Zealand's international reputation.

West Ham about to sign Reid

English Premier League club West Ham is about to sign New Zealand World Cup defender Winston Reid for a fee in the region of $9 million.

Reid scored for the All Whites in their 1-1 game against Slovakia in South Africa.

A statement on the club's official website has promised fans that a "young international who represented his country with distinction at the World Cup" will be on his way to the club.

The Soccernet website says that Reid is the player in question and that West Ham has agreed a fee with his Danish club.