Ben Old

Okay, the international break is over in the football, but I'd just like to mention New Zealand.

Their last game, they lost 2-1 to Japan in Tokyo, despite a great goal by Ben Old.

To be fair, that's not a bad result.

Japan are 17th in the world rankings, and New Zealand are 94th.

No, Chris Wood.

Yes, that Ben Old goal, and what a run from Ben Old.

There's a few things I want to break down there, Daniel.

Ben Old playing as a left wing back.

The amount of ground he covers when the All Whites clear that corner to be up there is superb.

But also, I want to speak to the ability of Chris Wood to cut out a pass in his own half from the opposition to win the ball back and then make that run, draw defenders to him.

Eli just makes a brilliant run across the back of him to the right, which draws another defender away and just opens up the whole left-hand side of the field for him just to pass to Ben Old to have a free shot from the edge of the area there.

I don't want to get too hyperbolic, but it was the type of thing, what Chris Wood did there, the way he constructed that play, was kind of a little bit like how Harry Kane plays for England when he drops deep off the line and picks the ball up in those break situations.

Well, Finn Cernan was out, and he was out in the last game too, which meant that they put more back in defence, and so we ended up with a 5-5 back in this game.

And I think that's probably because he's got Michael Boxall in his defender, and who else did we have back there? Old

Stenger?

Yep, yep, older Stangers.

And yeah, he showed all of his experience holding the ball up.

and then they're putting it out to the left.

Nakano was trying to get back, but Old got there first and curled it beautifully beyond Zion Suzuki into the corner of the goal.

So, yeah, after 32 minutes, it was 1-1.

Give them a taste.

Ben Old scored their only goal in the 31st minute.

Well, that's not bad.

I think Japan are ranked 17 or something in the world.