CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand (AP) — Justin Greaves made an unbeaten 202 in a 230-run partnership with Kemar Roach as the West Indies won an endurance contest against a threadbare New Zealand attack Saturday to draw the first test after being set 531 to win.
The West Indies’ second innings of 457-6 was the highest fourth-innings score since tests have been limited to five days. At times they flirted with the highest winning run chase in history Saturday until with six wickets down in the last session Greaves and Roach finally put up the shutters.
Click to Gallery
New Zealand players walk off at the end of Day 5 of their cricket test match against the West Indies in Christchurch, New Zealand, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. (Andrew Cornaga/Photosport via AP)
West Indies' Justin Greaves is bothered by a high delivery from New Zealand on Day 5 of their cricket test match in Christchurch, New Zealand, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. (Chris Symes/Photosport via AP)
New Zealand's captain Tom Latham kneels on the ground late on Day 5 of their cricket test match against the West Indies in Christchurch, New Zealand, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. (Andrew Cornaga/Photosport via AP)
West Indies' Justin Greaves raises his bat after scoring 200 runs against New Zealand on Day 5 of their cricket test match in Christchurch, New Zealand, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. (Andrew Cornaga/Photosport via AP)
West Indies' Justin Greaves, right, celebrates with teammate Kemar Roach, center, after scoring 200 runs against New Zealand on Day 5 of their cricket test match in Christchurch, New Zealand, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. (Andrew Cornaga/Photosport via AP)
New Zealand's Jacob Duffy, center, celebrates the wicket of West Indies player Shai Hope on Day 5 of their cricket test match in Christchurch, New Zealand, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. (Chris Symes/Photosport via AP)
New Zealand's Tom Latham, left, celebrates the wicket of the West Indies' Shai Hope on Day 5 of their cricket test match in Christchurch, New Zealand, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. (Andrew Cornaga/Photosport via AP)
West Indies' Shai Hope, right, bats in front of New Zealand's Tom Blundell on Day 5 of their cricket test match in Christchurch, New Zealand, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. (Chris Symes/Photosport via AP)
New Zealand's Rachin Ravindra fields against the West Indies on Day 5 of their cricket test match in Christchurch, New Zealand, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. (Chris Symes/Photosport via AP)
West Indies' Shai Hope bats against New Zealand on Day 5 of their cricket test match in Christchurch, New Zealand, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. (Chris Symes/Photosport via AP)
Greaves batted for almost 9 1-2 hours, first in a 196-run partnership with Shai Hope, who made 140 before being only of only two West Indies batters dismissed on the final day. Roach, who finished 58 not out, faced 233 balls to add a half century to his five-wicket bag in the New Zealand second innings.
“Resilient is the word we’ve thrown around in the dressing room a lot so for me to to there at the end of the day was really important. Anything for the team at the end of the day,” Greaves said.
“It’s a special, special day for me, a special day for the team. We were pretty much up against it."
At the same time, New Zealand’s heavily depleted attack toiled through part of the fourth day and all of the final day with only two fit seamers, both novices, a spin bowling allrounder and a part-time spinner. New Zealand lacked the armory on a flat pitch to take the six wickets it needed on the fifth day to win the match and take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
After injuries to the attack spearhead Matt Henry and to medium pace allrounder Nathan Smith, the only fit pacers New Zealand had were Jacob Duffy and Zak Foulkes, both playing in their first test at home and only the second test of their careers.
New Zealand seemed poised to complete a convincing first-test victory on the fourth day when, after setting the West Indies a mammoth total to win, it had the tourists 72-4 early in the second session.
Greaves and Roach gave only a couple of chances to the field in all of the final day. New Zealand exhausted its reviews early in the day and paid the price when an lbw appeal and an appeal for a catch behind against Roach both were declined by the umpires and shown to be out on replay.
New Zealand had the upper hand in the match from the end of the first innings when it dismissed the West Indies for 167 in reply to its 231. Kane Williamson top-scored with 52 in New Zealand’s first innings in his first test since 2024. Hope made 56 and Tagenarine Chanderpaul 52 in the West Indies’ reply.
Hope’s outstanding performance was elevated by the fact he battled an eye infection in both innings and had to bat in sunglasses.
The West Indies resumed on the final day at 212-4 with Hope 111 and Greaves already 55. Hope and wicketkeeper Tevin Imlach both were out close to lunch but those were the last wickets to fall in the day.
New Zealand and the West Indies both took four points, their first points in the new World Test Championship cycle. The second test begins in Wellington on Wednesday.
AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket
New Zealand players walk off at the end of Day 5 of their cricket test match against the West Indies in Christchurch, New Zealand, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. (Andrew Cornaga/Photosport via AP)
West Indies' Justin Greaves is bothered by a high delivery from New Zealand on Day 5 of their cricket test match in Christchurch, New Zealand, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. (Chris Symes/Photosport via AP)
New Zealand's captain Tom Latham kneels on the ground late on Day 5 of their cricket test match against the West Indies in Christchurch, New Zealand, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. (Andrew Cornaga/Photosport via AP)
West Indies' Justin Greaves raises his bat after scoring 200 runs against New Zealand on Day 5 of their cricket test match in Christchurch, New Zealand, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. (Andrew Cornaga/Photosport via AP)
West Indies' Justin Greaves, right, celebrates with teammate Kemar Roach, center, after scoring 200 runs against New Zealand on Day 5 of their cricket test match in Christchurch, New Zealand, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. (Andrew Cornaga/Photosport via AP)
New Zealand's Jacob Duffy, center, celebrates the wicket of West Indies player Shai Hope on Day 5 of their cricket test match in Christchurch, New Zealand, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. (Chris Symes/Photosport via AP)
New Zealand's Tom Latham, left, celebrates the wicket of the West Indies' Shai Hope on Day 5 of their cricket test match in Christchurch, New Zealand, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. (Andrew Cornaga/Photosport via AP)
West Indies' Shai Hope, right, bats in front of New Zealand's Tom Blundell on Day 5 of their cricket test match in Christchurch, New Zealand, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. (Chris Symes/Photosport via AP)
New Zealand's Rachin Ravindra fields against the West Indies on Day 5 of their cricket test match in Christchurch, New Zealand, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. (Chris Symes/Photosport via AP)
West Indies' Shai Hope bats against New Zealand on Day 5 of their cricket test match in Christchurch, New Zealand, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. (Chris Symes/Photosport via AP)
WASHINGTON (AP) — All around the globe, eyes focused Friday on the stage where World Cup paths were sorted, nations' names chosen one by one in a draw that determined Argentina and Lionel Messi will start their title defense against Algeria and the U.S. will open against Paraguay.
Twenty-seven months after qualifying began, teams from five-time champion Brazil to newcomers Cape Verde, Curaçao, Jordan and Uzbekistan learned their group-stage opponents in the expanded 48-nation, 104-game tournament that starts June 11 in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
“Exciting for the island, for the people there. They’re so proud,” said Dick Advocaat, the 78-year-old Dutchman leading Curaçao, a Caribbean country with a population of 150,000, into an opener against four-time champion Germany.
On a day that began with snow falling on the nation's capital, the ceremony at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts included U.S. President Donald Trump receiving a newly created peace prize awarded by FIFA, soccer's governing body. Trump, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney picked up plastic spheres containing their own nations' names from bowls — Sheinbaum drew more applause from those gathered in the hall than Trump.
FIFA's lead-in show, featuring music and stars from sports and entertainment, was almost as long as a soccer match, starting in the 87th minute. Tom Brady, Shaquille O’Neal, Aaron Judge and Wayne Gretzky took part. New Zealand was the last orb picked.
“Just watching Americans on stage and the president giving speeches and performances, it made it feel like an American event already,” said U.S. midfielder Tyler Adams, who watched from England, where he plays for the Premier League club Bournemouth. “And I think we know the expectation of what it’s going to be like when we go there and there’s going to be halftime shows and there’s going to be celebrities and the big draw of what America brings to sports.”
Three-time champion Argentina opens on June 16 at either Kansas City, Missouri, or Santa Clara, California. Specific sites for all group stage games and kickoff times were to be announced Saturday. The Albiceleste then face Austria and Jordan in Group J. Argentina surprisingly lost its 2022 opener to Saudi Arabia before going on to win the final over France on penalty kicks.
Messi, who turns 39 during the tournament, hasn't committed yet to playing but it would be shocking if he decided against appearing in a record sixth World Cup.
“We are just awaiting for him to decide," coach Lionel Scaloni said. “In principle, everything is going well.”
The U.S., which reached the semifinals at the inaugural World Cup in 1930 and the quarterfinals in 2002, starts Group D against Paraguay on June 12 in Inglewood, California. The Americans play Australia six days later at Seattle, then face Turkey, Romania, Slovakia or Kosovo — one will emerge next year from playoffs — on June 25 back at SoFi Stadium.
The Americans had friendlies against Turkey in June, Australia in October and Paraguay last month.
“We know them but they know us,” U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino said.
Brimming with confidence, he defined success as: “Win the World Cup.”
Mexico hosts the tournament opener at Azteca Stadium in Mexico City on June 11 against South Africa in Group A, a rematch of the 1-1 tie at the 2010 opener in Johannesburg. El Tri then meets South Korea and closes the first round against the Czech Republic, Ireland, Denmark or North Macedonia.
Forty-two of the teams have been determined; 22 are competing in playoffs for six berths that will be decided March 31.
Winners and second-place nations from the 12 groups advance to the new round of 32 along with the top eight third-place teams. All games from the quarterfinals on will be in the U.S., culminating in the July 19 final at East Rutherford, New Jersey.
England, which won its only title in 1966, plays Croatia, Ghana and Panama in Group L. Players from Chelsea and Manchester City experienced summer U.S. conditions at this year's Club World Cup.
“It doesn’t make it any easier when it comes again to blame the heat and fight against humidity and altitude and different time zones,” England manager Thomas Tuchel said. “It’s just what it is. We have to find a way to dig in. We have to find a way to accept it and build a high tolerance to all these obstacles.”
Brazil opens against 2022 semifinalist Morocco, then plays Haiti and Scotland in Group C.
“It is a difficult group,” coach Carlo Ancelotti said.
Top-ranked Spain, the 2010 champion, faces Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia and Uruguay in Group H, while Germany follows its Curaçao match by playing Ivory Coast and Ecuador in Group E.
“It is always difficult to play as a European team against a South American team,” Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann said.
Two-time champion France starts June 16 against Senegal at East Rutherford, New Jersey, or Foxborough, Massachusetts. With Les Bleus coming off their first world title, they lost 1-0 to the Lions of Teranga in the 2002 opener at Seoul, South Korea. France then faces Bolivia, Iraq or Suriname in Group I and closes perhaps the most daunting group against Norway in a matchup of Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland,
Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo, like Messi expected to play in a sixth World Cup, has Group K matches against Uzbekistan, Colombia and Congo, Jamaica or New Caledonia. If Portugal and Argentina win their groups, Ronaldo and Messi could meet in a quarterfinal at Arrowhead Stadium.
Other groups include:
G: Belgium, Egypt, Iran, New Zealand.
B: Canada, Switzerland, Qatar and Italy, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Wales or Northern Ireland.
F: Netherlands, Japan, Tunisia and Sweden, Ukraine, Albania and Poland.
“Without knowing who the third opponent is, it can get difficult — specifically if Italy advances,” Canada coach Jesse Marsch said.
No team has repeated as champion since Brazil won in 1958 and ’62, and only eight nations have won soccer’s biggest prize. Italy has four titles and Uruguay two.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino gave Trump a large gold-colored peace prize trophy and a gold-colored medal hanging from a blue ribbon, which Trump hung around his neck. Standing next to Trump, Infantino lavished praise.
“This is truly one of the great honors of my life,” Trump said.
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Former NBA player Shaquille O'Neal, actor Kevin Hart and former NFL player Tom Brady attend the draw for the 2026 soccer World Cup at the Kennedy Center in Washington, Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
Former NFL player Tom Brady holds up the team name of Argentina during the draw for the 2026 soccer World Cup at the Kennedy Center in Washington, Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, President Donald Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino hold up country names during the draw for the 2026 soccer World Cup at the Kennedy Center in Washington, Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
President Donald Trump smiles after drawing USA's name from a pot during the draw for the 2026 soccer World Cup at the Kennedy Center in Washington, Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. (Dan Mullan/Pool Photo via AP)
President Donald Trump, left, speaks as Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, center, and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, right, stand on stage during the draw for the 2026 soccer World Cup at the Kennedy Center in Washington, Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
President Donald Trump, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney holds their countries' name during the draw for the 2026 soccer World Cup at the Kennedy Center in Washington, Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)
President Donald Trump speaks after being presented with the FIFA Peace Prize by FIFA President Gianni Infantino during the draw for the 2026 soccer World Cup at the Kennedy Center in Washington, Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough, Pool)
Model Heidi Klum waves as she arrives on the red carpet for a welcome reception ahead of the draw for 2026 soccer World Cup at the Kennedy Center in Washington, Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)
FIFA President Gianni Infantino and his wife Leena Al Ashqar pose for a photo as they arrive for a welcome reception ahead of the draw for 2026 soccer World Cup at the Kennedy Center in Washington, Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)
People arrive for the draw for the 2026 soccer World Cup at the Kennedy Center in Washington, Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)
Curacao's coach Dick Advocaat, 2nd left, arrives to attend the draw for the 2026 soccer World Cup at the Kennedy Center in Washington, Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
People arrive for the draw for the 2026 soccer World Cup at the Kennedy Center in Washington, Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)
