Six-cap New Zealand international striker Myer Bevan is a surprise inclusion in Auckland City’s squad set to play Asian champions Al Ain in Monday’s FIFA Intercontinental Cup tie.
Bevan (27) played for Auckland City before heading to Canada in 2022 where he found success with Cavalry FC, sharing the Canadian Premier League’s Golden Boot, scoring 11 goals for the club, and helping them win the 2023 title.
In April 2024, Bevan failed to report for the start of Cavalry’s new season, opting to return to New Zealand and citing personal reasons for not returning to Canada.
Cavalry placed him on their inactive players’ roster but it’s now understood his contract has been terminated, opening the way for him to sign for Oceania club champions Auckland City.
READ MORE: All Whites forward Myer Bevan returns to New Zealand, citing personal reasons >>>>
Auckland City have named Bevan in their squad to play Al Ain in the sudden-death cup tie to be played in the United Arab Emirates. He’s been named beside the #7 shirt.
The winner of that tie will meet Egyptian champions Al Ahly in late October.
READ MORE: Auckland City set to face Asian champions in FIFA Intercontinental Cup >>>>
Myer Bevan’s football journey
Bevan’s football journey has seen him play in Canada, Sweden (loan to Husqvarna FF), United States (loan to Fresno FC), South Africa as well as New Zealand (Auckland City and Western Springs).
As a teenager, Auckland-born Bevan joined the Nike Academy in England in 2016 and signed for Canadian club Whitecaps a year later. After a season, he transferred to Vancouver Whitecaps, who played in the Major Soccer League.
He then moved to South African Premier League club TS Galaxy in 2020 before heading home for a national league season with Auckland City.
In 2019, he was the ISPS Handa Premiership’s Golden Boot winner, scoring 15 times for Auckland City.
For the national side, Bevan has scored twice in six full internationals, having also represented New Zealand at U-20 and U-23 levels.
He has dual New Zealand-Canadian citizenship, enabling him to fill a domestic player’s spot on the Cavalry’s roster.
Bevan and his partner Juliette have a popular TikTok channel in which they share their daily lives with more than 700,000 followers.
READ MORE: The All White who is followed by more than 700,000 fans on TikTok >>>>
WATCH: Myer Bevan scores history-making goal in Concacaf Champions Cup >>>>
FIFA Intercontinental Cup
Six clubs will contest the cup:
- Auckland City (New Zealand, OFC Men’s Champions League winners)
- Al Ain (UAE, AFC Men’s Champions League winners)
- Real Madrid (Spain, UEFA Champions League winners)
- C.F. Pachuca (Mexico, CONCACAF Champions Cup winners)
- Al Ahly SC (Egypt, CAF Champions League winners)
- To be decided (winners of 2024 Copa Libertadores in South America; final set for November 30)
Fixture
Game to be played on Monday September 23, 2024
Al Ain v Auckland City
Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium, UAE, 4am (NZT)
Auckland City squad
1 Conor Tracey (Gk)
2 Mario Ilich (captain)
3 Adam Mitchell
4 Christian Gray
5 Marco Lorenz
6 Kailan Gould
7 Myer Bevan
8 Gerard Garriga
9 Angus Kilkolly
11 Ryan De Vries
13 Nathan Lobo
15 Aston Burns
16 Joe Lee
17 Jerson Lagos
18 Enaut Zubikarai(Gk)
19 Yuki Aizu
20 Derek Tieku
21 Adam Bell
22 Tong Zho
23 Alfie Rogers
24 Nathan Garrow (Gk)
25 Michael Den Heijer
26 Rayan Tayeb
27 Stipe Ukich
Staff
Coach: Albert Riera
Assistant coach: Ivan Vicelich
Goalkeeper coach: Enaut Zubikarai
Technical: Adria Casals
Logistics: Keith Coton
Physio: Matt Payne
This story was first published on September 22, 2024.
More football stories
