The rise and rise of All Whites defender Libby Cacace, after eye-catching display in Malaysia victory

New Zealand captain Liberato Cacace. Photo / Photosport

It’s hard to put a limit on what All Whites defender Liberato Cacace can achieve in the sport.

Still only 24, the fullback underlined his maturity and class once again in Monday’s emphatic 4-0 win over Malaysia. Given the armband for the night – with Chris Wood used off the bench – the Empoli fullback produced a true captain’s knock.

He was everywhere, busy and involved from the outset, engineering several first-half opportunities among a mountain of New Zealand chances. With some frustration building, for both the team and the home crowd, Cacace then created the moment that broke the deadlock in the 54th minute with a driving run before setting up Elijah Just, who forced home.

A few minutes later, he repeated the dose, again slicing through the heart of the Malaysian team, then cutting back for Matt Garbett to kill the game, with a precise strike from 12m. Sometimes being a stand-in captain can be a distraction – and make it harder to focus on your own job – but Cacace relished the responsibility.

“It was a very special moment for me and my family,” said Cacace. “I cherished it, to lead this group.”

That showed. His performance continued a pattern across Cacace’s career, where he has quickly adapted to each new chapter, from the A-League to Belgium to Serie A, where others may take time to adjust – or may never truly thrive.

Across his 66-minute spell on Monday, Cacace was probably the most influential player on the pitch. He was productive on the left flank but also roamed, with some marauding runs through the middle, including one that forged a sharp move, with Ben Old forcing a fingertip save from the goalkeeper.

There was palpable excitement whenever he was on the ball, as he showed the benefits of his time in Italy, with his pace, quick feet and strength. And what an engine. Cacace has topped the fitness charts at every club he has been at and has remarkable aerobic capacity, seemingly always where he needs to be.

Within the squad, the Wellington-born player has emerged as a leader. He made his debut for the All Whites way back in June 2018 – as a teenager – but took a while to find his voice in the environment.

“He’s a fine young man and he’s really grown up,” said coach Darren Bazeley. “Firstly, he’s a very good footballer but he’s so strong and dynamic with his play. He commands a lot of respect.”

Marko Stamenić celebrates with Libby Cacace against Malaysia. Photo / Photosport

Overall, Bazeley was satisfied with the performance and happy that the team could put on a show for the fans, in the first home match in 18 months. The All Whites had lived up to their favoured billing – with a dominant performance – and overcame the frustration of the first half to end in style.

“We moved the ball really well and attacked in so many different ways,” said Bazeley.

It was an unusual role for Wood – to be used as a substitute – but the Nottingham Forest striker was unfazed, saying he was happy to contribute in a different way.

“It’s all right – it’s one of those things,” said Wood. “You just come off and try and do what you do.”

Bazeley explained that Ben Waine was due an opportunity, while it was often important to manage Wood’s load, given his Premier League commitments. Wood made an almost immediate impact, heading in a Kosta Barbarouses cross from an acute angle in the 72nd minute, narrowing avoiding a collision with the far post in the process.

“I just had eyes for the ball,” laughed Wood. “Then I worry about that afterwards, and luckily I wasn’t that close.”

Though he had barely 30 minutes on the pitch, Wood made the most of the occasion. He was dispensing autographs an hour before the match, then caused a rush to the front of the grandstand at halftime, where he spent most of the interval taking photos and signing shirts, caps and football. The 32-year-old was then one of the last to emerge back into the tunnel post-match, after spending time with more fans.

“That’s what we want to do,” said Wood. “We’ve spoken about it in the team and also as New Zealand Football, we are trying to grow the brand and get closer to the New Zealand public. We want to do as much we can for this fan base, because we want them to come out and support us. And all the kids that love playing football over here, we want to get them dreaming of getting over to Europe and doing well in football.”

Michael Burgess has been a sports journalist since 2005, winning several national awards and covering Olympics, Fifa World Cups and America’s Cup campaigns. A football aficionado, Burgess will never forget the noise that greeted Rory Fallon’s goal against Bahrain in Wellington in 2009.