MULLIGAN SEALS VITAL WIN FOR NEW ZEALAND | Oceania Football Confederation

PORT VILA – Vanuatu had waited nearly a decade of the return of senior international football to its country and was rewarded for its patience as Port Vila Municipal Stadium
hosted an action-packed match replete with drama, excitement, tragedy and heroism.

But it took a winner from substitute David Mulligan deep in injury time to ensure New Zealand escaped Vanuatu with three vital World Cup qualifying points.

Mulligan’s header in the fourth minute of injury time completed a kiwi comeback started by a 53^rd minute Shane Smeltz goal that cancelled out Jean Nako Naprapol’s 27th
minute shock first half opener.

Down 1-0 at half time, Smeltz’s fourth goal in his last three internationals put New Zealand back on level terms minute of a match where the All Whites’ resolve was tested not only
by a fired up home team but by trying playing conditions.

With faces already red from the intense heat, New Zealand were at risk of further blushes after 27 minutes when speedy striker Naprapol latched on to a long ball and had the pace to
round an advancing Mark Paston and slot into an empty net for a shock 1-0 lead.

But the All Whites’ determination – and ultimately patience – was rewarded with Smeltz’s equaliser and Mulligan’s late late winner.

Both sides carved out a multitude of opportunities with both goalkeepers in extraordinary form, in particular, Chikau Mansale who pulled of a triple save from Shane Smeltz, Tim Brown
and Leo Bertos. Mark Paston responded in kind just a few minutes into the second-half when he stopped a vicious Fenedy Masavakaulo shot from just inside the penalty area then parried a Seule
Soromon header away with a lightening quick one-handed save with the New Zealand goal gaping.

Paston might have been in sensational form to halt those attacks but the Wellington Phoenix goalkeeper knew little about substitute Moise Poida’s rasping 18 yard drive off his wrong
foot that smacked the face of the New Zealand crossbar before ballooning high to safety for a goalkick.

The action was unrelenting and Chikau Mansale distinguished himself yet again when a rapier-like near post cross from Leo Bertos saw the Tapuji FC goalkeeper fling himself headlong
at Duncan Oughton to pluck the ball off the Columbus Crew midfielder’s head. It was a sensational save by Mansale but in executing one of matches most acrobatic plays, Mansale injured himself,
rising only to overarm the ball into the crowd before crumpling to the deck in agony.

Vanuatu coach Robert Calvo had no choice and sent on Mansale’s uncle and former Vanuatu number one, David Chilia, who poised to kiss his fallen nephew on the cheek as he raced on to
help his team in its most dire moment. It was a telling moment as Chilia at first delivered an authoritative performance that slowly deteriorated as the Kiwis grew in belief that they might
yet, somehow, achieve what at one stage appeared an unlikely victory.

Mansale’s injury was worth five minutes time added on to referee Job Ponis Minan and so it proved long enough for New Zealand to seal the win and break Vanuatu hearts in the process.
A deep cross to the far post from James Pritchett saw Chilia race off his line, flap hopelessly at the ball, only for it to evade the Tafea FC number one before falling kindly to the unmarked David
Mulligan to cushion an unimpeded header into the back of the net and the New Zealanders into a frenzy of celebration as Port Vila Municipal Stadium went into a state of stunned silence.

VAN: 20. Chikau MANSALE (GK) 1. David CHILIA 68′); 3. Jacques MAFIL NAWAN; 5. Fedy VAVA (c); 6. Ken MASAVAKAULO; 9. Jean Nako NAPRAPOL; 10. Seule SOROMON; 12. Fenedy
MASAVAKAULO; 14. Pita David MAKI (7. Moise POIDA 68′); 16. Alphonse Welin QORIG; 17. Geoffrey Lego GETE; 18. Hubert NAKE (2. Andrew CHICHIRUA 50′).

SUBS: 4. Ephraim KALORIB; 11. Rickson TARI; 19. Derek MALAS; 21. Jean Robert YELOU.

Coach: Robert CALVO (VAN)

Yellow Cards: 17. Geoffrey Lego GETE 70′.

Red Cards: None

Goals: 9. Jean Nako NAPRAPOL 26′

NZL: 1. Mark PASTON; 3. Tony LOCHHEAD; 5. Andy BOYENS; 7. Ivan VICELICH (4. David MULLIGAN 71′); 8. Tim BROWN; 9. Shane SMELTZ (19. Daniel ELLENSOHN 84′); 11. Leo
BERTOS; 12. James PRITCHETT; 14. Chris JAMES (Jarrod SMITH 68′); 15. Ben SIGMUND; 16. Duncan OUGHTON.

SUBS: 2. Jeremy CHRISTIE; 17. Jeff CAMPBELL 18. Jacob SPOONLEY (RGK).

Coach: Ricki HERBERT

Yellow Cards: Tim BROWN 69′

Red Cards: None

Goals: 9. Shane SMELTZ 84′, 4. David MULLIGAN 94′.

REFEREE: Job Ponis MINAN (PNG)

ASSISTANT REFEREE: Teariki GOODWIN (COK)

ASSISTANT REFEREE: Hilary ANI (PNG)

FOURTH OFFICIAL: Joakim Salaiau SOSONGAN (PNG)