LIVE UPDATE: NEW ZEALAND vs. SOLOMON ISLANDS (FINAL SCORE: 2-0)

13’- Michael Boxall is too strong for Benjamin Totori – New Zealand look to have composed themselves now

15’- New Zealand are in control but Costa Barbarouses puts in a heavy challenge on Gibson Hosea and it’s a free-kick to Solomon Islands

16’- Totori through with Old in pursuit – great defending by

Old to take the ball away from the Solomon Islands dangerman

17’- Arnold Keni fouls and it’s a free-kick to New Zealand outside the penalty area – red alert for Solomon Islands at a set-piece once again but Ramoni saves comfortably

18′- Dangerous corss by Aaron Scott but its cut out by Shadrock Ramoni – good save

19’- More problems for Solomon Islands as Arnold Keni clatters into Costa Barbarouses – set-plays are going to be a problem for Luke Eroi’s team – Ramoni saves

20’- Benjamin Totori takes on Aaron Scott – good defending by Scott

21’- Joachim Rande combines with Totori and pulls off a shot from an acute angle – its just wide!

23’- Light rain starting to fall here at Churchill Park as Daniel Ellensohn gives a way a foul after nudging Arnold Keni

24’ Benjamin Totori has little or no support on the counter-attack – Maemae’s moment of madness has hurt his team’s chances

25’- Free-kick Solomon Islands but its inaccurate and easily dealt with by Hone Fowler

26’- Composed defending by Nelson Sale under pressure – Totori gets into good positions but he’s outnumbered and the New Zealand defence is in excellent form and no mood to allow the Waitakere striker through

27’- Free-kick to New Zealand in a dangerous position after a Keni foul on Henderson

28’- Cole Tinkler and Steven Old have Benjamin Totori locked down it seems and with a numerical advantage it looks like the Oly-Whites are in control

29’- New Zealand are offside for the fifth time in this match

30’- Totori looks a frustrated man for his team – every time he gets the ball he is surrounded by white shirts

31’- Gibson Hosea takes a lofted cross-come-shot but its harmlessly over the bar

31’- Ugly confrontation between Cole Peverley and Benjamin Totori – Referee Lencie

Fred is on the scene and awards Solomon Islands a free-kick

33’- Jacob Spoonley is coasting through this match with Solomon Islands yet to test him since the opening minute of this match

35’- Nelson Sale shoots and it’s a great save by Jacob Spoonley! Solomon Islands still threatening…just as heavy rain arrives in Lautoka Town

36’- New Zealand coach Stu Jacobs is yelling at Costa Barbarouses to lift his work rate…a possible substitution in the wind for the Oly-Whites?

35’- Nelson Sale shoots and it’s a great save by Jacob Spoonley! Solomon Islands still threatening…just as heavy rain arrives in Lautoka Town

36’- New Zealand coach Stu Jacobs is yelling at Costa Barbarouses to lift his work rate…a possible substitution in the wind for the Oly-Whites?

38’- Misplaced ball by Haddis Aengari shot by Craig Henderson is partially blocked and trundles through to Shadrock Ramoni

39’- Totori felled by Hone Fowler – Nelson Sale has pushed into midfield – Solomon Islands look as if they won’t lose this match wondering what might have been…except for Maemae’s red card

40’- Sale’s shift into midfield has helped Solomon Islands gain some traction going forward but New Zealand’s threat on the counter-attack is ever present

41’- Henderson gifts possession to Ngaitini – pace of this match has slowed right down as thunder rumbles in the skies above

44’- Nelson Sale’s free-kick is slapped away by Jacob Spoonley and New Zealand break forward but it ends up safely in Ramoni’s hands

TIME ADDED ON: 2 minutes

45′- New Zealand on the break with Ellensohn – he shoots, its not powerful, Ramoni fumbles – where is the ball?! – nestling underneath Ramoni – it could so easily have gone between his legs.

45+1′- YELLOW CARD – 21. Benjamin TOTORI goes into Lencie Fred’s book…

45+2’- Totori runs into the penalty area with Scott in his wake but he drags his shot well wide – with eleven players perhaps that could have been dangerous at the far post but as the ball is cleared, Lencie Fred blows for half-time

HALFTIME: NZL 1 SOL 0

46’- Second half gets underway with no changes to either side

47’- Sale gifts possession to Shaun Van Rooyen but Solomon Islands recover

48’- Costa Barbarouses leaves Haddis Aengari in his wake but Aengari tackle saves Solomon Islands

…and it looks like Sam Messam will make an appearance for New Zealand shortly…

49’- Benjamin Totori skins Michael Boxall and unleashes a spectacular shot but Spoonley makes an equally wonderful save – great football from two top class players

50’- Craig Henderson weaves his way to goal evades one challenge but his shot is weak and Ramoni saves easily – should Henderson have done better?

54’- Hone Fowler makes a rough challenge on Nelson Sale but Lencie Fred waves play on

54’- SUBSTITUTION 18. Costa BARBAROUSES out, 6. Sam MESSAM in – New Zealand

55’- SUBSTITUTION 10. Franklyn FORAU out, 15. Joachim WAROI in – Solomon Islands

55’- Cross from Boxall is headed over by Ellensohn

57′- The pace of this match is still frenetic with Solomon Islands giving a brave effort – New Zealand still look in control and very compact in this tense atmosphere

58’- Free-kick to Solomon Islands after Totori is felled by Cole Tinkler – just outside the area

59’- Totori free-kick hits the wall and is cleared second time by Steven Old

61’- Sam Messam is felled and it’s a free-kick to New Zealand in a very promising position just outside the penalty area

Daniel Ellensohn to take this set-piece with Messam, Old, Boxall, all pushed forward

62’- Solomon Islands clear and the ball is out for a goal-kick after it deflects off a New Zealand player

64′- Cole Tinkler is felled by a hefty challenge from Waroi and its a free-kick to New Zealand and Ramoni punches clear in acrobatic fashion

66′- Cole Peverley makes an excellent tackle on Waroi – well executed tackle

68’- SUBSTITUTION: 19. Joachim RANDE out, 11. Michael FIFI in – Solomon Islands

69’- GOAL! Craig Henderson rifles home a wonder strike from outside the penalty area and there is no doubt about the legitimacy of that strike! 2-0 to New Zealand!

72’- Shot from Waroi is too high to trouble Jacob Spoonley – 2-0 to New Zealand it remains

73’- YELLOW CARD 21. Benjamin TOTORI – Solomon Islands

74’- RED CARD 21. Benjamin TOTORI – Solomon Islands

75′- YELLOW CARD 9. Craig HENDERSON – New Zealand

75′- SUBSTITUTION: 4. Arnold KENI out, 5. Stanton HILA in – Solomon Islands

78′- YELLOW CARD 12. Hone FOWLER – New Zealand

79′- The match has turned ugly with fouls being committed on a regular basis

79′- Solomon Islands free-kick is saved easily by Jacon Spoonley

80’- SUBSTITUTION 9. Craig HENDERSON out, 10. Jeremy BROCKIE in – New Zeal
and

85′- YELLOW CARD 6. Nelson SALE – Solomon Islands

85′- Correction – Nelson SALE remains on the pitch – no red card given

87′- The atmosphere at Churchill Park is still tense

89′- New Zealand just playing out time until the final whistle now

TIME ADDED ON: 4 minutes

FULLTIME: NZL 2 SOL 0