(Photo Credit NZF)
New Zealand has beaten a dogged Tahiti 3-0 to kick off the Group B action at the FIFA World Cup 26 ™ Oceania Qualifiers in Port Vila.
Returning to the VFF Freshwater Stadium for the first time since winning the OFC Men’s Nations Cup in June, Darren Bazeley’s side started where they left off nearly four months ago.
New Zealand’s Elijah Just rifled a left footed shot into the roof of the net with an absolute screamer in the second minute to get the All Whites off to the best possible start.
Tahiti who succumbed 5-0 to New Zealand in the semi-finals of the OFC Nations Cup were stunned, but they quickly gathered their composure and with a ‘park the bus’ mentality made it difficult for the New Zealanders to create many more goal scoring opportunities.
Veteran defender Alvin Tehau marshalled the Tahitian defence well while the Tahitians had their moments on the break.
Their captain Teaonui Tehau was able to get into positions to shoot on a couple of occasions in the first half but failed to trouble Max Crocombe in the New Zealand goal.
Ben Old curled a left footed shot that skirted the post in the 39th minute but that was as good as it got from the All Whites.
New Zealand upped the intensity early in the second half and with the wind at their backs were dangerous from the outset with Tim Payne forcing a strong save from Francois Decoret in the 53rd minute.
Then in the 68th minute talismanic striker and captain Chris Wood who scored for Nottingham Forest against Chelsea in the English Premier League five days ago, was unmarked at the far post from a corner and guided a header into the corner of the net for his 35th international goal.
The two-goal buffer enabled Bazeley to make some changes bringing on Kostas Barbarouses and Storm Roux. However, it was a composed Ben Waine who sealed the victory with a final goal in the 89th minute, as New Zealand comfortably saw out the rest of the match.
New Zealand 3 (Elijah JUST 2’, Chris WOOD 68’, Ben Waine 89’)
Tahiti 0