Chris Wood Fires New Zealand Closer to Third World Cup Spot

New Zealand destroyed Fiji 7-0 Friday to advance within one win of a third World Cup, Chris Wood headed in a hat-trick of goals. Following the Pacific islanders overwhelming Tahiti 3-0 in the previous semi-final at Wellington Regional Stadium, the All Whites will meet New Caledonia in the final of Oceania in Auckland on Monday. New Zealand lost intercontinental playoffs, thereby missing out on the past three World Cups.

But Darren Bazeley’s squad only needs to win the New Caledonians to reserve their first World Cup since South Africa 2010, Oceania granted a berth for the first time. The All Whites should have little issue at Eden Park on Monday with skipper Wood on song and global number 152 New Caledonia controlled by amateur athletes.

Having scored three goals past Samoa in the 8-0 victory in November, Nottingham Forest forward Wood recorded his second consecutive hat-trick in World Cup qualification. Wood grabbed onto a cross from Sarpreet Singh to tip New Zealand in front of 148th-ranked Fiji after six minutes and hammered home the other two goals in a five-minute flurry before the hour-mark.

He was quickly replaced by a standing ovation from the 21,000-person audience and ascended to the terraces to mingle with supporters as the game progressed. After Singh earlier hit the target, defender Tim Payne scored his first New Zealand goal in 12 years in the 33rd minute, thereby putting the hosts 4-0. Fiji also had an own goal.

Replacing Wood up forward, Kosta Barbarouses volleyed in the seventh in the 73rd minute for the All Whites. Earlier, set up by a brace of goals from 36-year-old talisman Georges Gope-Fenepej, New Caledonia was ecstatic with their impressive victory over Tahiti.

Two times in the second half, the former Ligue One forward chipped goalkeeper Teave Teamotuaitau first in the 50th minute following a shot rebounding off the Tahiti stopper. Gope-Fenepej then struck from 35 meters in the 75th minute with a magnificent left-foot shot after Spying Teamotuaitau was off his line.

Substitute Lues Waya capped the win with another excellent goal in stoppage time, whirling around two defenders on the left edge of the penalty area before slamming home a low strike inside the near post.

Coach Johann Sidaner of New Caledonia commented, “absolutely delighted and extremely happy with how the team has grouped together.”

“We are all football fans thus to see someone like Georges put on the display he did, it was fantastic.”