Fiji keeper howler helps All Whites
GETTY IMAGES THE final scoreline may not have reflected total dominance, but the All Whites mostly backed up their talk to claim a 2-0 win in their World Cup qualifying clash with Fiji in Lautoka yesterday.
A penalty to stand-in skipper Chris Wood and a simple tap-in for attacking partner Marco Rojas gave New Zealand the three points, both goals gifted to them by basic Fijian mistakes early in the second half.
The result, secured in hot and humid conditions in front of a strong home crowd at Churchill Park, moved Anthony Hudson’s side one step closer on their road to Russia 2018.
It meant a draw in the return fixture in Wellington on Tuesday night would be enough for the All Whites to win group A and send them through to the two-legged Oceania final.
The winner of that tie, to be played between August 28 and September 5, advances to the allimportant intercontinental playoff in November.
There they will play the fifthplaced nation from the South American confederation qualification process.
Much of the noise out of the New Zealand camp in Wellington this week had been about imposing themselves their lowerranked and lesser-resourced Pacific Island opponents and, on the stats sheet at least, they achieved that.
While that did not translate to a flood of goals, the All Whites were more than deserved winners of a sometimes dour affair which was scoreless as the two teams headed for the halftime break.
Within 10 minutes of the resumption, though, the visitors were 2-0 up and the tie was effectively over as a contest.
The first goal came just two minutes into the second half, Fiji handling the ball in the box and in-form Leeds United marksman Wood calmly burying the spot kick.
The second was an even bigger blunder from the home side, goalkeeper Beniamino Mateinaqara getting far too casual on the ball as Rojas pounced to steal possession and easily put the ball into an open net.
The quick fire goals afforded New Zealand the ability to close down the match down over its final half hour.
Fiji pushed forward at various stages but never threatened to get a goal back against the well organised All Whites.