World Cup Qual. OFC
๐ก๐ฒ๐ ๐ญ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐น๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ณ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐บ๐ผ๐ฎ ๐๐ผ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐บ๐ฝ๐น๐ฒ๐๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐น๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ป ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฝ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ด๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ฝ ๐บ๐ฎ๐๐ฐ๐ต๐ฒ๐.
last year - 11/18/2024 10:33 AM GMT-3
A hat-trick by a talismanic striker Chris Wood has powered New Zealand to an 8-0 win over a gallant Samoa in the final Group B match of the FIFA World Cup 26โข Oceania Qualifiers.
Jess Ibromโs Samoan side is ranked a lowly 186th in the FIFA World Rankings compared to Darren Bazeleyโs All Whites who are ranked 91.
And while the New Zealanders dominated from the outset against their largely amateur opponents, they found a strong resilient defence difficult to break down.
Marko Stamenic had three shots in the first five minutes that forced Pele Fatu in the Samoan goal to make three tremendous saves.
20 minutes in and Sarpreet Singhโs deflected shot rocketed into Fatu as New Zealand searched for an opening goal.
That opener came in the 24thย minute after Matt Garbett had his shot saved by Fatu who pushed the ball into the path of Callum McCowatt who rifled in his 4thย goal for the All Whites.
Four minutes later Wood tucked away his 39thย goal for his country from a deflected cross before knocking in his 40thย international goal 11 minutes before half-time.
Before the game you sensed Samoa would have been happy with the half-time scoreline and it took another 15 minutes after the restart for New Zealand to find their groove again. And it was Wood with his 41stย international goal who volleyed in New Zealandโs fourth goal, two minutes before Marco Stamenic made it five.
Francis de Vries scored New Zealandโs sixth, his first international goal with a rocket of a volley 14 minutes from full-time. Elijah Just rifled in a powerful left footed strike to make it 7-0.
A foul on De Vries in extra time sent the referee pointing to the penalty spot and it was a well taken penalty from Ben Waine which completed a resounding win.
New Zealand will face Group A runners-up Fiji in the semi-finals next March with New Caledonia and Tahiti to meet in the other semi-final.
Samoa 0
New Zealand 8ย (Callum MCCOWATT 24โ, Chris WOOD 28โ, 34, โ60โฒ, Marco STAMENIฤ 62โ, Francis de VRIES 76โฒ, Elijah JUST 87โฒ, Ben WAINEย 90+2โฒ)
HT: 0-3
Visit ofcfootball.com for more details.
Jess Ibromโs Samoan side is ranked a lowly 186th in the FIFA World Rankings compared to Darren Bazeleyโs All Whites who are ranked 91.
And while the New Zealanders dominated from the outset against their largely amateur opponents, they found a strong resilient defence difficult to break down.
Marko Stamenic had three shots in the first five minutes that forced Pele Fatu in the Samoan goal to make three tremendous saves.
20 minutes in and Sarpreet Singhโs deflected shot rocketed into Fatu as New Zealand searched for an opening goal.
That opener came in the 24thย minute after Matt Garbett had his shot saved by Fatu who pushed the ball into the path of Callum McCowatt who rifled in his 4thย goal for the All Whites.
Four minutes later Wood tucked away his 39thย goal for his country from a deflected cross before knocking in his 40thย international goal 11 minutes before half-time.
Before the game you sensed Samoa would have been happy with the half-time scoreline and it took another 15 minutes after the restart for New Zealand to find their groove again. And it was Wood with his 41stย international goal who volleyed in New Zealandโs fourth goal, two minutes before Marco Stamenic made it five.
Francis de Vries scored New Zealandโs sixth, his first international goal with a rocket of a volley 14 minutes from full-time. Elijah Just rifled in a powerful left footed strike to make it 7-0.
A foul on De Vries in extra time sent the referee pointing to the penalty spot and it was a well taken penalty from Ben Waine which completed a resounding win.
New Zealand will face Group A runners-up Fiji in the semi-finals next March with New Caledonia and Tahiti to meet in the other semi-final.
Samoa 0
New Zealand 8ย (Callum MCCOWATT 24โ, Chris WOOD 28โ, 34, โ60โฒ, Marco STAMENIฤ 62โ, Francis de VRIES 76โฒ, Elijah JUST 87โฒ, Ben WAINEย 90+2โฒ)
HT: 0-3
Visit ofcfootball.com for more details.
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