New Zealand defeat Samoa to complete clean sweep of group ...
(OFC Media via Phototek)
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 26™ Oceania Qualifiers.
Jess Ibrom’s Samoan side is ranked a lowly 186th in the FIFA World Rankings compared to Darren Bazeley’s 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 Singh’s deflected shot rocketed into Fatu as New Zealand searched for an opening goal.
That opener came in the 24th minute after Matt Garbett had his shot saved by Fatu who pushed the ball into the path of Callum McCowatt who rifled in his 4th goal for the All Whites.
Four minutes later Wood tucked away his 39th goal for his country from a deflected cross before knocking in his 40th 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 41st international goal who volleyed in New Zealand’s fourth goal, two minutes before Marco Stamenic made it five.
Francis de Vries scored New Zealand’s 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 8 (Callum MCCOWATT 24’, Chris WOOD 28’, 34, ’60′, Marco STAMENIC 62’, Francis de VRIES 76′, Elijah Just 87′, Ben WAINE 90+3′)
HT 0-3
