New Zealand will meet New Caledonia in the final of the FIFA World Cup Oceania qualifiers in Auckland following a dominant victory over Fiji.
A Chris Wood hat-trick of headers led the charge as the All Whites romped to a 7-0 win in front of 20,947 at Wellington’s Sky Stadium to take out the second semi-final of the qualifying series.
Main photo: Chris Wood is all grins as he and Tim Payne celebrate Wood’s second goal.
Favourites to advance to Monday’s final, the Kiwis started brightly, with their movement and pace proving difficult for Fiji coach Rob Sherman’s side to handle in front of a strong home crowd in the nation’s capital.
It was little surprise then when the home side took the lead and even less surprise that it was forward Wood who opened the scoring.
The powerful no.9 connected with a looping cross from Sarpreet Singh to nod past Jerome Narayan in the Fiji goal.
A little more than ten minutes later, the lead was doubled.
Singh, having provided an assist for the opening goal, got himself on the scoresheet, prodding home from close range after excellent work by midfielder Marko Stamenic.
Callum McCowatt shoots against Fiji. Photo credit: OFC Media / Shane Wenzlick / Phototek.
Fiji worked tirelessly to try and find a way back into the match but any attempts at catching New Zealand on the break were quickly snuffed out.
A third goal arrived via a cross from Tim Payne on the left-hand side. Tyler Bindon flicked the ball goalwards, and he claimed the goal though replays indicated a decisive touch came from Fiji centre-back Scott Wara.
Payne added a fourth just after the half-hour mark. He smashed the ball home from inside the box to record his first goal for his country since 2013, thanks again to a Singh assist.
The Fijians showed an added impetus in the second period.
Substitute Etonia Dogalau flicked an effort into the side netting from a throw-in.
They couldn’t keep New Zealand out at the other end and after a fairly subdued start to the second half, the Kiwis added to their total.
Another Tim Payne cross found Wood unmarked, and he made no mistake.
Wood would complete his hat-trick minutes later, with another Payne delivery converted with ease from close range to make it 6-0. It would prove to be Wood’s last action of the match, as he made way for Kosta Barbarouses.
Chris Wasasala … denied by the post.
Fiji almost grabbed a consolation, but were cruelly denied by the post as Chris Wasasala’s clipped effort beat Max Crocombe but not the woodwork.
Crueller still, New Zealand immediately broke, with substitute Francis De Vries finding Barbarouses in the box and the Wellington Phoenix forward finished coolly.
Coach Darren Bazeley’s side should have added an eighth from the penalty spot when Narayan gave away a spot kick, but substitute Ben Waine skewed his effort wide of the post to keep the total at seven.
Bizarrely, hat-trick hero Wood picked up a yellow card after he left the pitch.
Chris Wood goes into the crowd to sign autographs while play continues.
The Nottingham Forest striker went into the Sky Stadium crowd to sign autographs, prompting officials to caution him for leaving the technical area.
At the final whistle, Wood told TVNZ: “If that’s the rules, that’s the rules. Just doing something nice and trying to sign for the fans.”
With the job done, the New Zealand contingent were set to catch a charter flight to Auckland on Friday night, so they can begin preparations for New Caledonia on Monday, with just 90 minutes separating them and a place at the 2025 FIFA World Cup to be co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada.
READ MORE: Coach Darren Bazeley: ‘Any day Chris Wood gets a hat-trick is a great day’ >>>>
READ MORE: Fiji coach Rob Sherman bullish about future of Oceania’s ‘immense talent’ >>>>
Match attendance
The attendance of 20,947 was the 40th largest-ever crowd for a football match in New Zealand.
READ MORE: For the record — Our list of New Zealand’s 43 largest-ever football crowds >>>>
Watch the match highlights
Acknowledgement
We thank OFC Media for providing information for this story.
How the qualifier series works
New Zealand will play in the final at Auckland’s Eden Park against New Caledonia on Monday March 24, 2025.
The winners of that game will automatically claim a spot at next year’s FIFA Men’s World Cup to be co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada. The loser will go into an intercontinental play-off, attempting to become OFC’s second representative at the World Cup.
Tickets for the Eden Park final are $20, $40 and $80 for adults and $10, $20 and $40 kids (plus ticketing fees).
All matches are available in Aotearoa New Zealand on FIFA+ and TVNZ+ with games featuring the All Whites will also be available on TVNZ 2.
All matches will also be available worldwide on FIFA+.
READ MORE: TVNZ to broadcast FIFA World Cup qualifier games on free-to-air channels >>>>
Results
Game played on Friday March 21, 2025
Semi-final
Tahiti 0
New Caledonia 3 (Georges Gope-Fenepej 50′, 75′, Lues Waya 90+1′)
READ MORE: New Caledonia clinch place in final after World Cup qualifier win against Tahiti >>>>
Semi-final
New Zealand 7 (Chris Wood 6′, 56′, 60′, Sarpreet Singh 16′, Tyler Bindon 23′, Tim Payne 32′, Kosta Barbarouses 73′)
Fiji 0
Line-ups
New Zealand
Max Crocombe, Tim Payne (Storm Roux 80′), Tyler Bindon, Michael Boxall, Joe Bell, Matt Garbett (Eli Just 62′), Marko Stamenic, Chris Wood (captain) (Kosta Barbarouses 62′), Sarpreet Singh (Francis de Vries 72′), Liberato Cacace (Ben Waine 80′), Callum McCowatt.
Subs not used: Alex Paulsen, Oliver Sail, Nando Pijnaker, Jesse Randall, Tommy Smith, Alex Rufer, Logan Rogerson.
Fiji
Jerome Narayan, Scott Wara, Patrick Joseph (Brendan McMullen 46′), Thomas Dunn (Etonia Dogalau 20′), Setareki Hughes, Chris Wasasala (Ivan Kumar 75′), Leroy Jennings, Tevita Waranaivalu, Gabiriele Matanisiga, Filipe Baravilala (captain), Mohammed Muzakkir Nabeel (Semi Nabenu 68′).
Subs not used: Joela Biuvanua, Akuila Mateisuva, Mohammed Raheem, Epeli Valevou, Penisoni Tirau, Sairusi Nalaubu, Merrill Nand, Sterling Vasconcellos.
Officials
Referee: Norbert Hauata (Tahiti). Assistant referees: Bertrand Brial (New Caledonia) and Jeffrey Solodia (Solomon Islands). Fourth official: David Yareboinen (Papua New Guinea).
Fixture
Game to be played on Monday March 24, 2024
OFC qualifiers, final
New Caledonia v New Zealand
Eden Park, Auckland, 7pm
This story was published on March 21, 2025.