Chris Wood scored three goals as New Zealand’s All Whites beat Fiji 7-0, moving one step away from qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
They will face New Caledonia in a final match at Eden Park in Auckland on Monday. New Caledonia reached the qualifier after a surprising 3-0 victory over Tahiti.
The winner of Monday’s game will qualify directly for the World Cup, which will be held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. For New Zealand, it would be their first appearance since 2010. For New Caledonia, it would be their first ever.
In the semifinals, New Caledonia’s veteran player Georges Gope-Fenepej scored two amazing goals to lead his team past Tahiti. His goals came in the 50th and 75th minutes, and a third was added in stoppage time by Lues Waha. Tahiti also had a player sent off late in the match.
Meanwhile, New Zealand’s strong performance showed why they’re favourites. Chris Wood scored early and added two more goals before being substituted. Other goals came from Sarpreet Singh, Tim Payne, and Kosta Barbarouses, with one more added as an own goal.
It’s really cool to see NZ qualify for the world cup,
and I hope they qualify since 2010.
GO NZ!