Match Summary click here
See below for all the play-by-play action.
Starting line-ups:
Vanuatu: 1. Charlie WAIVUI [GK], 2. Jaison THOMAS, 3. Goshen DONNA (c), 4. Elie MELTE ROSSI, 10. Bong KALO, 11. Alex SANIEL, 12. Jacky RUBEN, 13. Justin KOKA, 14. Andre BULE, 17. Kerry IAWAK, 18. Renold IWAI
Substitutes: 6. Douglas PATRICK, 7. Etienne NAIEU, 8. Alphonse TOA, 9. Gregory ROUARD, 15. Andrew VANVA, 16. Ruben FRANK, 20. Samuel LOLI [GK], 21. Donald NAPAT
Coach: Etienne MERMER [VAN]
New Zealand: 1. Zac SPEEDY [GK], 2. Riley KELLIHER, 3. Cory BROWN, 4. Nick FORRESTER, 5. Adam MITCHELL (c), 8. Michael DEN HEIJER, 10. Matthew RIDENTON, 11. Monty PATTERSON, 17. Nick SUGDEN, 18. Stuart HOLTHUSEN, 19. Alex RUFER
Substitutes: 6. Alex PALEZEVIC, 7. Andrew BLAKE, 9. Elijah NEBLETT, 12. Sam COPP [GK], 13. Spiros AGATHOS, 14. Andre DE JONG, 15. Thomas PROBERT, 16. Meysum SHAFAHI, 20. Tamupiwa DIMAIRO
Coach: Darren BAZELEY [ENG]
Match officials:
Referee: John SAOHU [SOL]
Assistant Referee 1: Avinesh NARAYAN [FIJ]
Assistant Referee 2: Paavo MUSTONEN [COK]
4th Official: Averii JACQUES [TAH]
The match kicks off
1′ New Zealand launch an attack and are crowded off the ball by Vanuatu’s midfield
2′ A solo run towards the goal is made by Stuart Holthusen before a Vanuatu defender whips the ball off his foot and clears
3′ Ruben Frank gets the attack under way for the home side when he blasts from dead centre of the New Zealand half but it goes over the top
5′ Frank neatly flicks the ball behind him to Alex Saniel whose first touch is too heavy
6′ There’s a moment of confusion between Vanuatu keeper Charlie Waivui and defender Jaison Thomas and Waivui is forced to kick clear under heavy pressure from Monty Patterson
9′ Play pauses as Thomas goes down and must leave the pitch for treatment
9′ Free kick for New Zealand and Waivui comes out to punch clear and is lucky when a shot from the rebound goes flying over the open goal
11′ Waivui almost fumbles a shot on the edge of the box with Patterson, Mat Ridenton and Holthusen bearing down on him and does well to recover
14′ Vanuatu are keeping the ball low and holding possession as they build towards an attack
15′ Vanuatu pass through the New Zealand defence forcing New Zealand keeper Zac Speedy to come off his line as Cory Brown kicks to touch
16′ Ray Iwai takes two touches before blasting a shot from just left of the box which goes wide of the near post
17′ Iwai is back in defence and wins a challenge with Nick Sugden and Vanuatu launch a counter-attack dribbling past a number of New Zealand players before earning a free kick on the half-way line
19′ The crowd are on their feet as Vanuatu dominate possession before Bong Kalo sends in a shot that is well off target
20′ GOAL!!! Vanuatu 0-1 New Zealand Stuart Holthusen sends his shot into the back of an open net after dribbling around Waivui on the edge of the box
22′ Jacky Ruben went down injured just ahead of the goal and leaves the pitch to receive treatment before returning a short time later
23′ GOAL!!! Vanuatu 1-1 New Zealand Vanuatu have equalised after Alex Saniel chips neatly over Speedy
24′ The whistle blows in the centre of the pitch and Alex Rufer takes a quick free kick as Vanuatu appeal to referee John Saohu
25′ Holthusen crosses in from the right flank but Elie Melte Rossi is there to send it straight up the middle to Saniel
27′ Nick Forrester miskicks a clearance and has to work hard to knock the ball clear from the New Zealand defence
28′ Kalo knocks down Rufer in a challenge and receives stern words from referee Saohu
30′ There’s a clash in the Vanuatu box and Kerry Iawak goes down and Vanuatu are awarded a free kick
32′ Iawak returns to the pitch as Holthusen launches into a solo run towards goal before the Vanuatu defenders win back possession
33′ A long ball is sent up the left for Patterson but it’s too heavy
34′ Vanuatu launch a beautiful counter up the right as Justin Koka plays to Frank who crosses to Saniel in front of the goal but the shot has no power and is easily saved
35′ Kalo dribbles up the middle and winds into a shot which is blocked by New Zealand’s solid captain Adam Mitchell
37′ Vanuatu’s defence is sitting high as a ball is played through on the ground for Holthusen who is caught offside
38′ Holthusen isn’t offside this time on the right but Melte Rossi is there to send the ball into touch allowing the Vanuatu defence to get back into position
39′YELLOW CARD: Ray Iwai is cautioned for Vanuatu
41′ Melte Rossi is again there in defence to kick clear as Holtusen attacks and a deflection means his side regain possession
42′ Play is paused as Melte Rossi limps off to receive treament
43′ Jacky Ruben gifts possession to the Kiwis with a foul throw deep in his own half
44′ Patterson drills in a waist-height corner which is knocked out at the near post by the Vanuatu defender
45′ There will be two minutes of additional time played
45′ + 1′ Ruben comes back on and is immediately injured again in a challenge
45′ + 2′ SUBSTITUTION: Ruben is replaced by Alphonse Toa for Vanuatu
The first half comes to an end
46′ Vanuatu have restarted with the same intensity pushing high on New Zealand’s defence forcing Michael Den Heijer to come back and make a crucial block
48′ Patterson steps behind a free kick left of the goal box but he sends it flying high over the goal line
50′ Ridenton intercepts to win New Zealand possession but takes one touch too many allowing Vanuatu to hit clear
52′ Ray Iwai is pushing up the left for Vanuatu his cross is blocked by Forrester but it goes straight to Franks whose shot goes over
54′ Pressure from Vanuatu as the ball is cleared from one end to the other, it comes to Iawak who slips as he fires his shot sending it up and over
55′ New Zealand give away a free kick wasting possession while deep in the Vanuatu half
56′ Iwai and Iawak are working over-time up the left flank
56′ Ridenton gets the ball on the left for New Zealand, he plays to Patterson and Melte Rossi slides to clear for Vanuatu
58′ Ridenton sends in a corner from the left which finds the head of Mitchell who glances it wide
60′ Den Heijer wins the ball and moves up the centre, he plays right to Sugden whose cross comes off the back of Thomas for a corner
61′ Sugden gets another chance, dribbles around Iawak and fires straight to Waivui for an easy save
63′ SUBSTITUTION: New Zealand bring Elijah Neblett on in place of Monty Patterson
65′ Speedy comes off his line to make a save under pressure from Franks and Saniel
66′ The ball falls to Kalo in the middle of New Zealand’s half, he takes two touches before blasting it wide
67′ Justin Koka wins possession but his shot is more of a clearance as it goes out near the corner flag
67′ Iwai crosses from the left but it’s too deep for anyone to latch onto
69′ Sugden crosses in from the corner of the goal box but Holthusen arrives a split-second too late and it goes inches wide of the far post
70′ Ray Iwai is down injured and play is paused as he receives treatment
71′ SUBSTITUTION: The injured Iwai is replaced by Andre Bule for Vanuatu
72′ Waivui sprints off his line to boot the ball clear as substitute Neblett applies pressure but he’s called offside
74′ Toa sprints to the line and brings down the throw in for Bule whose first touch is too heavy causting the ball to roll out
75′ Vanuatu give away possession deep in New Zealand’s half allowing the Kiwis to launch a counter attack
76′ Kalo comes up through the centre, plays right to Koka, the ball comes back to Kalo who crosses straight to a waiting Speedy
78′ SUBSTITUTION: New Zealand brings Alex Rufer off and
replaces him with Andre De Jong
79′ The crowd are chanting as they try and rally the home side
80′ GOAL!!! Vanuatu 1 New Zealand 2 Elijah Neblett gets on the scoreboard after knocking Holthesun cross in behind Waivui
81′ Saniel is right in front of the goal when a cross arrives but sends it vertical
82′ SUBSTITUTION: Vanuatu bring Gregory Rouard on in place of Bong Kalo
85′ SUBSTITUTION: New Zealand replace Nick Sugden with Spiros Agathos
86′ Holthusen limps to the sideline to receive treatment and play resumes
87′ Ridenton goes it alone up the right wing but a lack of support sees possession turned over
88′ Cory Brown win the ball off Donna in the Vanuatu defence but no-one comes to support and Vanuatu are again on the attack
90′ Thomas sends a weighted ball from half-way that lands on the head of Saniel and goes high over the cross bar
90′ Three minutes of extra time will be played
90′ + 1′ Vanuatu are heaping the pressure on New Zealand as they search for a late equaliser
The final whistle blows

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