New Caledonia have drawn with New Zealand in their second Group A match of the OFC Stage 3 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™ Qualifiers.
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New Caledonia: 1. Thomas SCHMIDT (GK), 2. Loic WAKANUMUNE, 5. Yoann MERCIER 6. Cedric SANSOT, 7. Joel WAKANUMUNE, 8. Emile BEARUNE,10. Cesar ZEOULA, 11. Bertrand KAI, 13. Roy KAYARA, 18. Georges GOPE-FENEPEJ, 19. Jorys MENE.
Substitutes 3. Jean-Brice WADRIAKO, 4. Pierre KAUMA, 9. Brice DAHITE, 12. Richard SELE, 14. Jacky MEINDU, 15. Joseph ATHALE, 16. Morgan MATHELON, 17. Paul ROINE,20. Mickael ULILE (GK).
Coach: Thierry SARDO (NCL)
New Zealand: 1. Stefan MARINOVIC (GK),5. Michael BOXALL,9. Chris WOOD (C), 11. Marco ROJAS, 13. Monty PATTERSON, 14. Ryan THOMAS, 18. Kip COLVEY, 19. Moses DYER, 20. Te Atawhai HUDSON-WIHONGI, 21. Liam GRAHAM, 22. Andrew DURANTE,
Substitutes 2. Henry CAMERON, 3. Deklan WYNNE, 4. Themi TZIMOPOULOS, 6. Bill TUILOMA, 7. Kosta BARBAROUSES, 12. Glen MOSS (GK), 15. Clayton LEWIS, 16. Louis FENTON, 17. Luke ADAMS, 23. Tamati WILLIAMS (GK).
Coach: Anthony HUDSON (ENG)
Match Officials:
Referee: George TIME (SOL)
Assistant Referee 1: Folio MOEAKI (TGA)
Assistant Referee 2: Stephen SENGA (SOL)
Fourth Official: Kader ZITOUNI (TAH)
FULL TIME: NCL 0-0 NZL
90′ Five minutes of additional time to be played.
89′ SUB NCL GOPE FENEPEJ is replaced by Richard SELE.
85′ RED CARD New Caledonia’s Bertand Kai is sent from the field and New Caledonia will play the last few minutes with 10.
84′ Tempers flaring now as New Zealand have a couple of goalmouth scrambles in New Caledonia area.
79′ Free kick whipped in by New Caledonia and MARINOVIC does well to claim on the half volley in heavy rain.
76′ GOPE FENEPEJ meets a corner with a powerful header that sails over.
75′ Header from Cedric SANSOT is comfortably claimed by MARINOVIC.
73′ DYER gets through for a one on one but SCHMIDT gets enough on it to deflect the ball wide of goal, taking a knock in the process.
70′ BARBAROUSES has a chance at the other end but it’s snuffed out by a defender.
69′ GOPE FENEPEJ slips in ZEOULA who initially can’t collect but then scoops it over MARINOVIC. Acrobatic clearance required by defender.
66′ SUB NZL Final change for New Zealand with GRAHAM unable to continue, replaced by Declan WYNNE.
65′ ZEOULA races in from the left but BOXALL’s strength allows him to muscle him off the ball.
62′ GOPE-FENEPEJ tries to slide the ball across the face but a NZL defender gets in first. Meanwhile Liam GRAHAM is down injured.
58′ SUB NZL Bill TUILOMA and Kosta BARBAROUSES enter the game replacing Te Atawhai HUDSON-WIHONGI and Monty PATTERSON.
56′ Moses DYER shoots but again it’s off target.
55′ Chris WOOD stretches to meet a deep cross but can’t catch up enough to get ball on target.
54′ Down the other end a New Caledonia corner leads to messy half chances but New Zealand clear.
53′ SCHMIDT spills a seemingly harmless ball, THOMAS regathers and crosses, WOOD’s header blocked.
49′ Joel WAKANUME whip a free kick in low and hard but COLVEY stoops to head it clear.
46’ kick off.
HALF TIME: NCL 0-0 NZL
45′ New Caledonia free kick cleared by NZL’s Liam GRAHAM, follow up shot saved by MARINOVIC.
40′ WOOD clears a NCL corner for the visitors, NCL’s Jean-Brice WADRIAKO tries to find DAHITE but the ball just skids away from him.
39′ A pair of solid saves from MARINOVIC, the second from ZEOULA one on one.
38′ New Caledonia’s Cesar ZEOULA sprints down the right then picks out GOPE-FENPEJ who blasts over the bar.
37 ‘ COLVEY dances into the box and sets it for THOMAS whose cross is blocked.
34′ YELLOW CARD New Zealand’s Kip COLVEY is cautioned for a late challenge.
33′ New Caledonia’s Bertrand KAI strikes one from just outside the box but it’s off target.
32′ Slick short passing from WOOD, THOMAS, PATTERSON et al but it just doesn’t stick for PATTERSON as he tries to break through.
30′ DAHITE spots MARINOVIC off his line and tries to beat him from near the halfway line. Sails over.
29′ PATTERSON tries to loop a header in at the back post but it drops on the roof of the net.
28′ Another Georges GOPE-FENEPEJ shot saved by NZL keeper Stefan MARINOVIC.
27′ PATTERSON heads a cross back towards goal and the clearance is sliced out for a corner.
25′ Free kick bounces off the wall, THOMAS wins possession back for New Zealand but immediate danger is cleared by New Caledonia.
25′ WOOD standing over a New Zealand free kick 35 metres out.
24′ The rain is back and the lights are on.
23′ New Caledonia’s Georges GOPE-FENEPEJ gets a shot off under pressure but can’t get much power on it.
21′ New Caledonia’s Cedric SANSOT tees off from the edge of the area but is his shot keeps bending away from goal.
20′ Another chance for KAI, this time from closer range but his diving header is straight at MARINOVIC.
19′ A New Zealand corner leads to chance for BOXALL and then pinball in the box. NCL break and Bertrand KAI tries his luck from miles out.
18′ New Zealand’s Marco ROJAS fires a deep free kick into the box but SCHMIDT does well to punch clear under pressure.
16′ Big miss from PATTERSON with DURANTE selflessly teeing up the NZL striker who puts it wide from 4 yards.
16′ DURANTE wins the ball, drives into midfield to set up the attack.
14′ WOOD gets over COLVEY’s cross and heads it low into the corner but NCL keeper Thomas SCHMIDT gets a big glove to it.
13′ New Zealand’s Chris WOOD pressures a weak pass and it almost falls for PATTERSON but New Caledonia’s Emile BEARUNE mops up.
9′ SUB NCL Early sub for the home side as Brice DAHITE replaces Roy KAYARA.
8′ NCL’s Georges GOPE-FENEPEJ breaks down the left, gets into the box but the move breaks down.
4′ Bright start from New Zealand but New Caledonia have a free kick about 40 minutes out.
1′ New Caledonia get us underway here at Stade Yoshida
– 5′ Anthems ringing out at a wet Stade Yoshida
-20’ Rain has been falling off and on, mainly on, for teh past hour but pitch still looking good