New Zealand have beaten Fiji 2-0 at Westpac Stadium to claim their place at the top of the Group A standings and in the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia Qualifiers – OFC Stage 3 final.
New Zealand: 1. Stefan MARINOVIC (GK), 5. Michael BOXALL, 7. Dane INGHAM, 8. Michael McGLINCHEY, 10. Shane SMELTZ, 11. Marco ROJAS, 14. Ryan THOMAS, 15. Clayton LEWIS,17. Tom DOYLE, 20. Tommy SMITH, 22. Andrew DURANTE (C)
Substitutes: 3. Deklan WYNNE, 4. Themistoklis TZIMOPOULOS, 9. Chris WOOD, 12. Glen MOSS (GK), 13. Alex RUFER, 16. Sam BROTHERTON, 18. Kip COLVEY, 19. Moses DYER, 21. Jai INGHAM, 23. Tamati WILLIAMS
Suspended: 6. Bill TUILOMA
Coach: Anthony HUDSON (ENG)
Fiji: 22. Beniamino MATEINAQARA (GK), 2. Avinesh SUWAMY, 4. Dave RADRIGAI, 7. Epeli SAUKURU, 8. Setareki HUGHES, 9. Roy KRISHNA, 12. Remueru TEKIATE, 14. Rinal PRASAD, 15. Osea VAKATALESAU, 17. Kolinio SIVOKI, 18. Taniela WAQA
Substitutes: 1. Simione TAMANISAU (GK), 3. Kavaia RAWAQA, 5. Laitia TUILAU, 6. Jone VESIKULA, 10. Samuela DRUDRU, 11. James HOYT, 13. Josateki TAMUDU, 16. Peniame DROVA, 19. Vereti DICKSON (GK)
Coach: Christophe GAMEL (FRA)
FULL TIME | New Zealand 2-0 Fiji
90’+2′ New Zealand playing it across their backline but the pressing from Fiji is too relaxed to threaten
90’+1′ SUB NZL | Veteran Shane SMELTZ makes way for Moses DYER
90′ A minimum of three minutes additional time
90′ ROJAS with a similar effort off his left foot is again over the target
89′ J. INGHAM whacks it at goal but sends his effort well over the cross bar
87′ HUGHES closes in on BOXALL who is trying to clear the long ball from MATEINAQARA
84′ SUB NZL | Double-goal scorer Ryan THOMAS is replaced by Alex RUFER
82′ Cross from J. INGHAM and SMELTZ is in an offside position as he puts the ball past the keeper
81′ Nerves on the Fiji bench as MATIENAQARA decides to dribble past two attackers before laying the ball off
80′ SMELTZ on the end of a cross from DOYLE sends it away from goal but the flag has gone up
78′ HUGHES is caught by the offside flag allowing the Kiwis to head off on an attack of thei rown
77′ McGLINCHEY is sitting free on the edge of the box and almost manages to put the ball past the keeper but for a defender’s stray foot
76′ TEKIATE goes over the back of SMELTZ and concedes a free kick
75′ YELLOW CARD | Samuela DRUDRU picks up a caution after catching the achilles of Andrew DURANTE
75′ Fiji do well to move the ball through the middle and almost manage to split the defence
73′ Fiji with a free kick but they can’t get anything clean off it, however follow it up by winning a corner
72′ SUB FIJ | Osea VAKATALESAU makes room for Samuela DRUDRU
68′ GOAL!!! NZL 2-0 FIJ | Ryan THOMAS with a glancing header to put the cross from Doyle in the back of the net
65′ DOYLE has a go from a tight angle after beating past one defender but no luck
64′ The keeper with a quick release for KRISHNA but he’s alone up front and the All Whites have raced back to head off the challenge
63′ Quick hands from MATEINAQARA to deny
62′ The sub J. INGHAM gets his first touch on the ball but he can’t get a clear cross off
61′ SUB FIJ | Jai INGHAM comes in for the injured Clayton LEWIS
60′ KRISHNA takes a shot and it takes a deflection for a corner
60′ ROJAS curls over the wall and it’s well left by MATEINAQARA
59′ Big challenge on LEWIS and he’s limping off for treatment
57′ SUB FIJ | Avinesh SUWAMY makes room for Peniame DROVA
57′ TUILAU and MATEINAQARA both go to clear the same ball and it’s a testing couple of seconds before it’s booted out for a corner
56′ VAKATALESAU just gets under BOXALL who has leapt for a header, he falls hard but is able to continue
55′ SMELTZ can’t quite get his toe to a cross from MCGLINCHEY and nor can ROJAS at the back post
53′ THOMAS has a crack from the edge of the area but sees his effort go outside the post
50′ VAKATALESAU is caught offside as Fiji try to create something and the momentum is lost
49′ Loads of room for DOYLE on the left but he’s beaten in the aerial and there’s room for Fiji up front
47′ THOMAS just getting some treatment after going down hard on his right hip
46′ Second half gets underway with New Zealand making a speedy attack
HALF-TIME | New Zealand 1-0 Fiji
45’+3′ KRISHNA delivers a corner but it’s easily cleared out by the Kiwis
45’+2′ DOYLE sends the ball into the box, ROJAS gets his head to it but has flicked it away from the target
45′ A minimum of two minutes additional time
44′ SMELTZ winds up a shot and it’s off Taniela WAQA’s face for a corner
42′ LEWIS puts pressure on TEKIATE at the back but it’s put out off the midfielder
40′ SUB FIJ | Rinal PRASAD is replaced by Laitia TUILAU
38′ KRISHNA comes back to close down DOYLE and manages to do so while also getting a goal kick
37′ New Zealand gift the ball to KRISHNA but who goes forward, there’s seven Kiwis in the box but not enough Fijians come up
35′ LEWIS puts the corner in front of goal and HUGHES leaps high to clear
34′ INGHAM with a decent run into the area, he puts in a tight shot but the keeper pushes it clear
33′ MATEINAQARA punches the ball clear and Fiji rush to clear
32′ ROJAS behind the latest free kick for New Zealand with Shane SMELTZ asking for a back post delivery
27′ GOAL!!! NZL 1-0 FIJ | SMELTZ lays the ball back to an unmarked Ryan THOMAS who slots it past the keeper
27′ KRISHNA takes on BOXALL and the defender comes away with the ball
26′ Avinesh SUWAMY with a great touch to bring the ball down but there’s a white shirt whipping in to steal
25′ A LEWIS effort comes bouncing off the cross bar and Fiji scramble to clear
24′ ROJAS breaks and sends a low shot past Remueru TEKIATE who just gets a touch to put it around the post
23′ THOMAS makes a run towards the box but is dis-possessed, however Fiji don’t hold on and the Kiwis are back on attack
22′ KRISHNA doesn’t bother going up against the height of BOXALL for an aerial ball and waits for the second ball
20′ Clayton LEWIS with a powerful effort from distance sees MATEINAQARA smack away from goal
18′ New Zealand have a chance as THOMAS shoots, MATEINAQARA blocks and SMELTZ can’t touch it into the net
17′ YELLOW CARD | Clayton Lewis is cautioned for a slightly late challenge on Roy KRISHNA
16′ HUGHES is free in the middle and sees an opening so goes for goal but has sent it over the cross bar
15′ Big challenge on Marco ROJAS but no foul awarded so he’s up to play on
13′ Fiji under pressure as they scramble to clear the cross from Dane INGHAM followed by that of Ryan THOMAS
12′ A corner for New Zealand is headed goalwards by Michael BOXALL but MATEINAQARA claims
11′ Tom DOYLE brings the ball up the left and Setareki HUGHES slides in to slow the attack
8′ Roy KRISHNA breaks and goes directly for goal, VAKATALESAU is wide but he opts to shoot and it deflects well over
8′ Fiji attempt a clearance but hit it straight at a defender and are fortunate to get it out
5′ Free kick for New Zealand off the corner of the box but Beniaminio MATEINAQARA claims
4′ A chance for Shane SMELTZ as the ball drops to him at the top of the 18 yard, but he volleys over the cross bar
3′ Fiji win back but New Zealand are pressing high as they did in Lautoka
1′ New Zealand with the ball and playing the ball up the the left, but soon switch to the right
1′ Fiji’s Osea VAKATALESAU kicks us off this evening
Match Officials
Referee: Kader ZITOUNI (TAH)
Assistant Referee 1: Folio MOEAKI (TGA)
Assistant Referee 2: Sione TEU (TGA)
Fourth Official: Nelson SOGO (SOL)