The All Whites have secured qualification to the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Intercontinental Play-Off with a comfortable 5-0 win against Solomon Islands at the final of the Oceania Qualifiers. 

Goals from Bill Tuiloma (23’, 70’), Chris Wood (39’) and first All Whites goals for Joe Bell (50’) and Matt Garbett (90+1’), saw Danny Hay’s side to victory in Doha. 

The team side dominated throughout, playing arguably their best game of the tournament. Bill Tuiloma was immense at both ends of the pitch, scoring two powerful headers from set plays. 

Chris Wood got his 33rd goal in a New Zealand shirt, heading in a brilliant Tim Payne cross just before halftime. 
 

The second half saw two debut goals. Joe Bell scored one to remember, getting the ball in the back of the net directly from a corner after the keeper came and missed his cross. Matt Garbett, a second half substitute, got the fifth with a neat finish after being set up by Andre de Jong. 

The result means the side will be back in Qatar in June to fight to take a New Zealand men’s team to the FIFA World Cup for only the third time. 

After the match Head Coach Danny Hay spoke to media about the performance. 

“I’ve been really proud of the way the players have approached it, super professional approach. We came here to do a job and we’ve don’t that. We are excited now to look forward to June.”

Article added: Thursday 31 March 2022