Favourites New Zealand will take a perfect record into the semi-finals of the Olympic Games qualifiers after notching a third successive win, this time coming from behind to see off a spirited Solomon Islands side 4-2 in an entertaining encounter this evening.

Des Buckingham’s young men had already secured their place in the knockout stages after earning comfortable victories over Samoa and American Samoa but were looking to top their pool in the final match of the group stages in Suva, Fiji.

Something had to give at ANZ Stadium though as they were coming up against a side who had also won both of their previous matches and the skilful Solomons certainly started like a side high on confidence.

They charged out of the blocks to take the lead in the opening minute, Patrick Taroga tapping home from close range to spark wild scenes of celebration from the Solomon players.

New Zealand soon began to exert their control on proceedings though and were 2-1 in front by the break, Clayton Lewis equalising with a fine strike from outside the box before Myer Bevan controlled a Lewis pass and hammered home.

Buckingham then had a two-goal cushion to play with soon after half-time when Noah Billingsley headed in a free kick but the Solomons refused to lie down and were back in the contest with just over ten minutes remaining, Tuita Maeobia arrowing a stunning effort into the top corner to make it 3-2.

Batram Suri’s side would have hoped to press on from there and find an equaliser but it was New Zealand who struck next, Bevan calmly slotting home his eighth goal of the campaign in stoppage time to finally make sure of the points.

“I thought it was a great performance from us and it was a really good game actually,” Buckingham said.

“The Solomons are very well coached, have some very good players and they posed a tough test. We went down a goal early on but stayed composed and stuck to the way we do things, so to come away with a win that puts us top of the group is really pleasing,” he added.

“We said we wanted to come to the islands and play our style of football. We’re going to get caught every now and then, that’s the risk if you do try to play – if we didn’t want to take those risks we’d play long and look to feed off scraps but that’s not what we’re about. We continued to try and play so to do that and win the way we did was hugely pleasing.”

New Zealand will now meet either Fiji or Vanuatu in the semi-finals on Wednesday and are set for a change of scene as the knockout stages will take place in Lautoka. 

Match Details

New Zealand 4 (Clayton Lewis 37’, Myer Bevan 39’, 90 + 1’, Noah Billingsley 53’)
Solomon Islands 2 (Patrick Taroga 1’, Tuita Maeobia 78’)
HT: 2-1

New Zealand: 1. Cameron Brown (GK), 6. Dane Schnell, 7. Myer Bevan, 9. Logan Rogerson (c), 10. Clayton Lewis, 13. Liberato Cacace (3. Dylan de Jong 46’), 14. Billy Jones, 15. Sean Liddicoat, 16. Gianni Stensness (11. Ollie Whyte 62’), 18. Ben Waine, 19. Noah Billingsley (17. Callan Elliot 81’)
Substitutes not used: 2. Jordan Spain, 4. Hunter Ashworth, 5. Robert Tipelu, 8. Jake Porter, 12. Conor Tracey (GK), 20. Alex Paulsen (GK)
Cautions: Liberato Cacace 30’, Gianni Stensness 60’
Coach: Des Buckingham

Article added: Friday 27 September 2019