Chris Wood led New Zealand to a dominant 3-0 victory over Tahiti in their opening match of Group B at the FIFA World Cup 2026 Oceania Qualifiers, held in Port Vila. This match marked New Zealand’s return to the VFF Freshwater Stadium since their triumph at the OFC Men’s Nations Cup in June.
The All Whites wasted no time, scoring just two minutes into the match when Elijah Just unleashed a powerful left-footed shot that found the net. In the 68th minute, Chris Wood, who scored for Nottingham Forest in the English Premier League five days earlier, added to the tally with a well-placed header from a corner kick, marking his 35th international goal.
With a comfortable lead, coach Darren Bazeley introduced substitutes Kostas Barbarouses and Storm Roux to refresh his lineup. Ben Waine capped off the scoring in the 89th minute, ensuring a solid win for New Zealand as they secured all three points from the match.