Chris Wood led New Zealand to a convincing 3-0 victory over Tahiti in their opening Group B match of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Oceania Qualifiers held in Port Vila. This match marked New Zealand’s return to VFF Freshwater Stadium since their victory in the OFC Men’s Nations Cup in June, and they continued their strong performance from that tournament.
The All Whites wasted no time in establishing their dominance, with Elijah Just scoring a stunning left-footed shot just two minutes into the game. Wood, who recently scored for Nottingham Forest in the English Premier League, added to the scoreline in the 68th minute by converting a corner with a precise header, marking his 35th international goal.
With a comfortable lead, coach Darren Bazeley introduced substitutes Kostas Barbarouses and Storm Roux to refresh the team. Ben Waine capped off the victory with a goal in the 89th minute, securing all three points for New Zealand.