Chris Wood led New Zealand to a dominant 3-0 victory over Tahiti in the opening match of Group B at the FIFA World Cup 2026 Oceania Qualifiers held in Port Vila. This match marked the team’s return to the VFF Freshwater Stadium after their triumph in the OFC Men’s Nations Cup in June.
New Zealand’s performance was strong from the start, as Elijah Just scored a stunning goal just two minutes into the match, launching a powerful left-footed shot into the net. Wood, who recently scored for Nottingham Forest in the English Premier League, added to the tally in the 68th minute, heading the ball into the corner of the net from a corner kick for his 35th international goal.
With a comfortable lead, coach Darren Bazeley took the opportunity to rotate his squad, substituting in players Kostas Barbarouses and Storm Roux. Ben Waine capped off the team’s impressive performance with a goal in the 89th minute, securing a decisive victory for New Zealand as they collected all three points.