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 since their triumph in the OFC Men’s Nations Cup in June.
New Zealand’s performance picked up right where they left off. The All Whites quickly got on the scoreboard just two minutes into the game, with Elijah Just delivering an exceptional left-footed shot that found the roof of the net.
Wood, who had recently scored for Nottingham Forest in the English Premier League, added to the tally in the 68th minute. Unmarked at the far post during a corner kick, he skillfully directed a header into the corner of the net, marking his 35th international goal.
With a comfortable lead, coach Darren Bazeley opted to rotate his squad, bringing in Kostas Barbarouses and Storm Roux. Ben Waine capped off New Zealand’s convincing performance with a goal in the 89th minute, securing all three points for his team.