Chris Wood showcased his remarkable talent by scoring a hat-trick, leading New Zealand to an impressive 8-0 victory over Samoa in their final Group B match of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Oceania Qualifiers. This victory underscores New Zealand’s prowess in the tournament, as they dominated a match against a Samoan team ranked 186th in the FIFA World Rankings, compared to New Zealand’s 91st position.
Despite the significant difference in rankings, the Samaritan squad, coached by Jess Ibrom, displayed resilience against their more experienced opponents. New Zealand’s attacks began early, with Marko Stamenic coming close on three occasions within the first five minutes, forcing Samoan goalkeeper Pele Fatu to make excellent saves. The breakthrough finally came in the 24th minute when Callum McCowatt found the net, turning a rebound from Fatu into his fourth goal for the national team.
Chris Wood, already a figure of influence for New Zealand, added to the scoreboard shortly after, scoring his 39th and 40th international goals just before halftime. The team went into the break with a 3-0 lead, a scoreline that Samoa might have considered a small victory given the circumstances.
Upon resuming the match, New Zealand continued their dominating run, with Wood netting his 41st goal just 15 minutes into the half. Other players joined the scoring frenzy, with Marco Stamenic, Francis de Vries, and Elijah Just finding the back of the net, along with a final penalty converted by Ben Waine.
With this decisive win, New Zealand is set to face Group A runners-up Fiji in the semi-finals, scheduled for March, while New Caledonia and Tahiti will compete in the other semifinal matchup.
This performance not only highlights New Zealand’s strength in the tournament but also their potential as they approach the next stage, building anticipation for their upcoming match against Fiji.
In summary, New Zealand demonstrated their footballing superiority against Samoa, capped by Chris Wood’s hat-trick, setting a optimistic tone for their qualification campaign ahead.
Leave a comment