WC Qual - OFC
March 21, 2013
New Zealand
1 - 0
New Caledonia
WC Qual - OFC
6:45 +00:00, March 22, 2013
Forsyth Barr Stadium
Referee: Strebre Delovski
Late Smith goal books play-off place
Scoring Summary
| New Zealand | New Caledonia |
|---|---|
| Christopher Killen (10') | Cesar Lolohea (56') |
| Tommy Smith (90') |
Teams
| New Zealand | New Caledonia |
|---|---|
| 1 Mark Paston | 1 Rocky Nyikeine |
| 2 Winston Reid | 2 Judikael Ixoee |
| 5 Tommy Smith | 3 Emile Bearune |
| 7 Leo Bertos | 12 Roy Kayara |
| 15 Ivan Vicelich | 13 Noel Kaudre |
| 8 Michael McGlinchey | 6 Olivier Dokunengo |
| 16 Jeremy Brockie | 7 Dominique Wacalie |
| 10 Christopher Killen | 17 Joel Wakanumune |
| 9 Shane Smeltz | 10 Cesar Lolohea |
| 11 Marcos Augusto Rojas | 11 Bertrand Kai |
| 20 Chris Wood | 19 Georges Gope-Fenepej |
| Substitutes | |
| 1 Jacob Spoonley | Steeve Ixoee 20 |
| 4 Ben Sigmund | Jean Wakanumune 14 |
| 14 Ian Hogg | Georges Bearune 4 |
| 13 Dan Keat | Miguel Kayara 8 |
| 19 Tim Payne | Iamel Kabeu 16 |
| 17 Costa Barbarouses | Kalaje Gnipate 5 |
| Substitutions | |
| Tim Payne for Christopher Killen (75) | Iamel Kabeu for Noel Kaudre (77) |
| Costa Barbarouses for Jeremy Brockie (80) | Georges Bearune for Iamel Kabeu (83) |
| Ian Hogg for Shane Smeltz (90) | Kalaje Gnipate for Roy Kayara (87) |
| Yellow Cards | |
| Leo Bertos (90) | Cesar Lolohea (56) |
| Emile Bearune (60) | |
| Joel Wakanumune (72) | |
| · Squads: New Zealand | New Caledonia | |
#INSERT type:image caption: New Zealand celebrate after Chris Killen put them in front against New Caledonia END#
New Zealand secured a place in November's intercontinental World Cup play-offs thanks to Tommy Smith's winner against New Caledonia four minutes into injury time.Christopher Killen headed in a Leo Bertos free-kick to put New Zealand, who were remarkably the only unbeaten nation at the 2010 World Cup finals, in front after only ten minutes in Dunedin but Cesar Lolohea levelled shortly after the interval. Lolohea superbly brought down a pass from Bertrand Kai and volleyed home.With New Zealand's last group game coming against Soloman Islands, whom they beat 6-1 in the reverse fixture in September, New Caledonia knew they must win this game to stand a realistic chance of making it through to the play-offs.But it was the home side who pushed for the winner and eventually they ensured the final stage of Oceania qualifying would not go down to the final day as Ipswich Town defender Smith popped up with a close-range header to secure a 2-1 win.New Zealand will now play the fourth placed team from the CONCACAF region for a place in the World Cup finals, which will not be known until October.