ALBANY, New Zealand -- New Zealand secured
top spot in group two of the Oceania Zone World Cup qualifying
tournament on Wednesday after thrashing Vanuatu 7-0 to secure a
showdown against group one winners Australia.
Vaughan Coveny scored his second hat-trick of the tournament
as he took his personal tally to eight, with goals in the
second, seventh and 29th minutes.
Further strikes from Chris Jackson and Arran Lines gave New
Zealand a 5-0 halftime lead against a neat but ineffective
Vanuatu side.
Mark Burton and Roda JC's Ivan Vicelich put the finishing
touches to the win in the second half, which was marred by an
injury to Northern Irish referee Les Irvine, who received eight
stitches in a wound over his left eye after an accidental clash
of heads with Burton.
Irvine was replaced by fourth official Edward Lennie of
Australia.
Tahiti downs Solomon Islands 2-0
The first red cards of the group were brandished in a
bruising encounter when Tahiti beat the Solomon Islands 2-0 at
Albany in the day's later game.
The game was a dead rubber after New Zealand's victory, but
there was second place in the tournament and Fifa's world
rankings at stake.
Tahiti started the match in 137th and the Solomons 138th in
the world.
Australian referee Matthew Breeze dismissed the Solomons'
Eddie Edwin in the 26th minute for a trip on Tahiti's Naea
Bennett.
In the 77th minute Tahiti captain Patrick Atger was given
his second yellow card and ordered off for stopping a quick free
kick awarded the Solomons.
A minute before Edwin was sent off, he had been responsible
for the penalty which Samuel Garcia converted when he tripped
Tony Senechal. Steve Fatupua scored Tahiti's second goal in the
77th minute.
New Zealand's reward for topping the standings is a
two-legged Oceania zone final against Australia with the first
match in Wellington on June 20.
The two teams have enjoyed success at contrasting levels in
the last few weeks.
Australia's third place in the Confederations Cup with
victories over France, Mexico and Brazil make New Zealand's
efforts here with wins over Tahiti, the Cook Islands, the
Solomons and Vanuatu seem minor in comparison.
Ken Dugdale, the New Zealand coach, is not worried by the
Australian clash and believes his players won't be either.
"Any New Zealand team playing Australia raises its game,"
Dugdale said. "We've upset them before and we can do it again.
We've created a lot of chances in this tournament and we've got
good combinations.
"You've got to look at the opposition we've had, but I'm
confident we'll give Australia a good match."
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