New Zealand claimed the top spot in Group A at the OFC Men’s Nations Cup after a convincing 4-0 victory over Vanuatu at VFF Freshwater Stadium in Port Vila. The match drew a sizable audience, with an estimated 10,000 people in attendance, including thousands of children under 12 who were admitted for free.
New Zealand Coach Darren Bazeley made a few changes to the starting lineup, including swapping goalkeeper Alex Poulsen for Max Crocombe and striker Ben Waine for Max Mata.
Additionally, Sam Sutton replaced captain Liberato Cacace, who was suspended for the first match. On the other hand, Vanuatu started with their strongest lineup, with Michel Coulon replacing Tasso Jeffrey from the team that defeated the Solomon Islands.
New Zealand’s first goal came just before the ten-minute mark when Elijah Just delivered a precise cross to the far post, allowing Mata to head home his first senior goal for his country. Despite Mata’s efforts being denied by the crossbar and offside flag, New Zealand maintained their lead.
Vanuatu, however, showed resilience and nearly capitalized on New Zealand’s missed opportunities with a late surge of chances. Even with the 2-0 scoreline, they continued to press on, keeping the home team alert. In the second half, Vanuatu made a strong start, but New Zealand responded with determination, and Just’s impressive long-range effort secured the third goal for New Zealand.
Just then assisted Ben Old, who netted his first international goal, leading to an early departure of disappointed Vanuatu fans from the Freshwater Stadium. Vanuatu’s supporters can now shift their focus to the upcoming semi-final in the OFC Men’s Nations Cup on Thursday against the winner of Group B.
