Wood hits hat-trick as rampant New Zealand move to brink of World Cup
Chris Wood scored a hat-trick of headers as New Zealand moved to within one win of the World Cup with a 7-0 demolition of Fiji on Friday.
New Zealand will face 152nd-ranked New Caledonia in Auckland on Monday for a place at the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Wood was subbed off after sealing his treble with just under 30 minutes left and, with the game going on, the Nottingham Forest striker climbed into the stands in Wellington to sign autographs.
A smiling Wood was promptly booked by the referee.
"If that's the rules, that's the rules. Just doing something nice and trying to sign for the fans," said Wood, who has hit 18 goals in the Premier League to fire Forest into the Champions League places.
New Zealand are 89th in the FIFA rankings and red-hot favourites to reach the World Cup for the third time, to go with appearances in 1982 and 2010.
They have never won a match at football's showpiece in six attempts.
There was only ever one team in it against Fiji's amateur side of police officers and construction workers.
Wood is enjoying the best season of his career at age 33 and he nodded in unmarked after six minutes to put New Zealand on their way.
The skipper repeated the trick, all headers, in the 56th and 60th minutes. Wood now has 44 goals in 81 games for his country.
Sarpreet Singh, Tyler Bindon, Tim Payne and Kosta Barbarouses all got in on the act for New Zealand.
"It's all about the team," said Wood. "It was a dominant first half and we kept it going into the second half. The team did really well in that sense."
In the first semi-final of Oceania qualifying, New Caledonia scored three times in the second half for a 3-0 win over fellow minnows Tahiti.
Next year's World Cup has been expanded to 48 teams, meaning direct entry for the team that wins the qualifying competition in Oceania.
The region's top side previously had to go through an intercontinental playoff, with New Zealand falling at the final hurdle to Mexico, Costa Rica and Peru in recent editions.
bur-pst/pbt
Topics
-
Chris Wood backs automatic World Cup qualifying for Oceania minnows
New Zealand captain Chris Wood says it's “only fair” that FIFA’s smallest confederation, Oceania, has been given direct qualification to the 2026 World Cup. New Zealand will play Fiji and Tahiti ...Yahoo Sports - 1d -
New Caledonia beats Tahiti 3-0 and advances to the Oceania World Cup qualifying final
New Caledonia's 36-year-old striker Georges Gope-Fenepej scored twice in his team's 3-0 win over Tahiti in an Oceania qualifying semifinal Friday which left it one step away from the 2026 World ...Yahoo Sports - 15h -
Wood carded for signing autographs in NZ win
Chris Wood picked up a yellow card for signing autographs and taking pictures with fans during New Zealand's win over Fiji in their World Cup qualifier on Thursday.ESPN - 1h -
'Hurting' New Zealand determined to reach World Cup, says coach
Heartbreaking near-misses will fire "hurting" New Zealand to their first football World Cup since 2010, their coach Darren Bazeley said on Wednesday, with the country two wins from the finals.New ...Yahoo Sports - 2d -
Oceania (OFC) 2026 World Cup qualifying latest: Schedule, results, table, how it works
The World Cup is guaranteed a contestant from Oceania for the first time since 2010 as 2026 World Cup qualifying is off and running.Yahoo Sports - 4d -
Five talking points on Nations League, World Cup qualifiers in Europe
International football gets underway in Europe for the first time in 2025 as the Nations League moves into the quarter-finals stage and the continent's 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign gets ...Yahoo Sports - 4d -
Preview: New era begins as England face Albania in World Cup qualifier
England vs Albania: World Cup Qualifier Marks New Era Under TuchelTuchel’s Wembley Debut: A New Dawn for EnglandThere’s always a sense of theatre when Wembley stages international football, and to...Yahoo Sports - 8h -
Tuchel takes first steps on England journey targeting World Cup glory
Over five months on from Thomas Tuchel's appointment as England's new manager, the German will finally take charge of the team for the first time in Friday's World Cup qualifier against Albania at ...Yahoo Sports - 1d -
American forward Haji Wright's first hat trick in England leads Coventry over Sunderland 3-0
American forward Haji Wright scored his first hat trick in English soccer, helping Coventry to a 3-0 win over Sunderland on Saturday in the second tier League Championship. A 26-year-old from Los ...Yahoo Sports - 6d
More from Yahoo Sports
-
QB Aaron Rodgers leaves Pittsburgh without a contract
Aaron Rodgers left Pittsburgh without a contract in place.Yahoo Sports - 10m -
QB Aaron Rodgers leaves Pittsburgh without a contract
Aaron Rodgers left Pittsburgh without a contract in place.Yahoo Sports - 10m -
Pitcher Julio Urías suspended through the All-Star break by MLB under domestic violence policy
Former Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Julio Urías was suspended through the All-Star break by Major League Baseball on Friday under its domestic violence policy with the players' association. Urías ...Yahoo Sports - 12m -
Pitcher Julio Urías suspended through the All-Star break by MLB under domestic violence policy
Former Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Julio Urías was suspended through the All-Star break by Major League Baseball on Friday under its domestic violence policy with the players' association. Urías ...Yahoo Sports - 12m -
England vs Albania LIVE: Thomas Tuchel takes charge of first game at Wembley
The Three Lions begin their journey under Tuchel as qualifying for the 2026 World Cup gets underwayYahoo Sports - 13m
More in Sports
-
QB Aaron Rodgers leaves Pittsburgh without a contract
Aaron Rodgers left Pittsburgh without a contract in place.Yahoo Sports - 10m -
QB Aaron Rodgers leaves Pittsburgh without a contract
Aaron Rodgers left Pittsburgh without a contract in place.Yahoo Sports - 10m -
Pitcher Julio Urías suspended through the All-Star break by MLB under domestic violence policy
Former Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Julio Urías was suspended through the All-Star break by Major League Baseball on Friday under its domestic violence policy with the players' association. Urías ...Yahoo Sports - 12m -
Pitcher Julio Urías suspended through the All-Star break by MLB under domestic violence policy
Former Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Julio Urías was suspended through the All-Star break by Major League Baseball on Friday under its domestic violence policy with the players' association. Urías ...Yahoo Sports - 12m -
England vs Albania LIVE: Thomas Tuchel takes charge of first game at Wembley
The Three Lions begin their journey under Tuchel as qualifying for the 2026 World Cup gets underwayYahoo Sports - 13m