All Whites thrash Tahiti to qualify for OFC Nations Cup final

The All Whites are through to the final of the OFC Nations Cup after defeating Tahiti 5-0 in their semi-final in Vanuatu.

However, it wasn’t all good news as defender Tim Payne went off the pitch with a hamstring injury 22 minutes into the game.

New Zealand captain Liberato Cacace said in a post-match interview that he was happy with his team’s performance.

“It was a great performance from everyone. We really focused on stepping it up from each game and you can see that in the score line. Each performance we keep on improving. I liked how we kept that clean sheet.”

Fellow defender Finn Surman opened the scoring in the eighth minute with an easy tap in off Cacace’s shot which came off the post.

The game then settled with no side managing to score, until the 44th minute where Ben Waine shot the ball into the top right corner after Kosta Barbarouses squared it.

A third goal came in quick succession with Barbarouses scoring rather than assisting just three minutes later.

New Zealand certainly didn’t let up in the second half with Waine heading the ball in off a Cacace cross. Waine’s brace saw him level with Fiji’s Roy Krishna on four goals in the race for the tournament’s top goal scorer.

The scoring was completed in the 72nd minute with Barbarouses scoring off a quickly taken free kick. The veteran Barbarouses’s double sees him on seven goals in 59 games for the national side.

Going into the game, Tahiti were quietly confident after only losing 1-0 in their most recent match in 2022 against New Zealand.

Cacace certainly led from the front as his performance saw him get rewarded by being named Man of the Match.

Darren Bazeley's All Whites will now take on the winner of Fiji vs Vanauatu in Sunday's final in an attempt to win their sixth title.

New Zealand: 5 (Finn Surman 8’, Ben Waine 45’, 53’, Kosta Barbarouses 45+2’, 71’)
Tahiti: 0

Photo: OFC