Fiji's Setareki Hughes up against New Zealand's Themistoklis Tzimopoulos. Image: OFC via Phototek

New Zealand have defeated Fiji 2-0 in the first match of their two-legged clash for Group A in the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™ – OFC Stage 3.

Fiji: 20. Beniamino MATEINAQARA (GK), 3. Kavaia RAWAQA, 4. Dave RADRIGAI, 7. Epeli SAUKURU, 8. Setareki HUGHES, 9. Roy KRISHNA (C), 12. Remueru TEKIATE, 15. Osea VAKATALESAU, 16. Peniame DROVA, 17. Kolinio SIVOKI, 18. Taniela WAQA.

Subsitutes: 1. Simione TAMANISAU (RGK), 2. Avinesh SUWAMY, 5. Laitia TUILAU, 6. Jone VESIKULA, 10. Samuela DRUDRU, 11. James HOYT, 13. Josateki TAMUDU, 14. Rinal PRASAD, 20. Vereti DICKSON (RGK).

Coach: Christophe GAMEL (FRA)

New Zealand: 1. Stefan MARINOVIC (GK), 3. Deklan WYNNE 4. Themistoklis TZIMOPOULOS 5. Michael BOXALL 6. Bill TUILOMA, 8. Michael MCGLINCHEY, 9. Christopher WOOD (C), 11. Marco ROJAS, 15. Clayton LEWIS, 18. Kip COLVEY, 22. Andrew DURANTE.

Substitutes: 7. Dane INGHAM, 10. Shane SMELTZ, 12. Glen MOSS (RGK), 13. Alex RUFER, 14. Ryan THOMAS, 16. Samuel BROTHERTON, 17. Thomas DOYLE, 19. Moses DYER, 20. Tommy SMITH, 21. Jai INGHAM, 23. Tamati WILLIAMS (RGK).

Coach: Anthony HUDSON (ENG)

FULL TIME: Fiji 0-2 New Zealand

90’+3 New Zealand pass the ball around holding on to possession

90′ Three minutes additional time

90′ Both teams battle for possession in the middle of the park

88′ SUB NZL | Themistoklis TZIMOPOULOS is replaced by Tommy SMITH

87′ Roy KRISHNA meets the ball at back post but Kip COLVEY slides in to block the attempt just in time

85′ Shane SMELTZ charges towards goal but Kolinio SIVOKI makes the tackle to stop the counter attack

84′ Stefan MARINOVIC punches an attempt away from goal but it deflects off a New Zealand defender and gives Fiji the corner

82′ Rinal PRASAD has an attempt from well outside the New Zealand box but Stefan MARINOVIC picks up the ball

79′ Christopher WOOD turns and shoots after receiving a ball from Marco ROJAS but sends the attempt straight to Beniamino MATEINAQARA’s hands

78′ Free kick to New Zealand after a foul on Christopher WOOD halfway into Fiji’s half

77′ SUB NZL | Clayton LEWIS is replaced by Shane SMELTZ

76′ Free kick to New Zealand after a foul on Andrew DURANTE

74′ SUB FIJ | Dave RADRIGAI is replaced by Rinal PRASAD

73′ New Zealand hold possession in Fiji’s half but the backline keep the Kiwi’s away from goal

71′ SUB FIJ | Remueru TEKIATE is replaced by Jone VESIKULA

69′ SUB NZL | Bill TUILOMA is replaced by Ryan THOMAS

68′ Back-to-back headers towards goal from Christopher WOOD are blocked by the Fiji backline and Beniamino MATEINAQARA

67′ YELLOW CARD | Bill TUILOMA is cautioned for a foul in the Fiji half

65′ Roy KRISHNA sends in a cross along the ground but Stefan MARINOVIC just manages a hand to it before a Fiji foot can connect

63′ Roy KRISHNA charges into the box but can’t get through the New Zealand backline

62′ SUB FIJ | Osea VAKATALESAU is replaced by James HOYT

59′ Osea VAKATALESAU is on the ground requiring treatment

59′ New Zealand counter attack and win the corner

57′ Kavaia RAWAQA attempts to cross the ball into the New Zealand box but Kip COLVEY blocks his kick

55′ GOAL!! FIJ 0-2 NZL | Marco ROJAS tackles Beniamino MATEINAQARA and places the ball into the back of the net

54′ Free kick to Fiji after a foul from Kip COLVEY

51′ Clayton LEWIS’s corner is cleared but Michael MCGLINCHEY fires the ball at goal and earns another corner for New Zealand

50′ Christopher WOOD gets a head to the corner but his attempt hits the side post and bounces back into play

50′ Marco ROJAS has an attempt from just inside the box but his shot is blocked by the Fiji backline and goes out of play for the corner

48′ GOAL!! FIJ 0-1 NZL | Christopher WOOD finds the back of the net from the penalty spot

47′ Christopher WOOD lines up a penalty after a foul in the Fiji box

46′ Marco ROJAS chases a pass back to Beniamino MATEINAQARA but the keeper clears the ball up the field

46′ Fiji get the second half underway

HALF TIME: Fiji 0-0 New Zealand

45’+2 Bill TUILOMA follows up a Fiji clearance but sends his long range attempt well wide of goal

45′ Two minutes additional time

44′ Free kick to Fiji after a hand ball from Michael BOXALL just inside the Fiji half

43′ YELLOW CARD | Taniela WAQA is cautioned for a tackle on Clayton LEWIS

42′ Dave RADRIGAI comes off the field to receive treatment after a collision

41′ Taniela WAQA sends in a cross and wins the corner ball after Stefan MARINOVIC punches it out of play

40′ Kavaia RAWAQA charges down the line but lets the ball too far in front and Kip COLVEY clears the ball out wide

39′ Roy KRISHNA sends a perfect through ball to Dave RADRIGAI but Themistoklis TZIMOPOULOS slides in just in time to block the following attempt at goal

38′ Free kick to New Zealand after a foul from Osea VAKATALESAU on Andrew DURANTE

38′ Marco ROJAS charges at goal but Peniame DROVA slides in to make the tackle

37′ Roy KRISHNA miscues an attempt on goal and Stefan MARINOVIC picks up the rolling ball

36′ Fiji regain possession and Setareki HUGHES charges into the New Zealand half but can’t find a break in the New Zealand backline

35′ Christopher WOOD just misses an attempt on goal

35′ Free kick to New Zealand after a foul on Kip COLVEY

34′ Remueru TEKIATE is on the ground in the Fiji box requiring treatment

33′ Marco ROJAS finds the back of the net but the offside call is given

32′ Christopher WOOD charges towards the Fiji goal but can’t break through the backline

30′ Beniamino MATEINAQARA makes a grab for the ball after miscommunication between defenders leaves it unattended in front of goal

29′ Setareki HUGHES follows up a clearance from Themistoklis TZIMOPOULOS but sends the ball well over the crossbar

28′ Osea VAKATALESAU sends a through ball to Dave RADRIGAI but Deklan WYNNE runs in and clears the ball wide

25′ Marco ROJAS sends the corner kick to Christopher WOOD but the skipper is tackled hard and loses possession

25′ Marco ROJAS charges at Beniamino MATEINAQARA forcing the keeper to clear the ball and give away the corner

23′ New Zealand counter attack and win the corner ball but a collision in the box gives Fiji a free kick

22′ An impressive build up of play from Fiji forces Stefan MARINOVIC to dive and just reach his hand to a powerful long range attempt

21′ Free kick to Fiji after a foul from Bill TUILOMA deep in the Fiji half

19′ A long range attempt from Setareki HUGHES drifts wide of goal

18′ Free kick to Fiji after another foul on Roy KRISHNA from Deklan WYNNE

17′ Free kick to Fiji after a foul on Roy KRISHNA from Deklan WYNNE

16′ Free kick to New Zealand after a late tackle on Themistoklis TZIMOPOULOS just inside the New Zealand half

14′ Bill TUILOMA puts too much power behind a cross and the ball goes well wide of the goal

14′ Beniamino MATEINAQARA jumps up and catches the corner following his impressive save

13′ Clayton LEWIS follows up a cleared corner with a powerful shot from outside the box but Beniamino MATEINAQARA punches it over the crossbar

12′ Marco ROJAS chases a through ball but Remueru TEKIATE slides in and clears the ball wide

11′ Christopher WOOD and Beniamino MATEINAQARA both jump to meet a cross from Deklan WYNNE but the keeper wins the ball

10′ Christopher WOOD heads a long throw from Bill TUILOMA towards goal but the attempt is cleared by the Fiji backline

10′ Back-to-back crosses from New Zealand go to back post but no player is able to line up an attempt on goal

8′ Michael MCGLINCHEY sends a cross to Christopher WOOD’s head but the skipper can’t get enough power behind his attempt and the Fiji backline makes the clearance

7′ New Zealand hold possession and pass the ball along their backline waiting for a break

6′ Christopher WOOD defends from the front forcing Beniamino MATEINAQARA to clear the ball wide

5′ Roy KRISHNA sends a cross straight to the penalty spot but no Fiji player is there to meet the ball

4′ Marco ROJAS jumps to meet a cross into the Fiji box but the ball glides just over his head

3′ Kavaia RAWAQA sends in a long range attempt but Stefan MARINOVIC jumps up to catch the ball

3′ Christopher WOOD charges forward forcing Remueru TEKIATE to play the ball back to Beniamino MATEINAQARA

2′ Fiji push into New Zealand’s half but can’t break through the backline

1′ Epeli SAUKURU attempts to cross but Deklan WYNNE blocks the attempt and wins the goal kick

1′ The match is underway with New Zealand’s kick off

Match Officials:

Referee: Norbert HAUATA (TAH)

Assistant Referee 1: Philippe REVEL (TAH)

Assistant Referee 2: Hilmon SESE (VAN)

Fourth Official: George TIME (SOL)