Chris Wood hat-trick keeps New Zealand on course for World Cup appearance

INTERNATIONAL DUTY: NOTTINGHAM Forest's Chris Wood scored a hat-trick as New Zealand remained on course for a first World Cup appearance since 2010 by thrashing Samoa 8-0 Monday to make it three wins out of three in Oceania qualifying group stage.

NOTTINGHAM Forest's Chris Wood scored a hat-trick as New Zealand remained on course for a first World Cup appearance since 2010 by thrashing Samoa 8-0 Monday to make it three wins out of three in Oceania qualifying group stage.

The All Whites now move on to next year's four-team final stage of qualifying along with New Caledonia, Fiji and Tahiti, who earlier beat Vanuatu 2-0 at the same Auckland stadium to secure their passage.

New Zealand will play Fiji and New Caledonia will take on Tahiti in the semi-finals in Wellington on March 21 with the final taking place at Auckland's Eden Park three days later.

The winner of the final qualifies directly for the 2026 World Cup finals with the losers going into an intercontinental playoff tournament featuring six teams from around the world.

After beating Tahiti 3-0 and Vanuatu 8-1 in their previous Group B games, New Zealand were already assured of a spot in the final stage before they kicked off against winless Samoa at Mount Smart Stadium.

The heroics of Samoa goalkeeper Pele Eti Fatu kept them at bay until the 24th minute when midfielder Callum McCowatt finally slid the ball past him.

Wood, who has been in rare goalscoring form for his English club Nottingham Forest, clipped a McCowatt pass into the net four minutes later and added his second in the 34th minute after being found free in front of goal by Matthew Garbett. The 32-year-old, who played as a teenager in New Zealand's 2010 World Cup campaign in South Africa, scored his third with a volley in the 61st minute with Marko Stamenic adding a fifth a minute later.

Wood was substituted in the 64th minute, having contributed six goals over the three group matches to take his career tally to 41 in 80 internationals.

New Zealand have been the dominant force in Oceania football since Australia left for Asia in 2006 but have lost out in intercontinental playoffs in their last three attempts to qualify for the World Cup.

The expanded 2026 tournament means direct passage for the best team from Oceania and the New Zealanders will be strong favourites to book a third trip to the finals.

Meanwhile skipper Virgil van Dijk and midfielder Frenkie de Jong have both been released from Netherlands duty and will not travel for their final Nations League group game against Bosnia & Herzegovina on Tuesday.

"For both Frenkie and Virgil, it is better for them to leave the training camp at this time," coach Ronald Koeman said. "That decision was made on medical grounds, with the interests of the players paramount, of course."

Belgium's 1-0 defeat by Israel in the Nations League has ramped up the pressure on Domenico Tedesco but the coach still believes he is the right man for the job.

Belgium have won just two of their last 10 internationals and only avoided bottom place in their group, and relegation from the top tier, because of better head-to-head results against the Israelis.

"I trust my qualities. I trust my staff, I trust my players. I trust the people around me. I know how hard I work,” he said.

Belgium’s timid tactics have been criticised throughout the six-game campaign despite Tedesco promising a more adventurous approach after they limped out to France in the last 16 at Euro 2024 in July.

“After the Euros I told you that we have to change something in some games, we missed intensity, and that we have to try new players because if we don't do it now we will never do it,” Tedesco said.

“This campaign was different because of many, many injuries.” 

Belgium were without a host of key players for their last group game on Sunday and lost the match late on after a horror defensive error from new cap Matte Smets.

“The negative sentiment is nothing new. I was told this is typically Belgian," he added. "Naturally the results in the Nations League did not help but in March we have a sort of final in the playoffs to keep our place in the A League. It will be good to start the New Year with a strong focus.”

Reuters