Ipswich Town defender Tommy Smith scored in the fourth minute of stoppage time to give New Zealand a 2-1 win over New Caledonia on Friday and an overall victory in Oceania regional qualifying for the 2014 World Cup.
Smith's close-range header broke a 1-1 deadlock which had lasted from the 55th minute and gave New Zealand an unassailable lead at the top of the four-team qualifying group.
Earlier, a Chris Killen header had put the All Whites ahead while Cesar Lolohea equalised for the visiting side before Smith put it behind doubt.
New Zealand will now play the fourth-placed team from the CONCACAF
Confederation in home and away matches in November for a place at the 2014
World Cup in Brazil.
AP
source: newshub archive
