OFC Nations Cup 2002
Auckland, New Zealand 5-14 July
Match 14, Day Seven (Friday 12 July):
Semi-final 2 Ericsson Stadium
Final Score: New Zealand 3 vs Vanuatu 0
(Halftime: 2-0 New Zealand)
All Whites impress defeated coach
By Peter Rees OFC Media Officer
Vanuatu coach Carlos Buzzetti was full of praise of the New Zealand All Whites despite being on the wrong end of a 0-3 semi-final result. He believes the current All Whites squad is one of the better squads to emerge in recent years and picks them to have an edge over Australia ahead of the final on Sunday 14 July.
A piece of brilliance can separate the two teams in the final as they are both capable of winning, however, the New Zealand team has been in consistently good form the whole tournament and tonight our team played their hearts out but were shut out by the better team, he said.
The All Whites were very structured. They moved the ball all the time it was like chasing shadows.
Buzzetti also claimed the All Whites were the best prepared team in the tournament and this would serve them well especially with the home advantage.
All Whites coach Mick Waitt was happy with his teams performance and was confident in his team ahead of the final against Australia going by their current form.
Mark Burton scored a brace of goals combining well in the midfield with Simon Elliot who only just joined the team from the United States. Chris Killen also got onto the score sheet. The All Whites went 2-0 up at half-time.
Goalscorers:
13 min - # 7 Mark Burton All Whites 1 Vanuatu 0
23 min - # 11 Chris Killen All Whites 2 Vanuatu 0
64 min - # 7 Mark Burton All Whites 3 Vanuatu 0
Substitutions:
New Zealand
Vanuatu
Cautions:
28 min - # 5 Lex Bule Bibi (Vanuatu)
Teams:
New Zealand: 1. Jason Batty 2. Duncan Oughton 4. Chris Zoricich 7. Mark Burton 8. Aaron Lines 10. Chris Jackson 11. Chris Killen 12. Simon Elliot 14. Ryan Nelsen 15. Ivan Vicelich 20. Gerard Davies
BENCH: 3. Lee Jones 5. Jonathan Perry 6. Raf de Gregorio 9. Paul Urlovic 13. Christian Boukenooghe 16. Glen Collins 17. Jeff Campbell 19. James Bannatyne
Coach: Mick Waitt
Vanuatu: 1. David Chilia 3. Manley Junior Tabe 4. Wilkins Simon Lauru 5. Lexa Bule Bibi 6. Willie August Marango 9. Seimata Chilia 10. Etienne Mermer 11. Maki Gerard Haitong 14. Richard Iwai. 16. Daniel Koko Alick 19. Philip Tomake
BENCH: 2. Ken Masauvakalo 7. Fedy Vava 8. Ali Silas 13. Sandy Alex Alick 15. Pita David Maki 17. Alphonse Welin Qorig 18. Jean Robert Yelou 20. John Presley Garae
Coach: Carlos Buzzetti
Referee: Matthew Breeze (Australia)
Assistant Referee 1: Nathan Gibson (Australia)
Assistant Referee 2: Michel Angot (Tahiti)
Fourth Official: Leone Rakaroi (Fiji)
Match Commissioner: Armand Colombani (Tahiti)
Referee Inspector: Hari Naicker (Fiji)
Crowd: 1000+
Weather: Overcast, cold, wet pitch conditions
Start time: 8:00pm