New Zealand's All Whites advanced to the final of the Oceania Football Confederation's World Cup qualifying tournament on March 27, overcoming a tough-tackling Tahiti team 1-0 in a hard-fought semi-final at the Grand Hamad Stadium in Doha. The physical and robust approach of the Tahitians was the outstanding feature of the game in its early stages, and the sound of referee Abdulrahman Al Jassim's whistle offered a consistent soundtrack to proceedings, with anyone clad in all black fair game as far as their Oceania rivals were concerned. Sadly, the referee did little more than blow his whistle in this match, choosing to book just four Tahitian players when there were so many more fouls deserving of like punishment, arguably the worst of them seeing Joe Bell sandwiched by two opponents which understandably prompted a gathering of the clans. The All Whites, for their part, were no angels, as three bookings testifies. But Tahiti's approach served its purpose, as it frustrated their more illustrious opponents and effectively turned the match into the footballing equivalent of a street fight. The first half-hour of play was largely bereft of goalscoring opportunities, the first of them a twenty-five yard Liberato Cacace free-kick which was fired straight at Tahitian goalkeeper Teave Teamotuaitau in the eighth minute. Two minutes later, Winston Reid spread play wide to Niko Kirwan, whose cross picked out Chris Wood. The retreating figure of Dylan Paama whipped the ball off the striker's toes and directed it back to Teamotuaitau, who happily smothered the sphere … a backpass, surely? Not in the eyes of the Qatari match official, who was already earning his fair share of criticism for failing to police the shenanigans the Tahitians were getting away with. The best chance of the first half fell the All Whites' way on the half-hour. Wood spread play wide to Cacace, who delivered a gorgeous cross into the heart of the Tahitian goalmouth, where the unmarked figure of Matt Garbett was arriving on cue. He contrived to head over the bar when scoring appeared the easier option. Five minutes later, Teamotuaitau saved Bell's twenty-five yarder right on the line as Kiwi pressure mounted. The goalkeeper then smothered a Callum McCowatt after the striker had wriggled through three challenges upon linking with Garbett. Wood guided a header, from a Kirwan cross, narrowly past the post in the 37th minute, while McCowatt was again denied by Teamotuaitau seconds later after Kirwan and Bell had joined forces to prise open Tahiti's defence. Fine defensive work by Paama thwarted McCowatt in the 39th minute after he had once more combined with Garbett, while on the stroke of half-time Eddy Kaspard's splendid defensive work denied Cacace in the act of shooting after Bell's corner had been partially cleared.

The All Whites needed just four minutes of the second half to resume their attacking endeavours. Cacace's corner arced beyond the far post to Bill Tuiloma, who headed the ball back across goal. The sphere struck the incoming figure of Reid and ricocheted goalwards, being grabbed on the line by Teamotuaitau. Seven minutes later, Bell picked out Tuiloma with a corner. The defender's header looked odds on to break the deadlock until Mauri Heitaa rose to head it off the line. The clearance didn't get very far, as within thirty seconds Elijah Just worked an opening with Cacace, who evaded a challenge before presenting the striker with the chance to shoot - just wide of the far post - from the edge of the penalty area. After Garbett had gone close with a volleyed effort on the hour after working an opening with Kirwan, the All Whites finally broke the deadlock twenty minutes from time. Nando Pijnaker picked out Cacace, who scythed inside before picking out substitute Alex Greive, at the precise moment Wood was taken out in the penalty area off the ball by a Tahitian defender. Greive's cross to the near post found Garbett arriving on cue, and he laid the ball back into the stride of Cacace, who gleefully tucked home what proved to be the match-winning goal from eight yards, low past Teamotuaitau. Three minutes later, Tuiloma went desperately close to doubling New Zealand's lead, upon being picked out by another Bell corner to the far post. The defender's downward header bounced up and over the crossbar from inside the six yard box. Tahiti fired their first shot in anger twelve minutes from time when Tauhiti Keck let fly from twenty yards, but having set out their stall to frustrate the All Whites with an aim to take this semi-final to penalties, the Tahitians lacked a "Plan B" to counteract going behind on the scoreboard. As a result, the All Whites were able to see out the remaining minutes in relative comfort, going close to doubling their advantage in the final minute when Cacace invited Greive to cut in off the left flank and let fly, his twenty yarder deflecting past the near post. One goal was all the All Whites required, however, to set up a winner-take-all showdown with the Solomon Islands in three days' time. The victor of that clash will be Oceania's representatives in June's inter-confederation play-off against the fourth-placed CONCACAF contenders, which will very likely be Costa Rica. Tahiti:          Teamotuaitau; Paama (booked, 90), Hapipi, Bourebare, Heitaa (booked, 27); T. Tehau, Li Fung Kuee, R. Tehau (Bremond, 79 (booked, 90)), A. Tehau, Keck (booked, 7 (Pennequin-Le Bras, 82)); Kaspard All Whites:     Marinovic; Tuiloma, Reid (booked, 32), Pijnaker (Smith, 76); Kirwan (Payne, 76), Garbett, Bell, Just, Cacace (booked, 51); McCowatt (Greive, 63 (booked, 90)), Wood Referee:     Abdulrahman Al Jassim (Qatar)