The All Whites homed in on confirming a place in the Oceania Football Confederation's World Cup qualifying play-off at Lautoka's rain-slicked Churchill Park on March 25. Their no-frills 2-0 win over Fiji in a rather niggly, stop-start affair means that Anthony Hudson's side just requires a draw against the same opposition in Wellington on March 28 to leave themselves four games away from a place at the 2018 FIFA World Cup Finals in Russia. The Fijians began solidly in a game they had to win, given the All Whites already had four points on the board after their clashes with New Caledonia last year. But the first threat on goal was provided by the visitors, Clayton Lewis' rasping twenty yard drive being tipped over the bar in spectacular fashion by Beniamino Mateinaqara in the thirteenth minute, following a partially cleared Marco Rojas corner. Fiji replied in kind eight minutes later, a low drive from Kavaia Rawaqa bringing the best out of All Whites' custodian Stefan Marinovic, who had concerns about the in-roads the home team was making down the All Whites' left flank, where Declan Wynne was being exposed by Epeli Saukuru's pace. On the half-hour, it was the home team's defence which got itself in a right mix-up - not the smartest thing to do when Chris Wood is lurking with intent to finish off a Rojas cross. Mateinaqara got them out of trouble on this occasion, while they were saved by the offside flag two minutes later as Rojas turned the ball home, although the vehement protests led by Wood suggested to Tahitian referee Norbert Hauata that the final pass had been made by a Fijian defender, rather than a black-clad Kiwi. Having been rebuffed by the official, Wood looked to channel his energies into opening the scoring himself, heading a Kip Colvey cross narrowly past the post in the 34th minute. Bill Tuiloma followed his captain's example on the stroke of half-time, going close with a twenty-five yard grasscutter which fizzed along the greasy surface before careering past the post. In between times, however, Fiji had gone close to breaking the deadlock. Roy Krishna latched onto the ball near half-way and evaded two opponents before threading a ball through for Dave Radrigai to exploit. Only the challenge of Themi Tzimopoulos prevented him from taking full advantage of the situation, the defender's block taking the sting from the striker's shot, affording Marinovic an easy save. The second half was just two minutes old when Andrew Durante hoisted the ball downfield. Underneath it was Peniame Drova, who inexplicably used his arm to bring it under control. Compounding the issue was his location - just inside his own penalty area, prompting referee Hauata to

point to the spot, from where Wood opened the scoring in typically ruthless fashion, three minutes into the second spell. After Tzimopoulos had seen a fierce drive deflected to safety following a Lewis corner, the All Whites were handed another gift goal ten minutes into the second spell, this time by Fijian goalkeeper Mateinaqara. He allowed himself to get caught in possession by Rojas just outside the penalty area. The striker will never score an easier goal for his country, but it was a strike which was due reward for his exploits as New Zealand's first line of defence in this match - his "gegenpressing" was an important factor in this All Whites' win. Fiji looked to force their way back into the contest, going close via Saukuru's hooked volley just after the hour mark. Soon after, Krishna and Setaraki Hughes combined just outside New Zealand's penalty area, only to be thwarted by the combined efforts of Durante and Michael Boxall. Krishna was the one Fijian player capable of unhinging the All Whites' defence, and he did so in the 65th minute. Upon receipt of the ball, he worked his way to the by-line, from where he delivered a low cross into the goalmouth. It deflected to safety off the outstretched leg of Marinovic, denying the incoming figure of James Hoyt the chance to halve the deficit. The All Whites weathered this storm, then looked to ice the cake, with substitute Ryan Thomas - with his first touch - inches away from making it 3-0 with a low drive which flashed just past the post in the 71st minute. The visitors continued to keep their hosts at arm's length in the time remaining, although there were a couple of moments which buoyed local hopes. A Hughes cross was punched out by Marinovic, only to come flying back past the post as it ricocheted off the retreating figure of Boxall seven minutes from time. Three minutes later, Krishna sliced a shot wide of the mark on receipt of a Hoyt cross, the last chance for the Fijians, who must know in their heart of hearts that their World Cup dreams are realistically over for another four years. Those of the All Whites are very much alive, however, and the Conferederations Cup finalists will be keen to confirm their involvement in the August-September play-offs when they welcome Fiji to Westpac Stadium on Tuesday evening, hopefully with a more entertaining playing style as part of the mix. Fiji:          Mateinaqara; Drova, Sivoki, Rawaqa, Tekiate (Vesikula, 71); Saukuru, Waga (booked, 43), Radrigai, Hughes; Krishna, Vakatalesau (Hoyt, 62) All Whites:     Marinovic; Tzimopoulos (Smith, 88), Durante, Boxall; Colvey, Lewis (Smeltz, 78), Tuiloma (booked, 66) (Thomas, 69), Wynne; McGlinchey, Wood, Rojas Referee:     Norbert Hauata (Tahiti)