New Zealand’s All Whites advanced to the semi-finals of the OFC Nations Cup on Queen’s Birthday Monday, prevailing 2-1 over Papua New Guinea despite having to endure extreme playing conditions at Honiara’s Lawson Tama Stadium. The 39 Celsius heat was strength-sapping for the Kiwi side, but they made light of the conditions to open the scoring in just the second minute of play, Shane Smeltz heading home Jeremy Brockie’s cross to the delight of coach Ricki Herbert, whose fiftieth game in charge of his national side this was. The early setback rocked the Papuans, who were on the back foot for the next half-hour as the All Whites piled on the pressure, with Chris Wood only being denied a second goal half-way through the half by the offside flag. After the drinks break - these have been mandatory in all matches at the tournament, given the conditions - PNG got a foothold in the game, forcing Jake Gleeson, who was enjoying his first start for his country, to keep out efforts from Kema Jack and Michael Foster. It was action stations at both ends of the park early in the second spell, with Raymond Gunemba repeating his first half effort in directing a header narrowly wide of the target. Wood had a 52nd minute effort cleared off the line by the Papuans, whose hopes were dealt a further blow seconds later as New Zealand’s International Young Player of the Year doubled his country’s lead by slamming home a goal set up by Smeltz. Six minutes later, the goal provider almost scored

his second of the game, the crossbar denying Smeltz as the All Whites threatened to condemn the Papuans to - in the context of this low-scoring group - a heavy defeat. Frank Farina’s charges redoubled their efforts to reduce the deficit, but too often their attempts to score lacked accuracy - Gleeson was only called upon inside the last ten minutes to deny Daniel Joe. All Whites substitute Aaron Clapham went close soon afterwards, with goalkeeper Leslie Kakai forced into a fine save to deny the midfielder, but with two minutes remaining PNG halved the deficit in controversial circumstances. There was nothing wrong with the penalty - substitute Neil Hans did the honours from twelve yards - but au contraire the officiating of Vanuatu referee Bruce George, who, after awarding the spot-kick, booked All Whites fullback Tony Lochhead for the second time in the match, but neglected to send him off. Lochhead is likely to receive a retrospective one-match suspension for the on-field oversight, with ratification presently awaited from FIFA following the submission of the relevant reports to the world’s governing body by the Oceania Football Confederation’s tournament organisers. New Zealand held on to their one-goal advantage in the time which remained to book their place in the OFC Nations Cup semi-finals, and confirm their involvement in Oceania’s FIFA World Cup qualifying round, which will take place on a home-and-away round-robin basis between September 2012 and March 2013.