New Zealand’s All Whites wrapped up their Oceania World Cup qualifying group in workmanlike fashion on March 26, a side largely comprised of fringe players seeing off the Solomon Islands 2-0 in Honiara to leave the victors boasting a perfect six wins from as many matches. Ricki Herbert’s charges got off to a flying start at Lawson Tama Stadium, Tim Payne opening the scoring in just the third minute of play with a twenty-five yarder which silenced the natives, who turned out in their usual goodly numbers. The Solomons gradually worked their way back into the game, and following a couple of wayward efforts early on, Henry Fa’arodo found his range in the 22nd minute, only to be thwarted by Jacob Spoonley, who was playing just his second match for his country. Three of his team-mates - Andrew Durante, Cameron Lindsay and Luke Rowe - were making their debuts for the All Whites, whose starting line-up boasted a combined total of 87 caps, a third of them the property of Ben Sigmund. His defensive powers were to the fore as the visitors kept their hosts at arm’s length throughout the remainder of the half, while at the other end of the park, Costa Barbarouses came close to doubling the All Whites’ lead in the in the shadows of the half-time whistle when grazing the crossbar with a rising drive. The All Whites bossed the game from the start of the second half, with strong penalty appeals being turned down before Aaron Clapham, Payne and Barbarouses were all denied by Solomons ’keeper Samson Koti. Fa’arodo threatened an equaliser just shy of the hour mark with the Solomons’ first attack of note in the second spell, but they found the All Whites in determined mood to finish this stage of their qualifying campaign without blemish, and the visitors always looked like adding to their tally, Payne bringing the best out of Koti in the 67th minute. Lindsay, Sigmund and Payne all went close inside the next fifteen minutes, while after Spoonley had kept out a Benjamin Totori free-kick, Brockie threatened prior to the game-clinching goal in the 88th minute, Payne tucking home the rebound after Barbarouses’ initial effort had been blocked. The All Whites now turn their attention to the CONCACAF qualifying series, with the fourth-placed team in that group set to face Oceania’s champions in a two-legged play-off in November, the winner of which will qualify for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Finals. Before then, New Zealand is set to host Jordan in a friendly international on June 4, a week before the Middle East nation tackle Australia in an Asian World Cup qualifier in Melbourne. Solomons: Koti; Kini, Wagena, Naitoro (Maeta, 63), Keni; Teleda (Wate, 83), Hiri (Luwi, 62), Rokoto, Tanito; Totori, Fa’arodo All Whites: Spoonley; Scott (Bertos, 83), Sigmund, Durante, Hogg (booked, 12); Keat, Clapham, Lindsay, Rowe (Brockie, 73); Payne, Barbarouses Referee: Averii Jacques (Tahiti)