New Zealand's All Whites confirmed their place in the OFC Nations Cup semi-finals as group winners at Sir John Guise Stadium on 4 June, edging a plucky Solomon Islands combination 1-0, a result which allowed the beaten side to join them in the last four, much to the chagrin of Fiji, who missed out on goal difference after losing to Vanuatu in their final game. All three nations have qualified for next year's OFC World Cup qualifying series, but who the All Whites and the Bonitos will face in the last four won't be known until the final ball has been kicked in Sunday's group action, with two from New Caledonia, Tahiti and host nation Papua New Guinea to progress. In their final group game, played on a slippery surface following rain throughout the day's first game, the Solomons lost two players to injury inside the first eleven minutes of play, the first of them following a reckless Matt Ridenton tackle just thirty seconds into the contest - surely a contender for the fastest booking ever issued in an international! During that period, the recalled Jeremy Brockie - why he was certainly wasn't evident in his generously anonymous performance - saw the first of his two shots in 79 misspent minutes blocked following a corner taken by captain for the day Michael McGlinchey. Michael Boxall rattled the side netting in the fourteenth minute, after great work on the left by Ridenton, while McGlinchey curled a free-kick over the bar four minutes later as the Solomons worked overtime in defence to keep the tournament favourites at bay. They did a terrific job, too, with Phillip Mango forced to produce his first save in the 24th minute to foil a Marco Rojas header, after Sam Brotherton had flicked on Boxall's long throw-in. After this, the Solomons began to settle down and play their own game, buoyed by a thirty-yarder from Benjamin Totori which Stefan Marinovic smothered in the 25th minute. Ten minutes later, Totori took on the entire All Whites defence, and did a terrific job until producing the perfect no-look pass … to no-one! His team-mates striving to catch up! The Bonitos soon had the ball in their possession again, this time with Joses Nawo, who released Gibson Daudau down the right. Past both Ridenton and Brotherton he skipped on a charging run into the penalty area, at which point he fair belted the ball goalwards, surprising Marinovic, who blocked well at his near post. The 'keeper sparked an All Whites counter-attack, the ball ending up at Brockie's feet. He took on the defence and saw his first shot blocked before sending the second sailing over the far angle of post and crossbar. A solitary goal in 48 internationals … simply not good enough! It wasn't long before Anthony Hudson's charges were in possession again, with McGlinchey's probing pass delightfully flicked on by Marco Rojas into the stride of Costa Barbarouses, whose shot somehow ricocheted off the legs of Mango to safety, not that the 'keeper had any idea at all - this was definitely a case of good luck rather than good management. Both goalkeepers were called upon to keep the first half scoreless in the shadows of the half-time whistle. Mango foiled a Luke Adams effort after the defender had broken up a Solomons raid on half-way, then worked a one-two with McGlinchey. The Bonitos' custodian promptly sparked a counter-attack, with Henry Fa'arodo inviting Daudau to get

in behind again on the right, something the speedster did with ease - the All Whites had problems all game long dealing with him. On this occasion, Marinovic turned Daudau's near post drive round the upright to bring the half to a close. The gloved duo were again called upon inside the first seven minutes of the second spell. Mango was right behind a Ridenton twenty-yarder after Barbarouses and Moses Dyer had combined across the top of the penalty area, while Marinovic had to be at his best to keep out a rising drive from the outstanding Daudau, who nutmegged Ridenton before letting rip from the edge of the area. When the All Whites next attacked, Dyer over-hit the ball forward, but Barbarouses did brilliantly to both keep it in play and flick it back over his head towards Brockie in the same movement. The striker's inaction in response to his team-mate's efforts … he really is out of his depth at international level, and this display did nothing to dispel that view. After Barbarouses had seen a shot blocked by Haddis Aengari, the resulting corner from McGlinchey was played short. Rojas fizzed in a shot which Brotherton, in the heart of the goalmouth, diverted towards the target - straight to the already prone figure of Mango, who had dived in response to the Rojas effort, and was grateful to get his hands on the ball in light of the defender's intervention. The All Whites continued to press - this was their best performance of the tournament to date, with better use of the football in evidence in the absence of an attacking target man. The Solomons, in response, were at times hanging on defensively - it really was desperation stuff on occasions as they grimly yet determinedly kept their opponents at bay, much to the frustration of the Kiwis, who had three players booked in ten minutes during this spell. It wasn't until Rory Fallon was introduced to the fray in the 79th minute that the All Whites had a fully functioning forward line, and they gained their reward for making the change just sixty seconds later. Dyer floated in a cross which was just too high for the newcomer, but Ridenton was lurking behind Fallon, and promptly turned two defenders this way and that before flighting a cross to the far post. Arriving on cue was Adams, who guided a downward header past the flying figure of Mango and the despairing lunge of Judd Molea to break the deadlock and set up a 1-0 win for the All Whites, one which they didn't threaten to build on inside the last ten minutes. Nor did the Solomons threaten to equalise, knowing that they would progress if the scoreline didn't change. Cue the bizarre situation, in the last five minutes, of the Bonitos playing for time near the All Whites' corner flag - not a good look, and not in the spirit of fair play, with Fiji doubtless fuming as they looked on at the unusual conclusion to the match. The All Whites concluded the group with three wins from as many matches, and eagerly await the outcome of Sunday's matches to determine who they will play on Wednesday evening. All Whites:     Marinovic; Boxall (booked, 78), Hudson-Wihongi, Adams (booked, 68), Brotherton; Rojas, Dyer (Patterson, 70), McGlinchey, Ridenton (booked, 1); Barbarouses (Rogerson, 70), Brockie (booked, 74) (Fallon, 79) Solomons:     Mango; Nawo, Aengari, Kini, Furai (Fakari, 11); Molea, Fa'arodo, Donga (Naka, 6); Daudau (Feni, 90), Totori, Lea'alafa Referee:     Norbert Hauata (Tahiti)