Nicky "Smooth" Smith - hat-trick heroine Annalie Longo - NZ's youngest-ever international Rebecca Smith - goalscoring captain John Herdman - made three changes

New Zealand put themselves in the box seat to become the last of sixteen nations to qualify for the 2007 Women's World Cup Finals on April 11, turning on the style in sweeping aside the Solomon Islands 8-0 at the Sir Ignatius Kilage Stadium in Lae, Papua New Guinea. Nicky “Smooth” Smith, led the way with a hat-trick for the SWANZ, her second three-goal haul for the national team propelling her to fifth in the all-time goalscoring standings, having amassed fourteen goals in her twenty-one internationals to date. Her first came just after the half-hour mark when picked out by Ria Percival's cross, the same source providing Smith with a gilt-edged heading opportunity on the stroke of half-time. “Smooth” rounded out her hat-trick on the hour with a typically clinical finish. It was a good day for the team's “Soccer Moms”, too, with goalkeeper Jenny Bindon keeping a clean sheet as Simone Carmichael struck the first two goals of the game at the other end of the park through long-range efforts, her fifty-seven minute cameo in the oppressive conditions proving far too hot for the inexperienced Solomon Islands team to contain. This duo were two of three changes made to the starting line-up by coach John Herdman after Easter Monday's 6-1 triumph over Tonga. Fifteen-year-old Annalie Longo, a substitute in that match, made her second start in a New Zealand women's international, and you can guarantee that there'll be fair few more in the years to come. Ria Percival - direct from a corner late in the first half, team captain Rebecca Smith and Emma Kete - volleying home a Rebecca Smith cross in stoppage time - all graced the New Zealand score sheet for the first time in top-flight international football on a day when the SWANZ received a first-hand warning about maintaining their fluid intake in the prevailing heat and humidity. Emily McColl had an international debut she, nor anyone present, will forget in a hurry. Coming off the bench to replace Carmichael in the 57th minute, she collapsed nineteen minutes later, a victim of heatstroke in the sweltering mid-thirties temperatures and accompanying humidity. McColl was promptly stretchered off and placed on a drip, but was later able to rejoin her team-mates, having fully recovered from her frightening ordeal. NZ's line-up:     Jenny Bindon; Rebecca Smith, Abby Erceg, Maia Jackman; Ria Percival, Annalie Longo, Simone Carmichael (Emily McColl, 57), Marlies Oostdam (Katie Hoyle, 46), Ali Riley; Nicky Smith, Wendi Henderson (Emma Kete, 46) New Zealand's final match sees them taking on host nation Papua New Guinea at 3.30pm (NZ time) on Friday, in what is a winner-take-all encounter with a place at September's Women's World Cup Finals in China the prize. The Papuans prepared for that match with a narrow 1-0 win over Tonga, Mele Niukapu suffering the misfortune of scoring an own goal in the 63rd minute, when a Cathy Agunam drive cannoned off the post onto her legs and into the net. Details: New Zealand 8 (S. Carmichael (4, 22), N. Smith (32, 45, 62), R. Percival (38), R. Smith (52), E. Kete (90)), Solomon Islands 0  HT 5-0 Papua New Guinea 1 (“oggie” (63)), Tonga 0  HT 0-0

Simone Carmichael - goalscoring "Soccer Mom" Ria Percival - scored direct from a corner Emily McColl - a debut she'll never forget! Emma Kete - first goal for her country