NOUMEA, NEW CALEDONIA // New Zealand advanced as Oceania's representative in the 2010 World Cup qualifying after a 3-1 win over New Caledonia today to clinch top spot in the regional playoffs. Shane Smeltz scored two second-half goals for New Zealand, which will next play the fifth-place team from ongoing Asian qualifiers, with the winner to go to South Africa in 2010. With two matches remaining in the second round, New Zealand clinched the group with four straight wins in the round-robin group.
Ben Sigmund put New Zealand ahead in the first half, but Michael Hmae equalised for New Caledonia shortly after the break. Smeltz's first strike came midway through the second half and then he made sure of victory with his second 14 minutes from time. Smeltz's two goals maintains his record of having scored in each of New Zealand's second-round matches, taking his total to six goals. In the other Oceania qualifier, Fiji beat Vanuatu 2-0.
The win Saturday also gave New Zealand a spot in next year's Confederations Cup in South Africa. *AP
