Set-piece
specialists...New
Zealand open
the scoring in
the final in Doha
Oceania
STEVE MENARY
ew Zealand
predictably emerged
from the Oceania
qualifiers to secure an
inter-confederational
play-off with Costa
Rica for a place at the 2022 World
Cup finals, but the relocated
Kiwis set up date with Costa Rica in the inter-confederational play-offs,
but the Qatar-based qualifying tournament is overshadowed by COVID
tournament proved unsatisfactory.
With none of the Oceania Football
Confederation’s11 full members
able to host the tournament due to
COVID-19 restrictions, the qualifiers
were relocated to Qatar. But the
virus and a trip halfway round the
world proved major obstacles.
New Zealand cruise
through qualifying
American Samoa and Samoa ruled
out travelling on healthcare grounds and
Tonga pulled out after the eruption of
the Hunga volcano on the islands in
January. Vanuatu made the13,000-
mile trip but a 3-0 defeat to Fiji in a
warm-up friendly at the Qatar University
ground proved their only action.
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