Smith Starts as All Whites Top Qualification Group Tuesday, 28th Mar 2017 09:43 Centre-half Tommy Smith started and played the full 90 minutes as New Zealand beat Fiji 2-0 in Wellington this morning to confirm their progress through to the next stage of World Cup qualification. Ryan Thomas, who plays for PEC Zwolle in Holland, netted a goal in each half. The All Whites topped their three-team Oceania qualification group and will next meet the winners of the other group - probably Tahiti - in a two-legged play-off. The side which wins that will face the team which finishes fifth in the South American qualification group in an inter-confederation play-off for a place at the finals in Russia in the summer of 2018. Smith, who was winning his 31st full cap, made his first start for New Zealand since returning to international football having come on as a late sub in Saturday’s 2-0 win in Fiji, his first All Whites appearance since November 2014. The 26-year-old came close to scoring his third international goal when he hit the bar with a header in the first half. Town youngster Monty Patterson, who is currently on loan at Braintree, was also included in the squad but pulled out due to a hamstring injury.
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