Football: All Whites to defend Oceania Nations Cup crown, after dispatching Tahiti in semis

Strikers Ben Waine and Kosta Barbarouses have scored a brace of goals each to send New Zealand into the Oceania Nations Cup final, with a 5-0 win over Tahiti in the semi-finals.

Defender Finn Surman had the All Whites ahead early, when Liberato Cacace's free-kick deflected off a post, but into the path of fast-following Surman for his first international goal.

Cacace found the same woodwork with a rightfoot rocket moments later, but as halftime approached, that advantage escalated, with Waine capitalising on a sweet delivery into the goalmouth by Barbarouses and rifling into the top right corner.

From the restart, Cacace created for Barbarouses, playing a ball from the byline to the front of goal for a leftfoot finish.

Ahead 3-0 at the break, Cacace also again had his fingerprints all over the next goal, when his found Waine's head at the right post to nod home.

Barbarouses complete the scoring, when substitute Alex Grieve saw his shot blocked, but the rebound found his teammate to easily prod home. Max Mata drew an acrobatic save from Tahiti keeper Teave Teamotuatitau and Grieve found the post with a late leftfooted effort.

New Zealand will now face the winners between Fiji and Vanuatu in the other semi-final.

New Zealand 5 (Waine 2, Barbarouses 2, Surman) Tahiti 0

More to come

Strikers Ben Waine and Kosta Barbarouses have scored a brace of goals each to send New Zealand into the Oceania Nations Cup final, with a 5-0 win over Tahiti in the semi-finals.

Defender Finn Surman had the All Whites ahead early, when Liberato Cacace's free-kick deflected off a post, but into the path of fast-following Surman for his first international goal.

Cacace found the same woodwork with a rightfoot rocket moments later, but as halftime approached, that advantage escalated, with Waine capitalising on a sweet delivery into the goalmouth by Barbarouses and rifling into the top right corner.

From the restart, Cacace created for Barbarouses, playing a ball from the byline to the front of goal for a leftfoot finish.

Ahead 3-0 at the break, Cacace also again had his fingerprints all over the next goal, when his found Waine's head at the right post to nod home.

Barbarouses complete the scoring, when substitute Alex Grieve saw his shot blocked, but the rebound found his teammate to easily prod home. Max Mata drew an acrobatic save from Tahiti keeper Teave Teamotuatitau and Grieve found the post with a late leftfooted effort.

New Zealand will now face the winners between Fiji and Vanuatu in the other semi-final.

New Zealand 5 (Waine 2, Barbarouses 2, Surman) Tahiti 0

More to come

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