Sport: Solomons face tough ask against All Whites

5:03 pm on 4 June 2016

Solomon Islands coach Moses Toata said his team must take the "hard road" if they're to qualify for the Oceania Nations Cup semi-finals.

The Solomons beat Vanuatu 1-0 in their opening match last weekend but lost to Fiji by the same margin in midweek.

They're currently second in Group B, ahead of Fiji on goal difference and three points behind tonight's opponents, New Zealand, who have already qualified for the top four.

Moses Toata said regardless of what happens in the early match between Vanuatu and Fiji his team will be playing to win.

"We don't really want to depend on the Vanuatu Fiji game but if it comes to that we will hope Vanuatu will beat Fiji."

"We are very disappointed with what happened with the Fiji game and now we have to take the hard road, it's something we must do.We have to do all we can to get three points. I know it will be hard against a quality side like New Zealand but in football nothing is impossible so we are trying to get three points if we can," he said

The top two teams from each group will contest the Nations Cup semi finals while the third place finishers will also advance to the next round of qualifying for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.