The All Whites have thrashed the Solomon Islands 6-1 in their match at North Harbour Stadium in Auckland to take control of the final stage of the Oceania World Cup qualifiers.
A small crowd of just under 8,000 watched the goals rain in on a miserable, cold spring night, Shane Smeltz starting the scoring on 12 minutes, punishing some poor Solomons defence on a corner to slot home the first goal.
Kosta Barbarouses, handed a start in place of Jeremy Brockie, was dangerous all night and latched onto a Tony Lochhead through ball to round the desperately advancing goalkeeper for New Zealand's second.
The Solomons captain Henry Fa'arodo pulled one back after half-time, finishing an end to end sweeping move with aplomb but it was just two minutes before Chris Killen - starting in place of Chris Wood - restored the two-goal buffer with a neat header.
Killen then turned provider in the 69th minute, running the ball to the goal-line before hoisting a cross over the keeper for Lochhead to tap in his first-ever international goal.
Coach Ricki Herbert rang the changes and they paid off with both substitutes Wood and Marco Rojas scoring just after coming on, Wood chesting home a Barbarouses assist before supplying one of his own for Rojas to finish the scoring.
The winner of the Oceania qualifiers will advance to a playoff against North and Central American nations for a place at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
