The All Whites have completed their Oceania World Cup qualifying campaign unbeaten after a 2-0 win over the Solomon Islands in Honiara.
Young Blackburn Rovers utility Tim Payne was the star for New Zealand scoring the goals in the opening and closing stages of the match to give the All Whites six wins from six starts in stage three qualifying for the Oceania region.
New Zealand wrapped up the intercontinental playoff spot against an as-yet unknown CONCACAF opponent in November with a 2-1 win over New Caledonia in Dunedin on Friday and coach Ricki Herbert took the decision to rest several of his front line players.
Debuts were handed to Wellington Phoenix captain Andrew Durante, his club mate Cameron Lindsay and Team Wellington's Luke Rowe, while there were recalls for goalkeeper Jacob Spoonley and Waitakere United defender Aaron Scott.
Herbert fielded an entirely new starting eleven and was pleased with the way the new players took their opportunity.
He says it was a professional performance and the new players slipped into the system really well, they all did their jobs and it was quite comfortable in the end.
Costa Rica, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama and the USA are vying for three automatic qualifying places, with the fourth placed set to face the All Whites in a home-and-away playoff in November.
